Where do you start with the Gospel?
To break the silence, I thought I might ask the community here, where they begin talking about the faith. I've been a little bothered with approaches that are all about us, and God does something that is all about us. I have, in one form or another, heard all of these options below suggested or tried, so where do you start (or should you start) from these options (or your own):
1. Doctrine of God - Who God is
2. Doctrine of Sin - The problem of sin
3. Doctrine of Christ - What do you do with this Jesus guy claiming to be God?
4. Eschatology - Where are you going when you die? (or when the rapture comes)
5. Soteriology - Ever heard of TULIP? Let me explain effectual grace...
6. God loves you and God has a wonderful plan for your life...
7. Your Holy Life - I don't drink, smoke, or chew and don't go with girls that do. Want to be holy like me?
4 comments:
First, the cartoon is a hoot! Second, I don't start with a pick-up-line. It usually starts with me asking what church you go to, what do you believe about salvation, and then with me asking if I could tell you what the Bible says.
Still just me here? If we are serious about the glory of God in all things, how about appealing to the unbeliever to believe for the glory of God?
I've always just started where ever the conversation was at, I guess if I have a future missionary saying you do the same, I guess I don't feel so bad.
My curiosity was aroused a few years ago, when I discovered that the apostles in Acts do not start with the two things we often start with:
Heaven
God's Love for Mankind
Not that these are unimportant, I just found it interesting that I had been taught to start with a question about one's perception of where he/she would spend eternity and a statement of God's love for him/her.
I'm still not sure where to go with this data. Just found it curious.
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