Take a look around most churches today and you will find that not everything is as rosy as many of the "health, wealth, name-it-and-claim it" false teachers would have you believe. We live in a fallen world and life just isn't going to always be peachy...even for the Christian. Unfortunatetly, even with this reality, many are still using "life enhancement" as the hook to get people "walk the aisle" instead of preaching a Biblical message of repentance.Some are preaching that one should come to Jesus so that they can receive the "joy, love, peace, contentment, fulfillment and everlasting happiness" that Christianity brings. The altar call may go something like this, "Friend, if you are down and out and are looking for true happiness, look no further. If you want the peace that only Jesus can provide, just raise your hand and you can recieve it right now. All you have to do is just reach out."
This sounds great, but it's just not Biblical! You will not find anyone in the Bible, including Jesus, preaching this type of message. The kind of peace that sinners need with the Lord is not the kind that allows them to have restful night's sleep, but a kind of peace that literally "brings peace" or reconciliation between them and God. That Peace-Maker is Jesus. Think about it, should sinners come to Jesus for joy or righteousness? Should they come for contentment or in contrition? For fulfillment or fear of the Lord? Happiness or humbleness? Remember, it won't matter how happy, joyful, healthy or wealthy someone is on the Day of Judgment without the blood of Jesus Christ covering them.
Are things like joy and peace legitmate fruits of salvation? Of course! But we should not be using them as draw cards for salvation. If we do, people will look around at the state of the church in a fallen world and say, "Wait a minute, I was promised joy, peace, contentment and happiness and all I'm getting are trials, tribulation and persecution!?"
We must be honest with people and give them a true understanding of the Gospel. Jesus never said that this walk would be easy, but He did say that He would be with us every step. Once people are faced with the Law and realize that they have sinned against a holy God, then they will repent and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. At that point they can have, as Paul said he had "peace in believing".
