Preaching Love Requires Preaching Sin

Many times doing open air preaching I've been heckled by some well meaning professing Christian who wants to slam me for preaching sin, righteousness, and judgment before preaching about the cross. They usually claim to be people who preach only God's love without talking about sin.

Scripture is clear that this is impossible for the very definition of God's love is bound up in a proper undersatanding of our sin. Romans 5:8 tells us that God demonstrated His love by dying for us while we were sinners. Understanding God's love is intrinsically bound up in grasping the dramatic contrast between the righteousness of God and the unspeakable wickedness of men. Some people seem to think that seeing ourselves as a wretch will only cause us to spend our lives in misery covered in sackcloth and ashes. It is true that there is a healthy grief in the godly sorrow that leads to true repentance but this becomes a doorway to joy unspeakable as we marvel at the grace that is truly amazing.

Do you question why "bad things happen to good people" or do you marvel that God would spare you from His just wrath. Both these questions remain unanswered. The first question doesn't warrant an answer for it is the wrong question. The second question remains a joyous mystery. Do you marvel at how God could make a wretch like you His treasure???