# Tract (please critique!)



## turmeric (Jan 18, 2007)

I did this one Forbidden Winter Holiday season because I was tired of all the emphasis on Santa and how you have to be good to get gifts. I was still emerging from the Evanjellyfish stage.

It's the size of a 5x7, it's on heavy card-stock, because it rains here a lot. One side has red landscape, very simple, on green, with faux snowflakes, with a white cross in the middle. Text in white, on the red; Because we were so bad...God gave us the first Christmas gift.

The other side says;

You don't have to be good to get this gift! in fact, God sent Jesus to earth because we are bad. The Scripture says that;"All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa. 53:6) Jesus did not come here to be a cute baby in a manger. He came to be a Savior. "She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."(Matt 1:21)

How would he do this? "For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister: and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45). When Jesus died he took on himself our guilt and eternal penalty, so that we don't have to bear it.

To accept God's solution for our problem, we must acknowledge our sinfulness to him, accept by faith the atonement provided by the death of Jesus Christ, and ask his forgiveness and help to live righteously. If you have done this, find other Christians that you can talk with, and get a copy of the Bible to read regularly in order to grow in faith.


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## Robin (Jan 18, 2007)

Hey Meg, here's an excerpt from Dr. Clark's latest post wondering about "believe" being an imperataive:

"... We never repent sufficiently, however, do we? In case you're not sure, the answer is "No!" Do you hate sin enough? No. Do you turn from it enough? No. This is why it's unsatisfactory to to say that repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. They are not. Faith, in the act of justification, is definitive. Repentance, is continual. It's true that believers must continually believe, but they do so as justified persons. Repentance and faith are closely related but they are not two aspects of the same thing. Unbelievers don't repent. To say they are two sides of the same coin is to confuse the pedagogical order with the logical order, but I digress.

We are not justified because we believe nor are we justified in any way on the basis of the quality of our faith. In the nature of the case, faith is either true or false (and of this class there are sub-categories). Relative to justification faith either exists or it doesn't."

Take a look at Clark's essay and see if it impacts your tract? I think you'll notice some important things.

http://dannyhyde.squarespace.com/the-heidelblog/2007/1/17/believe-law-or-gospel.html

I think your piece is a great idea. I'd tighten it up by declaring the Biblical imperatives of the Gospel "summons" with words like "believe" "trust"....

Also see 2 Cor. 5:18-21 for more example.

 

Robin


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## Pergamum (Jan 18, 2007)

Lord I believe, help my unbelief..... ?


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## turmeric (Jan 19, 2007)

Robin,
How would you rephrase the invite?


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## Robin (Jan 20, 2007)

"


> You don't have to be good to get this gift! in fact, God sent Jesus to earth because we are bad. Disagree? Notice all the selfishness and greed celebrated during the Holiday Season! God's true gift to people is different than myth of Santa. God saves wicked people - not good people! Want evidence?
> 
> Death is not natural! Suffering and death is physical evidence that God is angry with traitors. We are all under God's curse. Yet, while this terrible predicament is real, the message that God has sent His Son into history to rescue men from their own evil, death and ultimate judgment comes as good news beyond all telling! Jesus of Nazareth came into the world to save sinners. He was born; he lived the perfect life; he died and was buried; on the third day, he rose from the grave to meet the penalties of sin and satisfy God's wrath in the place of all who will trust in his name. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof this is true!
> 
> ...



This is just a sketch Meg. I'd leave out Scriptre ref's, depending. Adding reference to getting a Bible and some fellowship is of course, good.

r.


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## turmeric (Jan 20, 2007)

Yeah, I like it! Don't know if it will fit on the page, but it might. Thanks!


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## turmeric (Jan 20, 2007)

Robin said:


> "
> 
> This is just a sketch Meg. I'd leave out Scriptre ref's, depending. Adding reference to getting a Bible and some fellowship is of course, good.
> 
> r.



Curious. Why would you leave out Scripture references?


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## Robin (Jan 21, 2007)

Actually, much of what was said is Scripture paraphrased and/or put in my own words. 

Not a big deal...and depending on who you target the tract to, leaving out the verses can "help" - i.e. sometimes people "turn-off" due to former innoculation from Evangellyfish tracts. Also, space permitting. ??

If there's space, I'm sure you can see where to put in the relevant Scripture references.


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## turmeric (Jan 21, 2007)

Ah...makes sense.


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## Davidius (Jan 21, 2007)

We put a lot of emphasis on the recommendation to "go get your own bible and read in order to grow." While this is important, I think the emphasis on tracts should be to go join a true church where the gospel is preached and the sacraments are rightly administered. The emphasis in the New Testament seems to be on the corporate aspect.


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## turmeric (Jan 21, 2007)

That's an excellent point.


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## Robin (Jan 22, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> We put a lot of emphasis on the recommendation to "go get your own bible and read in order to grow." While this is important, I think the emphasis on tracts should be to go join a true church where the gospel is preached and the sacraments are rightly administered. The emphasis in the New Testament seems to be on the corporate aspect.



Gosh, I like this! This is an excellent point!

Check with the church to see if there's someone to receive inquiries? Would they allow you to refer them in writing? Anything to connect the tract to a real body that would take responsibility for *discipling* is the point.


Bravo, guys!!!


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## turmeric (Jan 22, 2007)

That's why I'm working on it - I'm envisioning putting the church address & phone # on it with a stamp - but it has to pass theological muster.


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