SHARING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: A REASON

My Response

Firstly, as a Christian who subscribes to the teachings of Christ, the Lord of my faith, I am compelled to share the message of the Good News gospel of Christ with every man, woman and child with whom I have the honour of interacting throughout my life. I am compelled for two reasons:

1) Out of obedience to the scriptural teachings of the God I worship:

Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2) Out of love for mankind:

Matthew 22:37-38
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.

Therefore, out of love for God and love for man, I will share the message of the Christian faith at every opportunity.

When teaching about caring for the needs of the world, the Lord of my faith, Jesus Christ also taught, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,” (Matthew 25:31-46). Therefore, for every true Christian, giving to the needy is giving to Christ.

What is being questioned here, is not the unsolicited actions of so called, evangelical Christians. What is being questioned is their obedience to the precepts of their religion. To both help the needy and share the message of Christ is well within the confines of the teachings of the Christian religion.

As per the Humanists UK website, as quoting the Human Rights Act 1998: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance." It is well within my human rights, as to freedom of religion, to observe and practice the teachings of my faith by publicly sharing the Good News of the gospel of Christ and giving to the poor.

Secondly, the message of Christianity is one of faith, hope and love. The message of Christianity is one of joy, peace and goodwill. The message of Christianity is one of security, promise and goodness. The privilege of participating in the conversion of any soul to Christianity is the greatest honour one could every enjoy.

However, the message of Christianity is not enforced at gunpoint or enforced by law. Neither is it forcefully thrust by any true follower of the teachings of Christ upon any individual against his/her will. The message of Christianity is free to accept or reject. It is a free gift, to be received by a free will choice.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If I were to promote my religious views to someone and they rejected my message, I would be deeply saddened, but I would lose nothing. My faith would remain intact and I would maintain my hope of eternal life. If I were to promote my religious views to someone and they accepted my message, I would likewise, gain nothing, except the sheer pleasure of knowing that they have found the same faith, hope and love that I enjoy.

The gospel of Christ (the Good News) is the message of Christianity. The Holy Bible teaches, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,” (Romans 1:16). It also says, “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” (1 Timothy 2:3-6).

Therefore, as one who seeks to comply with the precepts of my faith (as every Bible believing Christian should) I will continue to support, encourage and give to any Christian institution set on helping the needy and sharing the Good News of Christ, by all means possible!

My response is not an argument or a defence, it is a reason. The reason I give to the needs of the world and the reason I share the message of my faith.

I’m just saying 😊

ANCIENT PATHS NEW BEGINNINGS

Strengthen What Remains

 “The Lord is calling you and me, Christian, to wake up and strengthen what remains; to strengthen our faith, to strengthen our worship, to strengthen our understanding of his Word and to strengthen our standing for godly morals in a corrupt society.”

“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls,” declared Jeremiah the prophet from the steps of the temple in Jerusalem.

Judah had been invaded by the Babylonians who had taking the first wave of exiles to the shores of the Euphrates. Jerusalem’s streets were silenced of children’s laughter. Markets were empty. Jeremiah’s people had abandoned their worship of Yahweh, bowing to graven foreign images. The result? God’s judgement. “Ah, Adonai,” the prophet may have groaned inwardly, “my people have digressed from the ancient path of faith in the one true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and have bowed to false idols made by human hand.” Judah was at the crossroads. They stood facing a choice between returning to the ancient path of God’s law or continue to walk the bypaths and side roads of false ways. Perhaps in his heart the prophet sighed, there is still time for the remnant to repent and return to the paths of truth. But they won’t have it!

“But you said, `We will not walk in it.' Hear, O earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law,” (Jeremiah 6:16-19).

Abandon Popular Opinion

Jeremiah’s ancient paths called for the people of God to abandon popular opinion of the time and return to the ancient paths of the God’s law. This law was founded in faith; the faith of Abraham, who had obediently believed God. Abraham had heard the Word of God and simply put his faith in God’s promises. His act of faith had justified him before Al Shaddai. Jeremiah was calling the children of Abraham to return to simple faith in the one true God and to obey his Word.

Jesus, the Ancient Path

Hundreds of years later God sent John the Baptist with the same message. John may have stood at the same spot that Jeremiah had stood as he declared, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire,” (Matthew 3:1-11). John was preparing the way of the coming of Messiah. Jesus soon arrived, proclaiming the Kingdom of God. He is called the Word of God. The Word brought salvation by faith, to all mankind. Faith comes from hearing the unadulterated unequivocal message of Christ. Heaven and earth may pass away, but God’s ancient Word endures forever. Jesus, the Word of God, is the Ancient Path.

However, sadly, as in Jeremiah’s day, through the ages, Christ’s ancient message of faith became corrupted by popular opinion. For centuries, learned men have evolved the simple message of faith in God through Christ, by adding their convoluted popular opinions and subtracting basic truths from the purity of God’s Word. They have said, “We will not walk in it.” Today, in this postmodern 21^st century so-called tolerant and liberal society, the road signs of Christian moral ethics and the biblical absolutes have been so blurred by popular opinion that we have lost sight of the Ancient Path.

Wake Up and Strengthen

Jesus appeared to the apostle John almost 70 years after he ascended to heaven. He gave John a great revelation of the end times in preparation of his return. (And Jesus is returning, soon!) At the start of his revelation, Jesus gave John instructions to the seven prominent churches of Asia Minor. To the church in Sardis he said, “These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent,” (Revelation 3:1-3).

New Beginnings!

But there is hope! As Jeremiah called out to his people from the steps of the temple of God, he offered them hope for prosperity if they returned to the ancient paths of God’s uncompromised Word. He said, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope,’” (Jeremiah 29:11). Just so, God is calling us to stand at the crossroads and ask for the ancient paths of faith, obedience, and uncompromised Word and Spirit.

The Lord is calling you and me, Christian, to wake up and strengthen what remains; to strengthen our faith, to strengthen our worship, to strengthen our understanding of his Word and to strengthen our standing for godly morals in a corrupt society. The Lord has a plan for you; a plan to prosper you, a plan to give you a future filled with hope. I don’t think our God is a God of second chances, I believe he is the God of new beginnings! The Lord is doing a new thing in his Church today. God is making a new way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. God is opening a new way for the followers of Christ to seek his ancient paths. Only, strengthen what remains!