What Do Non-Christians Really Think of Us? - Article
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aspen
“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
She left. I am still praying for her though - she sounded like she was in a lot of pain..
I see you do not have an answer for my last post - don't worry, Calvanists never do.
I see you do not have an answer for my last post - don't worry, Calvanists never do.
I did answer you. Here it is... "Answer not a fool according to their folly, lest thou be likened unto him." BUT, since you have pushed it "answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own eyes."aspen2 said:
Can you see what I see... . B)
aspen
“"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few
Well, now I know why you never answered the question for yourself. Guess I shouldn't expect you to provide an answer you do not have.JB_ said:
yeah I know, aspen.
I don't believe everyone is pre-destined in the way it appears to be presented here.
I think some of the remarks are very telling of the attitudes that created this op in the first place
Seriously very sad. The Bible says to love our neighbor...not spit on them. Sheesh. Pray for them...not say well they are fodder for the fire...How do you know who's who?
Jesus said that the tares and wheat grow up together...I'm not so sure some of the self-identifying wheat is not tares
We also have the story of the good Samaritan....that, is the example we are given
We are called to love all men....and especially the brethren. No exclusivity there. We need to discern the lack in those that don't know the Lord. We are there to help them in their lack....not avoid their lack!
Non-believers need us...desperately!
Non-believers need us...desperately!
mjrhealth said:
And who will show them the way? Do you mail a bible to them and think you have been enough of a witness?
We are the light of the world....as Jesus says.
They need to see Christ in us! THEN they will turn to Christ.
The thread has a good question. I'm a truck driver and I drive across this nation seeing billboard signs such as "Eternity, smoking or non?" and "Get right or get left". And those are some of the more benign things I see. Within Christian culture, we are all well aware of what these things mean and what they intend to convey, but do we ever stop to think how they actually come across and that we hazard actually repelling people instead of attracting them?
But the question also hints at a deeper, philosophical question that I've written past articles on. How is it that people come to Jesus Christ? Many witnessing people think that they present the plan of salvation like an elongated sales pitch and that counts as trying to save people. Those who don't respond to this strategy are summarily written off as having rejected Jesus Christ. There's no doubt that some people make major life decisions on the basis of logical processes, but most people have to be reached on a deeper, more personal and emotional level. They'll never be "sold" on Christianity, but they can be reached in other ways.
It's been said that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Like many symmetrical statements, it has limited value, but it can't be overstated that preaching the gospel is an act of love, and people are convinced of the love of Christ to the degree that they are convinced that the messenger of Jesus Christ is genuine and has a heart felt desire to save them. People are often not saved on the basis of a single conversation, but rather they are warmed up to the gospel by observing us over a period of time to see if we really are different; if we are really true to our convictions. Such a person has their hypocricy meter piqued and is dissuaded at the first hint of superficiality. Maybe it's not fair that we're held to such an unattainable standard by the world, but that's how it is.
So a good question to ask ourselves is, are we making truly effective efforts to reach people for Christ or are we logging our perfunctory routines as a poor substitute for real evangelization?
But the question also hints at a deeper, philosophical question that I've written past articles on. How is it that people come to Jesus Christ? Many witnessing people think that they present the plan of salvation like an elongated sales pitch and that counts as trying to save people. Those who don't respond to this strategy are summarily written off as having rejected Jesus Christ. There's no doubt that some people make major life decisions on the basis of logical processes, but most people have to be reached on a deeper, more personal and emotional level. They'll never be "sold" on Christianity, but they can be reached in other ways.
It's been said that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Like many symmetrical statements, it has limited value, but it can't be overstated that preaching the gospel is an act of love, and people are convinced of the love of Christ to the degree that they are convinced that the messenger of Jesus Christ is genuine and has a heart felt desire to save them. People are often not saved on the basis of a single conversation, but rather they are warmed up to the gospel by observing us over a period of time to see if we really are different; if we are really true to our convictions. Such a person has their hypocricy meter piqued and is dissuaded at the first hint of superficiality. Maybe it's not fair that we're held to such an unattainable standard by the world, but that's how it is.
So a good question to ask ourselves is, are we making truly effective efforts to reach people for Christ or are we logging our perfunctory routines as a poor substitute for real evangelization?
I don't wear a big crucifix around my neck. I don't go out giving tracks, or go door to door. I don't have scriptures on my tee shirts, or a tattoo of a cross on my shoulder. I did not drop all my non-believing friends and family. I don't have an us vs them agenda. Our fight is not against flesh and blood, rather strongholds and principalities.
I do love; everyone I come in contact with. (Which does not mean I have to like their actions) I do regard everyone as above me, even if their rotten attitudes don't reflect that they are. I do see Jesus in the least of these whether they are a CEO of a huge cooperation or a vagrant.
Is my walk perfect? No. Being my own worst critic I can always do something better, or more effectively. With that said though I do believe the HolySpirit leads us to do exactly what we are supposed to do in any given situation, if it is we are led by the Spirit.
We are called to be light in the darkness, love in this evil corrupt world. We are the salt of the earth, let us not lose our taste simply because they don't want to come to our church or are not won over by our preplanned "Jesus is the Savior of the world" speech. Yes they need to come to the realization they are a sinner in need the Savior, but that realization may take years. In fact that realization may never come, but we are to continue in our faithful love none the less, because He who is in us is faithful always.
Actions speak louder than words, love is more effective than tracts. We are to don charity, patience, compassion, joy, kindness, gentleness, meekness, love, faithfulness, goodness, forgiveness, and all things holy. What is it to be holy? To be separate from the world. The world is self serving, yet for the Christian, we are to serve the Lord. By loving God above all and by loving our neighbor as ourselves we are living holy and serving the Lord. We can learn techniques in contextuliziation of the gospel, have canned responses to objections of truth in scripture, with all our i's dotted and tees crossed, but without love we have nothing. In the end the proof is in our actions, for if we truly care for their salvation we would have true concern for them even if they don't believe.
I have heard many stories of people coming to faith through selfless acts of love on behalf of Christians. Saints helping others in their time of need simply because they truly care, are moved with compassion like the Christ, thus being the springboard for the question of, "Why are you doing this for me?"
"Because you are loved. I love you, but more importantly God loves you, in fact He gave His only begotten Son for you."
We don't need to be in a foreign land or need search out a mission field. We can do this from our own back yards. Who is our neighbor, but the person right next door, as well as the person on the other side of the globe.
Hopefully some eyes will be opened, some ears will hear, and some stoney hearts will be softened.
I do love; everyone I come in contact with. (Which does not mean I have to like their actions) I do regard everyone as above me, even if their rotten attitudes don't reflect that they are. I do see Jesus in the least of these whether they are a CEO of a huge cooperation or a vagrant.
Is my walk perfect? No. Being my own worst critic I can always do something better, or more effectively. With that said though I do believe the HolySpirit leads us to do exactly what we are supposed to do in any given situation, if it is we are led by the Spirit.
We are called to be light in the darkness, love in this evil corrupt world. We are the salt of the earth, let us not lose our taste simply because they don't want to come to our church or are not won over by our preplanned "Jesus is the Savior of the world" speech. Yes they need to come to the realization they are a sinner in need the Savior, but that realization may take years. In fact that realization may never come, but we are to continue in our faithful love none the less, because He who is in us is faithful always.
Actions speak louder than words, love is more effective than tracts. We are to don charity, patience, compassion, joy, kindness, gentleness, meekness, love, faithfulness, goodness, forgiveness, and all things holy. What is it to be holy? To be separate from the world. The world is self serving, yet for the Christian, we are to serve the Lord. By loving God above all and by loving our neighbor as ourselves we are living holy and serving the Lord. We can learn techniques in contextuliziation of the gospel, have canned responses to objections of truth in scripture, with all our i's dotted and tees crossed, but without love we have nothing. In the end the proof is in our actions, for if we truly care for their salvation we would have true concern for them even if they don't believe.
I have heard many stories of people coming to faith through selfless acts of love on behalf of Christians. Saints helping others in their time of need simply because they truly care, are moved with compassion like the Christ, thus being the springboard for the question of, "Why are you doing this for me?"
"Because you are loved. I love you, but more importantly God loves you, in fact He gave His only begotten Son for you."
We don't need to be in a foreign land or need search out a mission field. We can do this from our own back yards. Who is our neighbor, but the person right next door, as well as the person on the other side of the globe.
Hopefully some eyes will be opened, some ears will hear, and some stoney hearts will be softened.
first Unequally yoked if any one cares to read the bible in context applies to work of the church only.
missionary work hiring a pastor etc etc
yet its allways..
" the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor" Martin Luther
SURE THIS SHOULD BOTHER EVERY ONE BECAUSE God wants us to pro claim his
unconditional love in Jesus for all people And we all know we have not always done that.
More often than not instead we use God as a excuse to murder people with unkind words.
God is patient with us not wanting any one to parish and some of us on the other hand I are busy damning people to hell in the name of Christianity. I to am guilty of that
Jesus wants no one to believe in him under threat of hell or any other threat..
talk about a universal love a unconditional love he has; that alone should prove it. ;)
and still even knowing Jesus could even love him Calvin. Calvin still foolishly thought Jesus did not love some others;.
in other words if he could love me (horsecamp) enough to die for every one else is no problem at all for
Jesus to love..
missionary work hiring a pastor etc etc
yet its allways..
" the duty of every Christian to be Christ to his neighbor" Martin Luther
SURE THIS SHOULD BOTHER EVERY ONE BECAUSE God wants us to pro claim his
unconditional love in Jesus for all people And we all know we have not always done that.
More often than not instead we use God as a excuse to murder people with unkind words.
God is patient with us not wanting any one to parish and some of us on the other hand I are busy damning people to hell in the name of Christianity. I to am guilty of that
Jesus wants no one to believe in him under threat of hell or any other threat..
Jesus did something that even best friends can not do his motivation is pure Love for all .. he even loves the reformer CalvinJB_ said:
talk about a universal love a unconditional love he has; that alone should prove it. ;)
and still even knowing Jesus could even love him Calvin. Calvin still foolishly thought Jesus did not love some others;.
in other words if he could love me (horsecamp) enough to die for every one else is no problem at all for
Jesus to love..
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