Being militant while being a good Christian

[Bill_7154]

I also have a question. When you’re talking about religion with someone and you’re getting to a point that you know will impact them and show that they are guilty, should you avoid it or not?

For example, I am thinking about when I want to talk about the importance of going to mass every week, but I know that the person I am speaking with doesn’t. Or about the importance of chastity, and the person that I am speaking with has given up on it. Etc. It often happens that perfectly normal conversations are going to naturally come around to a point that I feel in my heart is probably going to “slam” them.

.

The way I look at it, God didn’t put me on this earth with instructions to do everything possible to ensure that every human obey every Catholic rule, regardless of the circumstances, possible consequences, etc.

So what I might do in the above situations is talk about how it’s important to ME to go to Mass every week and the various ways I benefit from that. This is implanting a seed in that person

Same thing with Chastity, i will say what is important to me and why and what benefits I get from doing so.

Thus, leading by example rather than lecturing people.

 

[Bill_7154]

Hi Semper Zelare,

Thanks very much for your post. It hit home and was very helpful to me.

A good sermon would be one in which or through which the Holy Spirit worked. As long as you preach what the Holy Spirit wants you to, then it is successful.

We can’t define success on results. Because we’re not responsible for other people’s conversions, they are ultimately in charge of working out their salvation with fear and trembling- Philippians 2:2.

I think all the questions posed to me were in some way concerned about the person on the “receiving end” as it were, of the preaching. Well, as long as you preach the message of the Gospel, that’s all that matters. The audience shouldn’t be our primary concern, but knowing the Holy Spirit. If you know the Holy Spirit, He will give you the words to move the hearts of every person you preach to (if that’s His will).

When we get into arguments or conversations about religion with people, pray that the Holy Spirit will have equipped you with the words to speak. Our faith shouldn’t hinge on our ability to get a noticeable response or some crazy 180 degree transformation out of someone. If they walk away and will think about something you said, then that’s all that matters.

Before I speak I sometimes say a small prayer like this: “God, please be in my mind, on my lips, and in my heart” before speaking. Do you think this is a good approach?

And, if preaching hasn’t made even one person reflect on anything, if it has fallen only on deaf ears… than praise God anyways, because He heard you, and He enjoyed His name to be glorified even amongst an audience entirely deaf to the Gospel.

I know all of this is theologically sound, because we serve Christ not men. If our faith is utterly consumed by Christ, then there will be fruit (whether we see it or not). But the more our faith worries about what the world thinks, what atheists or whoever thinks… about being politically correct, and not being rejected for what we say… the less fruit we will bear.

Preach the Gospel for the ears of Christ alone. If it’s good enough for Christ, it’s good enough for anyone. And if it gets you rejected, PRAISE GOD that you were rejected for it!!!

Thanks again for this post, it was very helpful to me. It helped me better form my perspective in what I believe is a very important way.

God Bless,
Bill