How Do I Share the Gospel Without Being Obnoxious?

How can I share the gospel without being obnoxious is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity why this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. We would love to hear from you and good. Call us right now. Let us know your question. Here's the phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter account and you can always email us a question at questions at core, Christianity.com step today we have a John who's the like listening to us on Facebook and he says I raised my daughter Catholic, but she recently became a Jehovah's Witness. How problematic is this we argue about it. Hey John, thank you, one for watching us on Facebook and for listening to the broadcast, I'm sorry to hear about the situation I would say this is very problematic because the Jehovah's Witness watchtower organization does not faithfully teach the Bible in fact I would go as far to say that it's a colt that rejects many of the core tenets of the Christian faith.

Doctrines like the doctrine of the Trinity doctrine. The doctrine of the incarnation who Jesus is. Immediately miss understand who Jesus is and because they misunderstand who Jesus is, they completely get the gospel wrong and so friends and loved ones who are part of the Jehovah's Witness organization. This this church.

I encourage them to get out to to to leave to embrace biblical Christianity, and of course we know John that that's that. That really is the work of the Holy Spirit you need to be praying for your daughter asking God to open her eyes to see that the theological biblical error among the Jehovah's Witnesses, but also to embrace the truth of Scripture. It can be so disillusioning for individuals and they get caught up in these in these movements and these cults and there there taught to believe a certain way that the Scriptures are twisted and then it becomes I think very hard for them to see the truth and so we need the spirit of God to work in her life. Open your eyes, so let me just pray for your daughter father I want to lift John's daughter up to you as she's gotten caught up in in the watchtower organization. I pray Lord God that you would help her to see through the lies that the false teaching. The miss understanding of who you are, who your son is what the gospel is and that she would embrace the truth of your word and in the truth of who your son is the eternal son of God, God himself come in the flesh for our redemption so that we might have fellowship with you. Would you please be with John's daughter, would you give him wisdom as he seeks to encourage her and have conversations about these things that are going to be edifying and hopefully help her is what we pray in Jesus name John 11 thing I I do want to say to you is continue to have conversations with her about the word of God to to keep that door open the relationship. Open Jehovah's Witnesses deny that Jesus is God that they believe God the father is Jehovah God, but that Jesus is not God and so I want to give you one passage that you can bring up to your daughter that makes it very clear that Jesus himself is God.

I like to I like to go when I have conversations with Jehovah's Witnesses to Psalm 102 that you one thing you need to understand about the Jehovah's Witnesses. They have their own Bible their own translation of the Scriptures that oftentimes twists passages that reveal the deity of Christ, and so it can be hard. Talking to them about Jesus's identity when they're using their copy of the Scriptures because it's it's not up a faithful rendition of what what the Bible teaches that that's not an accurate translation, but if you go to someone hundred and two even in in their Bible.

The psalmist is praying to the Lord. He begins in verse one, hear my prayer. Oh Lord, O Jehovah, let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me answer me speedily in the day I call and I asked might my friends were Jehovah's Witness and who is who is being you know the address to your who is the psalmist crying out to listen. What's Jehovah God. It's it's God himself and then you go down a little bit later in the Psalm in verse 25 it says of old. You laid the foundation of the earth, the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain, they will all wear out like a garment you will change them like a robe and they will pass away, but you are the same and your years have no and yes aquatica who is being addressed to.

Who's this about. And again, the site will it's Jehovah it's it's God, that's who.

The psalmist is is praying to. He makes it absolutely clear would so interesting is when you go to the New Testament in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 1 the author to the Hebrews quotes Psalm 102 and you know he he applies it to. He applies it directly to Jesus in Hebrews chapter 1 verse eight of the son he says that is the father says of the sun your throne. Oh God is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God's anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions and you Lord laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain, they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will you will roll them up like a garment.

They will be changed, but you are the same in your years will have no and he's quoting therefrom. Psalm 102 is applying it to Jesus, the author, the Hebrews inspired by the Holy Spirit is is telling us who is Jehovah God it it's Jesus Christ the Lord the sovereign Lord never had a Jehovah's Witness who can who can adequately give an explanation to that and that's just the thing is what they believe is not in line with what the Scriptures teach and so pray for your daughter and continue to open up the word of God with her and we have a great resource called core Christianity. The book written by my friend Dr. Michael Horton.I recommend that resource to you because it gets into the identity of Jesus. How we know that he is God and that might be something you recommend your daughter as well. God bless John thanks so much for being a core Christianity listener. No Israel that just begs the question in today's world when it was so pluralistic and so many different beliefs and so many different cults trying to lure people away from the truth. It really does behoove us to know God's word very clearly and what it says about who Jesus is and what he's done for us. Yeah you you you hit the nail on the head right there bill because the reality is there's so much false teaching out there.

We don't have the time you have the time to go and figure out what what every single cults out there or you know the schismatic out there believes their theology, our job is to know the truth to the best of our ability to study the Scriptures to know it so that when we hear these lies lies about who Jesus is lies about the church lies about salvation. We can to eat. Actually that doesn't seem to line up with what the apostles taught and we can go to the Scripture the verse to show what the truth is so important. Bill this is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and you know every year around this time we start getting a lot of questions regarding a particular claim made about Christmas and we actually have a new resource that answers that question gather resource is called five reasons why Christmas isn't a pagan holiday. It helps unravel some of the most common objections and misconceptions about the origins of Christmas and so if you receive that question. If you have a question for yourself is Christmas a pagan holiday. Make sure you get a hold of this resource you get for free over our website core, Christianity.com.

There's so much misinformation out there on this topic. So if you got somebody your life is telling you that Christmas is a pagan holiday mission celebrated.

We encourage you to get this resource and you can have really informed discussion with them again. It's called five reasons Christian Christmas isn't a pagan holiday.

It's a free download.

You can find it@corechristianity.com/offers. Again, that's core Christianity.com/offers. You can also call us for that, or any one of our resources at 833-843-2673. Now we do receive emails here at core Christianity in federal here's one from Teresa. She says my sister and I were raised as Christians in the church.

But when we were young, my parents stopped attending church. So our religious education also stopped even though I feel like we were saved at an early age. My sister and I got lost in the world recently with come back to Christ. Now I'm wondering if it's possible to over preach to someone.

My sister insists that my parents don't have a strong relationship with God because they don't speak about God as much as she does. She continues to preach the gospel with them to the point of them not responding at all. Are there any scriptures or opinions on over preaching to someone.

Can you ever get in the way of God working in someone else's life. So I'm in a lot of things. One, Teresa.

I'm so grateful to hear that the Lord is at work in your life. The Lord is that working in your sisters like you guys have come back.

Sounds like after a period of time of may be drifting or wandering and you know oftentimes when when we have that kind of experience you know what with the Lord sort of turns the lights on. We get excited.

We wanted to share Jesus with with everyone that we know, including our family members and then I think it is important that that we do that one that was there is that boldness summing. Oftentimes that's discouraged in the church. But the reality is, as if if we've experienced the grace of God in our lives.

We want to share that with others of the one passage of Scripture that I was thinking about with that email is in acts chapter 4 when the disciples Peter there being told not to preach in the name of Jesus anymore. In verse 19, Peter and John answered them, whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God. You must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.

This is sometimes just you know this encounter with God, with his grace because the state does it. I just can't keep my mouth quiet.

I just have to share this with people and would that the Lord did that in each of our hearts that we just want to share the gospel with the people around us because we been so transformed by the grace of God, but all I'll add this, there are ways in which I think we can be as Christians obnoxious and and unhelpful. We have to one be very clear about what the gospel is the truth of God's word. As we share with others and to we have to be careful that we're not getting in the way in the sense of whether there are there approaches that some people take to evangelism that I think end up doing more harm than actually helping if if an individual is not really faithfully preaching the gospel that the message of salvation but but there twisting it will that's an issue. But if the way that we do. It is sort of like Mina with a hammer over someone's head will that that is gonna drive people away the word of God is the hammer that breaks our hearts that reveals our sin. Sometimes I think we can grow impatient with the people around us and then get frustrated with them and then begin to push them away more and more and that's where we have to be careful, we want to be prayerful. I think they look God, the hearts of of all people including my family members are and are in your hand. I want to be faithful to be a good witness to my family members and to make sure that I am sharing the gospel clearly with them, but I'm trusting you to do the work and you see for not trusting in God to do the work, we can very easily get frustrated with ourselves and with other people.

Why don't you get this yet, but if you understand it like I do have to recognize that it really is solely the work of the Holy Spirit.

I think about what Jesus said to Peter to know that when when Jesus our Lord asked Peter who do men say that I am and he gives in all these these answer.

Some people say you're John the Baptist. Some people say you're like one of the prophets, and then she said who you say that I am and and Peter said you are the Christ, the son of the living God and and and Jesus responded to Peter and said blessed are you, Simon bar Jonah flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven. And so I would encourage her sister to to trust that it really is a work of the Holy Spirit.

She needs to be faithful and in sharing the gospel and I don't think we can have too much Jesus ASO as I would. I would suggest you stop doing that but I think the approach that we take. We want to be.

We want to be wise about that. We have asked versus get it, is what I'm doing driving this person away am I being obnoxious and and getting frustrated with this person is. I just don't get it or am I modeling for them that patients that that grace that God showed to me in my trusting in the spirit of God to open the hearts of my family members.

Why long to see no him and so trust in the Lord continue to to love your family to be a good example of the fruit of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, self-control. I so on and so forth and trust that the Lord does the work and as you trust that God is the work. I think less and let you it will you be less and less frustrated with how people respond, knowing that God has to intervene thank you for that question is really great counsel Israel and you know the fruit of the spirit is can be so attractive to someone and then they really want to know they want that relationship as well. There there like wow you're different. What is God doing in your life. So I think that's really good advice to her. This is core Christianity with pastor Gabriel Sanchez and we do receive voicemails here.

In fact, you can call us anytime and leave us a voicemail 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673.

There's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Laura I was wondering what the law yeah that that little phrase right there. The law of Christ is something that we see in the New Testament in the book of Galatians and also in the book of first Corinthians in Galatians chapter 6 beginning in verse one. Paul said brothers. If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

You also see that that language of the law of Christ dimension first printing chapter 9 in verse 21 and into what is, what is the apostle Paul referring to their when he says the law Christ is kind of interesting because throughout the book of Galatians. There's there's all this discussion about the law in the fact that the law cannot justify us. Remember in the book of Galatians are among the Galatians and there were groups that were saying if you want to be justified. You need to embrace the law you need to go and be circumcised according to the law of Moses, and in adhere to some of these dietary restrictions and pulses know that's not the case at all of zone one since he singled were not justified by the law, we do fulfill the law of Christ by the spirit. This is something Paul goes on to say in other places like Romans chapter 8 what is the law of Christ. I think it's the law of love. Do you remember what Jesus said to his disciples in the upper room discourse. It's called in John chapter 13 is he speaking to the disciples really a beautiful scene in the Gospels in John chapter 13 beginning in verse 34. He set a new commandment I give to you that you love one another, just as I have loved you. You also are to love one another and of course this is what Jesus made absolutely clear. The whole law is fulfilled in what and loving God and loving one another. None. None of us do that perfectly we sin every day and thought, word and in deed and get by the grace of the Holy Spirit as those who are justified not by the works of the lot, not by anything that we do, but solely because of the righteousness of Christ. It's given to us by faith, the spirit of God comes and makes his home in us lives in us so that day by day, we begin to grow in the fruit of the spirit in that love and through the spirit to fulfill the law of Christ. If you will that that that that call that we have Anna are on our lives from the Lord to love each other that's that's one of the promises that God gives us. He he justifies us by faith than he also is daily. Sanctifying is transforming us through the gospel by faith so that we would grow in love for him and for each other and that looks like wouldn't be a Paul is talking.

There, in Galatians chapter 6 verse two looks like caring for each other, bearing one another's burdens, fulfilling the law of Christ.

And so I was to go back to that text in John 13 verse 34 Jesus hears the commandment I'm giving to the commandment, the law of love and that's with the love Christ is God bless. Thanks much for your question Laura, thanks for listening to core Christianity, just a reminder we have that great resource just in time for Christmas. It's absolutely free. It's a download. You can find our websites called five reasons. Christmas isn't a pagan holiday. Just go to core Christianity.com/offers to find that not one of the ways you can listen or view our program is by going to our YouTube channel. A drill is live on YouTube every day at 11:30 AM Pacific, which translates into 1230 Mountain 130 Central 230 Eastern time. You can actually submit a question through our YouTube channel. Tom has this question. He says thanks for your ministry. My question is how does a Christian that struggles with contentment learn contentment. As the apostle Paul did when I think about contentment in Paul's discussion of contentment of the gotta go to Philippians chapter 4 beginning in verse 10, I think there's some some wisdom here for us that gets to your question Tom. Philippians chapter 4 verse 10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, but now, at length, you have revived your concern for me. You were, indeed, concern for me, but you had no opportunity.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger abundance and need I can do all things through him who strengthens me that you probably heard that verse before Philippians chapter 4 verse 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. I've seen it on T-shirts right with with like a benchpress, and a guy at the gym I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me like I can lift all this weight that can releases the not the right application there.

Paul uses that that language in the context of contentment when I'm brought low, or when I'm abounding when I'm in need. When I have a lot right but my focus is not on my circumstances. That's not what gives me joy. That's not what gives me peace, my joy in my peace come from the one who strengthens me no matter what my circumstances are that they come through Jesus know it's so interesting about Paul's words here is as he's writing this this letter in the book of Philippians. Where is he he's imprisoned this. This is not laid out that Paul's best day right like ED struggling he's going through these difficult circumstances, and yet he has this great joy the same joy.

These calling the Philippians through to throughout this letter and it's that joy that comes from Christ. And so that with regard to contentment. How can we learn to have contentment in the Christian life. You know, regardless of what were going to. I think Paul would say that contentment has to come from Jesus but he's the one who gives us the strength so that when were struggling. A special or suffering want. Where were going to him and being nourished by his grace.

The grace that he gives us daily through the gospel, knowing that he's getting care for us that he's in control, that heat you know he hasn't lost sight of us, even when women were hungry when were suffering pulses. That's a secret to contentment. It states the fact that Christ is the one who gives me strength. And so you're not relying on yourself and you're not relying on your circumstances.

You're relying on something outside of you. Someone outside of you, Jesus. So I don't know what you're going through right now what it is it's causing you specifically to struggle with contentment, but here's my encouragement to you is go to the one can give you strength right now in this very hour.

Go to Jesus and and with Paul say I can do all things through Christ through him who strengthens me. God bless them, and you're listening to core Christianity and today we are going to record an extra program. So if you have a question for a drill about the Bible, the Christian life maybe how your faith intersects with today's culture or something to do with doctrine or theology. You can call us right now for the next 25 minutes or so. Here's the phone number is 833, the court, that's 1-833-843-2673 would love to receive your question, so hop on the phone right now are phone lines are open another question from a YouTube listener… From Chad. He says do you have any resource suggestions that can help me explain the gospel to my six-year-old yeah how it will who will one I would just say I think it even at that age, beginning to open up the Scriptures together and read through the Gospels to hear stories about Jesus, about who he is about his grace really you know it as you do that your six-year-old will start to have questions, you get to have a discussion to talk about the grace of Jesus, his healings, his miracles, casting out demons, all those things we see in the Gospels but then ultimately to talk about that the the gospel what he accomplished for us in the forgiving of our sins and so one thing that we believe about the gospel is it's it's profound but it's also so simple. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 11, I thank you father, Lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent.

But you've revealed them to the babes to the little children. The gospel is for little children that message of God's love for you and for your six-year-old and what he's done so that we might be forgiven by you.

If you're starting a conversation about what sin is why we need forgiveness and how we get that forgiveness. That's key then end in terms of her of a resource.

There is this, this booklet called the big book of questions and answers.

A family devotional guide to the Christian faith was written by Sinclair Ferguson. I think that's a helpful resource.

Again, the big book of questions and answers and that'll go through not just just the gospel of the whole Christian faith, and I think it's it's perfect for someone is about six results of God bless you and that may the Lord encourages you continue to teach your six-year-old the faith the gospel thanks thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time.

As we explore the truth of God's word together