Hi to my Forum Friends,
In another discussion titled "Well, Heck!" begun by Nagel, I wrote, "I am addressing the many Christian believers and those who might be seeking. This man, GD, is pushing a pure New Age religion -- just as bad as his initial Urantia Book New Age religion. Beware!"
And, my Friend, B50, responded, "Bill, there are many on here who find you distasteful -- who do not belong to the Catholic church. They also don't belong to the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Church of Christ, etc."
Well, I guess the only ones you have excluded are those in the religions encompassed in New Age religions, cult churches (such as Universalist Unitarian, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc.), atheism, agnosticism, secularism -- and, I guess we have to include our Friends who are just plain vanilla non-believers. Just out of curiosity -- where do you fit in this grouping?
Then, you tell me, "Bill, when you tell every one they are wrong in their belief, and you are the only one right, it's not a good way to get people to read the Bible."
You could be right. This reminds me of the story of the two evangelists standing on the side of the road just ahead of a big curve. The two evangelists were waving signs which read: "Stop! Danger Ahead! Turn Around!"
A car full of young people went roaring past. And as they sang, laughed, and waved their beer bottles at the evangelists -- they gave the evangelists a one finger salute. About thirty seconds later, there was the sound of a loud crash as the car went flying over the cliff -- with people screaming and yelling.
One evangelist looked at the other and said, "Maybe our signs should read: "Danger! Bridge Collapsed!"
Yes, B50, there is always the danger of we Christian believers being too concerned about folks who are on the wrong path and, in our concern, may sometimes become a wee bit pushy. And, we do have to work on doing evangelism better.
I am reminded of a story I read in Our Daily Bread, the Fall 1991 issue. It was written by Henry Bosch and tells of a missionary to the Kiowa Indians.
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The first missionary to the Kiowa Indians was a woman named Miss Reside. After living with the Indians long enough for them to know what it meant to be a Christian, they began calling her "Aim Day Co."
Explaining the significance of this name, Chief Bigtree said, "When we Kiowas see anyone on the wrong trail, we call out, 'Aim day co,' which means 'Turn this way.' Our sister came to us from a far land and found us on the wrong path and in great danger. She stood and called to us and said, 'Turn this way.' Then she showed us the Jesus road. God bless Miss Aim Day Co."
The Lord Jesus declared that there are only two paths to take in life. One is the narrow way that ascends to life eternal; the other is the broad way that descends to the pit of destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). And He said that He is "the Way."
Miss "Aim Day Co” did not stay in her comfort zone; she went to where the Indians lived, she went to their comfort zone. I’m quite sure she did not start beating them over the head with non-stop Scripture or demand that they learn her “Christianese” language. No, I’m sure that she first learned how to tell them, in their own language, “Turn this way! - Aim day co!”[/i\
Everyone is an evangelist, a witness, an ambassador for the Lord. With all earnestness, let's point others to Jesus. Like Miss Aim Day Co, let's urge people, [i]"Turn this way!"
"There is no other road to God - No pathway to His love - Than Jesus Christ, the 'Living Way' - To lead our souls above." Written by Henry Bosch
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B50, I sincerely pray that I can become a better evangelist, to become more like Miss Aim Day Co, for the sake of reaching others for Christ. Whether you believe it or not -- I do read and take the suggestions, comments, and criticism of my Forum Friends seriously and work to become a better ambassador for Christ. However, I cannot compromise His Word -- just to make me more acceptable to others. I cannot bless and support worldly lifestyles and cultural norms -- just to please the majority.
Finally, B50, you tell me, "You are an intelligent man, you have worked hard all your life, but now you are trying to be the 'Father' to people who don't need an earthly father. They can think and reason for themselves. They can read the Bible and understand it for themselves. Try asking people to read, instead of telling them 'what it means.' Isn't that the same thing you accuse the churches of doing?"
There are several thoughts and questions inside your comment. First, am I trying to "father" anyone? No, but, if I can be a "Lamp Lighter" for even one -- I will work had to achieve that goal.
What is a Lamp Lighter? One evening during the latter part of his life in the late 1800s, John Ruskin, an artist, scientist, poet, and philosopher -- sat at a window in his home watching a lamplighter, with torch in hand, ignite the street lamps on a distant hill. Since it was dark the lamplighter himself could not be seen, but his progress up the hill could be observed as successive lamps were lighted.
After a few minutes Ruskin turned to a friend and said, “That illustrates what I mean by a genuine Christian. You may not know him or ever see him, but his way has been marked by the lights he leaves burning.” Written by Ralph L. Woods in The Guideposts Treasury of Faith.
So, B50, my goal in life is to be a Lamplighter for at least one soul.
You tell me, "They can think and reason for themselves. They can read the Bible and understand it for themselves. Try asking people to read, instead of telling them 'what it means.'"
As you said, I am a fairly intelligent person; yet, for most of my life -- when I would attempt to read the Bible -- I was completely confused, lost, and discouraged. In moments of need, despair, loneliness, seeking; mostly in hotel rooms while on business trips -- I would pick up the Gideon Bible and try to read it. I would only get through a few verses before I would become totally confused and put the Bible away.
It was not until I was fifty years old and met a very Godly pastor who could explain the Bible to me, that I began to understand. Why was this? First, I did not have Spiritual discernment. I had been reading the Bible looking for what I wanted to find -- not what God wanted me to learn. Pastor Sam helped turn my thinking around and helped me seek to find what God wanted me to learn -- not what I sought in my attempt to ease my worldly conscience.
A person can be the most intelligent person, the smartest man/woman in the world. But, if he or she is only looking to find a blessing for a worldly lifestyle in the Bible; this person will always be in the dark -- grasping, feeling, seeking -- but, never finding. When that person sets aside his/her worldly desires and seeks to truly find God in the Bible -- it is amazing how bright the Light will shine.
This, B50, is why I share my understanding of the Bible with my Forum Friends -- with the prayer that one, even just one, will find God in the Bible. If I can, like Miss Aim Day Co with the Kiowas, help even one person to, “Turn this way! - Aim day co!” -- then I will have fulfilled the ministry God has given me.
You ask me, "Try asking people to read, instead of telling them 'what it means.' Isn't that the same thing you accuse the churches of doing?"
The only churches I will warn people against are those which teach non-Biblical doctrines. One of those is the Universalist Unitarian church which teaches a universal salvation for all -- and that all religions, all world religions, should gather with Christians and worship together. In their churches, you can find Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostics, New Agers, folks who hate God, and others -- all worshiping together.
What or who they are worshiping is up the the individual. What you will not find worshiping in the Universalist Unitarian church is a Christian believer -- for our God tells us that we will have "no other gods" before Him.
And, I would include churches such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, a church which denies the Trinity, which denies Jesus Christ -- and I would include all other cult churches which deny the deity of Jesus Christ -- even if they do wear His name in their church title.
Just because an organization calls itself a church -- does not mean that it is a Christian church. It is the same with folks who will put on their Christian hats and Christian mantles on Sunday, for networking, socializing, etc. -- and later, store them in the back of their closet until next Sunday.
This point is well illustrated by a story told by Pastor James Robison (in the book "The Road Unseen" by Peter & Barbara Jenkins), about the Revival Preacher and the Deacon:
I remember an evangelist who walked up to a man in the congregation one night. The evangelist put his hand on the man's shoulder and asked him if he wanted to become a Christian. The man practically growled at the evangelist, "I'm a deacon in this church!" And the evangelist calmly said, "Don't let that stand in your way."
The point being that a person can be a deacon, an elder, a pastor, a Sunday School teacher, a Bible study leader, go to church all their lives -- and still not know the Lord. And, a church can wear a Christian name -- and not be a Christian church.
B50, my Friend, I pray that you better understand my reason for spending the time I do in writing and sharing with our Forum Friends on the Religion Forum. Yes, there will always be those who will oppose anything I write -- for my writings do step on the toes of those in the religions of atheism, agnosticism, secularism, New Age, and other cult teachings. And, God willing, I will continue to step on their toes (but, in Christian love) for many years to come.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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