my poor sikh friend...

How about asking him for his proof? He'll no doubt say something so totally ridiculous that you'll be able to disprove it. (Asking questions often shows people how far off-base their beliefs are, rather than defending your beliefs and getting yourself stuck in a corner.)

Just musing aloud-- if Jesus and Mary Magdalene did marry, and they had a kid (they claim it was a girl, right?), was the kid half-God, half-human? It's impossible and absurd to the farthest degree!
DRF

 

benz, don't argue with him. Our family had some wonderful Sikh friends who worked where my father worked when we were growing up. They have tremendous internal battles going on.

The difference between you and him is that you have Christ in your life. Your words are not going to make half the difference to him that your life will. Live as the Holy Spirit directs and he will be asking questions. When he does, make sure you answer only the questions he asks and don't try to lecture him. This will be a long, slow process and just be a friend. He is going to need to make a radical life-altering world view and that does not come easily. Just going from evolution to creation took me five years!

 

I would respect his decision. If someone is not ready for prosyletizing it can be really obnoxious and put him off Christianity for all time. I wish I had just one dollar for everyone I have known who has told me that they DO believe Christ is the Son of God, but nonetheless refuse to set foot in a church because of heavy-handed "evangelism" they have experienced.

However, if he is interested enough to read Da Vinci Code I would at least try to explain to him about gnosticism, etc., so that he will not be embarrassing himself with his lack of understanding about that.

Meanwhile, if he is a friend and you would like to be able to discuss beliefs with him, a good way to begin a conversation might be by reading a bit about Sikhism. It is a very interesting religion, and they have been through a lot historically. It will give you insight to carry on a conversation with him. There are points of similarity, too. They are monotheistic, for example, but not in the Judea-Christian tradition. Then you and he can each read and discuss other books together that would give him more insight into Christianity than Da Vinci Code!

 

Your neighbors house is on fire! Quick, you have two options! You can run to the door, pound on it until they answer, and quickly grab them and scream in terror, " YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, QUICK, GET OUT!", or you can politley go to their door, give a light knock, and then say, " Um.. I was wondering if you would like to come over to my house.. Your house is nice and all, nothing against it, but I think you will like my house better.. If you dont want to come over dont feel pressured, I dont want to pressure you."

That was a pretty ridiculous analogy. :laugh:
I heard that from WOTM one time, and it really changed the way I evangelize.

The point of that is this; We cannot wait for people to become 'open' to the Gospel. Some people will never be open, in fact, if you have good theology you will realize that they will always have an antipathy toward Christ until the Gospel is presented, and through that the Holy Spirit regenerates the heart.

I am sorry to hear about the people who wont set foot in church because of 'bad' evangelism, but please dont allow that to give you an unbiblical philosophy for evangelizing. People are dieing, they have souls, and they need to have the truth articulated to them, that they have angered a holy God, and that His fierce judgement rests upon their head, and there is only one way to appease this holy God, and that is Christ's atonement.

To the OP, I would suggest visiting this website : www.wayofthemaster.com . They have great lessons that will teach you to share your faith effectively, to all categories of different people.

May God richly bless your evangelization and give your friend ears to hear!
Andy

 

Yes, it was.

I would say we have to wait for people to become open to the gospel. Because the natural man receiveth not the things of God. They are foolishness unto him.

And there are way too many people who have been alienated from Christianity possibly for all time by fumbled attempts to force it before God has prepared them. This Sikh friend sounds like a potential example, as he has stated his desire to remain in the Sikh faith (for now, at least).

 

I thought someone didn't know how to spell sick.... :smilewinkgrin:

 

Ask him why it would even make a difference if Jesus were married or not. Jesus was 100% man also, and marriage would not have disproved His 100% Deity at all or would have taken away from the fact He was without sin. I'm not saying He was married at all, but if He were, it would not have made any difference at all. Marriage is not sin, and neither is sex within marriage.

 

:laugh: :thumbs:

 

A different approach would be to show the friend where the author of Davinci code admitted it was a fictional work. That could ge the ball rolling at least.