Verify Podcast

So I’ve heard several Christians say how that religion is a personal thing and we should never speak about it in public. I’ve heard Christians say that we don’t have to tell others about our beliefs, just let others be, you know, be tolerant, live and let live. Because of this philosophy, many Christians are neutral. Many are silent.

And while we’ve managed to convince ourselves that tolerance equates being quiet about our faith, contrary voices are getting louder by the day. Vigorous attempts to discredit the Christian faith are in our faces. For instance I mean, I read of a university campus in Texas where a campaign was organised by an atheist group, for Christian students to come in with their bibles, and have them exchanged for any obscene literature of their choice. Across the world, there are public adverts, parades and campaigns, boldly and unapologetically promoting different faiths and viewpoints, some of them shockingly immoral, and at a time when our voices are most needed, many of us are quiet; discussing in public about everything but Christianity.

Now, beyond what society suggests, what really does the bible expect of us concerning this? How are we to relate when people around us have different convictions from ours? Let’s look at the example of Jesus. He was often in the midst of people, whose value systems and viewpoints differed quite remarkably from His (See Mark 2:15). But Jesus didn’t keep quiet to make them feel at home. Oh on the contrary, He never stopped speaking His message. He refused to be politically correct! Apostle Paul also records his own relationship with people of different faiths. In I Cor 9: 20-22, he mentions that he finds common ground with people of different faiths, but guess what? He does that intentionally, why? in order to share the gospel. In Col 4:5, He encouraged other Christians to live wisely among those who are not in the faith, and to make the most of every opportunity. And in 1 Peter 3:15, Apostle Peter exhorts that we prepare ourselves to share what we believe, in a gentle and respectful way, when an opportunity presents itself.

So it appears that the position of scripture is that we mustn’t suspend, deny or hide our beliefs from others, but learn to communicate them with dignity and with grace.

My dear listener, Christianity is not based on blind faith. There is evidence for the bible; evidence outside of the bible that Jesus lived, died and resurrected and this makes Christianity unique and worth telling. The bible is not silent on the matter of speaking to others about our faith, so no one who names the name of Christ, should be silent too.

I pray for myself and for every one listening, that our tolerance for non-Christians around us, will never ever translate to neutrality. I pray that we will be filled with the wisdom to recognise and the courage to seize every opportunity to say something about Christ, even if it is simply to plant a seed in someone’s heart. I pray this in Jesus name, amen.