The issue with sharing our faith

Even though I am not yet twenty, I have come to understand that little words in our culture have big implications. Even in Christian circles little words can reveal our hearts. If one was asked what these words meant, after careful consideration, a somewhat Biblical meaning may be arrived at, but I do not believe that prodding should be necessary to discover the meaning of words in our Christian subculture. The word that I’m talking about today is “sharing.” There is not anything intrinsically wrong with the phrases:

“I shared my faith with someone the other day.”

“I want to share the gospel with a friend of mine.”

. . .

But I think that danger arises if we adopt a mindset of “sharing” rather than “proclaiming.” Conversationalism has become a major push in our current culture. The Christian evangelical model of today is somewhat like a show and tell. Something like this:

Evangelist: Hi, I am Evangelist. I’m just going around sharing my beliefs with people. What do you believe?

Evangelee: I believe . . . (some unbiblical doctrine)

Evangelist: Well, that’s interesting. Here’s what I believe.

Let me defend my point for a moment. My point is not that asking questions and listening should not be a part of proclaiming the gospel. My point is not that the Evangelist should dominate the speaking part of Evangelism. My point IS that the evangelist MUST speak with the authority given to him by Christ Jesus. “Here’s what I believe.” IS NOT AUTHORITATIVE. What does the bible say about evangelism? I suppose that is the most important aspect of it. I do not mean to be overly critical, but I do wish for Christians today to adopt a evangelical mindset that is Biblical. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 28:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

And in Mark 16:

“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. “

First observation, it is commanded that we are to evangelize. I think this is very clear from the passage. Second, Christ says “all authority on heaven and earth has been given to me.” I do not believe that this is merely an assertion of his authority on the disciples. In saying this He essentially states “Everything that I have said is true, and ALL of my commands are authoritative.” The reason that the disciples could speak authoritatively was not because they had any authority in and of themselves, but the spoke the gospel of Christ. Christ has been given all authority, therefore His gospel is authoritative. We must ¨proclaim” our faith and not merely “share” it. We must “proclaim” our faith and not merely have a conversation about it.

There IS reasoning in proclaiming the gospel. We are to be “sly as serpents and innocent as doves.” So we must pray that the Spirit would teach us to use the authoritative scripture that applies to the specific situation of the on to whom we are proclaiming it to.

There IS listening in proclaiming the gospel. Finding out what someone believes is important to help us to use the Word of God to knock out wrong beliefs from under their feet, that God willing that would learn to believe the truth about God and in Him find supreme satisfaction.

So, what’s the essential difference between sharing and proclaiming. One is authoritative by its very nature. One might protest and ask how an unbelieving soul would come to believe if we do not slowly and gently reason with him and only using light scriptural support? It is the work of the Spirit through the Word of God that saves. Not human reason. When the pure gospel is proclaimed, God’s elect hear it and believe. Christ said it himself in John 10:

“I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

The sheep hear the Words of Christ. He is the Shepard, not us. Let us proclaim His words. His sheep will hear our voice if our voices utter Christ’s Word.

God Bless