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The biggest problem I run into sharing the gospel

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by HungryInherit, Oct 17, 2013.

  1. HungryInherit

    HungryInherit New Member

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    Without fail, when I was in school and now with friends the problem I run into when sharing the gospel is a persons inability to accept age of the earth/creation story. Believing Jesus's message and that he died for the sins of the world seems to never be the issue. Most of the time they understand that a Jesus from Nazereth offers the free gift of eternal life by just believing.

    But almost everyone will say "I just can't accept the view that the earth is only a few thousand years old". So, after hearing it over and over I've finally said not every Christian believes and thinks the exact same things, but the key is receiving Christ. After sharing this with a friend he thinks this isn't a good idea.

    Has anyone else run into the same problems?
     
  2. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    There are lots of secondary things on which good Christians may disagree.

    A lost person might use any of these secondary issues to sidestep the PRIMARY issue of his/her need of receiving Christ as one's personal Savior......Do NOT let yourself be deterred by this tactic!!

    So what if he/she can't accept a young-age earth....What difference will that make in eternity??
     
  3. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    Biggest problem any of us run into is when we tell sinners that they cannot come to heaven except by and thru Jesus!
     
  4. thisnumbersdisconnected

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    HI, why go into the evolution/creation debate when presenting the gospel in the first place? As KTN said, don't let them deflect you with side issues. The center point of the gospel is unaffected by the outcome of that debate. Christ is Savior, regardless of the outcome.
     
  5. Winman

    Winman Active Member

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    I have a friend who was troubled by these same issues, but I was able to show him good arguments for a young earth. He became a believer and is active in the church today.

    Some good arguments for a young earth are civilizations. Civilization suddenly appeared about 5000 years ago. Men built cities, studied science and math, we have written histories... Why is there no record of man before that?

    Population is a good argument, even with wars and famine, population has always increased at least 2% per year. If the earth was millions or billions of years old, there would not be room enough to hold all the people that would have been born.

    There are many other arguments for a young earth.

    At the time I loaned my friend a good book by Henry Morris that was full of solid scientific arguments for a young earth. I think that had a lot to do with his conversion.

    And this fellow was no dummy, he was highly educated and extremely smart, not the type you would think would believe biblical arguments.
     
  6. evangelist6589

    evangelist6589 Well-Known Member
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    Hungry,

    Thank you for sharing the gospel. However it is not your job to convince the skeptic as that is the Holy Spirits job. God will call his true elect to salvation and only expects you to do one thing and that is to preach the gospel. Do not be frustrated at failure, because those may not be the elect whom have rejected the message.
     
  7. Berean

    Berean Member
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    I believe that if the person with whom you are sharing the gospel with is truly under conviction they will not go chasing rabbits with questions like Where did Cain get his wife how old is the world? When they start this you might as well change the conversation to who do you think will win Saturdays football game or how is your family doing? Unless the HS prepares the way you labor in vain.
     
  8. HungryInherit

    HungryInherit New Member

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    Thanks for the posts everyone. I want to add that I NEVER bring up creation or earth age. Usually they will say "yeah I grew up in church but kind of fell away". Then I ask if they know they will get to heaven and they start naming works. I've done this, I never do that, I believe in God etc. they just don't have a clear understanding of the saving message. However, when I explain it that's when they bring up creation/age of the earth. I've found it best now to explain that being a Christian doesn't mean you have to sign up in the 12k earth age club.
    Thank each of you for your posts, I really value the discussion
     
  9. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    :applause::applause:
     
  10. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    I have shared the gospel for years. Not once has that subject ever come up.
     
  11. quantumfaith

    quantumfaith Active Member

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    Very Good Point KT, this should cause "us" (anyone) who is sharing the Gospel with such a person to be intellectually honest. Let them know that MANY within the Christian family wrestle with this and other questions. Let them know, as they grow and develop and their faith, part of that journey is to become aware and informed on such issues. Through prayer, study and growth, they will eventually either clarify or accept such tensions.
     
  12. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

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    That is my experience. The main objection always seems to be the fact that we are sinners and God is Holy. It usually either angers or the person ignores it and acts bored. No one is going to accept a concept without being convinced of a need. It is sometimes hard to paint a picture to a lost person of that gap. Sometimes I build on the idea of their conscience and them already knowing right from wrong. Most do know the basics of right and wrong, but just do not know Who sets the standard.

    Another problem I run into is starting to explain the Gospel, and forgetting that they might not even believe that God exists. Hebrews 11:6 says one cannot believe without believing God is.

    As far as these side issues we constantly argue about, that will come after salvation though the Holy Spirit and discipleship. No, I have never debated Creation, Calvinism, End Times, Covenant Theology, or how many angels will fit on the head of a needle when on visitation.
     
  13. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    I know you said you have visited with Atheists, but what of those that are carnal believers, have you asked them why they believe & outright questioned there beliefs....I know that sounds rude, but thats just what George Whitefield & the HS did to me on the road to my University..... via the Method of Grace Sermon. I’ve quoted a brief section of the sermon below.

    My friends, we mistake a historical faith for a true faith, wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God. You fancy you believe because you believe there is such a book as we call the Bible—because you go to church; all this you may do and have no true faith in Christ. Merely to believe there was such a person as Christ, merely to believe there is a book called the Bible, will do you no good, more than to believe there was such a man as Caesar or Alexander the Great. The Bible is a sacred depository. What thanks have we to give to God for these lively oracles! But yet we may have these and not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    My dear friends, there must be a principle wrought in the heart by the Spirit of the living God. Did I ask you how long it is since you believed in Jesus Christ, I suppose most of you would tell me you believed in Jesus Christ as long as ever you remember—you never did misbelieve. Then, you could not give me a better proof that you never yet believed in Jesus Christ[…]


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd0FqdVHPX4
     
    #13 Earth Wind and Fire, Oct 18, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 18, 2013
  14. Yeshua1

    Yeshua1 Well-Known Member
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    My experience has been that they will much more want to discuss why we can cliam Jesus is ONLY way to God, what about those who never heard, about they are "good persons" that "they believe in God, just not Jesus" " I go to church, was baptized " etc!
     
  15. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    I think we need to think about how Jesus addressed those kinds of issues. Jesus never got into debates of opinion. He did address some things as "from the beginning." He pointed back in time to the OT but did not argue things such as which Greek translation of the Hebrew text to read.
     
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