Thoughts On When to Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ

An Open Door?

Last night, while working at the Lansing City Rescue Mission, I had a man come up to me after the chapel service (which I myself preached), claiming he wanted to tell me something. He then proceeded for the next minute or two trying to tell me that Qur'an and the Bible both agree on everything, and that Muslims believe in the same God as we Christians. I hardly replied to him, though I heard him out for his own sake. Finally, I told him that I personally do not believe they agree, and I said this as I walked away. If this would've happened a year or two ago, I would've stood my ground and attempted to counter his reasoning on my own. But I've come to a rather important reality, and that is the reality that not all doors of opportunity are open yet. With this gentleman, he did not come inquiring about what I had preached about, but rather wanted to convince me of his own views. I caught onto this rather quickly, and decided in like manner that I would not debate with him, both because I was not educated entirely about the Qur'an, but more importantly, because it would be a waste of time. 

I have debated many men and women about various topics, but due to these debates, I have become very wary of debates altogether. At least, these sorts of debates. Because they do not profit, but merely result in a heated discussion about two opposing views, never leading to a converted soul, but a hardened heart. 

However, later that same night, I had a gentleman ask me a question. He was not coming to inform me of his self-declared genus, nor convert me in order to turn me into a Muslim, but came with a simple question regarding his life and those who hated him. I spoke with him a few minutes, and left him with things to think about. He was clearly rather high on some illegal substance, but perhaps this was God's means of making him less prone to defending his lifestyle, and more open to just hearing. Either way, the open door was seen in the question, not the accusation or declaration of knowledge. 

The difference is that one seeks to "show off" what they believe, while the other comes wanting to know what to believe. The difference is a difference between a soul looking for life, and soul looking for praise or argument. The former is as the lost sheep, looking to find home, while the latter is as the wolf, looking to convince everyone that it is a sheep as well, despite its different appearance in size.

At Home with Self, Or Fearing for Life?

I learned somewhat early on in my sharing the Gospel at the LCRM (Lansing City Rescue Mission) that most people do not want to hear anything, they merely want to confirm what they already believe to be true. This is not an open door in which we share the Gospel, since they will, as the dogs, tear apart our presentation of the Gospel, and then turn their attention to tearing us apart (which they may very well succeed in doing, regarding how we appear). Their motive is not pure, nor their intentions righteous. They do not believe they are sinners, but believe themselves to be righteous in the eyes of God, only because of their "higher knowledge" which they have attained, and you have not yet heard from them. We, as bearers of the Gospel, are not seeking confident souls to save, but lost souls to save- those who know within themselves that they are lost, and sinful and unrighteous before God. They are seeking salvation, not confirmation. To approach the latter person is to approach a brick wall, attempting to break it down with our fist, leading only to our own harm, and doing the other no good.

This post is meant to be short, only for the purpose of saying that there is a much simpler reality to who we share the Gospel with, and who we do not. We are never called to share the Gospel with every person we meet (though we are called to live the Gospel in our lives every second of the day), though some fear they are to do this. But as we are told in Matthew, "Do not give what is holy [set apart for a purpose] to dogs, and do not throw your pearls [what is most valuable] before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (7:6) With whom do I share the Gospel? The one who asks questions. The one who wants to know the Truth, not the one who wants to tell you what they think the truth is. Because the latter seeks to convince, while the former seeks to learn. One is lost, the other knows they're lost.