A Thought....

                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!