All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
When People say they dont Believe in GOD ....
Do you say anything at all?
Do you walk away from the person?
What do you do?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by C. on
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Ok... butvwhat about when they throw in the
WELL IF GOD IS REAL AND HE IS SO GOOD THEN WHY DO BABIES GET MURDERED AND WHY ARE CHILDREN RAPED AND WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN?..
Thats when i just get frustrated and i tell them tht in time GODS plan will be seen by everybody , that we all must have Faith.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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I'm of the POV that we can still sow the Word (the Good News) in people's hearts (a person's center for both physical and emotional-intellectual-moral activities; http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/heart/ ) and we can water it, too, and we can do these things even with those who seem to only want to debate the issue (are combative, looking to find flaws and weaknesses with what one says, as well as are making attempts to counter argue but are mostly only defending assumptions and opinions as truth).
Truly, it's ideal to want to only have discussions and dialogue with others but their insistence upon debating with you, in my POV, should never deter you from sowing the Good News in them. But, of course, it's only possible through being empowered and led by the Spirit of God.
An example is found in Acts 17 where Paul reasoned with people in several different cities where a lot of those people eventually proved that they were basically irrational but Paul still planted the gospel message in their hearts before departing from them.
Another thing is that God has revealed Himself to everyone, even to the atheist, and although a person is denying belief in God, that person still has knowledge of God through the revelation of creation and conscience. Eric tapped in on this truth somewhat in his reply. All humans know deep down that there’s something more. They need reminding of this knowledge of God. They have suppressed it. See Romans 1. The knowledge must resurface in them.
As a final thought, I know it's tempting to want to just throw our hands up and walk away, letting the unbeliever go on thinking he or she is right instead of entering into a heated debate, and it's really best to not enter into heated debate, but, truly, one can sow the gospel message to every creature (the Great Commission) without reacting poorly and becoming involved in a fierce debate, just by remembering one isn't trying to convince, persuade, or convert the other person because that's God's job.
Acts 17English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul and Silas in Thessalonica
17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews[a] were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
Paul and Silas in Berea
10 The brothers[b] immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
Paul in Athens
16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new.
Paul Addresses the Areopagus
22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,[c] 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;[d]
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’[e]
29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
Footnotes:
Acts 17:5 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verse 13
Acts 17:10 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 14
Acts 17:24 Greek made by hands
Acts 17:28 Probably from Epimenides of Crete
Acts 17:28 From Aratus's poem “Phainomena”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Permalink Reply by Mary O on
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Whether another person believes or not is their responsibility. I know they can't believe if they haven't heard. God gives the increase. We plant and water. There's times I felt I didn't do such a good job or could have said something else. Have you ever thought later, gosh I should have mentioned that verse. Personal opinion, God gives a person several chances. It's my belief He knows what it takes.
Romans 10:14,15 NIV
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
1 Corinthians 3:6 NIV
I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.
And to think that God does not see that bad things have happened. He is not blind. I assure you He sees it and has remembered it all. We live in a time of grace and mercy when people can repent and confess their sins and Jesus Christ as their Lord. There is also a time of judgment and wrath. We have not entered that time yet. Oh yes He sees and yes He will.
Love,
Mary
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Permalink Reply by Carla on
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When people say they don't believe in God...what do I say?
It depends. Do they want to argue, or have a real authentic discussion?
If they want to argue, they can go argue with themselves (as far as I'm concerned)
If they want to discuss, I'm all over it.
Proverbs 26
"4Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
5Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes."
Psalm 53:1
New American Standard Bible
"The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God," They are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; There is no one who does good."A friend of mine posted this on facebook the other day... It may be helpful:
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Have you ever wondered about Proverbs 26:4-5?
"4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes."
This sounds contradictory, but it's not.
Some fools are filled with anger and mockery. They're not interested in truth. We can't shout into their self-deception without becoming angry and foolish ourselves.
Other times, correcting foolishness is absolutely essential.
Here's four things I'm learning:
1. Sometimes it's not my battle. Scripture says we should be prepared to answer everyone but it doesn't say we should answer everyone (Colossians 4:6; 2 Timothy 2:23-24). v.4
2. Sometimes it is my battle. I must respond, whether I think they'll listen or not (Ezekiel 2). v.5
3. Sometimes it's not good timing. I should wait for a person's anger to subside so they can listen to reason (Proverbs 27:14). v.4 & v.5
4. If I've repeatedly warned someone without success, it might be time to apply verse 4 (Titus 3:10).
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It is a difficult lesson to learn sometimes to stay silent. It's absolutely unfathomable to us who believe that someone would make such an incredible claim that there is no God.
In making the decision to talk to them or not, I would begin with a few gentle questions, but before you engage deeply in the conversation be sure your own faith is steadfast and unwavering.
1) When did you start believing that? They may answer they've always believed that....regardless of what they say here, we can be sure that something happened in their lives....so we can move to the 2nd question:
2) What happened?
3) Did you have anyone to talk about it with?
I've learned (and still learning) to approach it with compassion. People sometimes come to the conclusion 'there is no God' simply because they've gone thru something really difficult, and felt alone. Perhaps they are fed up with religion and all of its demands. Share the teachings of Jesus with them.
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Hello C.
When people say they don't believe in God is like a great big door that opens up for me to speak about the subject, is one of my favorite statements to hear from an unbeliever, since life makes no sense without God and the abundance of evidence of God's existence are both from outside of our experiences and from our personal experiences.
What do you say?
It depends on what God tells me to do with that particular individual. Sometimes he leads me to speak and other times he tells me not to. 99% of the time He tells me to bless the person with what he has taught me.
Do you say anything at all?
In my personal case I probably say way more than what they bargain for, but most people enjoy the healthy conversation.
Do you walk away from the person?
99% of the time I do not.
What do you do?
I bless them with truth and lead them to Christ. I plant the seed and preach the Gospel to them.
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