.. or should we just love them without telling the truth?
I find it so hard (in my case) to just love people, all people. How about the people who flat out reject the Gospel of Jesus? How about the people who push their religious agenda on us?
I had fight with my parents because they hesitate to accept the offer of salvation by faith. They think their religion and good works can save them. And I am trying to tell them that they don't. They think I am deceived by some cunning Pastors, who only seek money. But I know I am not deceived. When they don't see my heart for them, I feel saddened and I find it so hard to love them. I don't want anything other than genuine love. If I am angry I prefer to show that anger, don't want to coverup my anger with a fake love makeup.
May be the problem is on my side. But I truly want others to see the foolishness, deception and cunningness of religion. It's not that I want to push my agenda. I have no agenda other than the fact that I want people to see the love of God portrayed through the death of Christ.
I think I am a failure in sharing Gospel with people in love. I just don't know how to do that without pointing the problem of their religious mindset. When I point the error, people get offended.
I ask them some tough questions, hoping to challenge their understanding of Jesus and His gospel. And then they think it's me who is being deceived by some New Agy doctrine.
I keep hearing about love, love, love. How do I tell people that the reason I am showing the error of their belief system is simply because I love them? Aren't anger, challenging questions, telling inconvenient truth etc part of love?
Show me one married couple who hasn't ever fought on anything.
Love cannot be always soft. Was Jesus soft on religious people? Was He politically correct? Was He diplomatic?
He loved people and He also told them the truth that 'Unless you believe on me, you will die in your sins'. There were many who were offended.
I don't want to send my parents/loved ones to hell by not telling them the truth in the name of love. In fact, If I truly love them, I better tell them the truth. That's what I think.
You might be thinking I am being unbalanced between love and truth. Well, love is not love without the truth. I might very well be unbalanced. If so, I find it hard to find that balance.
9 comments:
Brother, when you share the Gospel in truth you are showing people the Way to find love. Don't let the devil hinder your witness. He doesn't want them to hear the Gospel of grace. It's the way to salvation.
You cannot make them believe, just like I can't make my own mother believe no matter how much I tell her the good news or how articulate I am. Even Paul said to the Corinthians that he didn't come with a really good speech but he came to them with inadequate words with fear. God is the only one who can soften their hearts to believe. Just pray for them and tell them the truth.
Bino,
My heart hurts with you; would that all would hear and accept Grace, especially our families.
Share your heart and the Truth in love. Express this wonderful Gospel of Grace that has gripped you. Then release them to the Holy Spirit. And love them...love them to the end of yourself, and then let Jesus love through you, unconditionally, right where they are, without expectation. It is your new nature to love; live out of what is true about you not your feelings. Let Christ be the catalyst for change, not you in your own effort. Love never fails.
I hope you will accept this in the Spirit in which it is written; love you, brother.
Matthew,
I am just overwhelmed by the fact that the enormous number of people rejecting the simple, plain but critical truth of the Gospel of Christ Jesus.
I get a feeling of burden when I think about the 6 billion and or more people living in the planet earth and only a very very minority who has accepted the true gospel. Think about the millions of people who have died without Christ for ever the last 2000 years.
I am convinced the only thing hinders people from accepting the gift of salvation is their pride. People are incredibly prideful. It's unimaginable. They will do anything and everything to keep their pride and ego straight up.
I will continue to share the truth as God enables me to do so. I am not going to be politically correct in everything I say. I have no problem with sinners, but I have problem with self-righteousness. Sinners, when they are properly exposed to see their condition and their need for a savior, they will run to Him; but self-righteous won't. They live with their 'filthy rags' and they think that their 'filthy rags' can save them.
Pls. pray for my family's salvation.
RJW,
Thank you for all the encouragement!
To be honest with you, I don't really know how to express my love. That's part of the problem.
Does loving them means I shouldn't bring any spiritual topics in our conversations? Does that mean that I ignore their ignorance and denial?
I accept your words. I know this yoke is not supposed to be heavy. I will see if I can re-focus my attention to Jesus and trust Him to take care of it.
But again the question is, should we tell them what we know or shouldn't we?
Bino,
Haven't you told them?
How would you want to be treated if the positions were reversed?
Can you trust the Holy Spirit to convict your family? Not you?
The Holy Spirit convicts the world of unbelief, and Christians of righteousness. It's not our job to convict, just to love.
Your witness isn't just your words but also your actions. You don't have to compromise your beliefs, but it's the Love of God that compels you, so act from a heart of love.
Our daughter is very good friends with students of different faiths and no faith at college. Because she lives out of her place of Grace in front of them, they know her beliefs, and if they ask, she shares. But, she loves them regardless of their beliefs. And because of that they seek her out to pray for them, etc. People respond to love, not judgement.
Once again, it is your new nature to love. Tell Jesus you can't do it; I promise you, He'll love through you, if you'll let Him.
Encourage yourself in the Lord and don't let the enemy burden you with the Holy Spirit's job. :)
Tell them once. Then love the h*ll out of them, as our pastor used to say. Trust the Christ in you, HE'S BIG ENOUGH.
RJW,
Thank you! I needed that! I hear you!
Bino,
Who are you? Be who you are, and you will share love with others. There are people who are very small on words and big on actions, and there are people, like you and me, who are bigger on words and less on actions... that is, when it comes to sharing the truth of the gospel. Of course we all want to love one another in action.
But what I'm saying is that some of us are wired in such a way that sharing words is the action that we love with. I really do think that God has wired us that way. I think that over the years, He grows us in wisdom as to what words to share, and when to speak and when to be quiet, etc, and when to speak with our actions. And of course, by the Spirit often He gives us words right there in the moment.
I've shared a lot about how my parents are very loving parents, and I've learned a lot about love and about Jesus from them. However, I don't know how much I've really shared about how we disagree on what the gospel really is. Several years ago I was talking about hell with my mom. I was incredulous when she said 'how could a loving God send people to hell?' I did not know she thought that way. My parents have also stated that they believe everyone is created "good."
Not to dwell on that, but those things pain me. I've shared a little bit with them what I believe about it, and I simply continue to pray for them about that. I've also considered that it may not be "me" who gets through to them. My main concern is praying for them and wanting to simply be led by the Spirit.
Anyway, my main point was that the person that God has made you to be - that is the person you need to be. :)
Bino,
Great blog.
I understand where you are at.
Joel, above, said some excellent things in his comment that really resonate with what my heart would say to you. As he shared, just continue to be yourself and listen to how the Holy Spirit would like you to be/say around them. There's really nothing you can say or do to them that can "bring" them into understanding if their own hearts are not open. This doesn't mean not to "do" anything, of course. But, if you just try to love them the best you know how...that's just the best you can do.
Blessings my friend,
~Amy :)
http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com
Joel,
I am trying to trust God to do His work in their hearts. Sometimes, I try to steal Holy Spirit's job :)
I will continue to pray. Like you said, I will just need to be who I am. Thank you for the reminder. That helps!
Amy,
Thank you!
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