Defending our faith
1) As a christian community do you believe we are prepared enough to defend our believes to a fallen world?
If yes, why?
If no, what as christians do we need to start doing to better prepare ourseleves in defending christ?
I have been thinking about this question for many days now and have written and re-written responses, but I have never really felt God in them. I was listening to Focus on the Family this morning and I finally heard what I needed to hear. No Christians are not prepared to defend our faith, but that's because we are looking at it from the wrong angle.
In sport they way the best offence is a good defence. Many Christians live their lives by this mantra, but I would contend, the best defence of the Christian faith is a good offence. This is the presentation of the gospel, based on sound biblical knowledge, demonstrated by a transparent life that is being transformed rather than conformed. (Adapted from Josh McDowell).
Now I have defined what it is for Christians to 'defend' the faith, what has to change for us to be doing a better job? There are many things we can do to improve our witness, but I propose there are two activities that are essential.
We need to get on our knees before God, open-hearted, setting aside our petty worries and doubts and coming into unencumbered communion with Him. As we empty ourselves in submission and allow Him to fill our minds, hearts and spirits, He will give us His wisdom, heart and passion. This is the most essential need in our lives to instigate change, to become transformed into by the renewal of our minds rather than allowing the world to control and conform us.
The only offensive weapon mention in Ephesians 6 is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, the bible. We need to spend time reading and studying the bible everyday, developing our understanding of God and what we do and do not believe. We cannot just rely on what we are told at church, or what we read in the latest fad Christian book, nor can we truly own our beliefs if we only spend 10 or 20 minutes in 'quiet time' a day. We need to keep our weapon from rusting by constantly honing it using God's wisdom as the whet stone.
My kids are tearing the house apart so I don't have time to spell or grammar check this!
If yes, why?
If no, what as christians do we need to start doing to better prepare ourseleves in defending christ?
I have been thinking about this question for many days now and have written and re-written responses, but I have never really felt God in them. I was listening to Focus on the Family this morning and I finally heard what I needed to hear. No Christians are not prepared to defend our faith, but that's because we are looking at it from the wrong angle.
In sport they way the best offence is a good defence. Many Christians live their lives by this mantra, but I would contend, the best defence of the Christian faith is a good offence. This is the presentation of the gospel, based on sound biblical knowledge, demonstrated by a transparent life that is being transformed rather than conformed. (Adapted from Josh McDowell).
Now I have defined what it is for Christians to 'defend' the faith, what has to change for us to be doing a better job? There are many things we can do to improve our witness, but I propose there are two activities that are essential.
We need to get on our knees before God, open-hearted, setting aside our petty worries and doubts and coming into unencumbered communion with Him. As we empty ourselves in submission and allow Him to fill our minds, hearts and spirits, He will give us His wisdom, heart and passion. This is the most essential need in our lives to instigate change, to become transformed into by the renewal of our minds rather than allowing the world to control and conform us.
The only offensive weapon mention in Ephesians 6 is the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, the bible. We need to spend time reading and studying the bible everyday, developing our understanding of God and what we do and do not believe. We cannot just rely on what we are told at church, or what we read in the latest fad Christian book, nor can we truly own our beliefs if we only spend 10 or 20 minutes in 'quiet time' a day. We need to keep our weapon from rusting by constantly honing it using God's wisdom as the whet stone.
My kids are tearing the house apart so I don't have time to spell or grammar check this!
posted by Snooty Farkleboob at 12:38 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home