Responding to being called "Bible Basher"

[Fruity]

The subject of God came up between me and my sister (who believes in God, but isn't yet repentant of her sins). Now I'm normally shy about talking about God in front of the unsaved, especially my sister. But the Holy Spirit filled me and I started to tell her about the significance of Jesus Christ, our inadequacy to get to Heaven on our own steam, etc.

She kept ignoring it, saying that she doesn't like religion being shoved down her throat. I'm not annoyed that she wasn't convinced, because I managed to sow some seeds for the first time in ever thanks to God's gift of boldness! :shade:

But anyways, I was wondering. How do you respond to people who say they don't want religion forced on them?

 

[junglman]

Fruity,

That is a good question. A lot of time as "Christians" we find ourselves scared, intimidated and ashamed to share what Christ has done in our lives and what He can do to those who haven't received Him yet as Lord and Saviour.

The thing is we are not forcing religion down their throat, we are giving them Truth and eternal life. We are giving them the love of the Father just as He gave and showed His love towards you, when someone shared the Gospel with you.

Our obligation is to share the Truth with gentleness and love, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest, don't be bothered with their comments, just keep sharing the salvation of Christ. Christ came preaching the truth and they hung Him on the cross for it, so we will experience criticisms, rejections, persecutions, but this pleases God.

Be encouraged, pray for your sister and your friends, Jesus will give you opportunities to share His love and forgiveness to those around you. Pray, worship and seek His face and when you walk out the door you will see Him move.

Blessings
Junglman

 

[Fruity]

Fruity,

That is a good question. A lot of time as "Christians" we find ourselves scared, intimidated and ashamed to share what Christ has done in our lives and what He can do to those who haven't received Him yet as Lord and Saviour.

The thing is we are not forcing religion down their throat, we are giving them Truth and eternal life. We are giving them the love of the Father just as He gave and showed His love towards you, when someone shared the Gospel with you.

Our obligation is to share the Truth with gentleness and love, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest, don't be bothered with their comments, just keep sharing the salvation of Christ. Christ came preaching the truth and they hung Him on the cross for it, so we will experience criticisms, rejections, persecutions, but this pleases God.

Be encouraged, pray for your sister and your friends, Jesus will give you opportunities to share His love and forgiveness to those around you. Pray, worship and seek His face and when you walk out the door you will see Him move.

Blessings
Junglman

Thank you very much. This helps me a lot! =D

 

[Maureen]

I have the same problem as yourself Fruity,
with my own family, well with some of them, mostly my daughter, shes a married woman with 2 children, and I had a deal to do to even get one of her children to come to Sunday School, and its still not a permanant thing yet.

She doesnt like me mentioning anything about my Christianity, she gets awkward, I dont do it, but she sent me a text once and I took the opportunity to make her aware, just what you did with your sister, she thought the people who did 'good' good works in other words should get into heaven, I made her aware we do not have the right to say who enters heaven and who doesnt, and explained that Jesus is the only WAY, not 'works'.
It was an opportunity by text I was able to use to get the message across.

I am the same as yourself too, Fruity, shy, when it comes to being 'bold' for God, I ask for it in prayer, boldness to speak out, sometimes it happens between me and hubby, he's not saved, in fact none in my family except for my Mum are, what a shame that is and at times I get a 'word' across when the opportunity arises, I dont go spouting off, its not my make-up to be that way, or my nature I mean, God made us all different and I believe He understands our little 'ways' when it comes to things like that.
As actions speak louder than words so not always do we need to 'say' something.

I think people re-act in this way because they dont understand it all, perhaps they feel its threatening to them, they dont want to change, they're happy just the way they are, they just dont realize how great it is to be saved eh? and to be kept, as some think they just couldnt keep it, we cant, Jesus does that work too, praise Him.

 

[Fruity]

It's deeply encouraging to know that there are people out there in the same sort of situation as I am, like yourself Maureen. I tend to not ramble on either, because that's usually when I say something completely wrong and farfetched lol.

People do tend to react adversely towards Christianity. Probably because of the secular idea that being a christian means going to church every Sunday to acheive nothing but a feeling of false inner peace. It's a tragedy that most non-chritians have no idea what Christianity is all about, the Lord Jesus Christ and his graceous gift of dying on the cross for our sins.

In fact, I used to get so depressed as I wallowed in fear of speaking out. I thought sub-consciously that if I couldn't muster my own strength to witness boldly, Jesus' gift of salvation would be void.

How very wrong I was. Not only was I trying to muster my own strength, I was trying to get into heaven by good works and not grace.

God gives us all these holy characters. We don't muster them up like the devil wants you to think. If you start thinking that way, you'll get very depressed like I did. Instead, I pray for these good traits now.

Every time I pray for boldness, I'll pray for you too Maureen. May the Holy Spirit bless you with the gift of boldness, for God is the giver of all good gifts, including the spirit of boldness.

 

[RJ]

My answer is, "don't force it down her throat".

Be there as a good example for her. I know you want her saved but that is not your timing but the Lord's.
Know that God is working in her life and that prayer, paitence and allowing Christ to work through you is what is important.

May the Lord's light of truth shine on your sister.

 

[stephen]

The subject of God came up between me and my sister (who believes in God, but isn't yet repentant of her sins). Now I'm normally shy about talking about God in front of the unsaved, especially my sister. But the Holy Spirit filled me and I started to tell her about the significance of Jesus Christ, our inadequacy to get to Heaven on our own steam, etc.

She kept ignoring it, saying that she doesn't like religion being shoved down her throat. I'm not annoyed that she wasn't convinced, because I managed to sow some seeds for the first time in ever thanks to God's gift of boldness! :shade:

But anyways, I was wondering. How do you respond to people who say they don't want religion forced on them?

Well done Fruity....Keep talking about the LOrd.

When I was a young working man going about his business....earning a living.......I was known as the 'Testifyer'....one who bears witness...in my case...for Jesus

Be blessed fruity...and keep at it......a mighty cause without doubt, to 'talkjesus'.......foillowing Him you will have success.....


In His Love

 

[Fruity]

So much encouragement. I think I'm going to asplode lol

Keep it up Stephen. 'Tis indeed a mighty cause indeed, and an infallible one as well.

 

[Lawligator]

Remember if your evengalising your not to do it in a way like "Did you know your a sinner!? YOUR going to go to hell!"
Where to care for the people where try'n to guide and simply tell them the truth about Jesus and make them aware
of their sin, not tell them their sinners...
and what ever you do don't pray the sinners prayer with them then leave them on their road because their saved now..
it has to come from their heart on their time. Sure you can guide
them and make sure they have a bible but you can't make them Love God.
(We have a mighty gift let us not keep it from others for that would be selfish and unloving)

 

[Kit Carson]

The subject of God came up between me and my sister (who believes in God, but isn't yet repentant of her sins). Now I'm normally shy about talking about God in front of the unsaved, especially my sister. But the Holy Spirit filled me and I started to tell her about the significance of Jesus Christ, our inadequacy to get to Heaven on our own steam, etc.

She kept ignoring it, saying that she doesn't like religion being shoved down her throat. I'm not annoyed that she wasn't convinced, because I managed to sow some seeds for the first time in ever thanks to God's gift of boldness! :shade:

But anyways, I was wondering. How do you respond to people who say they don't want religion forced on them?

Maybe I have a little experience on you, but I do not worry about this kind of situation. I simply trust that if I ask God to save this person and to bring them to himself he will. Maybe not today, maybe not even what you would consider a timely manner, but one day he will.

Meanwhile if you live a good life, always have a smile and a word of encouragement, and on occasion do get into a discussion or two , just by the things you say and by example you are more convincing than some silly stuff it down the gullet thing.

I see this in people all the time, just about the time they have me convinced they are a totally hopeless case, they do or say something that shows me God is there, he has not forgotten or abandoned them.

Kit

 

[savedtoserve]

Fruity

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind


we are not to fear talking about our Lord and the way to salvation, because we have the authority of God and the love that the Holy Spirit brings into our lives and we have the word of God to give us wisdom.
God will always open doors of oppurtunities to speak about salvation and we should take them, you have had the oppurtunity now to speak to your sister now you have sown the seed, water it with prayer and let the Lord reap the harvest.
The Lord will bring her to you if she has any questions.

Continue doing the work set before you with love and confidence that God is with you.
By the way i have been called a bible basher but i can honestly say that i have never hit anyone with the bible.

Love the Lord and obey Him always.