Bible Study Blog for Friday, September 9, 2011
Psalms 4-6; Acts 17:16-34
For many Christians, the way to approach people with DIFFERENT BELIEFS is to “expose” their false teachings and accentuate the DIFFERENCES between their beliefs and ours.
In other words – alienate them.
Paul did just the opposite. He built bridges and established common ground. Then he shared the message of Jesus:
“Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”
What’s the best way to share the message of Jesus with people?
Let’s see – “Expose” errors and accentuate differences?
OR – Build bridges and establish common ground?
No Brainer.
Have a Blessed Thursday!
Tags: Acts, Bayside Church Woodland, Bayside Woodland, Bible Study, Psalms
Human life, boiled down to it’s most important elements is relationships. The most important of the most important elements is relationship with God. Absent such a relationship we’re actually dead (even though most of the people we meet every day on the streets around here don’t realize they’re dead.)
Hanging out in this blog is a useful link to a daily reattachment to God through the reading of His word. This gives us a focal point for our thoughts that pull us toward living out Christ’s answer to the sharpshooter who asked Him which was the greatest of the commandments, viz., Love…God. If we’re not in the Word every day then we’re surely not letting the Holy Spirit educate us about who God is. You can’t effectively love somebody you don’t know.
It’s too true that I often work too hard on winning an argument rather than trying lead a soul to Christ. Shame on me, because I’m missing out on the Second Commandment by not abasing myself so that I might have an opportunity to share the Gospel that is guaranteed to win my lost brother’s soul. Hell is a bad place for a long time, and how dare I let my pride take precedence over the life of my lost friend.