Personal reasons why I don't share the gospel

[Maria Billingsley]

Where does Jesus say this?

That is correct. Our actions become our witness, and we can be either a good witness or bad witness. If we do bad things, our word becomes compromised, and people will be less likely to believe what we say. The opposite of this is when we act in love, this will give our word credibility. For example, in a court of law, if you have 2 people with conflicting testimonies, one is a prostitute, and the other is a doctor. The doctor is the one most people would believe as his word is not compromised like the prostitute. He is a good witness.
So, your actions validate what you believe, and then when you do say the Gospel, people will be more likely to believe what you say.
We need to be careful that we do share the Gospel. Our good deeds are not the power of God unto salvation. They only give our words credibility. Staying silent is wrong.
In life, if you have the opportunity to stop someone from being killed or injured but you choose not to warn them, then in man's court, you are guilty of a crime called "Depraved Indifference". This shows that you have a blatant disregard for life. It is like if you see a person drowning and you have a life jacket right beside you that you could easily throw to the person. But because you cannot be bothered, you choose not to throw the life jacket and the person then drowns. This is depraved indifference.
If man's court recognises this injustice, how much more would a holy, and just God recognise the injustice of us not warning of eternal death?
We know that we should share the Gospel with as many people as possible. It is the right thing to do.
"So, for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin." James 4:17

Many have used the different giftings as an excuse not to say the Gospel. They say, "I have not been given the gift of evangelism". But if we have a look at the gift of evangelism, it is not a special gift where a person can go out preaching and everyone will be saved. The gift of evangelism is an inward gift for the church so that the believers can be trained to go out and share the Gospel.
Ephesians 4:11-12 says, "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up".
So, the person with the gift of evangelism will go out and share the Gospel with the lost, just like every other believer should, but they will also have the ability to teach others in the church how to do it as well.

Also, God did make us all different. Some he made to be ears, some he made to be hands, some he made to be a mouth and some he made to be feet.
If you are an ear, listen to people's problems and then tell them the Gospel.
If you are a hand, mow someone's lawn and weed their garden and then tell them the Gospel.
If you are a mouth, teach people and then tell them the Gospel.
If you are feet, walk to the parks or down the street and then tell people the Gospel.

We do have different giftings and abilities and with these, we should bring Glory to God. We should not use our gifts as an excuse not to give God glory.
I am a foot. I often choose to go to the parks and give God glory. Sometimes I am a hand and I share the Gospel. Sometimes I listen to people and then I tell the Gospel.


People who love God enough to obey Him and share the Gospel do believe in discipleship. But they are also careful not to fill the church with unbelievers who are weeds amongst the wheat.
Many street preachers do not do, "Pray after me 1-2-3." Instead, they tell the unbeliever to talk to God as soon as they can and tell Him about the sorrow within their heart regarding their sin. Then the preachers also recommend a church. This way, if the person is genuine, they will then want to know more about God and they will find a church. If God starts a work in someone, then He will complete it.

I tell hundreds of people the Gospel and I cannot disciple all of them. Jesus did not disciple all the 5000 people He broke bread with either. And neither did Phillip stay and disciple the Ethiopian eunuch.

That sounds similar to "Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words". This saying is equivalent to saying, "Feed the hungry and if necessary, use food". Of course, you need to use food when feeding the hungry. And of course, we need to use words when telling the Good News. How will they hear without a preacher? We need to open our mouths.
If a house is on fire and the person inside does not know that it is on fire, and could die any moment, do you yell and warn them, or do you say to yourself, "Because I love this person, I am going to mow his lawn so that I can show love and then I will tell him his house is on fire"?
There is an urgency to tell everyone. Yes, love them. But love them enough to tell them of the condemnation that they are under. Staying silent is unloving and should not be an option.

In saying all this, I do believe that we are not all street preachers. But if we love the lost, we should be looking for every opportunity to tell the Gospel to them. Even if we are not good at speech, God can still use us. We need to be careful that we are not passing on responsibility when we have been given the capability to do it. God blessed has blessed all of us with the gift of a mouth. And those who cannot speak can share the Gospel on the net or hand out tracts.

Or..... if one preaches the Gospel but has little or no Love, it becomes useless. This is unfortunately the case here.
LEAD WITH LOVE FIRST, THEN FOLLOW WITH WORDS LATER.

James 2:14-26​

Be blessed.

 

[1Tonne]

James 2:14-26 does not say that we lead with good deeds. It is saying that if we truly have a faith, then we will act in accordance with that faith. Faith without works is dead. So, if we believe that there is a God and that he will judge everyone, then we will act in accordance with that belief.
Just as when you see a person without clothes, you believe that they will freeze, and so you clothe them. You acted according to what you believed.

James 2:14-17 says "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

Notice verse 17, uses the words, "In the same way". This means in a "likewise manner" or "similar" but not the exactly same.
So, likewise, if you saw a house on fire, you would yell and warn the people inside. You believe that the house is on fire and that the person will die if you do not urgently warn them.
And again. Likewise, in the same way, you if we see a non-believing brother or sister under God's wrath, and we say to them, “Be our friend”, but do nothing to warn them of their condemnation, what good is that? Faith without works is dead.

Yes, we will feed the hungry and clothe the poor. It would be unloving not to, but even unbelievers will do the same. They also believe that those who do not have clothes should be warm.
But an unbeliever will not tell others of His great sacrifice. They don’t tell of Him because they do not have faith in Him. If we have faith, then we will act in accordance with that faith. Faith without works is dead. So, tell others about the great condemnation that they are under and tell them of the Great sacrifice He made for us.

Be blessed too.

 

[Veni]

Can we share the Gospel without judging others?

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

What is the meaning of Matthew 7:6?

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

 

[1Tonne]

Can we share the Gospel without judging others?

That is the wrong question to ask.
What you should be asking is, are we sharing the Gospel? Only 2% of believers regularly share the Gospel. If only 2% regularly share, then why? What has gone wrong? Why are we not obeying what Jesus said?

 

[St_Worm2]

Can we share the Gospel without judging others?
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

What is the meaning of Matthew 7:6?
Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Hi Veni, in Matthew 7:6 the Lord Jesus tells us why it is so important for believers to judge (or to be discerning of) others, especially when it concerns things which are sacred/holy, which I believe (in this case) refers principally to the Gospel and our sharing it with unbelievers.

I also believe that in saying, "do not judge", He was actually speaking against "judgmentalism"/against making hypocritical, unloving judgments of others, not against our vital need to make wise/loving/righteous judgments of someone else's spiritual condition and need to know Him (IOW, for their good/in order to be a blessing to them).

Lastly, the Gospel (and the sharing of it) is meant as something to be believed and received by those who hear it ... or not! Whenever it becomes clear that something else is going on, that our sharing of the Gospel is being used by someone as an opportunity to sully God and His word, His Gospel message and/or His messengers, then v6 tells us that we need to stop and walk away (politely, if possible), because nothing good (for anyone) is going to come from continuing.

Of course, that doesn't have to be the end of helping someone (even a very difficult someone) because we can go on praying for them, and pray that God would give us (or someone else) another chance to witness to them in the future, at a time when they will, hopefully, be more receptive to hearing the Gospel.

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - the Lord Jesus also said the following to us, just FYI.

John 7​

24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” ​

 

[returntosender]

I don't see what friends has to do with it. We witness mostly to anyone it seems to me at least i think that should be our intent

 

[St_Worm2]

The reason why I don't share the gospel, is because I don't want to be friends with everyone.

Hey Curiousmind, sharing the Gospel might be just the thing for you then, because if you ever begin to do so regularly, being friends with "everyone" will not be a problem for you (still having one or two friends may be however ) .. cf 2 Timothy 3:12.

God bless you!!

--David

"Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ"
Romans 10:17​

 

[Veni]

That is the wrong question to ask.
What you should be asking is, are we sharing the Gospel? Only 2% of believers regularly share the Gospel. If only 2% regularly share, then why? What has gone wrong? Why are we not obeying what Jesus said?

Many agree with freedom of religion.

Adam Smith

If one religion only were allowed in England, the Government would very possibly become arbitrary; if there were but two, the people would cut one another’s throats; but as there are such a multitude, they all live happy and in peace.

The interested and active zeal of religious teachers can be dangerous and troublesome only where there is either but one sect tolerated in the society, or where the whole of a large society is divided into two or three great sects; the teachers of each acting by concert, and under a regular discipline and subordination.

But that zeal must be altogether innocent, where the society is divided into two or three hundred, or, perhaps, into as many thousand small sects, of which no one could be considerable enough to disturb the public tranquillity.

The teachers of each sect, seeing themselves surrounded on all sides with more adversaries than friends, would be obliged to learn that candour and moderation which are so seldom to be found among the teachers of those great sects.

Do we agree with freedom of religion?

 

[1Tonne]

Many agree with freedom of religion.

What is your point? This thread is about sharing the Gospel (or not sharing it).
Are you saying we should not share our beliefs?

 

[Neogaia777]

Hi,

Maybe some have the same problem as I do.
The reason why I don't share the gospel, is because I don't want to be friends with everyone.
They say keep your circle small, is less exhausting, especially as an introvert that I am.
Thing is we select our friends, we want to spend time with people we can get along with.
Fact is we cannot get along with everyone for example if the social class and culture is different for example.

Br,

I want to share the gospel, etc, but it's also been so very, very much abused in the past, and still is sometimes now, etc, that I feel the need to wait on the other person for a clear opening first anymore now, etc. Which means I first just talk to the person at first, etc. And will not share the gospel unless their is a very clear opening, or golden opportunity to do so, etc. And sometimes that never opportunity just never comes, or presents itself, etc. So in that case, or in those cases, etc, I just try to show God or Christ to them in how I am being with them, and just leave it/them at, or with that sometimes, hoping that will be enough, etc.

God Bless.

 

[returntosender]

It sure not the easiest thing to do.

 

[returntosender]

Speak generally as to not step on others doctrine.

 

[Veni]

Belief lack evidence. Ask me & I'll show you the way of Our Lord Jesus, which is the truth and is greater then belief.

 

[Veni]

John 16:25
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.
In that day you will ask in my name.