How would you respond?

[Beck]

jasmine said:

elderbeck said:

yep! No greater love!!!

(cmon sister jazz post the lyrics to the song.. I know you know them...lol)

You bet I Do! I used to directo this song at my last church.

Verse
For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son.
The Son gave His life for me,
when He died on Calvary.

There is no greater love,
no love nowhere, no greater love;
than a man would lay down His life for a friend,
no love nowhere, I've searched all over.

Chorus 1
Sop-There is no greater love,
Alto-there is no greater love,
Tenor- there is no greater love,
Sop- no greater
All -love.

Bridge
No greater love,
than a man would lay down His life for a friend.

Chorus 2
No greater love x8


Vamp 1
Jesus went to Calvary
to save a wretch,
like you and me;
that's love, that's love.

Vamp 2
They hung Him wide,
they strecthed Him wide.
He hung His head, and then He died;
that's love, that's love.

Vamp 3
That's not how the story ends,
three days later He rose again;
that's love, that's love.

Hetemoshunda... that song gets my soul stirred.... ;D

[Grace]

The sacrifice was the fact that he died for the sins of others. He had no sins that he had committed. So no matter if it was 3 days or 3 years the bottom line is a innocent man died in place of all those who were truly guilty. thats sacrifice.

[MsKayLander]

Why then, was it so hard to respond to this person??

[ybrown]

Her focus was/is on the length of time and the fact that since He's Almighty God, her rationale is, being a sacrifice for a short period of time wouldn't be that difficult since He's got eternity to live again.

This is someone on a Christian messageboard that I go to. She's an unbeliever, but she keeps coming back to ask questions on a Christian messageboard! God is in control. She doesn't know that He's the one working in her.

[MsKayLander]

But based on what you said, you stumbled too and I was just curious as to how that would have stumped you?

[keita]

ybrown said:

Her focus was/is on the length of time...

I think it's so interesting and rather unique that the length of time was/is a focus point for her. Our God of eternity can indeed be hard to conceive of through the human construct of time and all its constraints. I think scriptures like this:

"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (2 Peter 3:8)

are intended to help us better understand that very issue.

and the fact that since He's Almighty God,...

It's wonderful that she's acknowledging that truth because the bible says:

"...for he that cometh to God must believe that He is" (Hebrews 11:6)

Well her rationale is, being a sacrifice for a short period of time wouldn't be that difficult since He's got eternity to live again.

LOL! I think that could actually be said to be a BIG part of God's "rationale" and message through Christ to believers.

This is someone on a Christian messageboard that I go to. She's an unbeliever, but she keeps coming back to ask questions on a Christian messageboard! God is in control. She doesn't know that He's the one working in her.

Amen!

[And Such Were Some Of You]

misskaylander said:

But based on what you said, you stumbled too and I was just curious as to how that would have stumped you?

That was also my question but didn't want to put it out there.

[And Such Were Some Of You]

ybrown said:

Her focus was/is on the length of time and the fact that since He's Almighty God, her rationale is, being a sacrifice for a short period of time wouldn't be that difficult since He's got eternity to live again.

This is someone on a Christian messageboard that I go to. She's an unbeliever, but she keeps coming back to ask questions on a Christian messageboard! God is in control. She doesn't know that He's the one working in her.

Then her focus is wrong and needs to be redirected. It appears that she sees the sacrifice as the length of time He was in the grave instead of Him dying on the cross for our sins. That is what she needs to understand.

[Grace]

Very interesting we had this conversation last night in my class. Thats why we should take them straight to the word of God. The fact of it is right int he scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15 :3 - 7. Here we are not focusing on the length of time but the mere fact that he died and the proof that he rose from the grave. That is the important thing that we can give to the unbeliver.

[And Such Were Some Of You]

grace said:

Very interesting we had this conversation last night in my class. Thats why we should take them straight to the word of God. The fact of it is right int he scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15 :3 - 7. Here we are not focusing on the length of time but the mere fact that he died and the proof that he rose from the grave. That is the important thing that we can give to the unbeliver.

Amen, Grace!

Because of His sacrificial death, we now can have enternal life! The fact that He rose again shows His victory over death, hell and the grave.

[ybrown]

andsuchweresomeofu said:

misskaylander said:

But based on what you said, you stumbled too and I was just curious as to how that would have stumped you?

That was also my question but didn't want to put it out there.

Why? Aint no shame in asking a question, and even less than that in answering!

Being Christians and knowing the nature of Almighty God, we know the nature of the sacrifice. Since she doesn't know the Word, she saw days and easy burden, not sacrifice.

Her statement came out because everyone was explaining Christ's sacrifice and obviously she didn't understand.

I stumbled in trying to come up with another way to help her understand since every explanation had been exhausted. I wanted to come up with a simple analogy that she would understand.

I hope this makes things a little more clearer than my initial post.

[Beck]

grace said:

Very interesting we had this conversation last night in my class. Thats why we should take them straight to the word of God. The fact of it is right int he scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15 :3 - 7. Here we are not focusing on the length of time but the mere fact that he died and the proof that he rose from the grave. That is the important thing that we can give to the unbeliver.

you have to remember that you are dealing with an unbeliever. so taking them to the word of God really wouldnt help unless you can first bring a clearer and easier method of explaining the word. Jesus understood his audience and used things to dumb down his point..IE parables so that they could understand... he didnt just break out the scrolls and start showin them what the prophets said or what the law said.

[ybrown]

elderbeck said:

you have to remember that you are dealing with an unbeliever. so taking them to the word of God really wouldnt help unless you can first bring a clearer and easier method of explaining the word. Jesus understood his audience and used things to dumb down his point..IE parables so that they could understand... he didnt just break out the scrolls and start showin them what the prophets said or what the law said.

You're so right, Beck. A lot of times, words on a messageboard will be the only Word a lot of unbelievers get. They're looking for answers and will never open up a bible. But if you say something that addresses their questions or stumbling blocks, you can reach them.

[Grace]

you have to remember that you are dealing with an unbeliever. so taking them to the word of God really wouldnt help unless you can first bring a clearer and easier method of explaining the word. Jesus understood his audience and used things to dumb down his point..IE parables so that they could understand... he didnt just break out the scrolls and start showin them what the prophets said or what the law said.

I agree that is why we are to take the Gospel "good news". But where is the good news? In the word of God the scriptures. Thats our problem we try to take them every where but to the word of God.

[Beck]

grace said:

you have to remember that you are dealing with an unbeliever. so taking them to the word of God really wouldn't help unless you can first bring a clearer and easier method of explaining the word. Jesus understood his audience and used things to dumb down his point..IE parables so that they could understand... he didn't just break out the scrolls and start showing them what the prophets said or what the law said.

I agree that is why we are to take the Gospel "good news". But where is the good news? In the word of God the scriptures. Thats our problem we try to take them every where but to the word of God.

Understood, but sometimes your heart can't accept what your mind can't understand...So with some people you need to bring understanding first to their level in order to bring them to the bigger picture. I think every Christian understand that our authority is not in our philosophical or theological positions but in the word of God, thats the big picture!