Lately I’ve heard the term "cringe factor" in reference to
a church’s Sunday morning meeting. The idea is that anyone should be
able to attend a Sunday morning meeting of the church and not cringe at
anything he sees, hears or experiences. Everyone should feel at ease and
be totally comfortable.
This means that nothing should be said or done that may offend or cause
anyone to feel the slightest sense of discomfort. But is this New
Testament thinking?
Did Jesus worry about the "cringe factor" when He sent the
Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost? I don’t think so. There were a lot
of uncomfortable people watching that event.
Did Peter worry about the cringe factor on the day of Pentecost when he
told those listening to his preaching that they needed to repent and save
themselves from their corrupt generation? He certainly didn’t. (Acts
3:38-41)
In Jesus’ letter to the Pergamum church, (Rev. 3:16) He told them to
repent or else He’d come to them and fight against them with the
double-edged sword of His mouth. Where’s the cringe factor? Jesus wasn’t
concerned about any cringe factor. We shouldn’t be either. We should be
more concerned with the truth of the gospel.
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