I knew that something wasn’t quite right. The young lady I was interviewing at a local college believed in Heaven, but adamantly denied the existence of Hell. When I asked if she respected Jesus, she said that she did, but when I quoted verses where Jesus warned of a very real Hell, she still said that she didn’t believe in it.
Instead of getting into a discussion over the deity of Jesus, I gave her a scenario. I said that I had three minutes to live, and desperately wanted to enter the Kingdom. What should I do? She predictably became uncomfortable and said that she couldn’t help me. This is because, many false belief systems rely on works to be saved. Salvation comes from gaining knowledge, coupled with religious works. That’s the difference between biblical Christianity and the great religions of the world. They rely on works rather than God’s grace (see Ephesians 2:8-9).
I was delighted that after I took her through the Ten Commandments, she saw her own sinfulness, understood the gospel, and even took my literature. That normally doesn’t happen with these groups. They almost always refuse any literature. It was a good sign.
The word “worldview” has been overused in recent years. But we shouldn’t discard it, because our worldview is extremely relevant when it comes to our concern for the lost. Take for instance the issue of Christmas and other holidays. If our worldview has little or no concern for the lost, the reason for the Season will be a time to come apart from the world, because it’s a pagan festival, rather than something that is rooted in holy scripture. Let me share the worldview that determines my attitude toward all the worldly holidays—Christmas, Easter, Halloween, July 4th, etc.
I see those who are within the Christian Church as survivors of the Titanic. We are in a lifeboat, and all around us people are sighing and groaning in terror—because they know that they are about to sink into an icy grave. What am I going to do as I look at such a terrible sight? Perhaps I could polish the brass on the boat. Or maybe I could get a deck of cards out of my pocket and play a game of solitaire to fill the time. These are insane thoughts in such a scenario. If I am any sort of human being, I will, in every way, try to pull those dying people into the safety of the lifeboat. If I can grab an oar and reach out to some, and pull them into the boat, I will do it. If I can find a rope to throw out and pull in multiple people, I’ll do that with all my might. God forbid that I should be distracted by anything from the sobering task that is before me—to pull precious human beings into safety. That’s my worldview, and that is what shapes my convictions when it comes to the season of Christmas.
Instead of it being a pagan festival that should be ignored, I see it as a huge chunk of rope that I can throw to those who are perishing. We have become so accustomed to the celebration of Christmas that we’ve forgotten that this is when a sinful world celebrates the birth of our Savior. It’s when they sing that He was born that man no more may die—born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. In the light of that, how could we withdraw and play solitaire?
If you study our ministry’s materials, you will find that every item that we have produced is produced to reach out to the lost. Whether it is books on insomnia, panic attacks, or even devotionals or humorous books, all of them contain the gospel—because we are horrified that human beings are sinking into Hell.
The Apostle Paul said that he had made himself a servant to every person for the purpose of winning them to Christ. He said that he became a Jew to the Jews and a gentile to the gentiles. Then he added, “…to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23, NKJV). In other words, he would use anything to pull the dying into the lifeboat.
Many years ago (as a youth pastor) I organized a Christmas outreach to the local booze drinkers that filled pubs back in New Zealand. We took a flat deck truck, one rotund brother in Christ—upon whom we put a Santa Claus suit—and then we stopped outside of these pubs and sang Christmas carols. And guess what? Those who heard the carols came outside to listen to us sing, and then some stayed for a quick gospel presentation that explained the meaning behind the celebration—that Jesus came to destroy death and bring life and immortality to light through the gospel.
And even though Christmas is seen by some as being a time of pagan worship, they could still use it to show our loved ones, our friends, neighbors, and boozing sinners that we care about them—by giving gifts at a time when gifts are expected.
It’s no time for solitaire. Remember the Apostle Paul’s words: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more…” (1 Corinthians 9:19). He made himself a servant to all. He didn’t wait to be moved by the Holy Spirit. He had already been commanded to move into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature (see Mark 16:15). Let’s follow his example this season by using Christmas as a big chunk of rope to pull them into the safety of the Savior. If you are fearful or you’re not sure want to say, please feel free to watch our videos on YouTube. They have been designed to help you to know what to say, and to help you overcome your fears.
The post Christmas, the Titanic, and Cults appeared first on Focus on the Family.
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Instead of getting into a discussion over the deity of Jesus, I gave her a scenario. I said that I had three minutes to live, and desperately wanted to enter the Kingdom. What should I do? She predictably became uncomfortable and said that she couldn’t help me. This is because, many false belief systems rely on works to be saved. Salvation comes from gaining knowledge, coupled with religious works. That’s the difference between biblical Christianity and the great religions of the world. They rely on works rather than God’s grace (see Ephesians 2:8-9).
I was delighted that after I took her through the Ten Commandments, she saw her own sinfulness, understood the gospel, and even took my literature. That normally doesn’t happen with these groups. They almost always refuse any literature. It was a good sign.
The word “worldview” has been overused in recent years. But we shouldn’t discard it, because our worldview is extremely relevant when it comes to our concern for the lost. Take for instance the issue of Christmas and other holidays. If our worldview has little or no concern for the lost, the reason for the Season will be a time to come apart from the world, because it’s a pagan festival, rather than something that is rooted in holy scripture. Let me share the worldview that determines my attitude toward all the worldly holidays—Christmas, Easter, Halloween, July 4th, etc.
I see those who are within the Christian Church as survivors of the Titanic. We are in a lifeboat, and all around us people are sighing and groaning in terror—because they know that they are about to sink into an icy grave. What am I going to do as I look at such a terrible sight? Perhaps I could polish the brass on the boat. Or maybe I could get a deck of cards out of my pocket and play a game of solitaire to fill the time. These are insane thoughts in such a scenario. If I am any sort of human being, I will, in every way, try to pull those dying people into the safety of the lifeboat. If I can grab an oar and reach out to some, and pull them into the boat, I will do it. If I can find a rope to throw out and pull in multiple people, I’ll do that with all my might. God forbid that I should be distracted by anything from the sobering task that is before me—to pull precious human beings into safety. That’s my worldview, and that is what shapes my convictions when it comes to the season of Christmas.
Instead of it being a pagan festival that should be ignored, I see it as a huge chunk of rope that I can throw to those who are perishing. We have become so accustomed to the celebration of Christmas that we’ve forgotten that this is when a sinful world celebrates the birth of our Savior. It’s when they sing that He was born that man no more may die—born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. In the light of that, how could we withdraw and play solitaire?
If you study our ministry’s materials, you will find that every item that we have produced is produced to reach out to the lost. Whether it is books on insomnia, panic attacks, or even devotionals or humorous books, all of them contain the gospel—because we are horrified that human beings are sinking into Hell.
The Apostle Paul said that he had made himself a servant to every person for the purpose of winning them to Christ. He said that he became a Jew to the Jews and a gentile to the gentiles. Then he added, “…to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23, NKJV). In other words, he would use anything to pull the dying into the lifeboat.
Many years ago (as a youth pastor) I organized a Christmas outreach to the local booze drinkers that filled pubs back in New Zealand. We took a flat deck truck, one rotund brother in Christ—upon whom we put a Santa Claus suit—and then we stopped outside of these pubs and sang Christmas carols. And guess what? Those who heard the carols came outside to listen to us sing, and then some stayed for a quick gospel presentation that explained the meaning behind the celebration—that Jesus came to destroy death and bring life and immortality to light through the gospel.
And even though Christmas is seen by some as being a time of pagan worship, they could still use it to show our loved ones, our friends, neighbors, and boozing sinners that we care about them—by giving gifts at a time when gifts are expected.
It’s no time for solitaire. Remember the Apostle Paul’s words: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more…” (1 Corinthians 9:19). He made himself a servant to all. He didn’t wait to be moved by the Holy Spirit. He had already been commanded to move into all the world to preach the gospel to every creature (see Mark 16:15). Let’s follow his example this season by using Christmas as a big chunk of rope to pull them into the safety of the Savior. If you are fearful or you’re not sure want to say, please feel free to watch our videos on YouTube. They have been designed to help you to know what to say, and to help you overcome your fears.
The post Christmas, the Titanic, and Cults appeared first on Focus on the Family.
Continue reading...