Let our concern not be so much for our point of view, but let it be for those who are lost and without the light of God. They're all around us. We don't have to go far to meet them. Let our witness not be off-putting, but let there be an expression of love in our words.
In English, love can be greatly misunderstood. Here, the understanding of love carries respect. It is not a patronising passive quality. It is much deeper.
1 Corinthians 13:1 (MSG)
1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
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8 comments:
I liked the comment about our father God knowing best, I take great comfort in that ,may I though with gentle respect ask "do the TSA Bosses believe that appointment within an increasingly secular Institution means they speaks on behalf of Jesus? I believe Jesus speaks for himself ,the scriptures are clear Jesus will wipe the tears, and deal with those who cause the tears. It is better etc etc....
I know that when most people refer to 'the lost' they are not doing it in a derogatory manner, and they are making reference to those who don't know Jesus, and the bible also uses the term.
However I personally find the term a little derogatory, and prefer not to use it.
Maybe its the classification of people into a group that I don't like, and I am sure they don't want to be grouped as 'the lost'.
Be interested in thoughts of others.
John:
You note correctly that those of us who are not in the Christian shepherd's fold do not view ourselves as lost. Moreover, many of us have this point of view after choosing, for a range reasons, to leave the fold. We understand the Christian compulsion to pray for us and witness to us, because we understand what it means to view life from within that worldview. Many of us wish it were possible to assure Christians that we are not at all lost, and that we have actually found ourselves in our post-Christian state, but we understand why that's difficult for many (not all) Christians to grasp.
Thanks, friends. I take your point. Sometimes I need help to break out of Christian-speak.
Jesus said he came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10) and that he goes after the lost sheep until he finds it (Luke 15:4).
As we can see in the verses, terms such as 'the lost' from 2000 years ago are not used in todays society apart from being quoted in sermons :-)
How about the more post-modern term 'pre-christians'. I think all these terms are awful. How about PEOPLE, that's what we all are??
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