Seed, water and growth
And we are the voice in the desert declaring "Make Ye the Way for the Lord". But how much to declare and how much to try to convince? Of course, the convicting and heart work is always done by the Lord, but what is our part?
Or maybe, what is the role of things like apologetics (defense of the faith) and attempting to convince people? Surely it is not pointless... is it?
Act 9:22 But Saul... confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ.
Act 17:2 And according to Paul's custom, he went in to them and reasoned with them out of the Scriptures on three sabbaths...
As you can see, we have a role to play in trying to convince people about these things. But before we go and debate and reason with people, lets look at this verse:
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom...
How then do we resolve this difficulty? Paul is reasoning with the people, yet he said that his preaching is not with words of man's wisdom. Strange?
Put it this way. In evangelism, we want to see the seed grow. So we plant the seed. That is by declaration (teaching) of the word of God (1 Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God). We water the seed (nurturing) by our lives etc.
But sometimes, there are roadblocks. If a person cannot see how a God can allow suffering in the world, then obviously, he will not accept God, for in his mind, God is incompetible with suffering. Those are like rocks in the way of the seed's growth. They are like weeds which choke the plant.
I believe this to be the role of apologetics. Apologetics is neither planting the seed, nor watering. It cannot produce faith. It does not save a person. But it does clear the land. It makes growth of the seed possible. It is like removing the rocks and the weeds.
I guess that is how you can resolve the apparant difficulty. Paul when he is reasoning with the people, is trying to remove the roadblocks. But in 1 Cor, he is refering to the gospel, which no amount of reasoning can develop.
And God makes the seed grow.
Processing time needed, you see ;)
PS: I found a very interesting thing. Ministry actually means the act of service. So Ministry of Service can be shortened to "Service". So point 5 would read: Fellowship and witness leads to Ministry. Or Fellowship and witness leads to Service
Or maybe, what is the role of things like apologetics (defense of the faith) and attempting to convince people? Surely it is not pointless... is it?
Act 9:22 But Saul... confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this One is the Christ.
Act 17:2 And according to Paul's custom, he went in to them and reasoned with them out of the Scriptures on three sabbaths...
As you can see, we have a role to play in trying to convince people about these things. But before we go and debate and reason with people, lets look at this verse:
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom...
How then do we resolve this difficulty? Paul is reasoning with the people, yet he said that his preaching is not with words of man's wisdom. Strange?
Put it this way. In evangelism, we want to see the seed grow. So we plant the seed. That is by declaration (teaching) of the word of God (1 Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God). We water the seed (nurturing) by our lives etc.
But sometimes, there are roadblocks. If a person cannot see how a God can allow suffering in the world, then obviously, he will not accept God, for in his mind, God is incompetible with suffering. Those are like rocks in the way of the seed's growth. They are like weeds which choke the plant.
I believe this to be the role of apologetics. Apologetics is neither planting the seed, nor watering. It cannot produce faith. It does not save a person. But it does clear the land. It makes growth of the seed possible. It is like removing the rocks and the weeds.
I guess that is how you can resolve the apparant difficulty. Paul when he is reasoning with the people, is trying to remove the roadblocks. But in 1 Cor, he is refering to the gospel, which no amount of reasoning can develop.
And God makes the seed grow.
Processing time needed, you see ;)
PS: I found a very interesting thing. Ministry actually means the act of service. So Ministry of Service can be shortened to "Service". So point 5 would read: Fellowship and witness leads to Ministry. Or Fellowship and witness leads to Service
posted by P{ZM} at 4:48 PM
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