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COMFORTING SINNERS Telling a man today that he's a sinner is useless, because he will comfort himself in the fact that "everyone else is too." If you say, "Do you realize that you're a sinner?" he probably will not simply say, "Yes." Instead, he will cleverly say something like, "Of course, "WE ARE ALL SINNERS." See how smooth that was? In one sentence he took the entire focus off of himself and placed it on everyone. Now, instead of being convicted, he feels comforted in the fact that he isn't really any different than anyone else.That's why it is so crucial to keep the focus on the individual and not people in general and to focus on what the word of God says about HIM as a sinner. A good sampling of this is found in the way our Shocking Truth tract shows the sinner what God says about him: You are a sinner. Romans 3:23You are no good. Romans 3:10You are vain at your best. Psalm 39:5You are evil. Luke 11:13You are an evil thinker. Mark 7:21You are wicked. Jeremiah 17:9You are filthy. Isaiah 64:6You are ungodly. Romans 5:6You are a lawbreaker. I John 3:4You are a liar. Romans 3:4You are lost. Luke 19:10You are without hope. Eph. 2:12You are without God. Eph. 2:12You are a child of the devil. I John 3:10You are God’s enemy. Romans 5:10You are under God’s wrath. John 3:36You are condemned already. John 3:18You are going to hell. Luke 16:22-23 THAT's the kind of truth that can get a sinner under conviction, as opposed to this modernized love gospel that only helps him feel good about being evil. Gospel truth must hurt. If it doesn't, then it isn't gospel truth. Once the above has been presented and accepted, then and only then should the positive aspects of the gospel be given.