Then the King will say, "I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you
did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was
me--you did it to me."
Matthew 25:40
Somewhere along the lines evangelism got mixed up with loving people. FRED (Friendship Relationship Evangelism Decision) is a classic evangelical formula. But if the love between Christians is the primary way we reach the world, does that leave us off the hook for taking Christian love to the world? Hell no!
It does free us from 'loving' people because we hope to convert them. It frees us to love them because Christ first loved us. What do you get the God who has everything? You love his kids.
The good Samaritan is the classic story of being a good neighbour. The first people who heard that story could never imagined a Samaritan evangelising a Jew. Even the miraculous healing of lepers had only a 10% conversion rate. Our programs pale by compassion.
- Peace
4 comments:
I've been thinking that if the story were told today to resonating emergent postevangelicals, the Samaritan would be replaced by a conservative evangelical or (horrors) fundamentalist. What do you think?
Rich Republican Fundamentalists!!! Oh the Horror.
great post dave
love is intrinsicly good, regardless of its effect on the beloved. it always blesses God, even when it feels like you're throwing your love down into a blackhole. that's hard to live, though, 'cause we're result-focused. maybe we need to completely divorce ourselves from results.
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