Michael Wrenn
New Member
by members of other religions, and they asked you why you are a Christian, how you became a Christian, and how you know that your religion is true, what would you tell them?
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If you were confronted.....
- Thread starter Michael Wrenn
- Start date
I would simply give them my personal testimony and then reinforce and confirm the truth of it by the scriptures.
That's a great question, and I expect if we were completely honest, we would say we were brought up in the Christian faith and never gave serious consideration to any of the other faiths. I would like to hear from someone who converted to Christianity from something else after reaching maturity. Lee Strobel, who was formerly agnostic, has a great testimony. Are there any here on this Board?
Neither the truth of God or the truth of the Scriptures can be proved by any man. Even God does not attempt to prove His own existence - He simply asserts it.
Salvation is by revelation (Mt. 16:17) and acceptance and understanding of scriptures is by the Holy Spirit's work (Mt. 13:10-11). Bottom line is that you cannot prove to anyone anything as that requires the ability to remove the vale from the minds and hearts of fallen sinners.
Michael Wrenn
New Member
I grew up in and was baptozed in an SBC church. When I was in early adulthood, I lost "that" faith and began searching. I very briefly became an agnostic. I gradually regained "spirituality", and I then came back to Christianity. It's a long story, but I won't go into that. However, I did thoroughly investigate every other religion - at least every one that I could get information on.
I am a Christian because Christ died on the cross for my sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1st Corinthians 15:3-4) and that God loved me and drew me unto Himself. (John 6:44.)
When God drew me unto Himself He gave me the faith to believe and a desire to follow and serve Him.
That gift of faith which He gave me also provides absolute confidence in Him, His work, and His word.
Nice testimony but it would not convince a skeptic. It wouldn't even start him to thinking.
I'm not trying to convince a skeptic or anyone else. It is my job to proclaim the gospel. It is God's job to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come and to draw the sinner to Christ.
TCassidy - Agree but if God doesn't need our help in getting people "saved," in saving people, then EXACTLY what is the bottom line purpose of evangelism? I propose that the purpose of evangelism is to identify the elect and then to welcome them into the fellowship of the Church Militant.
God uses means to draw the elect unto Himself. One of those means, in fact, my opinion, the primary means, is the preaching of the gospel. And we do that, not to talk people into being saved, but to obey the command of God to preach the gospel to everyone.
I would point them to Jesus as a historical fact, and the early Christian church as a historical fact, and ask, if Jesus' resurrection was mere legend, how and why did his followers spread so quickly, so willing to suffer for him?
That might be a start, for one who was skeptical of the whole thing.
That might be a start, for one who was skeptical of the whole thing.
No, my spiritual heritage never fell into apostasy so it needed no reforming. I am, and always have been, a Particular Baptist. We believe in Particular redemption.
No, my spiritual heritage never fell into apostasy so it needed no reforming. I am, and always have been, a Particular Baptist. We believe in Particular redemption.
reformed!
Holding to the concept of "limited atonement!"
Michael Wrenn
New Member
I like your answer, but I don't think the part I bolded would be sufficient -- Mormonism being just one example of why.
To me, one very strong evidence for the truth of Christianity is how the apostles' behavior changed from the time before the Holy Spirit was poured out on them -- between the crucifixion and Pentecost, and after it was poured out. After the HS was poured out at Pentecost, they changed from scared, hiding, and uncertain followers into brave proclaimers of the Gospel willing to die as witnesses to the resurrected Jesus.
Many religions have spread quickly, with their adherents willing to suffer, but the drastic change in the apostles is very compelling evidence. Something was responsible for this great change -- and that "something" was the appearance to them of the resurrected Jesus in physical, bodily form. This is what separates Christianity from every other religion. For example, the Bahai faith confesses the resurrection of Christ -- but a spiritual resurrection; they deny the physical, bodily resurrection.
i am a Christian due to God loving me and allowing me to be able to come to Chrsit totally due and only because His Grace was bestowed on me whilw yet still a sinner in need of a saviour!
Amd to me, the whole question hinges on person of jesus...
Who do you say that he is?
For IF you are a good jew/Muslim/Hindu/Buddhist etc...
you CANNOT honor Him as anyone less thasn God in Human flesh, for he did not allow you that option!
Either you have to take him as he said that he was, or else call him a liar/crazy, as per CS lewis!
No, my spiritual heritage never fell into apostasy so it needed no reforming. I am, and always have been, a Particular Baptist. We believe in Particular redemption.
So are you saying a Reformed Baptist spiritual heritage fell into apostasy and needed reforming?
"Reformed" means, in this context, "stemming from the Reformation." If some people call themselves "Reformed Baptist" they must think their church/polity/doctrine stems from the Protestant Reformation.
I'm not saying it. They are!
SovereignMercy
Member
I prefer the term "Sovereign Grace Baptist" myself. My beliefs come from the Bible.