Here's a post for those of you who are complacent about reaching the lost, who are "seeker sensitive" and otherwise think evangelism is some sort of game we play.
The time is now. Time is short. Just go out and do it.
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4 comments:
Well - good clip.
But a bit od Arminian approach - that it is really Zach's fault that Josh went to Hell. That if only Zach had preached the Gospel - - that it ALL depends on Zach.
That is what Armininians believe. I do not see the Sovereignty of God in it.
Hi Ann!
I agree, it is a good clip. Well, I did post it, after all!
My point in posting the video is to stir people out of indifference. I'm sure there are two or three things in that video that are questionable. But the point is the same.
I have a counter from Living Waters here that counts off 150,000 people dying per day. The point is "Go out and evangelize". But if God is sovereign, (and I believe He is) then what is the point?
The point is we have a charge. A duty. Yes, God is Sovereign, but the apparent paradox is that we have a part to play. God is in charge, yet He holds men (and women) responsible for their choice.
From Romans 10:
'How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
"Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world."Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,
"I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding." And Isaiah boldly says,
"I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me." But concerning Israel he says,
"All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people."'
So, God is sovereign, but no-one can charge Him with silence.
From 2 Corinthians 5:20
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We *implore* you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." (emphasis mine)
Again, God is sovereign, but Paul could not be charged with silence.
So yes, God is sovereign, but God holds people accountable for how they receive the Gospel. He also sees each one of us as a part of the chain. James said if we see someone in need but don't provide for them when we can, what kind of faith do we have? And if the physical is important, how much more the spiritual.
Is the video perfect? No. The word "Lord" isn't in there either if I remember correctly. Nor the word "repentance". After only viewing it once, I'm sure I could find maybe a couple other things in there, such as Josh saying "Wish you were here" -- the Rich man never said that of Lazarus.
But I like the way this tugs us out of indifference more than the way most of us Calvinists *don't.*
I absolutely agree with you. My heart goes out, though, to people who beat themselves up for the fact that somebody did not become a Christian despite their evangelization.
The man in the clip did nothing to show Christ to his friend.
Of course we have to preach the Gospel.
I hope I made it more clear now...
I know. We've been having a "Way of the Master" class at our church for some months now and it seems like we constantly have to get the emphasis from "results" to faithfulness. The results are not up to us. We aren't there to "push for a prayer". We just give them the "Mirror" of the law.
No, it's not up to us to get them to "make a choice". Such can be misleading. In the past, I had done so for various wrong reasons such as "If I pray the prayer I can date this girl..." Only God can know the heart.
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