Quote:
Originally Posted by Jassy
Brother Tony,
Thank you very kindly for your long, informative reply. I hope it isn't plagiarism to use some of what you have said in responding to the Sabbath-keeper. Very helpful! I would like so much to learn evangelism - because I find myself often in the position where it would be very useful. I often meet misled Christians or people that are of other religions who are curious about what I believe. I did take a course on evangelism quite a while back - and don't remember where it was from. I think that some of what they taught, I would have to disagree with now. Can you recommend anything to hone my skills in everyday meetings with people that I need to "evangelize" with. I believe that God calls ALL to do that - and that He gives us certain opportunities to do so. In the past, I've felt ashamed that I didn't have enough confidence to share my faith with someone. It was probably due to still going through a process of "deprogramming" from the "cultist" church I had formerly been involved in. I didn't feel that I had enough Scriptural knowledge. Now I am gaining such knowledge, yet I need more help and advice in evangelizing.
Any suggestions or advice for me?
Jassy
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Jassy I don't hold a copyright on anything Sister, I didn't write it for you
not to use in
any way you wish so feel free. I write what I do here for anyone who gets edification from it
Sister, I understand your issue about witnessing, and it's human, and based on what you came from, understandable. If you have a Bible program with word search or a concordance for a regular Bible, look up the words "bold" and "boldly" in Acts and Paul's letters. Being bold in witnessing for Christ is not like herding cattle, a cop breaking down a door, it's done out of charity for the person you witness to. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, they aren't, but it's done out of humility, He died for them the same as us. We don't become bulletproof when we are saved, we aren't better than anyone. That's why in the face of abuse to be longsuffering with them, same as you have to be sometimes in internet Bible forums.
Jassy, another unpleasant truth is this: The greatest opposition you will receive is not from sinners,
it'll be from Christians. If you don't have the Denominational Background Check, a "profession of faith and obedience" that other Christians
can see, well, you are a "false teacher slipped in unawares." This is why I say you can't pull any punches when witnessing as to life after Salvation. See, the Cadillac Crowd run from this verse:
2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore
endure hardness, as a good
soldier of Jesus Christ.
Do you know anything easy about being a soldier? I was 12, a child more or less, and the day after I was saved my grandmother died the next day 10 minutes before I got home from school, I walked up to the house and there was a hearse in the driveway. I have a cousin I never met, she was 21, she got saved through Pat Robertson's TV show, one of the few times they actually preached the gospel. Two weeks later she didn't win the lottery, her car stalled on the train tracks, the driver was drunk and went right through her car like a knife through whipped cream and killed her. Sister, there was't hardley anything left to bury. Does "Christianity" make your life "better"?
No, it makes it
possible.
This is our "commission" for today:
II Cor. 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and
hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath
committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for
it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
I'll look up those threads we wrote to Jassy, you do with what I wrote anything you want to. That's why I wrote them, to be used and studied and a help.
Grace and peace Sister
Tony