Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Are you here to convert me?
I have a suggestion. If somebody accuses you of trying to win converts or asks you if you are trying to convert them, don't say anything like, "I'm not trying to convert you. I can't convert anybody. Only the Holy Spirit can convert you (or only you can choose to convert)." I've talked to a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, and every time I ask them what their intentions are, why they come to my house, and what they're trying to accomplish, and whether they are trying to convert me, they all give me a variation of that response. The reason I suggest not giving that response is because it comes across as disingenuous. I always strive to be straight forward and honest with people, and I expect the same from them. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are not going door to door for nothing. Their hope--their goal--is that you convert. And they think them being there to talk to you will have something to do with your conversion. Otherwise, there'd be no reason for them to witness to you. And when you witness to others or use apologetics, the purpose is to cause them to change their minds and convert. Just be honest about it. It doesn't mean you have to change your theology. Of course the Holy Spirit has to change a person's heart, but if we ambassadors were irrelevant to the process, Jesus never would've sent us out. It is not impious to say that the reason you are sharing your faith with somebody or offering arguments for your faith is in the hope that they will convert. And if that is your hope, then you are trying to convert them. Just be honest about it. I would have a lot more respect for Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses if they were just honest with me about their intentions.
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3 comments:
Hey Sam, my name is Trent Trussell. I came across your site while looking for people with the same interest as me. We share two biggies: evangelism and traditional archery. Would love to chat more, my email is trussellt@bellsouth.net. My blogsite is http://trenttrussell.blogspot.com/. Let me know your thoughts about my site, just kinda getting started with this blogging. Look forward to hearing from you.
That's a very nice blog, Trent. I like pictures! Thanks for stopping by.
This is a very good blog Sam. It's so true that some people try to take the place of the work of the Holy Spirit as to converting others, but it's not wholly their fault. It's how they are being taught in the churches that they attend. I hear it all the time. People want to take personal credit for "winning souls" when it's Spirit of God that should be credited as the only soul winner. Mind you though Sam, there is nothing wrong with people who go around sharing the gospel as long as they are LED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, and that they understand that they are not going around trying to convert people but trusting that the power of the Spirit will do the soul-winning, not them. You see,Sam, when you find yourself questioning the Jehovah Witnesses or the Mormons who you were talking about concerning their selfish attempts to convert you, their response should tell you that they were particularly NOT SENT BY THE SPIRIT. A person who is so worried to win you to God through their so-called attempts, doesn't have much faith in the power of the ONLY SOULWINNER. The Spirit can convert people, can change people,can burn out sin and carnality and it can possess one's spirit to function according to the right path. A person that is specifically sent by the Holy Spirit is totally focused upon what God has sent him/her for, and that person is confident in what to say to the person whom they are sent to. This is because the words are SPIRIT and LIFE from the very source which is the Spirit of God. The one to whom the message is given has only one response when he hears the messenger speaking. His/her response is to cry, be marvelled and moved, changed by the Spirit's impact on his spirit. The messenger does not have to spice up or do anything special to relay the message to the one who needs to hear it. The messenger can utter something so simple as one or two words and the receiver can end up on his/her knees, repenting before God. I'll give an example: The Spirit of God led somebody to go tell somebody else, "I know that things have been--------in your family and your finances because of the-----that you did. It's going to end today because God is going to deliver you." Immediately, the receiver bows down and cries being convicted of the Holy Spirit and he confesses to God and thanks God. Then after that, the receiver goes to thank the messager, but the messager doesn't want any type of credit or glory and he ends up praising God with the newly changed man. Now what if the same messenger just decided to go and try to convert the same receiver without being really led by the Spirit. Then you'd have the same response that you gave to the Jehovah Witnesses or the Mormons as to "why are YOU trying to convert me?" This is a very good post Sam. People should always be aware that regardless of how many people that they are sent to, that the Holy Spirit is the only ultimate Soul-winner.
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