If you're not part of a denomination that sometimes crams the need for witnessing down your throat (I'm thinking Baptists and other similar churches), it's possible that, like me, you're from a church that politely avoids mentioning your responsibility to witness at all.
Witnessing is an important but unpopular responsibility for Christians. Some of us try to ignore our duty to spread the Word of God at all (I know I do). Or, we say, "I witness with my lifestyle," as though a.) we are perfect enough to bring people to God on our own and b.) being a good person is enough to bring people to Christ. Well, neither of those are true: I sometimes shame the name of Christ with my behaviors and decisions, and I know many, many good people who are Muslims, Jews, Hindus, agnostics, atheists, pagans, or nothing. Being a good person, giving back to your community, and helping your fellow man are good things, but not enough to point people toward Christ in your life.
I confess I've not been witnessing very stringently in the last few years. People know I'm a Christian, but I don't invite them to church and I don't preach at them. I try to witness in small, subtle ways, but it's probably not strong enough to turn anybody away from the path of hell.
I was rudely awakened to the need for us to witness by the passage of Ezekial 3:16-21:
At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for [a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
"Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself."
This verse is pretty clear that we need to help our families and friends out of sin and into righteousness, as well as be open to that same correction when they lovingly correct us. Instead of getting defensive and pointing fingers of blame, as I am normally wont to do, we should understand that our families and friends are correcting us out of a genuine desire for us to stay on the "right path" and reach heaven someday. Of course, they should do it lovingly (see Ephesians 4:29), but we should also listen and be saved.
Why is witnessing to others so difficult and unpopular among Christians? Well, I think it's because some Christians go too far. We shouldn't be judgmental or hateful toward sinners; we should love them as God loves them. I'm sorry, but I never once saw Jesus treating the Samaritan woman or the adulteress with disrespect, standing on street corners yelling at them or holding a sign that said, "God will judge this world." I respect my brethren who do these things, for I trust they mean well, but I feel they are just creating a bigger divide between sinners and the church. Thumping them over the head with the Bible is never a way to get others to change.
When we witness, we don't want to come across as judgmental of the person (we only judge the sin), or as holier-than-thou. People don't want to be lectured to or threatened into being good by the threat of hell. Rather, we Christians should act out of love. If we take a genuine interest in our friends' lives, supporting them and loving them, they are much more likely to take gentle correction from a trusted friend than from a judgmental stranger. Be careful not to simply turn more people off from Christ.
On the other hand, Paul did not only speak a popular message. When it comes down to hell or heaven, we can't afford to stay silent and hope we draw people to Christ by our silence. Talk about God, talk about the Bible, and share what He has done for you in your life. Focus on yourself, not the other person. If you feel led to expose sin, do so in a loving way that is clear you are worried for the happiness of the person, not just worried about stopping the sin or judging the person.
I honestly don't think any people are brought to Christ by websites saying, "God hates gays" or "Muslims are going to hell." We must love people, show them the same love and grace Christ shows us, and thus bring them into the folds of the faithful.
How do you share Christ's love with the world?
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