Anti-Islam Sign on Display Outside Florida Church

1. I agree with the message of the sign, based on the fact that there is only one Way to the Father, Jesus Christ.

2. This message is still offensive to Muslims, and therefore is NOT good for the witness of the Church to Muslims. Our message should not be negative in tone (as is this message), but should be tempered with love. Jesus Himself knew when to be offensive against sin, while still demonstrating His love and authority over sin.

BTW, I have a heart for the people who have been deceived by Islam. Making them angry at Christians is NOT the way to witness to them about Christ.

Bill :godisgood:

 

I took a friend who claims he is "spiritual" to church one day. One of the hymns we sang that day had the lyrics "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand....." (BEAUTIFUL song, BTW)

He was extremely mad at me, calling the church "hateful", "intolerant", and "narrow minded".

The gospel of Christ is offensive to the lost. There is no way around it.

 

==I agree with the sign in that all false religion is of the devil. However I don't agree with the pastor's decision to put the sign up. I find it interesting that neither Jesus nor his apostles spent time focusing on things like this. They focused on the need of all men to repent and turn to Christ in faith. Spending our time trying to offend people is not productive and can be counter productive. Yes, the truth of the Gospel will offend people (see Bro.Curtis' reply), but we should not go out of our way to offend people. In my opinion, the pastor of that church is just trying to stir something up. He is not being a good witness for Christ. A good witness for Christ would bring the Muslims in, or go out to them, and reason with them from the Scriptures. This pastor's approach will result in no conversions.

 

Why deliberately insult the beliefs of another. The gospel is offensive enough to those who are perishing without us adding to its offensiveness.

 

I had a very good discussion of this going on my facebook profile a couple days ago... some even called me hateful because I said that Christ is the only way to Heaven. I started out supporting this sign.. but after the discussion, I believe the sign is true.. but not a good way to witness.

 

The sign is not the gospel of Christ. It is just insulting. No way to have an outreach.

 

I'm with you on this one.

 

Paul didn't seem to care if anyone felt insulted, he told the truth even when people didn't like ti.

 

But, you don't read of him going out of his way to be deliberately insulting.

 

We really need to be careful when we claim "Jesus did not do it that way". The time, place and government was not as it is today. Nor did the temple that Jesus pastored have a sign out front. (hyperbole used to make a point) So we really do not know what Jesus would do in this time and place. But we do know that Jesus confronted many people in rather strong ways.

I personally do not see how this sign is helpful to anything. But neither do I know the motivation behind putting it up. It is certainly not something I would choose to do.

 

How did Elijah approach other faiths ? And what did Jonah say to the people of Ninevah ? Niether one gave a hoot how people would feel.

I'm with Mitch. I'd like to know the motivation behind the sign.

 

Too Phelpsish to me...

 

The church is of course a corporate body...the Bride of Christ, etc. But...it is also composed of individual believers, who are charged with the responsibility of sharing their faith with others.

IMO, this sign, though true, could hamper individual efforts to witness. And I simply don't see the need to do that in this case.

Oh, the tightrope we have to walk..."Speaking the truth in love" is easily said, but not-so-easily done. Some struggle with making the "truth" part plain. Others have trouble with the "love" part. Still others, IMO, do the "love" part, but have difficulty expressing it.

 

I agree with Revmitchell.

 

Careful now..................:laugh:

 

Agree with the sentiment of the sign but I question the wisdom of it.

 

I think God can use it to wake up anyone who is in that false religion. John the Baptist would have been proud of it I believe. I think we have been so politically correct in our country we can be timid and that's not right ether. I talked with Mormons and told them straight up that Joseph Smith was a false prophet.....just like Mohammad. Mormons and Islam are both false and share similar beliefs that they had divine visits to their great prophets.