Evangelism Options

[yummy_delight]

A good friend of mine and I recently got into a heated debate about evangelism. We're both Christians, but we have very different ideas about evangelism. When my friend started getting really involved in church a few years ago, he also became a rampant evangelist. He believes that by bringing more people into the church he is not only saving them from eternal damnation, but also doing his duty as a Christian. He has often quoted Charles Spurgeon, saying "Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter," essentially stating that you can't truly be Christian without evangelizing non believers.

I, however, don't like the idea of evangelism at all. Although I'm a devout Catholic, I dislike the idea of evangelism because I don't believe that anybody, myself included, has the right to force his or her beliefs on someone else. I think that everybody has a right to be whatever the religion they choose. Perhaps it's because I have a different idea about God than other people. I don't think that God sends honestly good people to Hell just because they don't believe in him. There are such things as Christian people who are hypocritical, paying lip service to God at church on Sundays, and still go about causing harm to other people. In my opinion, these people are less deserving of heaven than the good-hearted people whose only "fault" is that they don't believe in God. I think that my duty as a Christian is to be a good person and have a positive impact on the world, which doesn't necessarily mean that I HAVE to be an evangelist.

I'd just like to know what everyone else's opinion is on this, not merely from a Christian standpoint, but from another religion's or atheist's perspective as well. Do you approve of evangelism? Are you an evangelist? Do you think that evangelism is a necessary requirement for all good Christians?

[sdingfelder]

Seriously? You're actually serious?

With a big smile, yes.

I used to have the same attitude as you, though.

The bible was a work, written thousands of years ago by men and women who thought the earth was flat,

Funny that this same "flat Earth" discussion is going on on another blog here.

Question for you: Where did you get your information that women wrote the Bible ? None of the Books of the Bible were written by women. None.

Just to round out your description of the Bible, please remember that not only was it written thousands of years ago but it was also written over a period of thousands of years (from about 1500-1900 B.C to prior to 70 A.D). It was also written by 40 different authors. Those authors ranged from royalty to rags -- from kings to tent makers. Further, it is not a single book. It's a compilation of 66 Books. Finally, the Bible is the ONLY Book to have exact prophecy fulfilled. Can you describe to me exactly what's going to happen next year ? How about next week ? How about tomorrow ? Of course not. Yet the Bible has prophecy written hundreds to thousands of years before the exact fulfillment. God says that He gives prophecy to show that only He could have written it since He's outside of time. He is the God who was, is, and always will be. He has no beginning and He has no end.

and for whom a wheelbarrow for instance would've been a great example of emerging technology.

What a funny thing to say !! Do you think that because we have computers today (and modern technology, in general) that we're so far advanced ?

Did you know that the Great Pyramid could NEVER be rebuilt today ? Yet, somehow, those guys from way-back-when did something that couldn't be reproduced today. Do you realize that men who studied the Bible believed that there were springs at the bottom of the sea ? Do you realize that men who studied the Bible believed that the Earth was held up by nothing -- somehow ? This was written WAY before modern technology made it down to the bottom of the sea to have this verified and before modern technology admitted that the Earth suspended in space.

To rely on such documents for "evidence and facts", as well as our worldview, is simply ridiculous.

Recognize that it's only ridiculous because you don't agree. My evidence is proven through fulfilled prophecy. My facts are shown through Biblical account as well as secular observation. My worldview is based on understanding that those prophecies that haven't been fulfilled are going to be fulfilled since He has shown Himself to be truthful and faithful in all things.

There's a distinction which you fail to note. Belief is not knowledge. Facts don't go hand in hand with belief. Proof doesn't either. So your argument fails.

So, based on your personal beliefs, you BELIEVE my "argument" fails ?

My belief that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God gives me knowledge -- prior knowledge. I take the Word of God as hard fact and after the event occurs, my proof is in the fact that it happened as God said it would.

If we were having this discussion in 1947, I would tell you that the nation of Israel would be reborn on a single day. Further, with study of the Book of Daniel, I would tell you that that day would be May 15, 1948. In 1947, you'd tell me that I have no facts to back that up (and based on your statement above, you'd say that my "argument" fails) -- esp. since there'd been no Israel for almost 2000 years. Further, you'd tell me that my belief gives me no knowledge of what's going to happen. And, as of May 14, 1948, I would have no physical proof other than the Holy Scriptures to back up my belief that He is faithful to His promises. Still, as of May 16, 1948, I could come back to you and tell you that my belief prior to the facts act as proof of the event as well as further proof substantiating the document that I believe in.

The bible is a source of belief, and facts don't emerge from belief.

You're right -- facts don't emerge from belief. There's no way you can believe something to make it true. If anyone does that, it's called "self-denial". But, if your belief is based on truth, it is reality.

Take, for example, the belief that everyone gets to Heaven. How impotent would God be to allow everyone to get there ? He would not be the God described in the Bible who judges in righteousness and truth. He would not be just nor would He be good. But the One, True God of the Bible is just, good, and judges in His Righteousness and Truth. So, just because there are people out there who truly believe that they get to Heaven based on their good works doesn't make it true.

Sounds like your talking about the difference between faith and blind faith.

I mean, come on. EVERY religion preaches "truth" of propositions for which no evidence is even attainable.

Unfortunately, you're right. Every religion does put exclusivity on their flavor of beliefs. That doesn't mean, though, that they're all wrong.

There is one and only one faith that looks to the Book that has countless prophecies to know that it was not written by men. Other "holy books" either never claim to be written by God or they claim it and cannot back it up. It is that Book alone that shows itself true. It is that Book alone that you should be studying to find the only way to ensure you're right with Him.

How do you know which religion is true? You can't. That's a tiny problem with using the bible as a valid, historical source, isn't it?

Again, the Book that proves itself to do that which only God can do should get your vote. No other Book tells what's going to happen before it happens. Don't you see that only One outside of time can do this ?

*********************

Please be honest with yourself and realize that, even though you may be young, you have no guarantee of tomorrow. Just like we agreed above, your beliefs do not make something true. In the same way, NOT believing something doesn't make it NOT true. Just because you DON'T believe you'll stand in front of God and be judged, doesn't make it NOT true.

Your eternal destination hangs in the balance. You've broken the Law of God as we all have and you deserve His Righteous Judgment and His Righteous sentence of "guilty" as well do. Yet, in His Mercy and His Grace, He sent Jesus to suffer in your place and to pay the fine for your sentence of guilt. Please don't be so prideful that you reject a payment that you could never make for yourself. Again, your eternal destination hangs in the balance.