Featured Evangelism

Hi Iconoclast,

I don't know. I guess you'll have to ask God. :thumbs:

I do know that anyone before the flood that had gotten on the ark would have been saved. I do know that all over the muslim world, God is giving them visions to seek out followers of Christ.

I also know that, if you turn your life over to God, He will use it to His best purpose and that will be better than anything we could have done with it ourselves. - even if He asks us to give our life for Him.

 

So the burden is on me to bring people to Christ? Its all about me and how I present the message?

Acts 18:9-11 (ESV)
And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

God encouraged Paul to continue to preach for God would bear fruit and bring the elect to salvation. Paul later spoke of God's elect.

2 Tim 2:10 (NIV)Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Read Romans 9 for a clearer presentation on the doctrine of election. According to the Bible converting people is not our God but that of God. All God wants of me is faithfulness to presenting the Gospel and he will produce results.

 

Thats okay as neither does my wife. However we still can witness together.

 

Bob Dudley

Bob...I asked you two questions;

What was that awesomely wonderful plan for the world of the ungodly at the time of the worldwide flood of Noah's day?

What was that plan for millions who have lived in places in the world who have never heard of Jesus?

You said that you believed God has an awesomely wonderful plan for everyone on earth....now you say ...you do not know???

If God made such a statement anywhere in scripture...I would ask Him.
He has made no such statement, but You have....so I asked you these questions as your statement is a denial of several portions of scripture.

ok....

not really....God has given us His word .His word is complete.

 

You cannot believe it unless God allows you to.

 

Iconoclast, I get the impression you are twisting my words around just to argue. I believe God has a wonderful plan for everyone's life. It starts with salvation through His Son. Then, the more we surrender to His will, the more we fall in line with that plan. And, just because I don't know what the pan is, doesn't mean there is no plan.

Why is that so hard to understand?

 

Evangelist6589, "charismatic"? Where in the world did that come from? I am a fundamental, independent Baptist.

 

"The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.
John 10:10 NAS77


Sounds like a wonderful plan to me.:thumbsup:

 

Did you even attempt to answer my questions?

 

Nope. Had to sleep. But, uh, try to play nice. What's up with the antagonistic attitude?

 

John 20:31 says, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

I never ignore God's Word. Again, what is up with the antagonism?

I never said John didn't teach repentance. I said he doesn't use the word repentance in his Gospel. I said a person repents when they get saved, they just don't need to know what it is called. The Gospel of John was written to non-Christians with the purpose of getting them saved. John didn't expect his readers to do an "in-depth study". So, yes, repentance is in there conceptually, but the person repenting does not need to have a seminary degree to "get it".

Sure, Jesus talked about hell quite a bit. However, the Gospel that was written to show people how to get saved, did not. Why do you find it so hard to understand that the Gospel of John was written by the Apostle John to get people saved. You should try to emulate that gospel.

I'm not even sure what you are talking about here. Absolutely the Great Commission talks about follow-up. Read Mathew 28:20 in Greek. The word translated in the KJV as disciple (didasko) is completely about teaching your new converts. Maybe we have different ideas about what follow-up means.

I never said it wasn't.

The Bible shows them they are sick. You (personally, as the evangelist) do not need to throw their sins in their face. That is God's job, not yours.

I recall, one time several years ago in WV, I was witnessing to a man in his 30s. I had just quoted Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." No sooner did I get the words out of my mouth when he began weeping uncontrollably. He cried for about 5 minutes. When he finally regained his composure, he asked me, "How did you know what sins I did?" Of course, I didn't. But God did and God used His Word to convict that man's heart. I didn't have to do anything but quote the Word.

I get the impression that you are trying way too hard. Sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ is not that hard.

Seriously, I would suggest that you quit reading all those books for awhile and take some time to read how Jesus, John, Peter, Paul, Stephen and Philip led people to Christ. I think you will see that they did not give as much emphasis on sin, hell and an Angry God as you think. For instance, let's look at Peter talking to the house of Cornelius in Acts 10:34-43:

34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all0 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

​

Notice, Peter introduced who Jesus was and Peter's relationship to Him. Finally, Peter mentions sin - by just saying that through faith in Jesus you can have remission of sins. Then, the entire room was saved. This entire speech takes about 2 minutes to read and God used it to lead the whole room to Christ.

It really is easy to lead people to Christ. Do some people need more discussion about sin and its punishment? Probably, but they are in the minority.

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17). The Bible is a supernatural book. It is a book used by the Holy Spirit to convict the lost of sin, righteousness and judgment. It actually doesn't even matter if the person you are witnessing to believes the Bible is God's Word. If you just quote the Bible the Holy Spirit can take over. I have seen atheist cry and ask Jesus into their heart when, 5 minutes earlier, they were mocking God's Word.

Again, not sure where this antagonism came from. But, yes, the Great Commission DOES put the burden on you. Fortunately, it is not ALL about us. However, YOU are an ambassador for Christ and YOU have the word of reconciliation.

It was Jesus' responsibility to die for our sins. It is the Holy Spirit's responsibility to convict the lost of sin, righteousness and judgment. It is the Christian's responsibility to share the gospel with the lost so the Holy Spirit can do His job and so that Jesus did not die in vain.

Read Ezekiel 3 and 33 - Ezekiel knew this. Paul understood this when he was explaining the blood of no man was on his hands.

Look, I don't care if you are a Calvanist, an Arminian, a biblicist or a fundamentalist. God has commanded us to talk to EVERYONE about His Son. Everyday people are dying all around us, never having another chance to hear about the love of Jesus. We MUST tell as many people as we can.

When it comes to the gospel
It is our job to convey
It is God's job to convict

​

 

John 10 describes the activity of Satan and it describes the activity of the Lord Jesus Christ that's all well and good but it doesn't answer the question that was being discussed about what is the wonderful plan for every person that's in the world what about those who never hear the gospel what's the wonderful plan for them?

 

no Bob I didn't twist your words around and is no need for any argument we can have a discussion without it being an argument
you made the statement that God has a wonderful plan for everyone's life and I don't see that reflected in Scripture so i was asking you about that.

 

I'm running between appointments so this will not be well thought out. However, I even see John 3:16 as an indication that God has a plan for us bigger than what we would do. Maybe even some of Romans 8:31-39. I will think on this more. But, we have a big evangelism event this evening and I will probably be occupied with that most of the day. God bless.

 

Bob I will reply to your post by the weekend on my Mac. I did not mean to antagonize but I have done so before to pastors and others that have challenged my open air messages with their friendship or non sin/hellfire based approaches. In fact last month a pastor was visiting the area and he also is an evangelist and he saw me open air and we chatted and we did not get along. He may have been using your method of evangelism and I use the way of the Master. It's not only comfort as many others in the past used the law in evangelism and even the deceased Ernest Reisinger encourages it and his books were around way before Comfort.

 

I have not read his autobiography. I have gone through most of his Systematic. It was deplorable. No doubt his bio is fascinating reading --but quite troubling to many of us. His ilfe is not one worthy of emulation. He thought he knew better than those in the Faith senior to him. I am sure his treatment of Pastor Gale is not objective. And neither would his account of Nettleton who tried to reason with him.