“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)
God’s ambassadors are not to teach unregenerate people how they can live better lives. We are to call them to repentance and beseech them to be reconciled to God in this day when He may be found.
God is not after some cosmetic changes in our lives. The change He is after is so radical that Christ was executed on the cross so our old man would be executed with Him, and He was raised from the dead so we would become entirely new creatures. The new man that we become no longer lives for himself. He lives for Him who died and rose for Him. Our mindset has changed – no longer does our life revolve around what makes us happy. We live for God’s pleasure.
Is this the life an unregenerate person wants to live? Absolutely not. Why then should the church wish to impart to them biblical principles which will help them achieve their goals and find more peace and happiness in life? We may think we’re doing them a service but we’re doing them a grave disservice. We’re telling them they only need a band-aid here and there when they need a resurrection from the grave.
Know your audience. Equip the saints of God with His manifold wisdom. But change your message when you’re in a graveyard.