Should we avoid presenting the Gospel until we feel adequately prepared?
87989
yes, unless you want someone to tear you apart with your own words
468944
Someone once told me they make an excellent outline for good, solid, mental balance.  As a religious guideline they may lack something.
579869
First, ignore the ignoramus bible thumpers.  Second, what do you need to know?
61762
There are as many excuses as there are poor Christians. Where mediocrity is allowed or tolerated, mediocrity will flourish - people are sluggards. (As long as we are talking in generalities.) When a teacher raises the test standards, the class' average scores increase - the teacher does not make the students smarter; when the hurdle is higher, you've got to work a bit harder to clear it. If the standards are lowered, some self-starters will continue to excel, but the tendency will be for students to put forth less effort.\n\nThe example of Jesus' life is extreme. What He asked of His disciples was extreme - pick up a cross & follow Him - most of them suffered & died for the faith. What He asks of His disciples today is extreme - pick up a cross & follow Him - the cross being a symbol of suffering unto death.\n\nPeople are accepted in congregations if they are nominal Christians - be a pew-warmer & donate some money. An hour Sunday morning is usually enough - the rest of Sunday and the rest of the week is your own time to do what ya wanna (as long as it is fairly legal & fairly ethical).\n\nPeople are told to "believe" & be saved. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." [Romans 10:13] They are told, you don't have to "do." "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." [Ephesions 2:8-9] They are told what you do or don't do won't save you, so it doesn't matter what you do... just "believe." The denominations grow (or keep, or try to minimize their dwindling numbers) by offering cheap grace. Cheap grace [a term coined by Dietrich Bonhoeffer] is forgiveness w/o repentance, expecting the Grace of God w/o discipline & Lordship discipleship, grabs the benefits w/o taking any responsibility, it takes grace for granted, even a "do it now - ask for forgiveness later" mentality.\n\nOhYa, most denominations will put some more requirements on believers - you must be baptized, you should read the Bible & pray.... But when is the last time you were told one of the signs of a believer is one who loves God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, & all your strength - all your being. [Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 11:13; Deuteronomy 13:3; Deuteronomy 30:6; Joshua 22:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Mark 12:33; Luke 10:27 - evidently God thought is was worth repeating] Or, the believers' delight "is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." [Psalm 1:2] "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your Torah." [Psalm 119:18] How about a circumcised heart  where the Torah/Law/Commandments are written so you live them like Jesus lived them?\n\nHow many ~Marcion~ Christians read Luke 24:45 "And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures," and then just read the NT? "The Scriptures" which the followers of the Messiah must understand are the OT!\n\nSo, what does the NT say about the 10 Commandments (which Christianity has watered down)? Watered-down? When is the last time you kept the Sabbath holy? A scheduled appointment [so many "Christians" don't even know when the Sabbath starts] by God; a whole day, not just 1 hour a week or so.\n\n"If ye love me, keep my commandments." [John 14:15] This is the Word of God, the Word made flesh, the Word Who was with God & is God before creation. The Word was given to Moses; he wrote it in the Torah - the first 5 books of the Bible - which includes the 10 Commandments. The perfect & unchanging Word from the perfect & unchanging God.\n\nApostle Paul, defending himself to Felix the governor against the false charges of High Priest Ananias & Tertullus, an attorney: "But this I confess unto thee, that after the way [i.e. following Messiah] which they [i.e.
1165854
Actually, those who are left behind that heard the Gospel of Christ and rejected it, God Himself will send a spirit of strong delusion against them, that they might believe the antichrist (the lie); and be condemned.  This is found in 2 Thessalonians 2, verses 7-12.\n\n1   Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him,  2   That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3   Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4   Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5   Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6   And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7   For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way. 8   And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9   [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10   And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11   And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12   That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13   But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14   Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15   Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.16   Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given [us] everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, 17   Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
144546
No.  If you don't have something nice to say, you should keep it to yourself and mind your own business.\nThe Bible says when we die we will have to give account for every idle word we say. How ashamed will we be at some of our careless words and gossip?
472337
Some people feel that should just be enough. It isn't! And please let me add on to this:\n\nDO NOT-\n\n     -quote scriptures to individuals who have just lost someone dear to them (spouse or a child), UNLESS it is someone who you know very well, and they asked you a religous question, and/or it completely applies and will encourage and comfort that person. I hate scripture drive-by-ing, especially when individuals are hurting. At moments when people are hurt, DO NOT QUOTE CHRIST, instead BE LIKE HIM. Cry with that person, hug them, and listen. Scriptures were not written to be quoted, they were written to be lived. Please take note of how Christ comforted those who moroned, and follow his example. \n\nChrist never did drive-by scripture quoting. With everything he did quote, it was attached to a message and could be understood by those "who had ears to listen". \n\n     - do not offer Scriptures you do not understand yourself. It's embarrasing.\n\n     - do not offer Scripture to non-christians, unless it is out of love.\n\n     - do not offer Scripture just to bible-thump someone in the head. If a person is sinning, do what the scriptures says and rebuke them gently. PLEASE NOTE- this is in reference to Christians. You can not hold somebody to a standard they have not accepted as their own. Christians are held to a higher standard, don't hold others to it if they haven't accepted it yet. \n\nWhen you explain do not say things like, well its God's word and that's all you need to know. Christ took the time to explain what He said, do the same. \n\nTo those who have been the recipient of such drive-by scripturing, please understand that the person who drove by actually meant well. I do believe God's word should be shared, but please do it with love and full consideration of others. And please remember that it is far more important to live the scriptures, rather then quote them. \n\n\nGodspeed
1162155
Be honest.  Say, "I don't know."\n\nIts an answer I wish Christianity wouldn't be afraid of.
1164616
Well, it would certainly be helpful, especially if God's take is "where in the name of Me did they get that book from?  I didn't write that!"\n\nUnfortunately, since having a Christ complex is automatically assumed to be prime evidence of psychosis and thinking you're a prophet usually convinces the government of every industrialized country, no matter which one you happen to be in, you're a cult leader who has to be stopped for the social good, any prophet that shows back up at this point to illuminate the word of God will either be labeled a lunatic and locked up in a teeny padded room with a guy knitting a sweater that doesn't exist and another one who thinks he's Napoleon, or else tear-gassed, and either shot on the scene or put on trial and hauled off to prison for the rest of his or her life.\n\nPlus, you do have to contend with the pesky fact the Bible says anyone who tries to tell you they know the word of God and that it's somehow different than the Bible is a false prophet trying to lead you to Hell and they'll be cropping up all over the place, while the only guy who can really explain it to you will only show up five minutes after the world ends... so chances are everyone who needs to listen will be busy sticking their fingers in their ears, screaming "No, NO!  NOT LISTENING, YOU WHORE OF BABYLON!  LA LA LA LA LA!!! NOT LISTENING!!!"\n\nSo who knows, could've been tons of them sent down by God to explain things to us, and we could've just ignored them all.\n\nP.S.-- Don't believe me?  Check the other answers.  Whole list of people saying exactly what I said they would, even the ones who are well aware at how butchered the modern work is and how much B.S. man has written into it.
689950
You need to follow the basic rules of hermeneutics. Understand a passage in the immediate context of the statements before it and after it. Cross reference the words or passages you are studying with the rest of the Bible to get the fuller view. The Bible often explains itself and that explanation is to be accepted before anyone else view. Certain churches or preachers have their own interpretations but it is most important to see for yourself by studying the Scriptures what is the best view. For example if you do a basic check with a Bible concordance on the words or subject of "keys of the kingdom, you will get a better understanding about that instead of what you will get by a dictionary description of the word "key" alone. Follow the basic rule of scripture that "the Scripture cannot be broken". That is to say that a view of certain scriptures should never go against what the Bible says about that subject. Be careful when you run into people who will say things like, " the Bible does say that but that's not what it means" or something similar to that because often they are not putting the Bible first. Often people accept a popular Christian's view or their pastors view because they are held in such high esteem. We should esteem others but not above the Word of God.  As far as the doctrine of salvation, I would not say that it is primarily taught in Acts because Romans and the Gospels hit on it alot as well.
24199
yes I definitely think you should bring your Bible to school. It's our job as Christians to share the Gospel to those we are around, so yes, you should share your beliefs. When you get criticized for it, just pray for God to give you strength. He will help you through it.
1152972
First off, Love this question....  \nSecond, you're too smart for your own good, Blobberty.\nThird.... to answer.\n\nPreaching the gospel and living it are two very different \nthings.  The Church really is who said it; I'd think God\nwould want you to LIVE it, thus your life being the testament\nof it.  Doubt that's really the answer you are looking for, but\nI think that is what keeps me one step up on the food chain\nfrom dog poo.
73997
Planning better to be prepared.
248714
There's no scripture to support this idea one way or another.  People are affected in different ways when in the spirit.  There was a man at my church who would run around the pews (admittedly it freaked me out a bit when he first did it) and a woman who would wail.  I think you'll find the most about the issue in Paul's stuff, but don't quote me on that.
755937
To whom much is given, much is required.\n\nHe that knew much about christ and didnt believe, will be beaten with many stipes.\n\nHe that knew not or didnt know much will be beaten with few stripes.\n\nFor those that dont believe in christ, they will be judged according to how much they knew or didnt know.
86317
Like to see that someone cares enough to be prepared.\nHeres a website:\nhttp://www.defendyourfaith.com/defending-bible-main.htm
989295
Yes it's okay, but if they object then stop.  If you think they are going to object, don't tell them but, rather, include in your prayers that God will send someone they would be willing to receive the gospel of Christ.  Then, once they are saved, you can let them know you were praying for them.