Theologians II
The second thing I've been thinking about is evangelism and the law.
I'm actually reading portions of Ray Comfort's book (co-written with kurt cameron) about this topic. It actually has some great points. It talks about how the law is a tool to use to show people that we need God. And for the most part I think that they are loving in their approach, though irrelevant in style. The way of the master website, once entered askes the question "are you a Christian?" Yes or No. If you hit no, they explain the law and God's love, trying to get you to make a decision right there.
The thing that I have a problem with is just using the law and the law alone. This book is almost touted as "a new way to preach the gospel" as if Ray Comfort had written the book of Romans himself. Paul has talked much about the law and it's purpose to show us our need for Christ. I have to also applaud the honesty of motive for including Cameron in the book. They say right out, "we thought that this book is important and knew that if we had his name on it, we would have more potential readers."
The problem is when we are out of balence. 1st Peter talks in many places, exhorting us to "live such good lives among the pagans that though they persecute you, they give thanks to God on the day of his return..." and to live our lives in a way that people would have nothing bad to say about us. Here's the rub. We live in a culture that mocks Chrsitianity. People have an innacurate view of God and of what Christianity should be, partly because of Christianity itself! Our style is old and looks like propaganda. In many places the "war" is with culture and not the devil. We have placed differerent sins as "worse" all the meanwhile allienating those who Christ loved. So our methods are important. We need to, in some instances change the way we talk to people. Maybe it will take years of "living such good lives" before they will be ready to respond to God's law and love. I know that just putting liturature out there, just preaching on the streets, just using media to communicate our message is not authentic to them and is probably turning people away. We need to ask ourselves if we are getting in God's way by being blind to the love aspect and not just preaching the law.
posted by Dan Price @ 12:35 PM
5 Comments:
Interesting. Two people can read the same thing and get two completely different messages from it. I suppose it has alot to do with one's past spiritual walk. I greatly appreciate and respect your views on this book, however, I will admit that at this point, I do not necessarily agree with you. Maybe a face-to-face will help clear my thinking. See you soon :)
the main point is that paul used the law to plow the heart so when the seed is planted the ground is ready. Christians need to live the proper life but the problem is that many who are not living the proper life are Christians in name only. They also need to hear the message in thew correct way. Whether people respect christians or not does not change the fact that one day they will face judgement. how can a christian say they are loving and not talk the talk. who knows what tomorrw holds talk to them today while there is still time. we must all grasp the urgency that paul had. this is too preachy. i'll stop. i will discuss with you face to face hoepfully sooner rather than later
Troy
I think we agree more than you think. Our generation is not good at helping people see their need for God (through the law). The things I don't think are correct are "there's only this one way to share the gospel." Some people are ready to believe. There were a few kids that got saved in Columbus who knew their need for God without going through the Ten Commandments with them. There is a girl who is following the Lord here, and the lord drew her, without anyone explaining the gospel. Does that mean that we should keep quiet and not show the law ever? No, but as I hear campus preachers "preaching the law" without much love, I see people turned away. I see people who are hurting and know that they need help and all the guy is doing is telling her about the law and how wrong they are... They get a wrong view of God through this. Now, I do believe that Comfort does his stuff in a loving way. That's great. But I really think our words are empty without the actions/lifestyle to back it up. Do you think people are going to come to God when approached on the street, if the only contact with Christians they have had in the past was negative?
In our culture "being all things to all men, to win some" means that with "some men" we need to take our time and prove that we are guinuine. Sometimes, they need to see our good lives (see 1st peter and many other of pauls teachings, which comfort by the way seems to ignore greatly by focusing solely on the law) . Sometimes "being all things" to some people means acknowledging when Christians have been wrong in the past. It means, getting past their assumptions about God and about Christians and for many, many people these assumptions aren 't going to be changed in a three minute gospel presentation. This approach is also seen in many ways as harassment (think of JW's or Vacum Cleaner salesmen) if done the wrong way. We need to be sensitive about our culture as Paul was on Mars hill with the philosophers. Our message is the same, our method is different.
And let me say again, that the aspect of using the law to bring people to Christ is one that is lacking in our churches and should be taught. I just don't totally buy into everything (or maybe the way the subject is approached?) the book says.
But I think we mostly agree, we are coming to the same place, just taking a different road to get there.
Okay, you still have credibility with me. However, Ray Comfort does not ever say that the law is the only thing preached. He says that the law is used to show the proud that he is in need of a way to escape the punishment for his sins, because he cannot pay the price required. When he sees that he is indeed without hope then God's grace is shown. With the humble, one goes immediately to God's grace. bje
"We live in a culture that mocks Chrsitianity. People have an innacurate view of God and of what Christianity should be, partly because of Christianity itself! Our style is old and looks like propaganda. In many places the "war" is with culture and not the devil. We have placed differerent sins as "worse" all the meanwhile allienating those who Christ loved."
I especially agree with this thinking! I often struggle with this same thing because people are becoming immune and even turned off to "religion" when we define it as being good, not doing this, not doing that, attending church...and the list goes on. God is not about lists!! He does not have a checklist up there marking every time you do something "good", so we-I-Christians need to stop living like that!
In many places the war is (wrongly) the culture and not the devil. Churches condeming other churches for not being "right" or "holy enough". I am seeing even churches within the same denomination slam each other for the way they do things. And of course there's always the drama in the church! If everyone -myself- would take a step back and just worry about loving God and loving others, this crap wouldn't continue.
But there is such a fine line between being in the world and being OF the world. I wish I had the answer, but like I said, this is a constant struggle with myself.
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