Chapter 18 - The Disciple and Unbelievers
Bonhoeffer- 'But the Christian is not only forbidden to judge other men, even the word of salvation has its limits. He has neither power nor right to force it upon other men in season and out of season. Every attempt to impose the gospel by force, to run after people and proselytize them, to use our own resources to arrange the salvation of other people, is both futile and dangerous. It is futile, because the swine do not recognize the pearls that are cast before them, and dangerous because it profanes the word of forgiveness, by causing those we fain would serve, to sin against that which is holy. Worse still we shall only meet with the blind rage of hardened and darkened hearts, and that will be useless and harmful. Our easy trafficking with the word of cheap grace simply bores the world to disgust, so that in the end it turns against those who try to force on it what it does not want. Thus a strict limit is placed upon the activities of the disciples, just as in Matt 10 they are told to shake the dust off their feet where the word of peace is refused a healing.
But the word of God in its weakness takes the risk of meeting the scorn of men and being rejected. There are hearts which are hardened and doors which are closed to the Word.'
Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Received.
There is difference in being received and forcing yourself upon someone. And that is in any sense of the word. You can tell when people want to listen to you and are readily hearing what you're saying and when they aren't. To go before people and preach at them all the while they are growing more and more angry at you, despising you for forcing your words upon them, is wrong.
Bonhoeffer speaks the truth of it. As disciples of Christ we are to bring the word to others, this is the command of our Savior. If we don't listen to our Savior we are willfully desiring to harden our own hearts. Some are not preachers, or evangelists, but all the disciples of Christ live a life that allows that life to be witness to others and should ANY opportunities arise to speak the word of God we are to do so, all through the Holy Spirit. We can speak but only the Holy Spirit convicts the hearts of people, not us. Not the most eloquent speech ever given can convict a single heart of truth. The power lies in Christ through the Holy Spirit, not in us. We are to speak and the Holy Spirit does the rest if a person is seeking truth in Christ. If we don't speak when we are prompted to, then we are accountable for that lost opportunity. However, we are NOT to force the word of God upon anyone at all. There are religions, there are groups of people who believe they have to force others to hear, as if forcing them to hear alone would convince them of the truth, as if force is something GOOD and not evil. Our God does not FORCE. If you've had the word of God forced upon you, as many a child will say of their upbringing, and others who've been caught up in a zealot's rant- it does no good.
Speaking of God and allowing others to hear as they wish to hear, to receive as they are willing to receive is what God wants.
When the disciples are told to shake the dust off their feet after leaving a house or city that does not receive the word of Truth being spoken, they are being told that for a reason.
First, they have to realize that not all will receive the truth of Salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Secondly, they have to comprehend that they've done the will of God by offering the gift of truth. Thirdly, they need to fully understand that once they've done all they could to give the truth, if it's rejected they are finished with trying to give it to those people, that city, again. Does that mean any of those rejecting the truth can't later come to it? No. But, God does not want His disciples to do anything remotely like forcing the word on anyone.
God's word must be WILLINGLY received- always- if it's to be truth to Salvation in Jesus Christ.
Bonhoeffer- 'But the Christian is not only forbidden to judge other men, even the word of salvation has its limits. He has neither power nor right to force it upon other men in season and out of season. Every attempt to impose the gospel by force, to run after people and proselytize them, to use our own resources to arrange the salvation of other people, is both futile and dangerous. It is futile, because the swine do not recognize the pearls that are cast before them, and dangerous because it profanes the word of forgiveness, by causing those we fain would serve, to sin against that which is holy. Worse still we shall only meet with the blind rage of hardened and darkened hearts, and that will be useless and harmful. Our easy trafficking with the word of cheap grace simply bores the world to disgust, so that in the end it turns against those who try to force on it what it does not want. Thus a strict limit is placed upon the activities of the disciples, just as in Matt 10 they are told to shake the dust off their feet where the word of peace is refused a healing.
But the word of God in its weakness takes the risk of meeting the scorn of men and being rejected. There are hearts which are hardened and doors which are closed to the Word.'
Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Received.
There is difference in being received and forcing yourself upon someone. And that is in any sense of the word. You can tell when people want to listen to you and are readily hearing what you're saying and when they aren't. To go before people and preach at them all the while they are growing more and more angry at you, despising you for forcing your words upon them, is wrong.
Bonhoeffer speaks the truth of it. As disciples of Christ we are to bring the word to others, this is the command of our Savior. If we don't listen to our Savior we are willfully desiring to harden our own hearts. Some are not preachers, or evangelists, but all the disciples of Christ live a life that allows that life to be witness to others and should ANY opportunities arise to speak the word of God we are to do so, all through the Holy Spirit. We can speak but only the Holy Spirit convicts the hearts of people, not us. Not the most eloquent speech ever given can convict a single heart of truth. The power lies in Christ through the Holy Spirit, not in us. We are to speak and the Holy Spirit does the rest if a person is seeking truth in Christ. If we don't speak when we are prompted to, then we are accountable for that lost opportunity. However, we are NOT to force the word of God upon anyone at all. There are religions, there are groups of people who believe they have to force others to hear, as if forcing them to hear alone would convince them of the truth, as if force is something GOOD and not evil. Our God does not FORCE. If you've had the word of God forced upon you, as many a child will say of their upbringing, and others who've been caught up in a zealot's rant- it does no good.
Speaking of God and allowing others to hear as they wish to hear, to receive as they are willing to receive is what God wants.
When the disciples are told to shake the dust off their feet after leaving a house or city that does not receive the word of Truth being spoken, they are being told that for a reason.
First, they have to realize that not all will receive the truth of Salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord. Secondly, they have to comprehend that they've done the will of God by offering the gift of truth. Thirdly, they need to fully understand that once they've done all they could to give the truth, if it's rejected they are finished with trying to give it to those people, that city, again. Does that mean any of those rejecting the truth can't later come to it? No. But, God does not want His disciples to do anything remotely like forcing the word on anyone.
God's word must be WILLINGLY received- always- if it's to be truth to Salvation in Jesus Christ.
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