In the spirit of Sola Scriptura ...
We know, if we have a grasp on basic biblical doctrine, that infallibility is not found through the revelation of men and vicars, not through other books, but that the Bible alone was inspired by the Holy Spirit. We cannot add from this or take from this, we can only seek to study that book reverently, prayerfully and passionately to know the revealed plans and will of our Father in heaven.
It baffles me, then, that many Christians seek an alternative route from the scriptures to persuade their unbelieving loved ones to believe that very truth. Understand that I am not saying it is wrong to define and articulate these things in our own words as we study them -- I would be a hypocrite to suggest as much. Rather by saying this, I am simply articulating Romans 10:17, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." This is one of many passages which makes it evident that repentance and faith are the fruit of hearing and believing the gospel, a commission given to man, and further that the ability to hear that gospel is granted by the power of Christ -- not the desires and abilities and reasons and rationalities of man.
Yet I have seen people "evangelise" completely apart from the truth of that good news.
So let it be clear:
>> Man will not repent and believe because God "wants a better life for him." (I contend that's not even true the way many prosperity preachers like to say it is. Did Paul have a more comfortable earthly life for Christ's sake?)
>> He will not repent and believe because he feels guilty that some Romans and Jews whipped Christ and nailed him to a cross.
>> He will not repent and believe because you're a nice person and a "good example" and he wants to try this Christianity thing out. (Sorry, Francis of Assisi - words are always neccessary. Faith comes by hearing.)
>> He will not repent and believe because you were able to convince him through long and strenuous debate that his various worldviews and philosophies, whether spiritual or based on beliefs in evolution and the "Big Bang theory" were faulty at best and that Christianity is most logical. (Further reading -- look up Presuppositionalism vs Evidentialism in Christian Apologetics.)
>> He will not repent and believe because Christianity is a pretty good, moralistic world view.
>> He will certainly not repent and believe because he just "wants" to be a Christian out of his own desire, or he just is "afraid" of hell and wants to get in the line for heaven, or was by any other means pursuaded by human reasoning that being a Christian is just a safe bet, "just in case."
He will repent and believe because he has heard the Truth, and the Spirit of God has worked through that truth to regenerate him, enabling him to submit to and love the God he once lived in rebellion to and hatred of. The fullness of that truth, the law and gospel, cannot neglect the truth about man and his depravity, the penalty for sin being death and that eternal wrath of God, (this is the law,) nor can it neglect that Christ has taken the place of all who would believe in Him when He endured the wrath of God for Himself on that cross. It must also not neglect that because of this gracious and undeserved act, we are reconciled to God, guided through sanctification by His Spirit, and await total the total glorification and removal from our sinful habits when He returns to judge, and counts us righteous because of His own work. That is the gospel found in scripture.
I say these things for your consideration. I grow weary of Christians who want to evangelize but do so without these vital truths. It does no good to convince a person to take the title of "Christian" -- Christ said that we must be born again. That can only come by the miraculous hand of God as worked through the preaching of His truth, not through human reasoning.
I will also remind you that inasmuch as we must love our enemy, we must be gracious toward the unbelieving. It should not be our desire to "win the argument", or to outdo others by being the loudest to say "you're wrong!" or to find some way of humiliating them. We should be careful that are not winning others with charisma and clever human wording or emotional manipulation, but that we are simply speaking the truth and waiting for the Spirit to do His work. We ought to be careful, also, that we are not bombarding them with intimidating numbers more than we are communicating with them, for too many times have I seen someone desiring one answer get twenty, much thanks to the "graces" of internet communication. Sometimes we must, with humility, step down and allow our other brothers and sisters to convey that gospel, and step in only if they have neglected that essential truth.
In all of this, I hope to persuade you to do nothing more than to simply go back to scripture and rely on that Truth to bring about the conversion of souls. We can reason with ourselves that "No one wants to believe the Bible, you have to explain other things to them," and I would agree -- you are right that no one wants to believe the Bible. But you were not commissioned to debate men, you were commissioned to give them the gospel. You will not change their minds, nor will they, but God will do this miracle.
We know, if we have a grasp on basic biblical doctrine, that infallibility is not found through the revelation of men and vicars, not through other books, but that the Bible alone was inspired by the Holy Spirit. We cannot add from this or take from this, we can only seek to study that book reverently, prayerfully and passionately to know the revealed plans and will of our Father in heaven.
It baffles me, then, that many Christians seek an alternative route from the scriptures to persuade their unbelieving loved ones to believe that very truth. Understand that I am not saying it is wrong to define and articulate these things in our own words as we study them -- I would be a hypocrite to suggest as much. Rather by saying this, I am simply articulating Romans 10:17, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." This is one of many passages which makes it evident that repentance and faith are the fruit of hearing and believing the gospel, a commission given to man, and further that the ability to hear that gospel is granted by the power of Christ -- not the desires and abilities and reasons and rationalities of man.
Yet I have seen people "evangelise" completely apart from the truth of that good news.
So let it be clear:
>> Man will not repent and believe because God "wants a better life for him." (I contend that's not even true the way many prosperity preachers like to say it is. Did Paul have a more comfortable earthly life for Christ's sake?)
>> He will not repent and believe because he feels guilty that some Romans and Jews whipped Christ and nailed him to a cross.
>> He will not repent and believe because you're a nice person and a "good example" and he wants to try this Christianity thing out. (Sorry, Francis of Assisi - words are always neccessary. Faith comes by hearing.)
>> He will not repent and believe because you were able to convince him through long and strenuous debate that his various worldviews and philosophies, whether spiritual or based on beliefs in evolution and the "Big Bang theory" were faulty at best and that Christianity is most logical. (Further reading -- look up Presuppositionalism vs Evidentialism in Christian Apologetics.)
>> He will not repent and believe because Christianity is a pretty good, moralistic world view.
>> He will certainly not repent and believe because he just "wants" to be a Christian out of his own desire, or he just is "afraid" of hell and wants to get in the line for heaven, or was by any other means pursuaded by human reasoning that being a Christian is just a safe bet, "just in case."
He will repent and believe because he has heard the Truth, and the Spirit of God has worked through that truth to regenerate him, enabling him to submit to and love the God he once lived in rebellion to and hatred of. The fullness of that truth, the law and gospel, cannot neglect the truth about man and his depravity, the penalty for sin being death and that eternal wrath of God, (this is the law,) nor can it neglect that Christ has taken the place of all who would believe in Him when He endured the wrath of God for Himself on that cross. It must also not neglect that because of this gracious and undeserved act, we are reconciled to God, guided through sanctification by His Spirit, and await total the total glorification and removal from our sinful habits when He returns to judge, and counts us righteous because of His own work. That is the gospel found in scripture.
I say these things for your consideration. I grow weary of Christians who want to evangelize but do so without these vital truths. It does no good to convince a person to take the title of "Christian" -- Christ said that we must be born again. That can only come by the miraculous hand of God as worked through the preaching of His truth, not through human reasoning.
I will also remind you that inasmuch as we must love our enemy, we must be gracious toward the unbelieving. It should not be our desire to "win the argument", or to outdo others by being the loudest to say "you're wrong!" or to find some way of humiliating them. We should be careful that are not winning others with charisma and clever human wording or emotional manipulation, but that we are simply speaking the truth and waiting for the Spirit to do His work. We ought to be careful, also, that we are not bombarding them with intimidating numbers more than we are communicating with them, for too many times have I seen someone desiring one answer get twenty, much thanks to the "graces" of internet communication. Sometimes we must, with humility, step down and allow our other brothers and sisters to convey that gospel, and step in only if they have neglected that essential truth.
In all of this, I hope to persuade you to do nothing more than to simply go back to scripture and rely on that Truth to bring about the conversion of souls. We can reason with ourselves that "No one wants to believe the Bible, you have to explain other things to them," and I would agree -- you are right that no one wants to believe the Bible. But you were not commissioned to debate men, you were commissioned to give them the gospel. You will not change their minds, nor will they, but God will do this miracle.
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