Hi Steve
Sorry it took so long to get back to you, I meant to then forgot.
"Can you honestly say that and still wonder why the Christian impulse to share faith is seen as obnoxious by so many non Christians?"
The fact that the Christian message is hated by people such as yourself is hardy new. If Christ, who did nothing wrong, was hated and killed, why should I be surprised to find His followers hated and killed? Certainly it is not pleasant to be told you are a sinner and destined for an eternity apart from God, and that Jesus sacrifice is the only way for a person to be made right with God. The question is not whether it's obnoxious or not, but whether it's true. You seem to think everyone can have their own truth, independent of reality when it comes to religion. Do you also take that approach when it comes to other areas of life? I doubt it. The "nobody knows for sure, so everyone is right" line is illogical. It is possible that everyone is wrong, but it is impossible for contradictory concepts about God and sin and salvation to all be correct.
Anyone can claim anything they like. The Muslim certainly thinks his is the true religion, and Christian missionaries don't shove anything down anyone's throat. What makes one right and the other wrong? I would say Truth. Fidelity with reality. Christ came, and died, and rose again. He claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life. I pointed Karen to the third and fourth chapters of the book of Acts. In it a man was healed who had been lame from birth, and no one could deny it because he'd been begging at the same spot for years. These miracles confirmed and validated the apostles message that " Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved"
All the Muslims have is a dead prophet who made no prophecies, did no miracles, and who is unable to save. On top of that he directly contradicts the risen savior of the world, who said "No man comes to the father except through me"
Now as far as your missionary examples go the one sounded like a fraud, while the other one sounded like he was being cautious, due to the conditions at the time. You said he did not "actively evangelize" yet he ran the best program around and also held services every day, to which all were invited (not forced) to attend. I presume they were Christian services, and that Christianity was explained and celebrated as such. I would call that evangelism, even if it was low key. That is simply the gospel, demonstrated in word as well as deed. Now, if he downplayed the Christian message as being one of many options, then that would be unfaithful. However you supplied me with no such evidence in your story.
"Don't go into relief aid work. Please"
You don't know squat about me, or people like me. I would make a good relief worker because I genuinely care about helping people less fortunate than I, whether they believe like me or not. I'm not sure you could say the same. Among many other things, I volunteer at a before school feeding program my wife runs, that feeds kids a healthy breakfast, no questions asked, no strings attached, and no evangelizing. What do you do? |
