It
seems to be that when we evangelize as Christians today, we are asking other
people to take actions that we, ourselves, are fearful of and unwilling to
take. When we speak to non-believers or
believers of other religions, we may not always realize the implications of
what we are asking them to do.
We are
asking them, firstly, to step back and take an objective look at all they
believe, much of which has been handed down to them through generations of
loved ones. Then, from this objective
position, we hope to show them which of those beliefs and traditions are
unbiblical and/or ungodly. We are asking
them to open themselves up to the offense they may feel when we challenge
everything their families have always believed and to allow us to place their
most treasured truths under the microscope of biblical Truth.
Then,
if they agree that, indeed, God’s Truth has shown their previously-held beliefs
to be false, we are asking them to repent and turn to God and to truly become followers
of Yeshua (Jesus). For many of them,
depending on their individual backgrounds, such a change would involve
incredibly difficult backlash. Some
faiths would even call for their deaths!
Others may still face rejection from their families – even to the point
of being disowned and abandoned.
Regardless of the details, many will have to make changes in their lives
that threaten to leave them lonely, misunderstood, rejected, etc.
Do I
believe that this process of evangelism is necessary for bringing a lost world
back to God? Of course! And I believe that these difficulties that
many will face will all one day seem pale in comparison to the glory of God and
eternity with Him.
However,
I also find it hypocritical of many of us today to ask such difficult things of
others when we are unwilling to face those same difficulties and trials
ourselves. We, as Christians, are
accustomed to asking others to step back and listen to what we have to say, but
we do not even trust each other enough to do the same! We have become so defensive of our own beliefs
and traditions that we cannot even be so open with our fellow believers!
How can
we ever hope to lead these “others” to Christ when we, ourselves, are unwilling
to face the discomfort of a challenged belief system or the personal pain of
disapproving family and friends? We are
asking them to walk miles in shoes we ourselves have never worn! Worse, we are attempting to “lead” them
through territory we, ourselves, know nothing of!
Where will they find the
understanding and support they need if, indeed, they do make such radical
changes in their lives? Could they possibly
hope to find it in us when we do not, at all, understand?
As long
as we keep asking the world to “convert” to our ways and beliefs when we
ourselves are closed to biblical scrutiny of our own ways, I think we may ask
too much! Not because we shouldn’t want
the world to come to salvation, but because we are ill equipped to guide them
there! While we may have Truth on our
side, it seems that our love may be lacking a little.
What
then? Do I suggest that we stop
evangelizing altogether? Far from
it! We are commanded to go and reach the
nations with Yeshua’s gospel. But there
was a time, when the church was young, that everyone knew exactly the price
that was paid to become His follower.
Everyone had to face the same scrutiny of beliefs and most, if not all,
faced the same backlash from loved ones.
During this time (read the Book of Acts), the church grew by leaps and
bounds! Thousands came to Christ at a
time, and miracles were commonplace.
Could it have been, partly, because no one was insulated from challenge
or persecution? They walked a hard road,
but they walked it together – in unity – as a family. They had each other, even if they had no one
else! Are we offering such a community
to those we are challenging today? Do
they have a soft place to land or a support system of any kind if they make the
decisions we are asking them to make?
What do we offer them?
“For
which of you, desiring to build a tower, doth not first sit down and count the
cost, whether he have wherewith to complete it? Lest haply, when he hath laid a foundation,
and is not able to finish, all that behold begin to mock him, saying, “This man
began to build, and was not able to finish”. Or what king, as he goeth to encounter another
king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with
ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way
off, he sendeth an ambassage, and asketh conditions of peace. So therefore whosoever he be of you that
renounceth not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” - Jesus (Luke 14:28-33 ASV)
Christ, Himself, has told us that we
cannot be His disciple without renouncing all that we have! In other scriptures, we are instructed to
love Him more than any family member – even our own parents or children! Have we, ourselves, counted the cost? Or have we remained so “protected” by our own
traditions that we’ve never had to?
May I submit
that, until we are able to lay ourselves open before God and scrutinize our
every belief and practice by His Word that we are unqualified to require the
same of others? May I also suggest that
this would include the input of our Christian brothers and sisters – especially
including those of other denominations with whom we disagree?
We should never
allow unbiblical doctrine to change our beliefs, but until the Bride of Christ
can challenge herself to truly get to the bottom of her beliefs, how can she ask
that of others? Many of us have only
heard one perspective. We’ve been taught
why that is right and all others are wrong.
As a result, we have thousands upon thousands of denominations
(foundations) in Christianity, but we have not been able to build our
tower! We are rightfully criticized by
the world when they speak of our incredible disunity – all in the same
religion! Perhaps, if we open ourselves
to biblical truth – even when it disrupts our denominational worlds – we could
begin to unify under the proper banner – His!
However, until we
are willing and able to walk the road we present to others, I fear we may
always be ineffective in evangelizing and witnessing to a dying world!
