Lee Strobel, a converted atheist, is not a stranger to excuses against acceptance of Christ. He writes about others he has met that are hiding behind what he calls "smokescreens". One Hindu man in India walked away from a conversation about Christ because he did not want to give up cockfighting. Another college student in New York admitted that the Bible "speaks the truth" but did not accept Christ because he had "a very active sex life". He knew "Christ would want to change that", but he was not ready to make that change. Atheist Aldous Huxley wrote that his unwillingness to give up his sexual freedom was also a major impediment to his accepting Christ.
The Good, The Bad, The Reflective
The Good- At least the people discussed by the author were intellectually and emotionally honest enough to articulate their reasons for not accepting Christ. How many of us know people who have "accepted" Christ but not made major lifestyle changes. I know that my life for many years was in this camp. Rather than having the integrity to admit my life was out of step with God, I continued to play church all the while living a private life that truly "grieved the Holy Spirit". How much damage did I do the Kingdom of God by talking the talk, but living a sinful life? Is it better to be open about rejecting Christ than to profess Christ in word only?
The Bad- The people written about in UE 24 will go to Hell if they continue their unwillingness to accept Christ.** While the spiritual honesty displayed is an admirable quality, it will not excuse refusal to accept Christ as one's personal savior. The rich young ruler in Matthew walked away from Jesus because he "was one who owned much property".
The Reflective- So many times, the unsaved view Christianity as a list of prohibitions. Is this because we have presented the Gospel as such, or is it because people use the "don'ts" from scripture as a convenient excuse for a continued rejection of Christ? Most would agree that it is a mixture of both. Hopefully the Church today is moving away from the "don'ts" of Christianity to the benefits of following Christ. Lee lists several of these:
1. free forgiveness
2. a clean conscience
3. security
4. guidance
5. fulfillment
6. peace of mind
7. freedom from guilt and shame
8. promise of eternal life
9. power over self-destructive behavior
10. "the unique hope that comes from being intimately connected with the God of the universe"
I agree that this list does catalog most of the benefits that are bestowed on a person who accepts Christ, but therein lies the rub. If I am going to "sell" this list of benefits to unbelievers, am I exhibiting these in my own life. "Hey, lost person, Jesus Christ can give you peace of mind. Man I didn't sleep last night because of that whole Egypt thing and how it will affect gas prices."
"Yo, person without Christ, God can give you sense of fulfillment. Why do I even bother to get up in the morning and come to work?"
A good salesman believes in his product. A Honda dealer had better drive a Honda. A Serta mattress rep had better not be sleeping on a Tempur-Pedic. Am I a living example of the benefits Christ gives to Christians?
**One slam on Christianity is the close-mindedness of Christ's followers. How does one state the unequivocal truth about eternal damnation yet not come across close-minded, unloving and judgmental?
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