Many of my friends and church family believe that people come to Christ by our actions. In other words, we do good works and people will ask us about Jesus. Or they think that people will just see a difference in you and ask you what you have. There is nothing wrong with helping others. In fact we are commanded to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The problem is that members of cults do good works, as well as many atheists.
Love them to Jesus. If you believe in this method of evangelism, let me give you a scenario. Let’s say I’m a successful businessman. I own a thriving business, I own my own home, drive a fancy sports car and I have a beautiful wife and my kids are great. Plus, I donate money to my favorite charities. How are you going to love me to Jesus? What are you going to do for me that will show me that I’m missing out by not being a Christian? What will you say to me?
I don’t need anything. I’m perfectly content with my life. In fact, life couldn’t be better. I don’t need you or your God. I’m happy for you that you’ve found a crutch in life to lean on, but I don’t need it. I don’t need it and I don’t want it. I think when you die your dead and nothing else happens. All that matters to me is my family and how much I accumulate during my life to make my family and myself happy. (I actually hear these responses while out street witnessing).
How are you going to love the man in this example to Jesus? He’s perfectly happy with his life. He’s content. How do you convince him that he’s missing out by not following Jesus? How are you going to woo this man or sway him? Oh you might convince him to come to church with you once in a while or maybe go to a Christian rock concert with you. But he will probably soon get bored with the whole thing and go back to his comfortable life.I actually believe that you do love people to Jesus. It’s out of my love for God that I’m willing to tell people the truth. God loves us and God made each and every one of us. But we’ve all sinned and our sin separates us from our loving God. He is so Holy that He cannot tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13). If you die in your sins, God will send you to Hell because He is just and because of His perfect nature, He must punish sin. That punishment is for eternity.If Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, then you are damned and on the road to Hell. There is no way to soften this reality. No fornicator or idolator will enter into Heaven (Gal. 5:19-21). All liars will have their part in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). This covers each and every one of us. Jesus described Hell as a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:41-42). Where the worm does not die and the fire is never quenched (Mark 9:44). This is the reality that awaits unrepentant sinners.
But God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to walk this earth a little over 2,000 years ago and He lived a perfect and sinless life. Jesus willingly took the punishment for guilty sinners by dying a cruel death on the cross. God laid our sins upon Jesus (1 Peter 2:24). Isaiah says that it pleased God to bruise Him for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:10). Now that doesn’t mean that God is blood thirsty and enjoyed seeing Jesus suffer on our behalf. No, it shows you how seriously God takes our sins!
The innocent One took the punishment that we rightly deserve. He died on the cross, was buried and rose again on the third day. God willingly forgives each and every sinner that recognizes their own sinful nature and turns away from their sins and puts their faith in Jesus (Acts 26:18;20). Our Lord and Savior is the only way to salvation. He is the only way to get back into a right relationship with God.
That’s what I tell unbelievers and I think telling them the truth as found in God’s Word is the most loving thing that any Christian can do. So if you are a Christian, please, I’m begging you, love your family, friends and strangers alike – to Jesus Christ! Love them so much that you are willing to look foolish for the Gospel’s sake. Love them so much that you verbally tell them about our Mighty Savior! Yes, you still help people and you love people. We are called to be Christ-like. But, remember that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Truly love them to Jesus by explaining their dire predicament and that Jesus is the only Savior.
I so agree,but….what if that persion STILL does not believe? I have done exactly what you say to do with a family member and he just laughs and says”well,like I’ve said before,if anybody can SHOW me God exists,or Jesus exists then I’ll hold my hand up,but no,they can’t!” Doubting Thomas syndrome surely,but his heart is hardened and even to walk past a Church he sniggers,cold,cold heart.Your opinion would mean a great deal to me on this.
It breaks my heart, but I have close relatives including some of my own children who are not saved. They have heard the Gospel and sadly they have rejected it. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Love your lost family member and mainly keep praying for him.
Thank you for replying.Yes,I do pray for him,and his wife,as she is the same.They are both lovely,lovely people and so kind and caring,yet…this takes a force greater than you or I to put right.They both think that “anything goes” and also seem to think homosexuality is ok too,and people who think it is wrong are just bigoted.It really is very strange.