One Minute Apologist "The Fi5th Gospel"نموونە

Why Has The Church Gone Mute?

The following are a few reasons why we don’t speak up. Whatever the obstacle, we must find our way through it. Souls are hanging in the balance, but sadly, we remain paralyzed by:

Fear – “What if they reject me?” “What if I make a fool of myself?”

Ignorance (lack of knowledge) – “What if I can’t answer their questions?” “What if they shake up my own faith?” “I don’t know what to say.”

Isolation (no nonbelieving friends) – “Uh, I don’t know any non-Christians.” “I’m too busy with church and Christian things.”

Hypocrisy – “No one who really knows me would ever believe Jesus is real.”

Apathy – “I’m really busy.” “I don’t feel like it.” “I just don’t care enough to share with them.”

How sad that our hearts don’t break over the conditions of the lost. Jesus’ did. Paul’s did. His burden for his fellow Jews was so big that he was willing to go to hell for them if it would have meant they’d go to heaven.

Such a deep burden for nonbelievers is virtually nonexistent today. All fervor is birthed from godly anguish. Here is the great apostle, preacher, and missionary willing to suffer hell for his countrymen. What radical love and compassion. What anguish. And so like his Lord’s heart, who did suffer God’s wrath for us on the cross. But the good news is that we don’t have to go to hell so someone else can go to heaven. We can’t. It’s impossible. We’re not qualified to take hell for them. Jesus already took our punishment.

Instead, God is asking something much less painful of us. The sacrifice He requires isn’t death on a cross, but rather death to our pride and fear of what others might think. God just wants us to be proud of Jesus and what He has done for us. He wants us to be unashamed of His Son.

Reflection

Are you actively sharing Jesus with people in your spheres of influence? It’s easy to be silent, isn’t it? But be encouraged. God wants to use you to tell others about His great love for them! That’s worth chewing on.