ChristianWalkOnline

Friday, July 08, 2005

Presenting The Word?

Present the "Word" with the "word"!

Have you ever wondered why some people do not believe in a God whose characteristics are the same as the God as represented in Scripture?  And have you wondered why some people many times totally bristle at the mention of God's "commands" or "judgment" or "statutes" or "laws" - things which God called out in Scripture with our absolute best interest in mind?  Well, I might suggest that two of the major reasons that people believe and bristle in the manner they do are because at some point in their life's journey:
  • They might have been convicted by the Holy Spirit and would rather change their view of God than their actions.
  • They might have met someone who was insensitive in the presentation of a belief in God or a thought on the commands, judgments, statutes, or laws of God. 
While the first reason listed above appears to be a reason of individual responsibility, the second reason appears to be a reason that each of us as believers need to be aware of as we may at some point, knowingly or unknowingly, contribute to this being a reason for someone to not believe in the God of the Bible (i.e. as being a God with all of the characteristics attributed to Him in the Bible and a God who will act according to his word (Scripture)). 
 
An example of how this happens may innocently begin with a believer sharing about God.  As this individual begins sharing, they forget their role is not to convict others, but to share the truth of Christ.  As they continue to share, they begin sharing in a "fervor without feeling" manner and unknowingly (and sometimes knowingly) present a God that is much different from our understanding of God as seen in the Scriptures.  They may also present God's "commands" or "judgment" or "statutes" or "laws" in a manner much different from the way God intends for them to be presented.  Based on this "fervor without feeling" presentation, those individuals who hear the presentation take issue (and rightly so) with the presentation of God and the presentation of His direction.  In taking issue with the messenger's presentation, the listener may wrongly assign the characteristics of that messenger's wrong approach to God Himself.  And based on that erroneous assignment, which certainly is not fair to God, and based on the fact one does not want to believe in a God represented as such, those hearing individuals may filter out some of the things the presenting individual said about God (which may be true even if the way they presented it was wrong) and begin to believe what they want to believe about God - in essence creating a God they are comfortable with as opposed (in many cases) to a God that is as He represents Himself to us in Scripture.
 
As followers of Christ we need to be aware that being a true representative of Christ does not require us to "convict" others - which many times appears to be what those who wrongly present God's commands, judgments, statutes, or laws are doing. We also need to be aware that being a true representative of Christ does not require us to "manipulate" others by the selfish use of God's commands, judgments, statutes, or laws.   Our role as believers is to share Jesus Christ with others in love and allow the work of the Holy Spirit to take place in the hearts of others.  With this role in mind, let's be sure that when we share, we share in a way that not only represents the word of God, but also represents the Word of God - Jesus Christ - The Word - lest we be guilty of contributing to one's not believing in the God of the Bible because of our insensitive presentation of God and His direction to us.

4:20:25 PM    comment []

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