All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
What do we tell them?
We are instructed by the Lord Jesus Christ to go forth with the Great Commission
as specified in Matthew 28: 18-20.
What do we say? Things like......"You'll receive your miracle?......."You will receive many blessings? We have a lot of great things at our church?
What do you think?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on
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I heard a friend of mine talking with her niece over the phone. She asked first if the niece believed in Jesus. Undoubtedly the niece didn't understand what she meant. So she asked the niece if she would die tonight where she would go. Undoubtedly, the niece must have said something like she wasn't worried about it or something similar.
The aunt kept talking to her, expressing her love of the niece. She also assured the niece that she could come to her (aunt) at any time for help.
The niece didn't accept Christ but the door was left open for her.
A great witness is leaving the door open for the people that don't know the Lord. Once we take the first step, and leave the door open, it benefits the unsaved by knowing they have an ally. Whatever approach we use, we must do it in love.
Blessings....
Rita
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Richard,
I have never told anyone those things you mentioned. I have told people about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and that He is the Son of God. I've told people all have sinned and fallen short. The wages of sin is death. If we die in our sins we face an eternal Hell. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. God wants to give us eternal life. It is not through going to church or being a good person but is through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). Jesus paid the wages of sin by dying for us. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). We must trust Jesus as our Savior and believe His promise to save us. 1 John 5:13.
Romans 10:9-13 is a good passage to share with others.
Going to church is important. We are told not to give up meeting together. Baptism and Communion are important, too. These are God-honoring. We will do them because we know God. It is easy to become confused about some of these things. I've told people they must be baptized. Jesus did command for us to baptize others. I got a little mixed up in understanding all of that.
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Richard
I would share the most precious thing that the Lord has given me, which is the"peace that passes all under- standing "then explain to them the only way to having this one true peace. Somtimes when I pray for those I most care about I ask the Lord to let them experience no peace in their lives until they have made their peace with Him. This is also a prayer that I pray for myself. I ask Him to let me have no peace outside of the peace He gives to those who lean only on Him.
Yes, peace with God and man is the most precious thing that we can possess( in my opinion anyhow). I cannot ever express with words what this peace meant to me the very night I first experienced it after I gave my heart to Him. A loss of this peace is the greatest motivater to me to return to Him when I find myself drifting away from Him.There is absolutely no substitute in my life for the peace from knowing that as is well between God and myself.
God bless
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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Hi Richard,
If we say things like 'You'll receive your miracle' OR 'You will receive many blessings' OR 'We have a lot of great things at our church'... we are causing harm and doing them a great disservice.
Why?
This message is not the gospel.
Sometimes when people come to Christ their lives become harder.
None of these are reasons why someone legitimately comes to Christ. The one reason we come to Christ is because we are sinners in need of a Saviour. We are born into sin separated from our Creator at birth.. we need to find our way back to HIm.. JEsus is the way.
We need to have an understanding of the original fall, and how -because of the sin of Adam and Eve, we are separated from God. Things in this world are not as God has ordained them to be. This is a fallen broken world filled with hurt, sickness and pain etc... However, once we are In Christ we have the ability to overcome. At the point of our rebirth--God gives us a New Spirit with New desires, and a New heart... we need to learn to walk in the Spirit rather than being driven by the flesh and walking in the flesh. The difference is now we have God to talk to and ask help from. Afterall, we cannot come to Him unless we believe in Him. Once we believe and trust in Him we will come to HIm... At this point we have become poor in Spirit as we realize our need for Him.. and that apart from Him we can do nothing. I realize that sometimes believers go through difficulties and dry times when they stop seeking the Lord---but the Lord always brings them back to HIm.
SO-- what do we say?
We tell them that Jesus has been given ALL Authority in Heaven and on Earth. He is the only way to the FAther. If they confess Him with their mouths as Lord, and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead, they will be saved. In this life we are born into spiritual death-- that is why we must be born again--to be born into spiritual life. We are born again when we trust in Jesus.....He makes our spirits alive at that point. Interestingly, The Word says to -Make Disciples- ..it does not say -Make Converts- I believe this command is also to make disciples of people who already believe. And take special care, that when we do talk to people about believing in the first place--make sure they know what they are getting into and that they will -Count the Cost- (my quotation key on my keyboard isnt working)
--take it a step further--Why does it matter? It matters because they have a Creator who loves them and does not want them to be separated from Him. God desires for all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Our purpose here on earth is not to live for ourselves, but to sacrifice our own desires, wants and needs and live for Gods Glory in close relationship with Him for His plans and purposes. Thankfully God uses broken vessels for these plans and purposes. If He didnt, He wouldnt have anyone to use. :-)
At the end of this life, we will not cease to exist.. God created us with a beginning but no end. Our spirits will live on... I dont like to talk about hell--I really dont.. but its a reality that people who reject Jesus will face. I cant ignore it just because it makes me squirm and feel sad and uneasy. This will bring up many more questions. It will hopefully build a very interesting worthwhile conversation.
Importantly, it also matters to make disciples because when a person confesses Christ, quite often they go off and live the same way without giving God a second thought.. When we become saved.. We are to be obedient, walk in faith, walk in the spirit... Its not about holding on to our salvation.. its about living as a saved person lives.. Which is obedience and submission to Christ. Jesus is Saviour--He must also become Lord (He gets to say how we live)... A servant obeys his Master. How a person is living shows which Master they are obeying.
Blessings, Carla
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Richard,
You have received some good responses to your important question. One must always remember that the goal is Jesus Himself. There are many blessings that come along with a right relationship with Jesus, a relationship that journeyed through faith, because of grace, and repentance to find the living Savior, but the goal must be Jesus and Jesus only. I often ask those who profess to be Christian if they would be satisified if all they had was Jesus and Jesus only in this life.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by Richard L. Broch, Sr. on
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Hi group,
Thank you for your response.
Rita, I think your friend is on the right track in witnessing in love with her niece...and leaving the "door open" (mine's working, Carla)....and evidently no pressure is involved, which I think, pressure is unproductive.
Amanda, I like the way you lay everything "out on the table". That sets up a framework available for dialogue - questions and answers. I kinda think that the act of being baptized might be a big reason that holds people back from coming forward for Christ. But, I believe it is a necessary requirement in the redemption process.
Carla, I definitely agree some new converts experience negative experiences after coming to Christ. Your approach to sharing the gospel is beautiful. And you're right about talking about death, and hell, and related stuff.
It's a difficult area to cover. I don't think we see authentic conversions by "scaring" people to Jesus.....even if it should be the major concern for everybody - ETERNITY.
Charles, you are correct with people's desire for.......peace. And we know the only true peace is the peace of Jesus Christ (John 14:27). Amen.
Friends, I really don't believe any of my introductory witnessing examples posted above are of any value. But, I hear preachers, and well-intentioned Christians saying these come-ons as their primary points in the Great Commission.........which really does say "make disciples" - not convert people. Isn't that the Holy Spirits responsibility.....to convict the person......after we set up the situation with Romans 10:17," So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (N.A.S.B.).
One more thing.....I've heard Christians say about a new convert, "A new Christian can expect to be attacked by Satan, because they're vulnerable at that point."
Right! Isn't that what Jesus experienced? Matthew 4:1 starts the experience. Right after Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit led Him out into the wilderness....where He fasted for 40 days.......became very weak....Satan appeared and tempted Him concerning major worldly desires = personal needs and desires...power and possessions... and pride. He came through with flying colors!
Is it possible God might let Satan test a new convert in a similar way?
Then, it's interesting, angels came and comforted Jesus....and he was never tempted again by Satan.....but by all the evils in the world...which is under our enemy's temporary management.
Interesting......
Grace and Peace.
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Richard,
I believe that Christ was tempted in the Garden. He could have avoided the Cross, but He didn't. He got up on that Cross for me. Praise be to God that He died for me, that I might see eternal life with Him.
Blessings...
Rita
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Permalink Reply by Gary Schultz on
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I honestly don't say anything until the right moment presents itself. When It does I simply tell them of my faith in Christ and what it has done for me.
I'm not one to have "bad days". Even on tough days, no one would ever know....OK....my wife knows. But I just don't have those grumpy moments. When people ask me or say something like," Your always in such a good mood", I tell them my faith gives me all I need. That usually leads to a conversation that allows me to share Jesus with them.
I try to give them a godly example and let God do the rest.
The hard part for me is when the response I get is in your face negative. It's hard not to argue with them but that would lead nowhere. I quick prayer to ask for wisdom and the persons soul seems to help.
Plant the seed and let God do the rest.
Blessings all.
Gary
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Hey there Group,
Right on, Brother LT. Jesus is really, undoubtedly, assuredly, the way, the truth, and the life.
Gary, I like your style. Sometimes when we show godly living and demonstrate the image of Christ in our daily living.....at work...school...neighborhood...church... and family, people will usually notice that more... than listening to witnessing-words....those can come later.
Some famous guy (who escapes my memory) said long ago, something like =" Go out and preach the Word of God...
and if you have to....use words."
Grace and Peace.
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Richard
I'm not sure if this is the 'famous person' you were thinking of but it is part of the example teachings of Francis of Assissi.
It is also told of him that onr day he took a brother with him to go preach the gospel in a nearby villiage. The brother was excited because he wanted to learn how to share the gosplel as Francis did. The story goes that when he was in the village he helped a man carry something that was much too heavy for one to carry. Then he sat on the front porch a spoke with a lonely widow woman. As he moved through the village he greeted many people and stop to speak to several who struck up conversations with him and lent a hand to others who needed help doing something.
The man who was with him began to be impatient with all the delays and wonder when Francis would begin teaching him . Finally Francis told him that it was time to return home and that it had been a wonderful day of sharing the gospel. The man was puzzled and asked him when they were going to start sharing the gospel with the people. It was said that Francis turned to him and simply said that that is what they had been doing the whole day.
Francis truly had the heart of a servant and he preached the gospel with his very life.
God bless
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Charles, my man!
Very good. That's who it was........Francis of Assissi.
Yes, people notice our actions more than our words.
One thing for us to remember, though: Romans 10:17, " So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (N.A.S.B.).
But I guess the word can come in various senses.
Grace and Peace.
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Richard
I totally agree with the statement of sharing the word. My point was simply that people are much more receptive to hearing the gospel from people who are so unselfishly willing to share in thier everyday lives and needs. Jesus did this many times. He would first minister to a physical need and then to the spiritual.
I attended a seminar a long time ago entitled " friendship evangelism" . It emphasized developing a legitimate concern about people and their needs and in doing so they will be much more receptive to hearing what we have to say to them.
That is to say it is better to approach people as potential friends and brothers ( or sisters) than to treat them simply as objects of our evangelistic fervor . And this involves absolutely no compromising the gospel message itself. I know that I was never receptive at to being 'preached at".
God bless
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