What is the purpose in witnessing the gospel in a way that alienates your fellow man?

Question

I'm curious.
When witnessing the gospel of Christ, SOME (notice I said SOME) people find it necessary to rather forcefully preach hellfire and condemnation (ie judgement). This is especially prevelent on this forum. Why is this?
Jesus asks us to spread the gospel of peace and salvation.... not the gospel of hellfire and damnation. Don't you agree?

Answer 1

I feel that Jesus was making the message simple by leaving us with two commandments that if followed would fulfill the law. He said to love God with all of our strength and to love our neighbor as ourself. Christians who come on this forum to tell someone they are going to hell are speaking condemnation to themselves. God will separate the wheat from the tares, not us. I realize that a watered down Gospel has no power, but if we do not have the gift of love, we have nothing. I would also like to take an opportunity to say that a cut and paste of two long chapters of the bible is not likely to win anyone. It seems to me that speaking from the heart that is tender because of love for the Lord is a much more effective way to communicate.

Answer 2

I can't say it better than Shihan did.

Your idea is well-intentioned RJ, and if the only alternatives were your idea of witnessing with a message of peace and the other was of the damnation and hellfire type, I would pick yours in an instant.

However, I would prefer none. Witnessing of any kind, regardless of the intention and the method, is not helpful, is usually unwanted, and will only serve to alienate people. Christians say that Jesus wanted them to witness, but what purpose does it serve if all it does is tick people off and make them uncomfortable?

Answer 3

Because really reaching out spoils the exclusivity of the thing.
I mean, you wouldn't want to have to associate with all those grubby sinners, now would you?

Or have all that trailer trash get into Heaven? It's bad enough that nobody knows if Colored folks have their own section and water fountains.

The people who preach hellfire don't get it. We KNOW that God the Father is a right ******* who could really benefit from a good "Wrath Management" program. He's got issues.

The whole point of Jesus is to show that God can also LOVE. But, being that kind of Christian means becoming the conduit for God's love and mercy. Too many people just can't handle that.

Answer 4

good point, and most of these say that the bible tells us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nation.
however the fail to realize that the meaning of gospel in "good new" not hell fire and damnation.
as a child I grew up in that type of ministry, and that is what turned me off from religion for many years. I have seen many get converted by this type of ministry.but a month or so later they were right back where they were before.
my brother -in-law was one of these, and it was such a bad experience for him that, my sister and I could never repair it.
he is a wonderful loving man, and is starting to see that God is about love not condemnation.
but the harm is done, and it continues to be done by those that have yet to come to know what the true gospel is.

Answer 5

We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.All. There is one righteous no not one. For the wages of sin is death, BUT, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God tells us simply to " Go." Go what?
Teach the gospel unto all nations.
Those of you that have witnessed to people have done what Got has asked. You did your job. You witnessed. Those that choose not to ACCEPT Christ will stand before the Lord, and will have lost their place in Heaven.
However, their blood is not on your hands because we did as God asked.When God says, So and so did you share the gospel with _(insert name here_)and you answer, "Yes Lord I did." Then you are not responsible for their eternity. However, if we miss an opportunity to share the gospel and that person dies and goes to hell, we will see their blood o our hands when we stand before the Lord.
Salvation and witnessing was never meant to"Alieinate" anyone. It is simply a tool used to win souls for the Lord.
This isn't about "RELIGION" it is about God's Holy Word.

Question: Are you 100% sure that you could make Heaven your home?
If you answer no, you can be saved right now. All you have to do is ask Jesus to forgive you of YOUR sins,thank Jesus for dying on the cross for you and for me. also if you do get saved you need a BIBLE preaching Bible beleiving church and be discipled.
If the answer is yes, continue to share the gospel. Pass out tracts and invite people to church. Soulwinning ( witnessing) works.
God Bless.

Answer 6

I do absolutely agree! God never told us to preach hellfire and brimstone. Nonetheless even the gospel of peace can offend people. Jesus Himself had challenges with people getting offended. Not everyone has ears to hear.

Answer 7

to "witness the gospel" is to live influenced by it. The formalized and formula-ized speech making that folks do is not a "witness" to anything. Speech makers focus on judgement and damnation because it's a lot easier than showing us how to live in the 21st century influenced by the gospel of Jesus and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. If you can't show them a better way to live you gotta scare 'em about dying.

Answer 8

Thanks muchly!!!! It's partially this discrimination that fuelled my decision to become an atheist.
Yes I agree. If the only way to salvation is to push down everyone elses beliefs and judge people of different faiths, then is it really salvation??? I hope some of the questioners on this site come to see your point.


EDIT: that is an excellent point smiley george!
EDIT: um... lovedalz... whatever the number was.... i hope you're not putting out arguements as to why religious wars are good. Where in the Bible does it say "Kill half the population because they don't believe in God??" And the inner peace you were describing.... is it so impossible that we feel that through our beliefs too???????

Answer 9

The practice of such style of witnessing has little to do with religion, actually. Most people, regardless of belief, are simply not good at presenting their views. For too many, that which recommends itself admirably to them is something they cannot fathom anyone else taking in another way. As this thought does not occur to them, they believe that in all honesty they are presenting rational, just arguments.

Arguments presented from emotion, without the necessary educational background, are apt to be not the best presented arguments. It also is frustrating to these types when their arguments are not accepted readily, so they increase the vociferousness of their statements.

You are one of the few who is always respectful, and thus your own sharing of testimony is considerate and fair.

((((Rammie))))

Answer 10

To be honest with you, (((Rammie))), I cannot stand it when people witness at all. I truly believe that if someone wants to know Truth, they will seek AND FIND it on their own.

I cannot tell you how many times I was witnessed to over the course of my lifetime. All that did was turn me off to Christianity and the teachings of Jesus. It was when I stopped paying attention to these people that I accepted the teachings of Jesus. There is no way to force your beliefs on someone else without alienating them. No way.

I have read countless answers from fundamentalist Christians and fundamentalist Atheists alike on this forum, and am turned off by both. It is those who communicate with respect and knowledge, those who do not force their words upon another, those who openly express themselves with the understanding that not all will accept their beliefs, AND THAT THAT IS STILL OKAY -- those are the people who are successful in "witnessing," if you will.

Take a look a Thrice -- who makes me REALLY rethink my concepts of God and Source. Man-on-man. Unbelievably makes me think things through. THAT is someone who does not alienate me. THAT is someone who makes me think. And that is what "witnessing" should be.

(((Ramjet))) -- I adore you!