Question

When witnessing to an unbeliever, I would not start out by attacking his faith but get to know him first and become friends if time permitted.  Gradually I would get to know him and his faith and then by example and the Word reveal the truth to him.  I have found no one who listens by beating them over the head with the truth if love is not present.

Answer

We need to look at Christ in the Bible and how He interacted with people.  To the misled sheep He was gentle but bold, but to those who were propagating the lies and leading them astray, He did not have too many kind words, "You snakes, you vipers, how will you escape being condemned to Hell."

It is nice to get to know people, and learn about their religion, but at some point you will have to let them know that they are a lost sinner, who has offended a most holy God, who is very angry with them.  We in this generation are very soft with the gospel, afraid to declare the truth in a bold and authoritative manner.  You can speak the truth in love, and still tell people that they are condemned to the fires and torments of hell. Jesus taught more about hell than any other NT writer.  If you love your neighbor, and see his house is on fire, that love will cause you to rush to his house and yell and scream and even jerk them out of the burning house, because you love them and the danger is imminent.  Now we don't yell and scream at the unbeliever, but we should act like they are in danger.  To plan to take time to get to know them and then gently share the truth, may give them the feeling that all is well and nothing is too urgent.

My Bible says that Jesus will "throw" the unbeliever into the Lake of Fire after the Great White Throne judgment.  Jesus doesn't send people to hell, or direct them there, or guide them to hell--He "throws" them in His anger and wrath.  Now, why do you suppose He told us that detail.  He mentions the "throwing" of the unbeliever into hell in many places.  When was the last time you told an unbeliever that Jesus plans to do that to them unless they bow before Him?  The church's soft-sell doesn't seem to be working.  The real way to do it is to declare the truth boldly with a tear in your eye.  Church history records the greatest sermon ever preached since Christ, was by Jonathan Edwards in the 1700's, and it was called, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."  It is on my website, you should read it, it talks about a very angry God dealing with the unbelievers.  The response to the sermon was unbelievers falling down begging God to forgive their wickedness, crying real tears of sorrow over their sins--when was the last time you witnessed that you saw that?

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "Tony Capoccia's Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 314
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986