Sheep Without A Shepherd

John 3:16 "For God SO LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world though Him might be saved."
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God SO LOVED the world.  The WHOLE world.  Don't you just love that little word, "So?"  It shows such depth and intensity.  He still loves the world, so much so that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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The door of salvation that Jesus opened up some 2,000 years ago is still as wide open today to "whosoever will" as it was the morning He rose from the dead.  His invitation continues to be to THE WHOLE WORLD.
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Accept Or Reject.
This declaratory statement is an invitation. Invitation implies that it must be accepted.  It also means it can be rejected.  Yes, Jesus cleansed the sins of the entire world; but there is one about which He can do nothing:  Unbelief.  He cannot, will not, force anyone to accept His invitation.  That's why universal salvation is a false teaching.  You have the freedom to accept or reject His offer.
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Reconciliation.

Our job in this world is to the same as the one Jesus came to do:  Reconcile the world to God.

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Reconcile definition:  verb- "restore friendly relations between; cause to coexist in harmony."

Those of us who believe have been given the ministry of continuing His mission: RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIM.  

Condemnation. 
Condemnation is defined like this:  

noun:  1. the expression of very strong disapproval; censure.  Synonyms: censure, criticism, strictures, denunciation, vilification.

2.  the action of condemning someone to a punishment; sentencing.

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Our job is not to judge or condemn, to point fingers at people, tell the how bad they are or threaten them with hellfire and damnation.  It is to reconcile them to God and preach the gospel to them.

Reconciliation also extends to fellow Christians.  In regards to each other, we also do not judge or condemn.  According to Romans 12:15 it is to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."    

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Test The Spirits.

Both Paul and John told us we must "test the spirits.  Some may have misunderstood that "testing" meant condemning, punishing or sentencing unbelievers.  This is inaccurate.  So what does it mean to "test the spirits?"
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Some of our confusion about relating to both save and the unsaved may come from misunderstanding the verses below.  The only "testing" we are to do is found two places in scripture: 
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1 Thessalonians 5:21 it tells us to "Test all THINGS; hold fast what is good;" 

1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but TEST THE SPIRITS, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
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Spiritual Forces Of Wickedness.

There are "spiritual forces of wickedness in high places that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God."  IT DOES NOT SAY TO TEST PEOPLE.
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People are not the problem, though they may be unwitting pawns.  After all, outside of Christ, SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT IS NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD.  It is the spirits BEHIND the scenes that are the real culprits.  THOSE ARE WHAT WE TEST.
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Jesus never had harsh words for the sinners in His day.  He saw the lost as "SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD."  The harsh words were reserved for the religious bunch; the Pharisees, Saducees and Scribes."  HARDHEARTEDNESS ANGERS JESUS: not sin or sinners.  He died for us "while we were yet sinners."  God LOVES sinful man!
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Seek And Save The Lost.

Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost.  He did a complete work of removing ALL sin.  Even those who have not yet received His free gift have their sins cleansed.  All that remains for them to do is understand that fact, ask Jesus to be their Savior and receive the gift of righteousness because, as you saw earlier, SALVATION IS NOT AUTOMATIC OR UNIVERSAL...but someone has to tell them that.
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The Failure Of The Church.
Where the church has failed is in not communicating that truth.  We often make the unsaved feel that being a Christian means following a bunch of laws and rules in order to be pleasing to God.
No.  We love a Savior Who first loved us SO MUCH He willingly gave His life to save theirs! We have a relationship with a real person. 

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Relationship, Not Doctrine.

Christianity is not doctrines we believe.  That is religion.  It is a Person:  JESUS CHRIST, with Whom we have a RELATIONSHIP.
Sin is not, was not, never will be threat to God nor is it a barrier to fellowship with Him, contrary to what modern-day Pharisees may have told you from the pulpit.
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God Is Not Angry.
You and I, Church, have been reconciled to God because we have received the gift of righteousness.  Our job is not to judge people based on their lifestyle or specific sins.  That is the job of the leadership of the Church.  If those caught in sin keep coming to Church, the Holy Spirit will transform them.  The dry leaves will eventually fall off.
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Our job is to preach the gospel to those who are lost AND RECONCILE THEM TO GOD.  They need to hear that God isn't angry with them.  They need to hear how much He loves them!!!  Jesus loves them:  THAT IS WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW.
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So, remind yourself often how Jesus sees the lost:  AS SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. 

SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD.