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Written by Wally Fry for “Truth in Palmyra” @ https://truthinpalmyra.wordpress.com
Original post @ https://truthinpalmyra.wordpress.com/2017/12/21/jesus-the-only-way-you-say-thats-not-very-nice/
Jesus the Only Way You Say? That’s NOT Very Nice
Telling people about Jesus is mean; if we love folks, we certainly would not tell about things like sin, hell, Jesus as the only way to God, or the joys of Christian living. Right? Well, or course that is NOT right. It is, nonetheless, what the world would say that Christians should do. We should just shut up.
Telling people Jesus is the only way is exclusionary to all of those other religions!
Hell? How can you tell me something so horrible as that?
What do you mean I sin? Don’t judge me!
How dare you say you are right and I am wrong!
That’s what we are expected to believe, and the onslaught of that mindset is everywhere, every day. Sadly the largest purveyor of this sentiment is not particularly the non believing, atheist world, but the professing “church.” Every Sunday around the country, thousands of people gather to hear how to improve their lives, how to improve their marriages, how to have successful kids, and a many other topics. We are a religion of “seeker friendly” churches. We want the crowds, so we tickle their ears.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
The time is not coming; the time is here; the time is now.
Be kind, be kind, be kind. Love, love, love. That is a good message and I love that message. I write on it quite often; in fact if readers recall this small series is entitled Lettuce Be Kind-Let Us be Kind. We are commanded to do so.
So, is it kind to preach a Gospel of sin, redemption, and salvation? Is it unkind to share honestly the consequences of rejection of God? The world, including a huge bulk of the visible church believes that it is.
Rather than clog up this with my own words, I wanted to share the following:
“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me along and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?
“I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”
Who said that? Some famous evangelist or noted preacher? Some great commentary writer? Well, no that’s a quote from atheist Penn Jillette, of the magician duo, Penn & Teller.(and a pretty funny guy honestly)
If I knew a truck was coming toward you and you disagreed, is it mean for me to drag you out of the way?
If you were drowning, and I withheld tossing you a life preserver over fear you would be insulted by my saying you can’t swim, what would that say about me?
Christians here is the deal. Sharing the Gospel is why we are even here in the first place. Share it in love and kindness, but share it. That is our job, and our commandment. Do people always like it? No, but get over it. Are people sometimse unpleasant in response? Yes, but get over it.
It’s NOT kind to fail to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world. It certainly would not be kind to allow our friend to get hit by that truck or sink under that water for the last time, and it is certainly not kind to allow them to perish spiritually either.
One last question here:
If we claim to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, yet don’t love the people around us enough to share that with them, do we really believe what we say we believe?
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