In The Midst Of Mockery, Should We Continue Preaching?
Question: Should we keep preaching even when we are mocked by those for whom we are preaching? Is it bold preaching that is needed or unnecessary confrontation that should be avoided, which is more important? Especially when sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Islamic people, how can we really share it effectively, because they want to oppose us when we speak.
Answer: Greetings to you in Jesus wonderful name!
We need to speak about Jesus Christ and His Resurrected Power and his Holy Blood which becomes our Testimony of how God has changed us inside out, only blood washed saints can over come the subtle lies and resistance of the enemy (Rev 12:11). Do not confront other religion. Be wise as serpents and harmless as a dove. In Quran, many times Jesus and Mary were spoken about, of course we can start with it, and say something deeper about the good news of salvation. If ever you want to confront them, forgive and forget on the go about the mockings and slander, but please before confronting them by comparatively speaking up apologetics, do not face them apologetically without a logical answer from the Bible, so get more knowledge about Quran and the Bible, or at least know some basic stuff and then face them.
Rather than confronting them...it is always good to speak what we have and put a full stop after that. Also one should fully understand Islam if we want to debate with them. Debating does nothing great, but testimony does something eternal in their heart by seeing our good behavior so that they might glorify God when they get saved, or they will glorify God even on the day they will be judged after their death for their wrong doings on earth by having resisted the truth of God which came towards them through us (1 Pet 2:11-12). Praise the Lord! Emmanuel God is with us!
People mock and slander others, when they are unable to win a logical argument.
Anointing of the Holy Spirit gives us the courage to witness... Jesus' disciples who hadn't attended seminary were the people who turned the world upside down after Pentecost! The true power of Pentecost GIVES COURAGE....as the Bible points out this truth saying, "What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you [IN POWER], you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world." (Acts 1:8, MSG).
The book of Acts is full of vigorous acts done to testify the resurrected Lord Jesus. A bunch of ordinary disciples did mighty things for God through the power of the Holy Spirit. That tremendous power of the Holy Spirit we have to depend, not our own intellectual plans or capacity to win the debate. We should testify with our whole heart, but leave the rest in to God's hands to convict the hearers of their sin and repent to God through the conviction that comes through the Holy Spirit (John 16:8, NEB). If they continue to resist the truth, they will have to give account to God on the Judgment Day for despising the Good News when it came close to turn their destiny towards heaven (Matt 12:36).
Oswald Chambers the great man of God said : "Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. It is the threshold of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses the conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God." Get right with God before it is too late is the main message that gets highlighted by the Holy Spirit whenever He puts a conviction upon a person. When we get right with God, then we will get right with humans who have been tricked or offended by us, or choose to forgive those who have offended us.
To be convicted is to experience an utter dreadfulness of sin. Our attitude toward sin becomes that of Joseph who fled temptation, crying out, “How could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). We become aware of how much sin dishonors God when conviction hits a person. The Holy Spirit not only convicts people of sin, but He also brings them to repentance and make them receive the grace of God through which they get saved (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:5; Eph 2:8). Our work is to share our testimonies to people of what Jesus has done for us to transform us, but it is God's work to convict people of their sin. We should never try to do God's work instead of doing just our work that He has appointed us to do. We cannot become like God to save people, only God can save them, but we can be the channel to let God do His work through us which is a privilege given to every child of God.
God word says, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." (Mat 7:6). Thus to know the difference between what we should speak and what we shouldn't, to withdraw the pearls from being thrown out or speak the truth in boldness (Prov 27:5), depends on our dependence on God and the discernment that we develop through eating the Word of God and growing in it (Heb 5:14). In all thy getting get understanding to know the difference between speaking the truth, and restraining ourselves from throwing the pearls of truths to dogs or swine of unbelievers whose ingrained behavior is to resist the truth (Prov 4:7; Acts 7:51-60). When people resist truth when they are convicted by the Holy Spirit deeply within their heart, they sin against the Holy Spirit for rejecting the the truth of salvation that have come to them in the day of the decision for salvation (2 Cor 6:2; Mark 3:28-30; Matt 12:31-32). Our duty is to speak the truth in love and power, along with the conviction that comes within us through living the truth that affects the hearers positively to take a decision towards salvation or to confess and deny sin because of the same conviction that comes through the Holy Spirit who works in both the speaker and the hearers for the Glory of God (Eph 4:15; 1 Thess 1:5). By living the truth and staying holy, the speaker of the Gospel will be empowered to convict the conscience of people.
Never be concerned with mockers and scoffers and never shrink back from challenging another's religious ideas. Be respectful, but with authority preach the truth. God did not call us to go to only those who agree with us. Preaching the Gospel will often come with the discomfort of persecution. But the greatest joy comes from experiences such as this as well as the greatest affirmation of God's power in us. So many Christians miss out because the devil has bullied them into silence for fear of experiencing persecution. And so their life becomes dead condemned to sit on a pew, and never experience the true power and revelation of Christ working in them and through them.
The Bible reminds us to be, "Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks us the reason for the hope we possess. But we should respond with gentleness and respect towards the unbelievers who oppose us." (1 Peter 3:15, BSB, b).
May the power of the Holy Spirit help us all, to give boldness and to preach the good news of Jesus Christ that saves the unbelievers and makes us show them a way to heaven through Jesus Christ. Let us continue to "Preach the word of God and about Jesus Christ! Let us be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." (2 Tim 4:2, Emphasis Mine).
It is the duty of every Christian to share the good news of Jesus Christ where ever they go. At the same time we ought to be careful heeding the words of Jesus who said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matt 10:16). Serpents are wise to escape from being destroyed and doves are harmless to fly away from danger and that too meekly fly away to safety instead of trying to attack the attackers with vengeance. The doves are so meek that it never returns back to those who do not want their presence, and who are not trustworthy and loving to receive them with grace. When somebody knowingly wants to reject the message of salvation, we should shake the dust off and move on as they will be the one who will give account for despising the opportunity to get saved from sin for eternity ahead (Matt 10:14, NLT). We should not continue to shout at deaf ears when we know a unbeliever is rejecting our message, we should move on to those who are in need, and leave the mockers and rejecters behind or else some times it may move us dangerously close to being persecuted towards great loss or towards our own destruction. So throwing a valuable pearl before someone who does not want to recognize its value, is foolishness on our part. It is wisdom to move on and not waste our time with those who voluntarily reject the Gospel.
Much Blessings....
Answer: Greetings to you in Jesus wonderful name!
We need to speak about Jesus Christ and His Resurrected Power and his Holy Blood which becomes our Testimony of how God has changed us inside out, only blood washed saints can over come the subtle lies and resistance of the enemy (Rev 12:11). Do not confront other religion. Be wise as serpents and harmless as a dove. In Quran, many times Jesus and Mary were spoken about, of course we can start with it, and say something deeper about the good news of salvation. If ever you want to confront them, forgive and forget on the go about the mockings and slander, but please before confronting them by comparatively speaking up apologetics, do not face them apologetically without a logical answer from the Bible, so get more knowledge about Quran and the Bible, or at least know some basic stuff and then face them.
Rather than confronting them...it is always good to speak what we have and put a full stop after that. Also one should fully understand Islam if we want to debate with them. Debating does nothing great, but testimony does something eternal in their heart by seeing our good behavior so that they might glorify God when they get saved, or they will glorify God even on the day they will be judged after their death for their wrong doings on earth by having resisted the truth of God which came towards them through us (1 Pet 2:11-12). Praise the Lord! Emmanuel God is with us!
People mock and slander others, when they are unable to win a logical argument.
Anointing of the Holy Spirit gives us the courage to witness... Jesus' disciples who hadn't attended seminary were the people who turned the world upside down after Pentecost! The true power of Pentecost GIVES COURAGE....as the Bible points out this truth saying, "What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you [IN POWER], you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world." (Acts 1:8, MSG).
The book of Acts is full of vigorous acts done to testify the resurrected Lord Jesus. A bunch of ordinary disciples did mighty things for God through the power of the Holy Spirit. That tremendous power of the Holy Spirit we have to depend, not our own intellectual plans or capacity to win the debate. We should testify with our whole heart, but leave the rest in to God's hands to convict the hearers of their sin and repent to God through the conviction that comes through the Holy Spirit (John 16:8, NEB). If they continue to resist the truth, they will have to give account to God on the Judgment Day for despising the Good News when it came close to turn their destiny towards heaven (Matt 12:36).
Oswald Chambers the great man of God said : "Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. It is the threshold of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses the conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God." Get right with God before it is too late is the main message that gets highlighted by the Holy Spirit whenever He puts a conviction upon a person. When we get right with God, then we will get right with humans who have been tricked or offended by us, or choose to forgive those who have offended us.
To be convicted is to experience an utter dreadfulness of sin. Our attitude toward sin becomes that of Joseph who fled temptation, crying out, “How could I do this great evil and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). We become aware of how much sin dishonors God when conviction hits a person. The Holy Spirit not only convicts people of sin, but He also brings them to repentance and make them receive the grace of God through which they get saved (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:5; Eph 2:8). Our work is to share our testimonies to people of what Jesus has done for us to transform us, but it is God's work to convict people of their sin. We should never try to do God's work instead of doing just our work that He has appointed us to do. We cannot become like God to save people, only God can save them, but we can be the channel to let God do His work through us which is a privilege given to every child of God.
God word says, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." (Mat 7:6). Thus to know the difference between what we should speak and what we shouldn't, to withdraw the pearls from being thrown out or speak the truth in boldness (Prov 27:5), depends on our dependence on God and the discernment that we develop through eating the Word of God and growing in it (Heb 5:14). In all thy getting get understanding to know the difference between speaking the truth, and restraining ourselves from throwing the pearls of truths to dogs or swine of unbelievers whose ingrained behavior is to resist the truth (Prov 4:7; Acts 7:51-60). When people resist truth when they are convicted by the Holy Spirit deeply within their heart, they sin against the Holy Spirit for rejecting the the truth of salvation that have come to them in the day of the decision for salvation (2 Cor 6:2; Mark 3:28-30; Matt 12:31-32). Our duty is to speak the truth in love and power, along with the conviction that comes within us through living the truth that affects the hearers positively to take a decision towards salvation or to confess and deny sin because of the same conviction that comes through the Holy Spirit who works in both the speaker and the hearers for the Glory of God (Eph 4:15; 1 Thess 1:5). By living the truth and staying holy, the speaker of the Gospel will be empowered to convict the conscience of people.
Never be concerned with mockers and scoffers and never shrink back from challenging another's religious ideas. Be respectful, but with authority preach the truth. God did not call us to go to only those who agree with us. Preaching the Gospel will often come with the discomfort of persecution. But the greatest joy comes from experiences such as this as well as the greatest affirmation of God's power in us. So many Christians miss out because the devil has bullied them into silence for fear of experiencing persecution. And so their life becomes dead condemned to sit on a pew, and never experience the true power and revelation of Christ working in them and through them.
The Bible reminds us to be, "Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks us the reason for the hope we possess. But we should respond with gentleness and respect towards the unbelievers who oppose us." (1 Peter 3:15, BSB, b).
May the power of the Holy Spirit help us all, to give boldness and to preach the good news of Jesus Christ that saves the unbelievers and makes us show them a way to heaven through Jesus Christ. Let us continue to "Preach the word of God and about Jesus Christ! Let us be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." (2 Tim 4:2, Emphasis Mine).
It is the duty of every Christian to share the good news of Jesus Christ where ever they go. At the same time we ought to be careful heeding the words of Jesus who said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matt 10:16). Serpents are wise to escape from being destroyed and doves are harmless to fly away from danger and that too meekly fly away to safety instead of trying to attack the attackers with vengeance. The doves are so meek that it never returns back to those who do not want their presence, and who are not trustworthy and loving to receive them with grace. When somebody knowingly wants to reject the message of salvation, we should shake the dust off and move on as they will be the one who will give account for despising the opportunity to get saved from sin for eternity ahead (Matt 10:14, NLT). We should not continue to shout at deaf ears when we know a unbeliever is rejecting our message, we should move on to those who are in need, and leave the mockers and rejecters behind or else some times it may move us dangerously close to being persecuted towards great loss or towards our own destruction. So throwing a valuable pearl before someone who does not want to recognize its value, is foolishness on our part. It is wisdom to move on and not waste our time with those who voluntarily reject the Gospel.
Much Blessings....
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