AI-generated summary
Central Claim: McCraney argues that modern Christianity has fundamentally misunderstood Jesus's message by fighting sin rather than embracing unconditional love. The central theological point is that agape love—not moral policing—is God's sole end goal for believers.
Biblical Basis: McCraney grounds this in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (temptations are common to humanity) and implicitly in John 3:16, emphasizing that Jesus already paid for all sin. He contrasts religious institutions' condemnation approach with Christ's acceptance of sinners.
Yeshuan Perspective: This reflects fulfilled eschatology by positioning love as the realized kingdom reality *now*, not a future achievement. Rather than end-times moral panic about societal decay, McCraney reframes modern sins as perpetually "common to man" since the Fall—not apocalyptic signs. The sports analogy illustrates that all religious practices, rules, and doctrines are merely "ancillary" to the singular goal of loving God and neighbor. This embodies subjective faith: personal relationship with Jesus through faith produces love organically, replacing institutional religious intermediaries. Salvation is accessed through direct faith-engagement with Christ, not denominational gatekeeping.
Open Transcript
Introduction to Heart of the Matter
LIVE from the Mecca of Mormonism – Salt Lake City, Utah. THIS is Heart of the Matter, where we do all we can to help people walk toward His love.
God’s love. Jesus love. The Fruit of the Spirit.
And I am your host, Shawn McCraney. How about a word of prayer between us?
PRAYER
Exploring the Modern Christian Response
18B Follow-up to the Unfortunate Sports Analogy December 3rd, 2019 LIVE SHOW
Hey, more and more often we are discovering the Christian body of believers – gathered in what we call churches, with self-appointed “pastors and reverends” “leading” their respective flocks in the face of some really dynamic social changes going on in the world.
I want to talk about this for a minute. These issues include abortion, divorce, transgenderism, child abuses, homosexuality, fornication, adultery, open marriages, cross-dressing, drunkenness, drug addiction, masturbation, self-harm, cross-dressing, homelessness, pedophilia, white crime, pornography, spousal abuse, animal rights, issues with education, border wars, polygamy, polyandry, depression, anxiety, mania, sociopathy, narcissistic personality, psychopathy, neurosis, addictive personality disorder, ADHD, civil rights, bestiality, human rights, animal rights, gun control, public shootings, gang violence.
...and a host of issues that I can’t name but are going on behind the scenes that include some really horrible abuses in trafficking, executions, torturing and aberrant behaviors. And this list goes on and on and on…
Addressing Temptation and Modern Corruption
I want to point out that 1st Corinthians 10:13 says, in part:
1st Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
...and that all of these crimes and proclivities have been around, in some way or another, since the fall of man. In other words, our modern state of corruption lies in the acceptance and the public proliferation of such things listed above not in the things themselves. They have always been around.
But I would also suggest that the solution to these things remains the same for the past 2000 years – Jesus, faith in Him, the reception of Him in one's life, and the love that He leads those who are His to embrace LOVE – for God and Man – as the solution.
A Call for Love and Acceptance
So, where “religious people and their institutions” have sought (and are seeking) to thwart these sins common to man, to fight against them, renounce them, resist them and excommunicate those who participate in them, to suggest that their presence are indications of the “END OF THE WORLD,” the Lord Jesus Christ is here to do reach those who want to be emancipated from such and to fill them with His Spirit, and give them new life.
So to that entire list, when presented to me as a pastor/teacher, I say: “Jesus paid for it all already – give it all to Jesus and walk in love. In the meanwhile, whomever you are, come and sit down next to me, and let me love you as you are. Let me show you unconditional acceptance as I have been unconditionally accepted and loved by Him.”
This is not the new Christianity – it is the Christianity Jesus brought to the earth. Men have forgotten that while they were yet sinners, he saved them and the world along with it.
So, Christians, my brothers and sisters in the world, love those around you – whether or not they are believers, it does not matter, just as God so loved the world, and gave His only begotten son to save it.
With all you’ve got.
In Jesus name put your prejudices to death, and love your neighbor, your enemies, those of different races, religions, lifestyles, as you live yourself. We’ve all got them, you know – biased and prejudices. They are normal and natural and we (in a desire to protect ourselves and our fears) nurture, feed and entertain them – toward anyone and everyone who is different than us, who challenges our views, who lives by a different creed, or believes in a different God.
Christian’s love. And we love as a means to bring others peace, and joy and to better their lives, hoping that they will someday long to receive the same Lord who moves us to love into their lives.
Just a few reminders to you all.
This ministry has tons of videos and books – hard copy and audio for your benefit.
Hotm.faith
Heart of the Matter with Shawn McCraney on YouTube
Campuschurch.tv
We currently promote and push the following books to people as great resources:
Christianity’s Greatest Dilemma
We also promote the following Online Ministries:
Talking to Mormons
ExMormonfiles.Com
Checkmychurch.com
Adamsroad
We promote all of these ministries not only because they have great content but because in their content they focus on Jesus, and what having Him as Lord of your life, instead of a religious intermediary, can mean. Love John Dehlin. Think Sandra Tanner and Bill McKeever have good information. But if Jesus isn’t promoted as the end all final solution with every criticism, then to me the material isn’t complete.
Agape Love
So last night we aired what was a shameless sports analogy about Agape Love. I presented the analogy to illustrate one thing: That EVERYTHING ELSE ALONG THE WAY TO THE END GOAL is ancillary to that goal. It all plays a supporting role in the walk, progress, and development of each Son and Daughter of God. By all means necessary, yes. But in the end of things, ancillary. The illustration was to make the world like a high school – full of classes, activities, clubs and groups. But in that world there is really only one expectation God has for those who are His sons and daughters – to love – which is represented as scoring a touchdown against an opponent, on the field in a game. The end goal of God is in the endzone of a football field accessed in a game against an opponent.
The Sports Analogy
I did not try to give the analogy perfect representation of all facets – I just wanted to illustrate that in order to accomplish this end goal of God for all of his children a person had to:
Leave the campus (world – which is not the goal)
Join the team (which is not the goal)
Get called out onto the field by the coach (which is not the goal)
Play by the rules against an opponent (which is walking with Jesus by faith - which is not the goal either)
And after all of this having the opportunity to love – get in the endzone – which is the desire God has for all who are His – who are in the game, on the field, on the team, in the uniform, and out of the world.
It was a lousy sports analogy but it allowed me to illustrate the process and importance of Agape love as the goal.
We got some comments related to the show and the analogy, including:
Me Too
I’m like Rudy then.
P Wentworth
ExMormon4 ChristAlone
This is a beautiful analogy. I would add that he has given the playbook in the Bible, and we need to study it. He has given us the holy spirit. This is like the microphone that gives the QBs the ability to communicate with the coach from the field. He let us know look its 4th down and 3 to go, use this play or that, and gives us encouragement and strength in the red zone. That's where the action is, the players on this field don't do it for the crowd, cheerleaders, sidelines or fans but for the win and the superbowl ring only.
byronofcalgary
I would compare The Relationship to the Other Relationship or Union of Marriage - an easy parallel - this is all about Love - everything is easy when you're "In Love " - there are no chores or burdens - some of us are "Mail Order Brides" and need to fall in Love with Our Lord - what's not to like ? - if a man is in
Faithfulness and Struggle
love... how hard is it for him to be faithful? hardly a struggle is it? - now look at everything else you struggle with and do the math...
From last weeks Response Show we read
?John OReardon
Thanks very much for putting this on YouTube. What makes you think that Jesus Christ came back? What about the two whiteness? I'll try and call in next Tuesday but it's 3am in Ireland Dublin where I'm at. God bless everyone and thank to all the great team. Thanks...
Questions on Jesus Christ's Return
design core
He never left? , where is heaven according to the bible and the mormons? Why would he come again when he never left? What victory leaves behind the victory?........What really blows the mind is the endless cavalcade of mormon gods already in existence. And not one of them can save a lost child.