Witnessing

Here is something I've been thinking about lately.

I attended a Christian Private School and when I was in HS they began drilling it into our heads that we needed to be a good "witness" for Christ. They would talk about how each time we sinned, it hurt our witness to others, made us look weak, etc. But what I want to know it this: Since God is the almighty Creator of the universe, why does He need us to witness for Him? There is no way anyone can be perfect enough to do Him justice. In my opinion, the best way to witness is to be kind, loving, and NON-JUDGEMENTAL (I have a huge issue with Christianity here).

I once had a co-worker tell me that I was the "nicest Christian" they had ever met, simply because I didn't preach to them about what was right/wrong, force my beliefs onto them and judge them when they did things that I didn't do. This surprised me because I have never been the type of person to just announce to the world that I am a Christian, this person just noticed it themselves. To me this seems like the best way to reach people. I'm not trying to brag or anything.... I just want to know what other people think about this.

 

Kick ass. btw, I used to live in La Grande... there is an Ice Cave about a mile up the road from Catherine Creek State Park....

 

Being a Christian that's what it is all about, witnessing about the Lord. The Bible says that if you confess with your lips that Jesus Christ is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Rm. 10, 9). So, to enter heaven you have to believe that God raised Christ from the dead, and not only accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, but confess it with your lips.

To confess means to profess; to talk about it. But, it doesn't do much good if the only people you talk to about Christ are your family and friends. As a Christian you have an obligation to spread the Good News and reach out, not only to other Christians, but to those who do not know the Lord, or have not accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior. In other words, let people know you are a Christian, not only by your actions but also by telling them. You will be surprised at how many doors will open, giving you a chance to "witness" to others by sharing your faith and your testimony. There is no better way to build up both your own faith, and the faith of others, than by sharing your Christian beliefs. Every time I share my belief in Christ with others I come away with a "spiritual high." I even have friends who ask me to share my testimony with their friends just to see how "wound up" I get. I know they do it because they get the same high I do, even though they have heard my testimony several times.


You may feel foolish sometimes when you bring up the fact that you are a Christian, but do it anyhow. There was a time when I felt I was supposed to do something different when I speak at church, so I told myself, "I can't do that, I'll feel like a fool." And then I heard a voice in my mind, "Be a fool for Christ." So, I did, and I have been doing it ever since. And you know what? It feels great.

 

northernleigh; i would be careful how you preach to people, you don't want to come off as an apocalypse nut or a condemer thoguh...

 

a time and a place for everything...

feed the hungry...
clothe the naked...
visit those in prison...
comfort the afflicted...


by their fruits shall ye know them...

 

Huh? whaaa? Being a Christian is all about witnessing!?
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock" Matthew 7:21-7:24

The saying that Christ here referrs to make up the first part of Matthew chapter 7.
http://mindprod.com/kjv/Matthew/7.html

Christ makes it abundantly clear that being a disciple is not about going around and saying "God God God Jesus Jesus Jesus" all over the place. Being a disciple or a Christian is about followings the teachings of Christ. When Christ sent out the twelve he did not do so inorder for them to go and just talk about what hangingout with Jesus was like. He sent them out so that they could bring his teachings to people.

 

I personally choose to show how great my path is by example.. rather than preaching at others and telling them how they should behave...

I believe that witnessing does nothing but add more and hate towards christanity...

 

"Read the Bible" - witnessing
"Read age of reason" - witnessing
Same thing

Discussing something with someone from any angle can cause strife. Anything on this earth that you can say to someone can, and is often taken the wrong the way. You can tell someone that you didn't like a poem they wrote. They can in return, take this to heart and think they are a horrible writer. Does this mean you should never bring up your beliefs or true feelings to someone?

Yes, I agree that there has to be an example. If you claim you are Christian, but you go around cussing at others, name calling and the like, they are proving nothing. However, if they are being a good example and they are witnessing, then they have understanding.

Jesus told his disciples to spread the gospel when was gone. The examples he gave them was intended for them to show to others. The Bible itself is written gospel.

"And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20)

If the disciples were only showing actions, yet, never talking, then how would they be teaching the people to obey God's law? When a teacher explains something, do they not both demonstrate and speak?

When you don't witness to others and only worry about yourself, the only thing you are showing God is your selfishness.

 

Actully, we have a major diffrence here... Im not trying to force my view onto you.. and I sure as hell don't class the age of reason as a holy book...

When I suggested that you read the age of reason it was to try and bring you up to a level playing field with me regarding the conversation we was having at the time.

Please don't try and say that I was looking to convert you, or "spread the good word of the age of reason"... because you and I both know that to be bollocks...

You're a very sneaky poster, you know that... you twist things (such as that whole dragon thing, very sneaky).

 

How did I twist the conversation about the dragon? I explained fully what the dragon meant in the Bible, along with the other beasts.


No one can convert a person. Showing a person what God's word says can only plant a seed. I can merely make a suggestion. The watering of the seed comes when conviction begins. Without conviction, no one can have belief.

There really is no difference at all. You suggest The Age of Reason, I suggest the Bible.

 

Again, you're twisting it.. you're trying to make me sound as bad as you.. and it's not fair...

There is no way I was witnessing to you, stop trying to suggest I was... it's very dishonest of you.

 

It's called honesty....

We are both being influential. You speak about what you believe in and I speak about what I believe in. We are both talking about books.

 

Being influential and witnessing is NOT the same thing. Everyone is influential every day of their life.. it's impossable NOT to be influened by someone that you meet...

 

Yes, it is impossible not to be influential. We are both showing other people what we believe. Anyway you look at it, that is what it boils down to. We are both showing people things that they may or may not have heard of before.

You have learned something that you are spreading to someone else. I have learned something that I am spreading on to someone else. You are testifying to someone what you know to be true. I am doing the same.

We are both influencing someone in some way, shape, or form.

 

OK, lets turn this around a little then.. I don't view this as witnessing because this is an open area of discussion where I was offering some reading support to backup my ideas, everyone that is here is here by choice...

I am now, however, trying to force this knowledge onto people who don't want to know about it... I'm not going around every day waving the age of reason in the air and saying "read this, it'll change your life" (not that I'd choose to wave that book, I think i'd have more fun waving around a book by steven king or someone).. instead (as i said originally, before this little tit for tat battle started)

I LIVE MY LIFE BY EXAMPLE!!!

I do what I do, enjoy myself, have a smile on my face, and knowledge, both in my head, and in my heart.. If someone wants to come and talk to me about my life.. i'll tell them, but it's the other person that makes the first move, not me (never me)...

and THAT is the diffrence between witnessing - and what I'm doing.

 

Why do you keep saying 'Forced'?

Terrific.
In the exact same way - I suggest you read the Bible.

Yes you did. You insisted people read the Age of Reason because you believe it will change (convert) their minds.

Yes.. it was very 'sneaky' how she mentioned that, in the Bible, Satan is called and described as 'The Dragon'.

Very very sneaky!

 

Because a lot of the time, it is... now I'm not accusing all christans of this, but there has been at least one time when a christan took it upon himself to "save" me - we used to work at the same company, and everytime I went out to have a cigaret, he would follow me out and talk to me about god and jesus... even after I asked him to stop, he continued to do so... so yes.. I do keep saying 'forced'.

Something which I'm doing... but don't hold your breath as to it magicly changing my life or anything... I recognise it for the mythology it is.

No I didn't... don't try and put words into my mouth... I suggested they read the book so they would understand where I was coming from with my argument... and to provide evidence and backup to what I was saying. (you see, i work on evidence and proof... not asking people to believe me based on some mystical faith bullshit). I could not careless if you're converted or not... you live your own life, it's nothing to do with me buddy.

Don't give me that bullshit, you know as well as I do what she was trying to do.

She didn't say "in the bible, the dragon is satan, blah blah..." (in fact, she didn't say anything like this until i challenged her).. she said, in a very 'matter of fact' way "satan is the dragon"... as if to imply that the magical dragon in my example was somehow connected to "evil" (evil, being another concept I don't agree with).

 

Um, your post was entitled, "Prove to me the Bible is real". We have been talking about the Bible the ENTIRE time. What other book do you think I would have refered to?

 

"the bible is real"

well, it is a real book...
with a long history in the ol' publishiing world...
now, as to the events being described in this book called "the bible" (which translates to: "the book"!) being "actual historical events" - well, i suppose that depends on whom you ask the question, eh?

now, we can bandy words about...
gospel truth
pack o' lies
fables
fact
fiction
polemic
epistle
prophecy
fairy tale
cultural artifact
myth
mind control
folk tales

many more possible words to be tossed into the fray (& these words themselved defined?)


~
one of my neo-pagan friends was deriding the christian beliefs as "a bunch of fairy tales" & i responded that "some of us prefer to use the term 'myth'" --- & he said "OK" --- hehheh...

ummm, ymmv...

 

gnrm23, you're very much reqired here: http://hipforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60839