Learn how to preach the truth with grace in love without condemnation. Discover history, scripture, and practical steps to win souls in today’s postmodern world.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
Why do we preach? Is it to show people how sinful they are? To prove how righteous we are? Or is it to lead them into the Kingdom of God?
Here’s the hidden mystery: If our preaching doesn’t lead to salvation, we’ve missed the heart of the gospel.
Jesus didn’t come to condemn sinners into silence—He came to love them into salvation. Yet today, many preachers rely on fear-based or condemnation-driven sermons. The result? Instead of drawing souls, we drive them further away.
A Hidden Lesson From History: The CMS in Obinze
When the Church Missionary Society (CMS) came to my hometown, Obinze, Owerri-West LGA, Imo State, Nigeria, in the early 1900s, they shocked everyone. Do you know why? They didn’t begin with condemnation. They didn’t attack culture. Instead:
- They welcomed people—even those who came with alcoholic drinks, snuff, or witchcraft backgrounds.
- After meetings, they sat, laughed, and shared food. The church even gave out clothing and material support to families.
- At the same time, they studied the people, their traditions, and their way of life in order to win their souls.
At first glance, this looked like weakness or compromise. But in truth, it was wisdom and strategy. Over time, the gospel transformed hearts. Old habits disappeared—not by force, but by the Spirit.
Ministry takes time. Preaching is sowing. Salvation is God’s harvest.
Why Condemnation Doesn’t Work
Today, too many of us want instant results. We shout, condemn, and threaten like Jonah—thinking people will run to Christ. Instead, they run away.
I’ll never forget: a brother once went to condemn a woman accused of adultery. He stood outside her shop early in the morning, shouting judgment until she almost poured hot oil on him while frying snacks. That wasn’t evangelism—that was provocation.
Or take the preacher at Alaba International Market in Lagos. His only sermon was: “You must be roasted in the fire of hell like the bat!” The traders mocked him, repeating his words before he even started. That wasn’t gospel—it was noise.
Condemnation doesn’t soften hearts. It hardens them.
The Example of Jesus
In John 8, the Jews brought a woman caught in adultery to Jesus. They wanted to stone her. But Jesus bent down, wrote on the ground, and said: “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”
One by one, the accusers left. Then Jesus turned to her and said: “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”
Notice the balance:
- He didn’t excuse her sin.
- He didn’t condemn her either.
- He gave her a second chance.
That is truth with grace in love—condemn the sin, but save the soul.
A Revelation for the Postmodern Church
So let me ask: Are we preaching to save souls—or just to tick off our evangelism duty?
- Any truth not aimed at salvation is demonic in intent.
- Any preaching without hope is not the gospel—it’s noise.
- Evangelism without love is an empty performance.
And here’s the piercing question: If assassins entered your home searching for your wife, who among us would point her out to be killed? Of course, none of us would. We would protect her at all costs.
That is how our preaching should be—not exposing souls to death, but covering them with love and pointing them to salvation.
Practical Steps for Soul-Winning in Today’s World
So how do we preach truth with grace in love?
- Start With Love, Not Condemnation – Let people come as they are. Love is always the doorway.
- Learn Their Culture – Like the CMS in Obinze, Imo State, in the 1900s, study people’s traditions before correcting them.
- Preach Jesus, Not Fear – Fear may change behavior temporarily; only love transforms the heart eternally.
- Give People Time – Salvation is a journey. Be patient while the Spirit works.
- Check Your Motives – Preach to save souls, not to display spirituality.
Lessons and Cautions for Preachers
Here’s a sober warning: many preachers today are unknowingly possessed—
- by the spirit of ego,
- the spirit of condemnation,
- and the spirit of pride.
These spirits do not win souls—they scatter them. So fight against them. Be possessed instead by the Holy Spirit, who reveals the mind of God and empowers you to preach heaven’s heartbeat.
Remember this eternal truth: There is joy in heaven whenever a soul repents, not whenever a soul is condemned in sin.
So, preacher, which spirit are you yielding to? The spirit of pride and condemnation—or the Spirit of Christ who saves?
Beloved, the gospel is not about fear or condemnation—it is about truth with grace, delivered in love.
The postmodern church must return to Jesus’ example:
- Condemn sin, but save souls.
- Speak truth, but wrap it in grace.
- Preach love, not fear.
Because in the end, the true measure of our preaching is not how loud we shout, but how many lives we lead into salvation.
The Church must stop scaring people into silence and start loving people into salvation.
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