I recently had a conversation with a dear friend about a topic that many Christians have had to address. She was sharing her struggle in witnessing to a friend about Christ. She considered herself a “baby Christian” and the person she was witnessing to was very set in his non-Christian belief system. He had grown up in a communist country, and he was (understandably) bitter about religion.
However, he did seem to want to engage her in debate over the shortcomings of Christians and theological conundrums in general. My friend was frustrated trying to answer his questions about the loving nature of God, about sin in the world, and other difficult topics.
Generally, theology is a topic that I get very excited about because I love researching the verifiable and historically accurate aspects of the Bible. I also love to apply logic and reason to conclude that Jehovah is the one true God, that Jesus Christ did die to atone for our sins, and that His resurrection was witnessed by many people.
My acceptance of salvation in Christ was by faith, but I have always been happy that I can prove certain aspects of Christianity. My friend shared her salvation story with me. She is a very logical type of person; but at one point in her life, she had to lay it all down and cry out to Jesus in faith. I could not stop thinking about our conversation because I could see how sincere and pure-hearted she was in her quest to help others believe in Christ.
I know that the one thing I cannot convince someone is to have that same heart-felt yearning. That night I looked up the Message translation of Hebrews 11:6, and I was blown away! It states, “It’s impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that He exists and that He cares enough to respond to those who seek Him.”
Wow! Someone can be convinced that God is real and Jesus walked the earth; however, it’s just not enough to be dazzled with facts! The seeker has to know that God is not a dispassionate deity, observing from his throne. God wants us to seek Him through faith! This is so humbling and beautiful to me; it made me realize that faith should be the starting point in sharing God with others, not logical debates.
Memory Verse:
“He made no distinction between us and them for he purified their hearts by faith.”
– Acts 15:9 (NIV)
Prayer Prompt:
“Lord, forgive me where I may have fallen short in having the faith I need to please You. Help me to be sensitive to those who are searching for You. Let me be not only a source of information, but more importantly, an example of someone living out their salvation through faith and passion for You. Help me as I share my faith with…”
Contributing Writer:
Tammi Slavin
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