If Gospel means “good news”, then why do so many non-Christians perceive Christianity as “bad news”?

Question

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In other words: non-Christians feel bombarded with hypocritical Christians who accuse them, judge them, and condemn them for all of their “sins”.

All with the horrific and ominous threat of “hell” that inevitably awaits such “sinners”.

Does this sound like “good news” to you???

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And if a Christian’s chief responsibility to the rest of the world is to proclaim the Gospel of the GRACE of the Lord Jesus Christ, then why is it overwhelmingly true that the non-Christian’s perspective of the basic message of Christianity the exact opposite? That is, seen as "bad news" rather than the good news that it is?
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Answer 1

2Co 2:14 But thanks be to God, the One always leading us in triumph in Christ, and the One revealing through us the odor of the knowledge of Him in every place.
2Co 2:15 For we are a sweet smell to God because of Christ in those being saved, and in those being lost;
2Co 2:16 to the one, an odor of death unto death, and to the other, an odor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
2Co 2:17 For we are not as the many, peddling the Word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God. We speak in Christ, in the sight of God.

To the lost, the gospel reminds them of death and judgment, to the elect, it is the scent of life unto life, grace, mercy, forgiveness, food for the soul and the promise of eternal life with Christ.

Answer 2

I respect people's right to believe in what they wish to believe (as an atheist). And about 75-80 percent of the Christians I have met are really nice folk, with excellent principles, many of them very intelligent and astute, and a pleasure to know. However.. (yes, here comes the however...) I cannot help but feel that some varieties of 'Christian' belief serve to undermine civilisation and progress, by demonstrating a spiteful attitude towards science and Darwinism, by forbidding the use of condoms in overpopulated third-world countries and elsewhere, and by teaching children that they are 'born with sin'. These are examples of hard-line Christian beliefs that I find not only absurd, but destructive. There are some Christian communities that find the real world so disagreeable that they create their own isolationist culture - their own shopping malls, their own movie and tv industry, and dig their heads further and further into the sand. There are plenty of things in modern culture that I don't like either, but to reject so much as 'evil' is to live in a bubble. Most frustrating of all is the fact that so many Christians are not simply content to live with their beliefs - they want YOU to have their beliefs. Jews, Muslims, Bhuddists, Hindus, I don't ever encounter one of them trying to convert me (well.. maybe Hare Krishnas very occasionally...). I have heard all the arguments already a thousand times, I have read a number of versions of the Bible for myself (as an Historian), and every time now that I encounter a Christian of some kind trying to find a subtle way to get me along to a Church or a Bible study class, it provokes a rage inside me that I am usually too polite to unleash. Having said that, most of the Christians I have met in my comfortable suburban context, have been nice enough people. There are so many, many different flavours of Christianity, and the extreme ones can be, well, quite extreme. Still, somewhat less extreme than in the Middle Ages, I guess. Additional note: Just checked out that youtube link above, from Canadian Atheist - now THAT makes the Spanish Inquisition look well-balanced...

Answer 3

It has taken the world a very long time to work it's way to where we are today. We have pedifiles accusing the children under 2 years old of "flirting with them." We have the con artist claiming that the victom "Allowed them to do it." We have murderers claiming that our sociaty is at fault for their actions. We cheat on our taxes and blame the government. We cheat on our wives and then divorce them because they didn't "make us happy" or "put out" enough. The children are damaged for the rest of their lives and we each blame the other spouse. It's always someone elses fault. Charles Manson thought he was going to save America by sending his family to slaughter some rich white folk and blame it on black people.
Even after all of this we are still living in a country that has been divinely and patiently protected for over 200 years. We take GOD out of everything we can, so we will not be reminded that we may be responsible for our own actions. And then when GOD reminds us that we are very fragile by allowing a few idiots to fly 2 air planes into the World Trade center we ask. "Where was GOD in all this?" Add a hurricane and all the people say. "Where is your loving GOD now?" If everyone got justice for their own actions there would be less then a handfull of people left in North America. If we would look past our own nose for more then one second we would see that we are by nature, selfish, wretched, and pure evil and not only that, but we refuse to accept responsibility for our actions and the damage we cause to others; we will start to see raw truth. Then for GOD to provide a way out for each of us personally is more then "good news" It is unbelieveable grace. I know if I had been caught for every crime I commited I would be in prison for the rest of my life if the sentices ran back to back. Hell would be a light sentence for every time I cursed this life and it's creator which itself is a wonderful gift.

That is the Good News.

Answer 4

There are hypocrite Christians, but not all are hypocrites. There are hypocrites in every walk of life.

Do you mean like...

"You are such a wicked sinner! God hates you! You witch! You make God sick! You are going to Hell and I can't wait until that happens!"????

Well to be honest, I agree that that talk would not save anyone. Further, no Christian is better than any nonChristian and no nonChristian is better than any Christian. We are all humans.

Well that isn't the good news. Yes, sinners who do not repent and turn to Jesus will go to Hell. That I won't deny. However, the good news is that Jesus died for our sins and shed His blood and rose again so we could be saved and NOT have to go to the Lake of Fire because He does NOT want anyone to go there.

So if someone just says, "You're gonna go to Hell!" Then yes I can see your point.

If someone says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). And God loves you wants to save you. Come to Him. He will forgive you for He died for you and rose again. He will give you a clean slate and a forever home in Heaven."

Is a totally different thing.

Which brings about the topic of...

What is condemning a nonChristian and what is warning.

Condemning to me is like...

"You are going to go to Hell! You are so evil!"

This brings forth no specific sin and no hope of redemption.

Warning is...

"God is not pleased that you are having sex with your neighbour. He loved you so much He sent Jesus to die for your sins. If you repent and give your life to Jesus, He will forgive you of your sins and you will live forever in Heaven."

The sin is specific: adultery
Then hope and redemption is given through Jesus.

Answer 5

Well, first of all, no one considers it good news if they don't like the news. As Christians, we have to remember that not everyone believes the same way that we do, and if they are not interested in a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Gospel is simply considered bad news (because they see the Gospel as preaching a message that states they are going to hell if they don't follow "our" rules).

That's why I think we have to be careful to build the relationship with others instead of just telling people that they will go to hell if they don't accept Christ. I have to put myself in their perspective and think in terms of when a Jehovah's Witness comes to my door. I don't agree with their beliefs and having a perfect stranger try to preach or witness to me is unwelcome. Although the JWs are very kind and not pushy, it allows me to put myself in the mocassins of those who are preached at by evangelical christians. So, I think the answer is to pray that God will lead us to the right people to witness to. When we have that opening, that's when we present the Gospel. By allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us, then it becomes God's effort and not our own. If we do it simply on zeal without God's leading, then we can actually turn off people.

Answer 6

It is our responsibility, as Christians to proclaim the Good News of The Gospel which consists of Christ's birth (for the purpose of becoming our sacrifice), His life and teachings (which tell us what God expects of us to make our lives better and happy), His torture (for our healing) His death in our place (for our salvation) and His resurrection (so that we may be resurrected and live eternally.

Now, why would this be Good News? Because we are lost and separated from God because of our sin nature and our sins. We need Jesus to bring us back to the relationship with God that God intended from the start. This is why we need a SAVIOR. To save us from staying lost eternally.

No the horrific and ominous threat of Hell is not the Good News. God's love for mankind through Jesus is the Good News. Many don't understand this because they are not told about our separation from God because of our sins and sin nature. Many don't want to understand it.

Jesus told Christians to go and preach this good news and that His salvation is freely given to those who believe, repent (which means to turn away from sin) and accept Him as their Lord and their Savior.

Answer 7

I was teaching about this subject at the county jail last night. I told the guys who came to the Bible study that the Devil brings errors in pairs, that way if a person is offended by one extreme he or she can the more easily be driven to the other extreme.

Instead of telling people that they are hell bound sinners and leaving it at that, the Christian message is that we have all broken God's laws and deserve to go to Hell but because of his love, God made a way to save us from our sins so that we don't have to go there.

That's the balanced gospel message. It isn't the doom and gloom message of the Pharisaical legalists and it isn't the "sloppy agape" message of the people on the other end of the spectrum who mindlessly repeat that God is love and Christ died for our sins so we can go on living our lives assured of a place in Heaven whether we pursue personal holiness or not.

Hebrews 10:11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." 17 Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more."

Hebrews 10:26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Answer 8

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But then again, some Christians don't present the gospel well.

Answer 9

People are failing in "rightly DIVIDING the word of truth", 2nd Timothy 2:15. Through this failure, they place burdens upon God's people, which are too grievous for mere man to bare (Matt 23:4), and fail to point out that Christ Jesus bore all for us. The most "grievous" burden, which they place upon "men's shoulders", is their eternal salvation, and that of their loved ones.

Galatians 1:6-9, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you INTO THE GRACE OF CHRIST unto another gospel:::: WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER; but there be some THAT TROUBLE YOU, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."

Now, ask yourself what other troubling gospel is being taught to God's people? The answer is works doctrine and that is troubling indeed.

Rightly divide the word; there is more than eternal salvation taught within God's word, and people fail to see the difference between timely salvation from God's chastening rod and eternal salvation, purchased by God.

Answer 10

You have many people claiming to be Christian who aren't and don't even know what that means. And then you have people that are offended by the truth and don't believe they have any reason to repent...then you have people who think secret knowledge make them special and powerful...etc. But that is exactly what Satan wants to happen...turn good news into bad news.

Answer 11

Christian Universalism does not teach the existence of an eternal hell. Jesus' sacrifice is meant to save us from death and is for all. Here are some resources for anyone interested in Christian Universalism:

Online resources:

http://www.christianuniversalist.org/

http://www.christian-universalism.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universalism

All of the following links are for discussion forums that are Christian Universalist in orientation:

Emergent Universalism Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emerging-universalist/

Christian Universalism Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/christian-universalism/

Apokatastasis Discussion Forum
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/apokatastasis/

The Church of Interfaith Christians Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thechu...ithchristians/

Wider Universalist Fellowship Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WiderUniversalist/

Fundie Universalist Discussion Forum

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fundieuniversalist/