I believe that the body of Christ in its actions, or lack of action, are giving the unbelievers evidence that our God is not real. Our lack of evangelism gives them the evidence.
If you saw a house on fire, you would yell and warn the people inside. You would not let it be on your conscience that you did nothing. Your belief that they will die, will drive you to do something. Likewise, if you truly believe in an everlasting punishment for unbelievers, you will warn everyone you saw. But our absence of action shows our level of belief; and the lost see this. So, our lack of proclaiming the Gospel gives the unbelievers evidence that we ourselves do not truly believe.
I posted this on another forum, but I wanted to also post it on here to see what people think. So here goes:
I heard a statement from Jordan Peterson about belief. It is a statement I have used on these forums a couple of times. The summation of the statement is that, if you believe something, then you will act in accordance with your belief. Then if what you say and act out match each other, then you are a trustworthy person. So here is the quote:
"Is what you believe, what you say, or, what you act out? In truth, what you believe, is what you act out. But if you are a person of character, then what you say and what you act out are the same thing and then your word can be trusted. So, belief is substantiated in action." Jordan Peterson
Now unfortunately, I have heard Christians say that, if we preach on a street corner or go into the parks and evangelise, in this day and age then, we will look like an idiot. It is not what we do now. And sadly, this in a way is true. People look at a person preaching on a street corner and think to themselves, "Look at this idiot. He actually believes in what he says.". This is very sad.
When a believer finally does get up and tell the truth, people look at him and scoff. But in reality, this believer is doing what he should be, and he is showing his level of belief.
If more people were doing this, then the preacher would not look like such a fool. If many were proclaiming, then people would then think "Why do all these people believe? Is there something to this belief?"
If we truly believe that Jesus died for us and we have put our faith in His sacrifice, then because we believe, we should act in accordance with this belief. Our actions will not save us, but they are a result of being saved and truly believing.
So, knowing that the lost will perish in a terrible way, are we willing to risk it all to save them? Will our actions match our belief?
"What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." James 2:14
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10
If you saw a house on fire, you would yell and warn the people inside. You would not let it be on your conscience that you did nothing. Your belief that they will die, will drive you to do something. Likewise, if you truly believe in an everlasting punishment for unbelievers, you will warn everyone you saw. But our absence of action shows our level of belief; and the lost see this. So, our lack of proclaiming the Gospel gives the unbelievers evidence that we ourselves do not truly believe.
I posted this on another forum, but I wanted to also post it on here to see what people think. So here goes:
I heard a statement from Jordan Peterson about belief. It is a statement I have used on these forums a couple of times. The summation of the statement is that, if you believe something, then you will act in accordance with your belief. Then if what you say and act out match each other, then you are a trustworthy person. So here is the quote:
"Is what you believe, what you say, or, what you act out? In truth, what you believe, is what you act out. But if you are a person of character, then what you say and what you act out are the same thing and then your word can be trusted. So, belief is substantiated in action." Jordan Peterson
Now unfortunately, I have heard Christians say that, if we preach on a street corner or go into the parks and evangelise, in this day and age then, we will look like an idiot. It is not what we do now. And sadly, this in a way is true. People look at a person preaching on a street corner and think to themselves, "Look at this idiot. He actually believes in what he says.". This is very sad.
When a believer finally does get up and tell the truth, people look at him and scoff. But in reality, this believer is doing what he should be, and he is showing his level of belief.
If more people were doing this, then the preacher would not look like such a fool. If many were proclaiming, then people would then think "Why do all these people believe? Is there something to this belief?"
If we truly believe that Jesus died for us and we have put our faith in His sacrifice, then because we believe, we should act in accordance with this belief. Our actions will not save us, but they are a result of being saved and truly believing.
So, knowing that the lost will perish in a terrible way, are we willing to risk it all to save them? Will our actions match our belief?
"What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." James 2:14
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10
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