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Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

I am a devout Christian. Before that, I was an Orthodox Jew. (Actually what is called "Lubavitcher."

Always a searcher, spent limited time in many religions (mostly as a dilettante), and converted to Judaism at age 28. (Mom was Christian, sort of, anyway. Dad was Jewish- from Ireland.)

Thus, I was nothing, so I converted. There was a 15-year gap between my Judaism experience and becoming a Christian. BTW, I did not stop being Jewish. I just stopped practicing it. In fact, up to 2 months before becoming Christian, I was actually ANTI-CHRISTIAN.

When I became a Christian, 23 years ago, everything changed for me.

What changed? Well, a couple of years later I stopped worrying. How many of you can say, "I have not worried even once in over 20 years?"

And that includes in the rough times, as well as the sweet times. It includes fearing I had cancer and discovering my insurance had lapsed and having to wait 3 months for the reinstatement before going to a doctor. (That was actually a life-altering experience.)

Now, I know that many on PA - and probably most in this thread - will give me your logical answer, that goes something like telling me it is just a placebo for me.

Even if you are right, would no worry for 20 years be a nice addition to your life?

What, you say? You don't want to believe in something phony? (I never said that.)

First, belief is a choice. I did not wake up one day and suddenly discover that I was a believer.

I was drawn in by life experiences. Unbelievable life experiences. Miracle-like, they were.

When you string a few of those together, you stop saying, "Well, what wonderful coincidences these occurrences are!"

True believers - especially older ones -will probably be able to share stories of such impossible-sounding stories. If one is not biased against belief, the entire God as a supernatural being-thing is just not so far-fetched.

Such a story...

A woman at church approached a young man with a paper bag full of money. She said, "Are you Jeff?" (She did not know him.)

She went on, "God told me to give you this money," and hands him the bag.

He looked into it and saw a lot of money. Certainly thousands of dollars.

He declined, saying that she must have the wrong guy.

Every week, for 3 straight weeks, this repeated. Finally, he took the money, planning on keeping it until she came to her senses.

The next day, he finds out that the truck he'd taken-over-payments on, was being repossessed. He'd been making the payments to a "friend" who had not been forwarding those payments.

Now the finance company wanted the truck.

The amount of money in the bag, which was something like $5,800, was less than a dollar over the amount due on the vehicle.

We actually know Jeff, and can verify the story completely.

Some coincidence, right?

We've seen and heard other FIRST HAND stories just like this one. Even experienced one that, for a Believer, would fall into the category of "miracle," (not in the Catholic, saint-driven approach).

Why would you not reject it as coincidence? You are not a believer. And many are anti-believers. That's fine.

And to be clear, I am a bit of a "Calvinist." Actually, I am what is commonly called a 4.5-point Calvinist. (There are actually 5 key points, none of which I will not bore you with here.)

The key point of Calvinism is that God/Jesus call those who have been chosen and that the "call" is irresistible.

Before you go off on me and say, "So, you were chosen! Aren't you just wonderful?" No, I am not.

Nobody knows why God chooses who he does. If anything, it could be because he picks those who are more needy. But let it be clear that it is not driven by anything that I did or am doing on my part.

THE POINT OF THIS is that our belief system is such that we believe God is the one with all the power to attract you, and we have none. Absolutely zero.

As such, we have no need to evangelize. That's up to God.

My job is to simply be available for His use. What does that mean?

The call of God is irresistible, but often a person is sent to help with the message. My experience - which has been very rare; twice in my life - is that I trip over said person. If I am aware enough I take action. Once I didn't and the lesson was learned.

Now, a word about Mr. Boxcar. He is the absolute king of biblical knowledge around here. Put me up against him, and I would fail miserably. LOL

But here's the thing... Biblical knowledge does not make for biblical maturity! In fact, amazingly, it is often a stumbling block!

On those rare occasions when I have spoken against BC's way in the past, I simply ask the question, "Where's the love?"

It is not about condemning people for what they DO or DON'T DO. That's not our job. It is up to God.

Sure, there is one reference in the bible that speaks of approaching a fellow Christian with an issue and lovingly bringing it up. That is the accountability clause, so to speak.

But, it is not about preaching.

I will close with this:
Those of you with staunch negative feelings about God, will not have your minds changed by those with lots of bible thumping. That is just a waste of time.

Neither will a REAL BELIEVER have their mind changed by an unbeliever.

Thus, both the believers and the unbelievers are where they should be. At least for today. If God decides to call you, you will respond positively; even the most negative of you. For the rest it doesn't matter.


Footnote:
Our ministry if discipleship. That means we teach people how to be Christian. It is referred to as Spiritual Parenting.

We have spiritual parents who discipled us. (That is why our experience has been so very different.)

We have spiritual children who are also the spiritual grandchildren of our spiritual parents.

It is certainly bible based, but not bible-thumpy. It is about understanding what God wants. (We think we have most of it right. LOL)

Remember, reading the bible is not actually a requirement. How do I know? Well, Jesus predates Guttenberg by a long time.

It is free.

If Christian has a sincere interest, just reach out directly.
DaveSchwReno@gmail.com

This is a brief response to Dave's take on "preaching" the gospel. Sharing God's love and plan of redemption with the world was one of Israel's
key roles this chosen covenant nation was supposed to play to the surrounding nations once they entered the Promised Land. But they failed miserably. Instead of becoming a light to all the nations, they joined in their idolatry, breaking their covenant with God.

Jesus finally comes unto the world stage about 2,000 years ago. Jesus became everything the covenant nation of Israel was supposed to become but failed at. In fact, Jesus is the antitype to the nation of Israel in that he perfectly fulfilled Israel's mission. He kept the Law of Moses perfectly. Israel failed miserably.

He willingly became his Father's [suffering] servant to not only Israel but to the nations of the world. But Israel, under the Law of Moses, served no one but their own selfish interests.

Jesus came to be the Light of World, and as this Light taught and preached his Father's revelation (i.e. the Word of God). Jesus, in fact, is so inextricably bound up with the Written Word, that He himself is called The Word and the Living Word.

There are other ways, too, Jesus was the antitype to Israel but perhaps at another time, those could be explored.

Before the risen Christ ascended into heaven, he charged his disciples to go out into the world to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations. In fact, even before this, Jesus sent out the 12 then the 70 to preach the gospel to the House of Israel, as the precursors to global evangelism.

In the Book of Acts at Pentecost, the disciples immediately began to fulfill the great commission of global evangelism. As Jesus specifically directed them, they began teaching and preaching in Jerusalem, then throughout Judea, into Samaria and indeed eventually to the utter most parts of the earth. In short, preaching and teaching the Gospel is not mere advice or some kind of religious option. It is indeed mandated in scripture. And there is a reason why.

Dave "boasts" that he's a 4.5 pt. Calvinist. I've got him beat. I'm a 5-star Calvinist because it's sound biblical theology. So, how is it that Dave and I see evangelism very differently? I'd say the difference is the Word of God. Dave, by use of his own reason, has reasoned that because God freely and sovereignly chooses who He will save and who He won't, that somehow God's sovereign will in this matter precludes any need for evangelism. At first blush, this has the appearance of sound logic. But sadly, the human logic has become derailed because it's not guided by the "tracks" of the Spirit and the Word of God. If it were, Dave would know that the same God who has decreed the ends from the beginning also decreed the means to those ends.

Rom 10:11-15
11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him; 13 for "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved." 14 How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!"
NASB