There is a faith sharing course we are currently presenting as part of our teaching ministry. It’s called “Share Jesus Without Fear” (By the way if you have never read the book it’s an easy read and I highly recommend it for anyone struggling with how to share their faith. The Author is Bill Fay). In the book and on one of the video presentations the concept of the “sin of silence” is mentioned. One of our younger newer individuals questioned such a sin as he had never heard of it before.
Well he was right in the sense that the actual words linked together as sin of silence isn’t likely to be found in a literal translation of the Bible. But the implication that it exists sure can have a case made for it. In a generic sense the sin of silence is not speaking up when we know we should. As it is applied to sharing our faith it simply means that when we do not share our faith with others it’s a sin.
The closing verses of Matthew 28 would be a great illustration of this sin being implied. It’s known as the Great Commission. We are to disciple baptize and teach. That’s a mandate to Jesus’ disciples pro temp then, but if we choose to follow him now it becomes our mandate too. So not to obey the commission is the sin of silence.
Strangely, the day before this came up in our Saturday morning class it was something I felt the urge to look into and revisit for myself. Not that I had a reminder or cue that it was going to come up in class but instead just that I had been in this one passage before and I just felt the urge to go back to it as a reminder to what it said to me.
Its Ezekiel 33:7-8 there is a charge to the watchman that if he knows from where he stands in the tower that there is danger on the horizon, it’s on him to warn everyone. Should all be lost, and they had not been forewarned their blood is on his hands; he is responsible for their fate. In other words, it’s a grievous sin to pay for if you had the opportunity to give warning and you choose to remain silent.
Doesn’t seem like we need a Rhoades Scholar to help us figure out the imagery in that passage. If the opportunity arises for us to share our faith seems like it’s not an option because it is dealing with someone else’s eternity.
In the book and on the video the author says that most Christians are afraid to share their faith and only about 10% do in a year’s time. Some are afraid of failure and rejection; some could care less; some don’t have a clue how to go about doing it. Others think sharing your faith means standing on a street corner with a sign in our hand or going door to door telling the rest of the world what they must do! The signs of the street corner evangelist that say “turn or burn” “Repent for the end is near” “you must be born again” are all messages that indeed state truth but aren’t getting people’s attention. I wonder if that message isn’t really more for someone one who already knows the word of God?
In today’s world the starting point for a lot of people is atheistic. No God, no heaven or hell; no hope and certainly no understanding of a need for a Savior. For others the starting point is believing they can define who God is or believe there is more than one god.
As we try to overcome the sin of silence, the challenge in today’s world is to share the Good News without being obnoxious, condescending, or condemning. The challenge is to find a way to make the Good News relative, logical and convincing and outrageously attractive instead of being a “turn off.” The challenge is to offer people an opportunity to receive the free gift of grace rather than make them feel like hell if they don’t (a lot of them probably already do feel like hell already). The challenge is to share the truth in a relevant loving way so that the truth will set them free.
Lord,
Help me recognize the opportunities that you put in front of me to become your partner in spreading the good news. Give me the right words to say that come individually tailored by you for that person.
Stay close to Jesus
REG
No comments:
Post a Comment