What is a common mistake people make when trying to get others to change?
A common mistake is trying to legislate behavior or bring people in on a guilt trip rather than getting them into the Word. People must be found guilty by realizing what the Word says, not by external pressure; the Word itself takes care of drinking, immorality, and similar sins.
Les explains that in all his years of teaching, he never said a word against drinking, smoking, cursing, gambling, and illicit sex, yet a man in his class for about 15 years came out of that lifestyle. The key was teaching the Word. You get people into the Word, and you do not have to get on them about their drinking or immorality, because the Word takes care of it. Les says this is where so many people have gone astray: they try to legislate all this and bring people in on a guilt trip, when people must be found guilty by realizing what the Word says. Paul likewise was not looking for a gimmick or a Madison Avenue approach to get people's attention.