Matthew 5: 14 - 16 NKJV
I recently related a story to a friend of mine of how a few christian aquaintences of mine were, shall we say, hard to deal with on a daily basis. Yes, these men of God profess to be believers, but when that rubber hits the road, they are as rude and condesending as the next guy. What with that? I would feel better about them if they didn't profess to be believers at all. At least then I'd know where they really stand. Well, in the course of our discussion, it was brought up that I should approach these so called men of God and tell them where they had strayed off course. I really did not feel that this was a good course of action for one good reason. In my own christian life, there have been more than a few times when I have strayed from the path as well. No, for the basis of this discussion, I had forgotten who it is that I was. In the process of going through these times in my life, I have run across more than a few over zealous believers who thought it was their christian duty to drag me out of the mud of my sin and back on the trail of rightousness. I can also remember the momentary desire to tell more than a few of these well meaning people just where they could put their over zealous crap. For this very reason, I'm a sincere believer that it is not in my job description to hog tie someone in the name of the Lord that they might cease from their worldly ways and commit themselves once again to the Lord. Listen, if someone is dead set on behaving a certain way, nothing I say will convince them otherwise. Think of the people in your own life who have tried to talk you out of something you wanted to do. How did that work out for them? Sure, there is plenty of scriptures to back up the fact that we are to go and make disciples (believers) of all the nations. I've heard the verses of how we're supposed to bring a witness with us to talk sense into a sinning brother. This might work for some people, just not for me. I have never been a fan of hardcore evangelism.
15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
1 Peter 3: 15 NKJV
A good friend of mine once approached me during one of those periods in my life where wordly views seemed more satisfying than following the Lord. What he said to me has stuck with me to this day. Instead of berating me for my lack of faith, all has asked me was "Scott, is this who you really are?" See, I already knew the answer to that question. No, that wasn't the man that I was at all. I was not a world following sinner, but a Christ living man of the Lord. I had made that decision some time ago. Far from straying off of the path of christianity, I had simply forgotten who it is that I was all along. Despite that fact that the man who reminded me of this truth is a friend of mine, if he had tried some institutional church hardcore evangelism to bring me back in line I may have had a few words for him. Not that I was angry with him, but I just do not respond too well to that type of christian tactics. I've been in the halls of institutional churches for many years and have seen too many people hurt and leave the church over other well meaning christians trying to get them back to where they themselves felt that they should be. How different a conversation would it have been if they had simply asked THE question. "Brother, is this who you really are?" The apostle Paul knew the man he was. In his letter to the church in Galatia he also tells us the person who we ourselves are. We are not sinners, backsliding christians nor reluctant believers. For those who have trusted in Christ Jesus, we are He who lives in us {Galations 2:20}. I would be more than glad to see the end of hardcore evangelism, but some believers continue to see it's value. I would ask them one question...is this who you really are?
5And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up aand saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” 9And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10“for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19: 5 - 10 NKJV
~Scott~
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