3 Things NOT to say When Sharing Your Faith

The Christian Post ^ | December 15, 2010 | Greg Stier

[wmfights]

Paul puts it bluntly in Galatians 3:1-3, “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?”

[vpintheak]

Repent! And be baptised.

[ssaftler]

What about: “Death to Infidels”???

[ClearCase_guy]

Also avoid “BOOM!”

[taxcontrol]

The author’s second point is in error. Repentance and turning away from sin as in no longer continuing to pursue that sinful nature is stated in the scriptures as being one of the two conditions for salvation. In truth, there are 10 steps of logic / faith that a person must accept before becoming a Christian. And as these 10 point are mostly sequential, the failure to accept all 10 creates serious risk to salvation.

---

In Mark 16:16 (16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.) Jesus makes it very clear that belief + baptism = salvation. But if one does not believe then Jesus makes it very clear that person shall not be saved.

What does that belief mean or require:

1) That there is a God
2) That God is the one, only and true (perfect) God
3) That God being perfect, can not accept or tolerate sin and will judge and separate those that sin from himself
4) That God made man with the right of self awareness and self determination
5) That Man sinned against God and chose a sinful nature
6) That unless that sin is atoned for, the punishment for that sin is eternal separation from God (see#3)
7) That God in his grace and mercy created Jesus to pay for and atone for our sins so that we may be saved
8) That Jesus came and died, rose again and paid for our sins
9) That I am a sinner and my past life was lived in sin.

Now here is the tipping point, the point where belief turns to action, the “repentance point”.

10) That I no longer wish to live in sin and that I will accept Jesus and his teachings to govern my life so that I might be saved and in doing so, I will turn away from (repent) my former sinful life and follow Jesus. And as an act of obedience to the new Lord of my life, I will outwardly show this by being baptized in his name in front of others.

A failure to believe or faith in any of those 10 foundational items seriously jeopardizes the “believe” part of Mark 16:16. As to my prior point, children that do not yet believe, or anyone for that matter, are not in alignment with Jesus teachings.

[Responsibility2nd]

I once read a letter to Dr. Billy Graham. A woman said she’s asked Jesus to come into her heart many times. But so far - he hasn’t done so. What’s wrong?

Dr. Graham gave some sort of reply, but I was lolol.

[Hoodat]

And the fourth thing NOT to say when sharing your faith . . .

"Mormons suck" (or something to that effect)

[NorCoGOP]

Greg Stier runs the Dare2Share ministry, right?

Awesome experience if you've never gone to the conferences they hold - absolutely transforming...

[svcw]

Of how about all Christians are whores of Babylon and damned already.

[DryFly]

Agree with everything you said there with the exception of one word: “created.”

[MHGinTN]

MormonISM is an heretical copy of Christianity, replete with numerous blasphemous aspects and deceits. Folks enmeshed in MormonISM are in grave spiritual danger.

[svcw]

Of OR how about all Christians are whores of Babylon and damned already.

[NorCoGOP]

So is a Christian who therefore slips up and sin's, no longer "saved"?

How do you reconcile this with Ephesians 2:8-10?

I've yet to meet a Christian that has met the criteria of perfection you seem to lay out in item 10 - we all fall short...we simply can't meet the perfection expected by God...

therefore, the act of grace on the cross.

Faith alone in Christ alone.

[Sergio]

Bookmark.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[Hoodat]

OR how about all Christians are whores of Babylon and damned already.

Yes, that one would definitely go on the list.

(btw, that's "Mr." Whore-of-Babylon to you)

[Hoodat]

Just curious, do you tithe?

[RFEngineer]

How about including “Merry Christmas”?

[wmfights]

Awesome experience if you've never gone to the conferences they hold - absolutely transforming...

Yes he does run Dare2Share. I haven't been to his conferences, but from reading the article I can see why they would be transforming.

[houeto]

Agree with everything you said there with the exception of one word: “created.”

I sped through the list and missed that. Good catch.

Col.1
[16] For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: