Truth Or Popularity?
Truth And Consequences
At some point in your life, you’ll encounter someone who will challenge your Christian beliefs. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, it will.
Doubters are everywhere. You may know them personally, or you might come across an atheistic thread on social media.
Skeptics love to argue about Christianity.
Truth or popularity?
Standing firm in your faith can have consequences.
You may think you’re having a pleasant conversation over the water cooler and then – Bam!
Next thing you know, the other person throws out a zinger that leaves you almost speechless.
They may say something like,
I don’t believe what the Bible says.
Why doesn’t God stop evil?
All “religions” worship the same God.
We just need to have one religion for the whole world.
The Rapture is a fairy tale.
God is love, and He won’t send anyone to hell.
When you respond in faith, don’t expect your popularity to soar through the roof. Christianity is becoming more and more despised these days.
Be prepared
What can you do about it and how can you be prepared?
Try not to let yourself get caught off guard.
I know, easy for me to say!
Please, don’t worry. You don’t have to memorize every biblical fact by heart. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so. Look up the answer later and get back to Sam (or Sally) Skeptic at another time.
But, we must be able to state what we believe.
Role play with another Christian if you need too.
*Withhold no part of the precious truth, but speak what you know and declare what you have seen. Do not allow the toil or darkness or possible unbelief of your friends to dissuade you. Let us rise and march to the place of duty, and there declare what great things God has shown to our soul. – Christian pastor and author, Alistair Begg, of Truth for Life teaching ministry.
God loves you and me, but He will also judge us
The fact is that God is a God of love, but He is also a God of justice. He will judge the world, and rightly so.
The Apostle Paul said this quite clearly to the Greek council in Acts 17:29-31. It is likewise true for us today.
Putting on the armor of God
Here’s your secret weapon.
Dear Christian, Jesus is alive and the Holy Spirit is living in you.
A skeptic will argue and try to make you look stupid with their “facts.”
It’s okay.
No matter what they say, you have something in your heart there is no denying.
Are you ready for it?
You have a changed life.
There’s your life before coming to Christ and what your life became afterward.
You are a new creation, a repentant sinner, still growing in your faith.
Give your testimony about what led you to Christ.
No one, even the skeptic, knows you better than you know yourself.
If you don’t know the Bible backward and forwards, don’t sweat it. Bible knowledge comes with time. Keep studying! In the meantime, use your beautiful witness of God’s mercy and grace in your own life.
Talk about a conversation stopper!
No one can take away the blessed assurance you have of salvation through Jesus Christ alone.
Sharing Stories
Hearing other people’s testimonies makes me very happy. I’d rather talk about that than what’s on the news any day.
This six-minute song from Chris Tomlin is so worth your time to listen. Not only is it a beautiful song, but there are also glimpses of real praises and prayers from people all over the country.
At the five minute mark, it sounds like the song is over, but please keep watching.
One believer, in particular, described her faith so eloquently. She said, “He didn’t pull me out of the storm, but He walked with me through the storm.”
Physical healing is never promised in this life, but we must trust in God’s providence and sovereignty. As believers, thank the Lord, we know that He is with us during the storms.
Praise God!
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*Alistair Begg quotation, as quoted from Christian quotes.info
**Scripture quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The path?