If Christianity is the right religion, then isn't preaching sometimes harmful? Some people aren't ready

Question

I mean, some people just need to get the wildness out before they can settle down.
Would you rather they be pressured into Christianity while young, later becoming bitter old codgers that they never got to enjoy life's pleasures? Or would you rather they get it out of their systems?

And no, I'm not talking about letting them commit murder or any other atrocity.

Answer 1

You must not understand the benefits of being Christian. It's not about giving up anything, it's about what all you gain as a Christian. The second far out weighs the former. Most everyone comes to a place in their life that those "life pleasure" items are meaningless. They would trade in those temporary pleasures for something that is lasting and of real value like contentment and peace. I've heard testimonies of people who came to the Lord later in life and they all (every single one of them) say the same thing.....I wish I hadn't wasted all those years on meaningless things. If I had only realized the joy of fellowship with God sooner. Once we come to God for salvation, we become a new person in Christ. That means our desires begin to change. We begin to grow in a spiritual way that changes who we are. Our motives in life become one with God. It is a gradual process, but a distinct change in our character all the same. The more we grow, the more we become like Christ. Christians have no regrets of what they leave behind. I've never heard one complain in my whole Christian life about losing all the "wildness" of their other life. It's just not possible when you know Jesus as your Savior. I pray you will experience this great transformation yourself and that God will help you find your way to Him soon.

Answer 2

The Catholic Encyclopedia states Bible is Skeptic and Concocted
A. THE FORMATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON (A.D. 100-220)
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03274a.htm
The idea of a complete and clear-cut canon of the New Testament existing from the beginning, that is from Apostolic times, has no foundation in history. The Canon of the New Testament, like that of the Old, is the result of a development, of a process at once stimulated by disputes with doubters, both within and without the Church, and retarded by certain obscurities and natural hesitations, and which did not reach its final term until the dogmatic definition of the Tridentine Council. ("Canon of the New Testament")
There is a lot of confusion about the earliest existing texts of the Bible. The oldest extant manuscript of the Bible is believed to be the Codex Vaticanus, (preserved in the Vatican Library), which is slightly older than the Codex Sinaiticus (preserved in the British Library), both of which were transcribed in the fourth century.
As for the story of Jesus, there were at least 50 gospels written in the first and second century CE. Four of them (Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John) were included in the official canon during the fourth century CE and are found today in every Bible. All of the original copies of the gospels were lost. What we have now are handwritten copies, which are an unknown number of replications removed from the originals.
Rudolf Bultmann, a prominent 20th-century professor of New Testament studies writes about the life of Jesus:
We can now know almost nothing concerning the life and personality of Jesus, since the early Christian sources show no interest in either, are moreover fragmentary and often legendary; and other sources about Jesus do not exist. (Bultmann 8)
Example of Confliction in Bible
II Samuel 8:4 (vs) II Samuel 8:9-10 II Kings 8:26
II Samuel 6:23 Genesis 6:3 John 5:37
John 5:31 I Chronicles 18:4 I Chronicles 18:9-10
II Chronicles 22:2 II Samuel 21:8 Genesis 9:29
John 14:9 John 8:14

Answer 3

Dear Rebekkah,

First the purpose of preaching isn't conversion. It's to deliver a message that God wants people to know. It is true that sometimes people aren't ready for that message-- but there are times when the truth of that message stays on our hearts- and it helps us down the road.

i'm not sure if i agree with your statement about "getting the wildness out," because not everyone comes to God by the same terms.

When i became a Christian one thing i wished was that someone would have told me about Jesus earlier. i realized that i had put myself in many dangerous situations (by some bad choices i had made) that really could have cost me my life- but by the grace of God.

Also i think that you have some misconceptions about Christianity. Being a Christian does not mean that you miss out on life's pleasures.

i agree with you that everyone has their own time and place. But if someone hears it and aren't ready to accept it-- it's OK. Because who knows what the right time is. And in some people's cases they can make decisions that bring their lives to such a destructive point.

Preaching if it is truth can benefit. But it reaps no benefit if a person is not ready to receive it. Parents who are believers do have a responsibility to raise their children in the teachings of the Lord- but ultimatley Christianity is about a relationship that is determined between that individual person and God.

Hope that helps. Kindly,

Nickster

Answer 4

Well, the thing is, you are assuming they will grow up and get old. We don't know what tomorrow, or even today will bring. There have been many people die young deaths, not believing in Jesus Christ. No one knows when they will die. If you die in sin, then you won't go to heaven. The day of redemption is NOW. Never assume you will live for another day, or even through this day.

Answer 5

Not ready??? Some will never be ready....but it'll be to late for them when they become. No one knows when the rapture will take place, but then it will be over for those who have not found God and repented their sins.

Being pressured doesnt help. All His children need to come to Him on their own, period. It cannot be coerced.

Even still it is up to those of us who have been 'saved' to help the others find God and avoid eternal damnation. Preaching sometimes harmful? Much less harmful than eternal damnation I would say.

Answer 6

If you saw someone having a lot of fun, but speeding toward a cliff, would you be afraid to warn them because it might stop their fun. No one is promised their next breath. And eternity is a verrrry long time. Besides, why do you assume that becoming a Christian takes all the fun out of life? It doesn't. It makes life fuller.

Answer 7

Preaching of the Gospel is never harmful...it is the good news ..it is the news's of Jesus and how he has come to set the captive free...there is joy in serving the Lord...peace...so as far as turning into an old codger...this is more likely to happen to an unbeliever..

Answer 8

Yes I was one of those children who discarded the teachings to "Get it out of my system" as you say. I started smoking cigarettes, Marijuana, I did Hard drugs, got drunk, went to jail many times, lost all of my self respect. And became a loser. Oh yea, and I saw many of my friends die.
And I was one of those people who said; Oh I will never let that happen to me.

Answer 9

First of all, Christianity is NOT a RELIGION. It is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion is Man made and God hates it because it is full of lies and deception... Satans doing!

Answer 10

no one is promised tomorrow. today if u hear his voice ,harden not your heart.you have no guarantee that u will live long enough to become an old codger.no preaching is not harmful if it is the true word of GOD.2TIMOTHY-4-2 1ST CORINTHIAN1-18 MATTHEW 4-7 ARE ALL ABOUT PREACHING THE WORD. PLEASE READ IT.