His Response Said It All/Why the Modern Gospel Message Doesn't Work
I went to a meeting yesterday and a few of us shared our testimonies on how we became Christians. The testamonies sounded similiar: no one loved us, but some Christians showed us love because God loved them, so we can accept God because He loves us. (And I'm not criticizing their testimonies, not at all). Mine differs in the fact that just flat out HATED God and was openly rebellious against Him. I did have a traumic experience in which I asked God to reveal Himself, which he did.
During the meeting, I asked a young man what he thinks he will happen when he dies. His reply was "that's too serious of a question. I'm too young to think about it. I don't want to think about it." (This is not the first time I've heard this in Taiwan. The same thing was said by the 5 men I witnessed to in the bar at the beginning of the month).
I told him we're not promised tomorrow, and others said that bad things can happen to young people. I chimined with telling him of the deaths of two actors: 25 and 28 (They are the same age as the young man).
Afterwards, I started giving him the Gospel message. He said,
"Well, all of you had problems in your lives and needed something. I don't, so I don't need to think about this now."
I continued to warn him about impending judgement and that he really should be concerned. I gave him a tract and just simply asked him to think about these things.
Later that night, I thought about what happened and what was said. When we present an incomplete, wishy-washy Gospel, this is what you get, "I don't have problems, so I don't need God." It's repentence and faith, so that Jesus becomes the focus and not our needs. Yes, God will supply all our needs, heal us, make us whole, but this is not the motive for becoming a Christian. If this is the motive, it's selfish and not a true conversion!
The focus is Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
My testimony should be one that glorifies Jesus and not about me, me, me.
posted by stella @ 5:06 PM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
We are studying in church John 1:8. The past 7 weeks have been spent talking about the previous 7 verses. So today, it was verse 8.
John himself was not the light: he was only a witness to the light.
John 1:20 says, And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
He was not the light that was expected and promised. He was not the Messiah to come. He was sent only to bear witness of the light. He was not the Bridegroom, but a friend of the Bridegroom.
John 3:28-29 says Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
now to "bear witness" is to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something or that he knows it because it was taught by divine revelation or inspiration.
One example is John 4:39 that says, And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him (why?) for the saying of the woman, which testified (what?), He told me all that ever I did.
Good job Stella, we are to bear witness of Jesus. It is not about us, but as John shows us, it is about HIM. We point the way to the Savior, the Messiah of the world. Way to be faithful. I hope you can find a good church to worship in so you can be edified!
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