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Friday, April 07, 2006
For the first time in 5 months,
My post isn't gonna be about someone. lol.
Applause please. =p
Today, I have two things in mind: evangelism and faith.
But since I have a bad feeling this is gonna be REALLY long, i'll just talk about the more pressing one.
Note of Warning: This isn't meant to be preachy, besides I have no right. I just feel convicted to share this. He who has ears, let him hear. Please listen if you please.
Well. Christians evangelise, because it's what God told us we should do.
But.
I think it's time many of us who call ourselves Christians relook the way we evangelise, which are effectively propelled by our motives behind evangelising.
When I call myself a Christian, I say I am:
-a child of God
-an ambassador for Christ
-a person who loves people
-a servant of the King of Kings
-a disciple of Jesus
All these basically connote a humble heart and an obedient soul that heeds the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Christianity is no religion to me. Religion has the implication of laws and more laws that we follow because of the fear that we'd be struck dead by the sovereign power if we don't obey. As far as I'm concerned, all I have is a relationship with God. If I could, I would choose not to classify it -- not as Methodist, Charismatic, Evangelical, Baptist, Presbytarian or Catholic. I am but a believer and doer of God's Word and I serve one Master, my Lord Jesus Christ. I don't love Him because He offers to save me. I love Him because He loved me first, and He offered to save me out of the love He has for me [though I am still most unworthy].
A little sidetrack here. I don't know how accurate I am, but based on a prolonged observations, I see absolutely kind hearted, loving, caring, essentially good people refusing to accept God into their lives, because of the unwillingness to have a form of authority over them, dictating their lives. If the contention is the reality of God, then I have nothing much to say for now because it'll take time as God slowly shows Himself strong and true in each individual's life, for one to be able to say he believes in God. However, I feel really compelled to suggest one thing to anyone who may be resisting God because you're satisfied with the way your life is without God and you don't see the need to have extra restrictions and laws acting as a burden upon you: God's intention is not to bind you under His control or manipulate you. He hopes you'll accept Him because He loves you and created you. He is not threatening you with "if you don't accept me, you don't go to Heaven". He is really saying "I already have a place for you in Heaven. I'm just waiting for you to take it." Wouldn't you agree then, that the only way to "taking that place" is by accepting God, since Heaven is per se His place? [some people would know why I sidetracked to this topic. But well, i'll put it simply: I say I love you with everything I am, but He loves you even more than that, I can't even describe it.]
As for why do we evangelise?
Is it because we've gotten so used to the idea of "we are Christians therefore we evangelise" because it's been there in church eversince we started attending church?
Is it because our youth group leaders are encouraging us to bring more friends to church?
Is it because we want growth in numbers in the church?
Have we lost what should be the true reason for being passionate about evangelism?
I can only spread the reality and love of God to people around me if I have experienced it for myself. Well, I have. So when I talk to someone about God, it is simply because I love this person just like Jesus loves him and I want him to experience the same goodness and freedom that I have found in Christ. Evangelism with blunted motives won't get nowhere. In fact, what's the point? Would God be pleased if we tried to bring friends to church just so that we'd hear our pastor commend us on our enthusiasm for God and "show" the rest of our church friends who didn't manage to bring as many? I think not.
And the biggest issue of it all (what actually sparked off this whole above chunk of text) is the way we go about doing it. Tact. Sensitivity. Love. Patience. Humility. Where are they?
Coercing/scaring someone into accepting Christ is just about the stupidest thing a Christian can do. Why?
All that talk about the love of God would then be nullified. All the proclamations of faith would be in vain and just farce. Why can't we just pray and fast more if we really loved that person whom we were trying so desperately hard to bring to Christ?
I'm going to resolve to be nothing but obedient to Christ now on, even if it takes YEARS.
[fine maybe i did go into it a little XD]
i still pray for that day,
i still pray for you
<< *take my hand*
10:05 PM
back to the past; *
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