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Travis

MrBill,

“Hope maketh not ashamed,” have hope in Christ that He loves your son AS MUCH as He loves you and that Christ will go as far or farther than He went to get you when you were a lost lamb!!

I see my youngest son, Sam (who always used to go to church with me so I wouldn’t have to go alone! :) ), I see him come home high now and instead of fighting with him, now I always try to say to him (high or not), “I haven’t had my hug today, buddy. Where is it?” And he’s right there with a hug (thank you Jesus that he still hugs!). My Sam calls himself a Buddhist or whatever now so I, too, live on hope and belief that Jesus will leave the 99 for that one lost one!

God bless you, MrBill,
Lisa

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Lisa

Is it not important though that we share God's Word with the lost? That we try to explain the message of the Gospel as best we can? I know that it can certainly be done in a wrong way,in the flesh, without love, without compassion and that is wrong. I agree fully that witnessing can be done in a way that is cold and without the Spirit. On the other hand I believe the opposite danger is to avoid using scripture as much as possible and soften the Gospel message and to smooth over everything in the name of love. This too surely is just as dangerous and wrong. If we don't tell the truth then we don't love people. Jesus did this perfectly, proclaiming truth and love, and Jesus did preach about sin and the coming judgment. I agree that one's life and actions, through Christ, must match their testimony. Salvation is truly a work of God alone through His Spirit; but we are called to be faithful witnesses of His Gospel. People don't need us or our own lives, they need truth about God. Lost people arent seeking for God; they are suppressing and resisting what truth they already know about Him.

We must witness with truth and compassion both, and we must realize that if we are preaching the true Gospel there are going to be people who hate us, even some of our family and friends. Jesus said it would be this way. All of the prophets of old, including Paul and Stephen and Christ were rejected by their own people because they preached a message of repentance and salvation. I know that in one sense God truly does love sinners and loves to save them, yet in an equally true sense God hates sinners as well (Psalm 5:5) The fact that God is good and just is not a comfort to sinners and should not be portrayed that way. Until the Spirit begins to apply Christ to their heart and His love is shed abroad in their hearts. We must proclaim the full counsel of God. The Gospel is a stumbling block and if we try to remove the scandal we are in danger.

Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

2 Corinthians 5:11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences.

Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

I don't want to come across harsh sounding; please understand, it is just a burden to me. Im not talking about cold hearted lectures or heartless provacation. But an earnest, ferverent, tenderhearted, self debasing, God gloryfying endevour. I grew up in a place where the Gospel was very watered down and that devoids it of God's glory and power. I wish I had heard ten years ago some of the messages on SI about the gospel. I think true witnessing both in word and deed will cause any christain to know his God given priviledge of proclaiming the gospel, and yet utter inability to raise the dead unless the Spirt blows. To compel people to come in and yet cry out to God in brokeness to add to His kindgom for His own glory.

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Rick

therick2018, I completely agree with you. I just posted a thread on the importance of using our words to witness and not just our conduct.

It is much easier for us to try to conduct ourselves in a Christlike manner than for us to actually speak to people about Christ. Most of the time in order for us to conduct ourselves rightly as Christians we need not do anything out of the norm. We can just use proper manners and be nice like many non-Christians are.

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Oracio

I also want to add that it is not only important for us to use words, but also the right words as was already mentioned by therick2018. We must labor to be faithful in declaring the whole counsel of God, meaning the goodnews and the badnews, not just one or the other. In these days the gospel has been watered-down and sugar-coated too much and we need a more balanced message that declares both the severity and kindness of God.

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Oracio

One last post, before my SI Vacation.

We have never said to omit words.

Let the Word of God be made flesh, meaning let the Lord be manifest in your life in a living way, alive, real. His character and love in you.

His character and love in you coupled with Words: Dynamite!

Enjoy the Holidays and like Milt Green used to say, Go Slosh on someone.

Definition of Slosh - Soak them in the love of God

Contact me at [email protected] if you want my other Tithing Articles.

Be blessed in Him, be free, be loving and be hopeful. the Lord is good, real good.

Thank-you everyone for your advice :)

actually andie72, witnessing to the un-churched is an incorrect term. you are actually witnnessing to the lost. it doesn't matter whether they are family members or some one you do not know.

Here is the what I do when I witness to the lost.

first and this is really important, they need to be shown that they are lost. Most do not relize this. They need to be taken down the Roman road so to speak. It is your job to show them that they are in deed lost and will go to hell or outer darkness a place that was actually created for the devil and his demons. Not man.

Once they relize they are actually lost then it is time to introduce them to Jesus Christ. Once the Holy Spirtit open there eyes that God sent his only begotten son to the earth to redeame us from the curse of the law and sin, then it is decission time for the lost person.

Choose death or life. It's there decission. You can not make it for them.

I encourage you to listen to ray Comfort's sermon "hells best kept secret".

Here is some scripture that you can present to the lost.

1. Man is sinful and seperated from God. Romans 3:23. Rom. 6;23

2.Rom-5:8, 1Corithians 15:3-6, John 14:6

3. John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:1-8, revelations 3:20

I hope this helps.

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William Cato