Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
It is my humble opinion, for what it’s worth, that one of the single biggest stumbling block which keep people from coming to Christ is “Christians”. Whether due to hypocrisy, legalism, self-righteousness, or flat out misrepresentation of God, people are staying away from God and the Church in droves. I have heard it said by some that this is happening because people don’t want to “live right”. I have heard it said, in church, and by “church folk”, that people don’t want to give up their – fill in the blank-.
Well…
I will say this many times because this is the way I believe… either people are right, or the BIBLE is right… so guess what?
Okay then.
If people are not coming to Jesus Christ it isn’t because there isn’t a hunger within human beings to find their way to God… this is easily demonstrated by how easily people fall into different cults, and the following of strange religious doctrines and such.
Well…
I will say this many times because this is the way I believe… either people are right, or the BIBLE is right… so guess what?
Okay then.
If people are not coming to Jesus Christ it isn’t because there isn’t a hunger within human beings to find their way to God… this is easily demonstrated by how easily people fall into different cults, and the following of strange religious doctrines and such.
Also the Bible says:
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few;
Matthew 9:37 (KJV)
This scripture clearly implies that people are willing to come, but the problem is that those who labor are few in number, (or possibly inept laborers).
If I own a huge apple orchard and hire 200 people to harvest it, instructing them that the apples are ripe and ready to be picked so go out and harvest. I give them baskets, and ladders, water and food to work out in the heat of the day. I equip them with everything they need to get the job done; then at the end of the day the laborers come back with baskets which are nearly empty whose fault is it that there are no apples?
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly [is] plenteous, but the labourers [are] few;
Matthew 9:37 (KJV)
This scripture clearly implies that people are willing to come, but the problem is that those who labor are few in number, (or possibly inept laborers).
If I own a huge apple orchard and hire 200 people to harvest it, instructing them that the apples are ripe and ready to be picked so go out and harvest. I give them baskets, and ladders, water and food to work out in the heat of the day. I equip them with everything they need to get the job done; then at the end of the day the laborers come back with baskets which are nearly empty whose fault is it that there are no apples?
Mine?
The laborers?
Well... according to the reasoning of "church folk", it's the APPLES fault.
Of course that would be non-sense... but the point is, if it isn't the owner's fault, or the apples fault, then whose fault is it?
Hmmmmmmmm.
The laborers.
If I have planted the orchard and done all I could to bring the fruit to the point of harvest, and then equip people to go out and retrieve that harvest which is just waiting to be picked... but the laborers are having trouble getting the harvest, then it is not my nor the fruit's fault. (I know I'm repeating myself).
"Well I reached at several apples and they seemed stuck to the limb."
"There are a lot of apples out there but some are just too high!"
"There were apples on the ground but I didn't want to bend over to pick them up... and besides, what can you do with apples from off the ground?"
Etc... etc... etc...
Tug harder.
Forget your fear of heights and climb higher.
Just because an apple is on the ground doesn't mean it is useless. Ever heard of applesauce, or apple bread... or apple seeds to plant more trees? You gather the apples and let ME decide what apples are appropriate and which ones aren't. Your job is just to get the apples... and the apples aren't going to just jump into the basket.
Pick em,
Pluck em,
Bend down and reach for them,
Climb a ladder and reach for them,
Shake the limb,
Shake the branch,
shake the TREE,
But just get the apples!
Okay, enough of the apple analogy. I think you get the point. If people aren't coming to Christ, instead of immediately "blaming the victim", rather let's start to examine whether there is something WE are missing. There is no denying that there are many people who are hostile toward God... some who no matter what you say or do will harden their hearts... but if God says the harvest if pleantious, then it can mean nothing else but the fact that people are hungry for the truth... they are hungry for God.
Before we can witness effectively... we must understand the Gospel effectively ourselves.
From what I have experienced and seen, far too many Christians don't even understand the foundations of their own faith, and if that is the case, whenever we do lead someone to Jesus it is inspite of what we understand about salvation and not because of it. That issue is what this Blog shall address.
Understanding the foundations of our faith.
Christianity 101 as it were.
May God bless and keep you.
1 comment:
This is so very true. So many would come to know Jesus if we knew how to "BE" Jesus to the world. Very good word. I want to be a better apple-picker.
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