Recently, I visited one of my favorite blog sites. Okay, it’s my absolute FAVORITE BLOGSITE EVER! Hands-down – it’s numeral uno! This blogger makes me laugh and helps me enjoy life a little bit more through her blog posts. Hr blog, turned empire, has not only hypnotized me, but apparently half of the country: Columbia Pictures recently purchased the rights to a love story she chronicled on her blog about her and her husband. I just LOVE HER! (Or couldn’t you tell that?)
–
This particular blogger recently did a “10 Things I Learned from My Mother” post as a tribute for her mother‘s birthday. As I was reading the 10 reasons, I was shocked and heartbroken when I read reason number three:
–
“She taught me that being a spiritual person doesn’t involve proselytizing. Or judging.”
–
“What? How could she say that?” I thought as I my heart sank into my chest. Is she serious? This is a woman who occasionally blogs about going to church; etc. Does she really mean what she’s saying?
–
Truth is, proselytizing has taken on such a negative connotation; it’s become the ugly “P” word. It’s practice is not socially acceptable and the word has become a reproach to so called “open minded” and “politically correct” people. Nonetheless, here are a few things for Christians to consider from God’s word regarding the ugly “P” word…
–
To begin with, God is not concerned with us being “spiritual” He is concerned with us being righteous:
–
“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
–
Proselytizing defined is…
…the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion.
–
Christians are commanded by Jesus to proselytize. It’s part of the Great Commission.
The scriptures say that Paul the Apostle debated fiercely in the synagogues to persuade people to follow Jesus and many of the disciples were beaten savagely and imprisoned for – dare I say it? – p-p-p-proselytizing.
–
Jesus doesn’t command us to do this because he wants us to look like close-minded, bigoted religious freaks, but because He loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him:
–
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3: 16-18)
–
In Acts chapter 5, the Holy Spirit told Peter to…
“ ‘Go, stand in the temple courts…and tell the people all about this new life.’ At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. [Because of this] …The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than human beings.’ ” (Verses 20, 21, 27, 29)
–
As Christians, let’s remember that our Lord: stepped out of heaven; made Himself nothing by clothing Himself in humanity; preached the Good News to all men during his 3 year ministry; was so anxious about His impending crucifixion that he sweat blood while praying right before he was arrested; was beaten so savagely that he was LITERALLY unrecognizable; and endured the humiliation and shame of being crucified virtually naked on a cross…just so that we could be reconciled back to the Father. It had to be done!
–
Jesus Christ paid an ENERMOUS price to redeem us. Was it all for nothing? Was it just because His calendar was free?
–
Why do we make his death so cheap; so irrelevant, so insignificant?
–
Why are we so ashamed to proclaim Him among men?
–
Why do we think it’s so noble to act as if we’re above proselytizing: persuading people to follow Him; even making it a mark of our (pseudo) “spirituality?”
–
Romans 1:16…
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
–
If we claim not to believe in Christ or the Holy Bible, then it’s plausible that we would reject the notion of proselytizing; no argument there! BUT…if we claim to follow Him, to love Him and serve Him – on His terms – then this notion is not only ridiculous, it’s down-right anti-Biblical.
–
We seriously need to examine our convictions. Our very life not only could, but does depend on it.
–
Selah. [Pause and Reflect]
Leave a Reply