Di,
Did John the Baptist get it wrong when he made the people and leaders and Herod aware of their sinful condition?
Did Elijah get it wrong when he made Ahab aware that it was Ahab, not Elijah, that troubled Israel?
Jesus was crucified because people couldn't stand the light which made them aware that their own works were evil.
I cannot see how you can find any example in Scripture of anyone who preached the gospel while not making their hearers aware of their sinful condition.
Felix trembled as Paul spoke of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come.
It is the truth of the Father, as written in His word and revealed by His Son and His Holy Spirit which makes us aware of our sinful condition and our need of Him...
John the Baptist was preparing the way for Christ, preaching repentance and reformation to those within his own church who already knew and taught God's law and prophesies/testimonies, but didn't live them or understand them. He was not WITNESSING or doing outreach to those in the world--outside of his Church. IOW: his message was to those who already proclaimed they were God's people and knew of and were saved by the gospel as delivered and taught through Abraham and Moses...
Elijah was a prophet sent by God and dealing with Ahab one on one..
Jesus went about doing good, healing, and having "compassion on those who were like sheep without a shepherd", making his Father and the truth known. Crowds were then drawn to, flocked to and followed him, and then he could teach them more, as in the sermon on the mount and his words to his disciples...
His stinging rebukes were a response to those in leadership who approached him critically, stalking him even, and trying to trap him, not to those he was reaching out to and had come to save. He did not come to condemn. The world was already condemned. He came to save.
Jesus was crucified not because they took his life but because he was sent and given by the Father and willingly, out of love, lived here as our example, then took our sins upon himself and laid down his life to save us.
Felix trembled at the contrast between the truth Paul spoke of and himself, this was due to the Holy Spirit and his own conscience, not because Paul was pointing out his sins and condemning him...
Did the Lord get it wrong when he addressed Israel's immediate physical need first leading them out of the slavery and bondage of Israel, and feeding them, and becoming their physical deliverer?
When he only afterword made covenant with them and made his law known so they could see their own sins and recognize their own need of a spiritual deliverer as well, and learn to trust and depend on him rather than on their own works?
When he then daily led them through the wilderness of sin, caring for them, and teaching them of His love, mercy, grace and longsuffering toward them? Teaching them of His righteous judgments, involving both curses and blessings, and His very character of love so they could understand and follow him in love to enter the promised land and the inheritance he promised them?
I don't think so.
Act 3:
22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
1Cr 10:
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and
that Rock was Christ.Those who sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb, will not be those who can enumerate the sins of others. They will be those who became aware of their own sinful condition and were redeemed. Those who both know, and who have made Jesus known. They will be those who know and understand that song is twofold. It is both a song of physical salvation as well as a song of spiritual salvation because God meets all our needs. That song is their personal testimony, the song of their very own experience which brings glory to God. One they have passed on to others and taught by word AND EXAMPLE, as their characters and methods reflect His.
Visiting the imprisoned, feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked, means doing so both physically and spiritually, that is what Jesus did. These are the fruits of those who have faith and those who do not. And is the difference between the sheep and goats as defined by Jesus. Pointing at others and making those around us aware of their sinful condition is not mentioned... but it certainly seems to make some feel better about themselves.
..ian