[font="tahoma][size="2"]I guess what I mean by "fluffy" is that we can't go around making people feel comfortable ALL the time, sugar-coating the gospel to make it more appealing--I think we both 100% agree about loving someone is important. And the tone of how you present the truth is SO important. But I guess where I have a passion is when people don't tell the truth at all... they just say "Jesus loves you just the way you are" and not including God's justice/judgement against the unrighteous--despite how much He loves them. If we don't include God's justice against sin then how will they ever know to change? That's all :) And I'm pretty sure we agree... sometimes things get lost in these posts when we pick out things about each others' posts (I myself included, not trying to point fingers). But I think it's good to clarify and correct each other through use of the Word :) It sharpens us!
[font="tahoma][size="3"]In my opinion, this approach to witnessing is about as effective as kicking the person out the open door.
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[font="tahoma][size="3"][/size][/font]I agree! But I think you may have misnamed the catagory.. instead of "conservative Christians" maybe the "Pharisee-like 'Christians'" ? Just a thought.
If I was about to jump out of a plane with a backpack on instead of a parachute and you knew it, what sort of love would that be if you let me jump to my death without telling me I was wrong? That's hatred to know someone is going to die and know how to save them but not tell them.
I guess with my analogy I would have said:
1. Hey (insert person's name), did you realize that that's a backpack and not a parachute? You have been deceived. It looks like a parachute, it feels like a parachute, but it's not. It's not going to save you, in fact, you are going to die if you don't make the switch to the True parachute and put it to practice.
2. If they are defensive or angry - Hey, I'm just looking out for you, and I know without a shadow of a doubt that that's a false parachute--it's a backpack. There's nothing in it that can save you. Just think about checking it out before you go free falling-- because we're all jumping out of this plane eventually.. so just know whether you're going to land safely or if you'll crash to your death.
And in the real world we won't know whether we are the first person, second, 20th person who has told them the Truth... but we must tell them because the more times they hear that they are wearing a backpack, the more curious they are going to be about unzipping it to make sure before they die.
And last little thing: When you said....
"you are not acting like the person I know - is there something else going on or have I offended you?" -- just remember that the Bible says that the gospel WILL be offensive to the world... the world will hate us and our message--not even necessarily because of HOW we presented it, but just the sheer nature of the message! God is NOT okay with sin, and we can't love God and Sin. God spits out the lukewarm... Narrow is the road that leads to heaven and few will find it, but wide is the road that leads to destruction... Many will enter but few are chosen...
I wish the gospel were easier, but it's not! It's a HUGE decision that most people are not willing to make, because they love themselves way too much.
I've enjoyed this topic :) I like what you have to say, and I'm glad you realize the importance of LOVE! Cuz we don't want no clangin' cymbals!! haha
