Why is converting people so important

  • Thread starter Thread starter uglygal
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
U

uglygal

Guest
It seems most Christians are more interested in converting people to their way of thinking rather than bringing God’s light to people. How many formula’s are there, repeat after me, I take Christ as my Saviour - there! your saved. Good for you. Next please.

Why not focus on saving your soul and loving God rather than trying to “save others”?. In all honesty … how many desires to convert people are motivated by selfish desires, politics, bums on seats? - as opposed to genuine concern for the other person. Sadly I’ve noticed this attitude rear its head here in these forums 😦

Take a moment and think about it. Be honest.
My opinion is that there is too many.

What about loving God and drawing close to God’s love? Allowing your self to be drawn to Him and consumed completely. Did you know that when you allow yourself to be drawn into His love, everyone around you is drawn too. When God draws you, He draws those around you? You don’t live in a vacuum.

I have experience this in my life. When I allow God to draw me, all those around me are drawn too, even my partner who was a staunch atheist - and not one word had to be spoken. Love calls to love. Love never fails. 🙂

I’m not directing this post at anyone in particular … just food for thought. Esp among “conversion” religions like Christianity and Islam where numbers seems to take priority and ‘growing’ v ‘diminishing’ numbers of believers is a thing of pride or concern.

God is God. As he has called me and you, He will call men and women till the end of time to walk in way of His Love. Have confidence in this 🙂

I’m not sure if this is the right forum to ask this question in? But I would like to know what people think of this in the context of catholic spirituality and evangelisation - not only in theological terms but also on a practical day to day basis.

Thankyou for your time 🙂
 
Most simple answer I can provide is that it is written in the Bible ‘‘Go forth and make disciples of all nations’’ (Matthew 28:19) Part of the compassion that comes with following Christ is that we don’t want other people to go to Hell.

God Bless

Peter
 
Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. 16 So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Acts 13: 47 For so the Lord hath commanded us: I have set thee to be the light of the Gentiles; that thou mayest be for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth. 48 And the Gentiles hearing it, were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to life everlasting, believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout the whole country.
 
hi uglygal and welcome to CAF. Thank you for your post, but aren’t you trying to convince someone to follow your own thinking here? 😉

Remember that God does call us by using his people. If He had never done that, we had no prophets, no apostles and us being here to discuss about God.

Good verses, TOP.

Thanks all.
 
If you love other people, you will desire that they share in the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Its a gift that can not be horded, but must be shared.

Sure, there are those who are “in-your-face” type evangelist. But don’t misunderstand their intentions. They’re not trying to get you to think like them, in order to satisfy their own ego, but rather, they have experienced a love, joy and peace through Jesus Christ, that goes beyond what they can express in words. Their exuberance, is merely their heart-felt desire to share the gift of faith with you.

Jim
 
water said:
hi uglygal and welcome to CAF. Thank you for your post, but aren’t you trying to convince someone to follow your own thinking here? 😉
Click to expand...
A convenient reply I get tired of answering, so I won’t. :rolleyes:

The essence of my question is seeking conversion that is far removed from charity or genuine care - conversion that is politically motivated. In the biblical quotes forwarded, there is no instruction to seek conversion for intellectual satisfaction, religious affluence or power.

So how/why is it the essence of evangelisation so often?
 
uglygal said:
A convenient reply I get tired of answering, so I won’t. :rolleyes:

The essence of my question is seeking conversion that is far removed from charity or genuine care - conversion that is politically motivated. In the biblical quotes forwarded, there is no instruction to seek conversion for intellectual satisfaction, religious affluence or power.

So how/why is it the essence of evangelisation so often?
Click to expand...
Is it possible certain political leaders believe it is easier to control people when they all have the same belief set? So they influence people to evangelise on such a massive scale?
 
JimR-OCDS said:
If you love other people, you will desire that they share in the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Its a gift that can not be horded, but must be shared.
Click to expand...
Agreed, though that’s not the evangelizing I’m curious about 🙂 That all should be done with genuine love is beyond question (well to me at least).
Sure, there are those who are “in-your-face” type evangelist. But don’t misunderstand their intentions. They’re not trying to get you to think like them, in order to satisfy their own ego, but rather, they have experienced a love, joy and peace through Jesus Christ, that goes beyond what they can express in words. Their exuberance, is merely their heart-felt desire to share the gift of faith with you.
Click to expand...
Jim
Click to expand...
When those who evangelise make statements like; “Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world”, or “Christianity is the largest religion in the world” … I really can’t see any intent behind such a remark other than to assert supremacy or intimidate - depending on your audience.

Please don’t misunderstand that my question is about genuine conversion - it is about the “souls market” in which seeking conversion turns souls into commodities that must be won and retained.

Thankyou for your time,
In His Love 🙂
 
Only speaking for myself, I have never evangelized anyone for political or power reasons. It is as the others have mentioned… because the gift of grace I have received is so wonderful and life-changing that I want to share it with whoever will listen. I especially wish it for those I care most about… my family and dearest friends. I do not force anything, but I share with them and pray for them always. We are called to do that. As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the light,” and that “No one comes to the father except through Him.” Therefore, we feel it important to share Him with whoever will listen. How can souls be saved and come to faith if no one preaches and teaches- if no one shares their faith with them? Faith is contagious- but you have to share it.
 
uglygal said:
A convenient reply I get tired of answering, so I won’t. :rolleyes:

The essence of my question is seeking conversion that is far removed from charity or genuine care - conversion that is politically motivated. In the biblical quotes forwarded, there is no instruction to seek conversion for intellectual satisfaction, religious affluence or power.

So how/why is it the essence of evangelisation so often?
Click to expand...
Thank you for replying even when you were tired of it. 😉

how/why? - you don’t live for only yourself.
 
The Holy Spirit is the only One Who can convert souls.

Alot of damage can be done when people rely on their own ‘self’ to speak of God.

I don’t think people have bad motives for wanting others to share in the Kingdom of God, it is a generous intent to desire every man come to God however when people set about trying to convert people they do not know the depths of the soul they are preaching at.

Jesus didn’t chase after people, if they walked off from Him after hearing Him He didn’t say ‘Hang on a minute, don’t you want these wondeful gifts of Life I have to give you here for free because I am God and am Good and Kind when you are only a sinner’.

Jesus stood back and the people came to Him as He drew them to do so. Jesus went about doing good and established a people on earth that are His and this is His sign to others, the sign of the enduring Church on earth. This sign is the most powerful witness to God, the life we are leading and our kindness, mercy, justice, righteousness lived in Jesus by His grace and our willingness to forgive each other and to repent of our sins.

I think when we get into lecturing other people and presume they are not close to God then we are not so close to God ourself. It is a very dodgy area indeed and a fine line to tread where more harm can be done than good.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are His gifts not ours and we cannot impart faith to men, only God can.

We may state Truths about the faith, but we have nothing about us that will make a soul convert. The only ‘tools’ we have for the conversion of souls is to follow Jesus ourself, to pray a great deal for the conversion of souls and to offer our lives daily to Jesus united to His Cross for the conversion of souls.

I personally have not brought one soul to God, but the Holy Spirit has brought them all to Himself and if by some kind word or kind deed I may have sown a seed (perhaps I have, perhaps I haven’t, I don’t know) then this is the grace and kindness of God because no man is receptive unless God imparts grace and gifts and they by their own free will embrace them.

We are not to prostelyze, we are to pray a great deal and do the best we can in our lives to live a good Catholic faith doing the best we can not to lose or waste God’s grace and gifts which we have done nothing to merit.

In the Living Prayer of my life
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top