What shall we tell them?

[Richard OFfill]

I was returning from a week end. On the same plane was a man who was accompanying two hundred young people on a mission trip to Nicaragua.

His personal testimony brought tears to my eyes. His testimony was all about what Jesus was doing and had done in his life. He told me about the Fruit of the Spirit and how it is influencing his life with Christ. I wept as he laid his hand on my shoulder and prayed for me. (We ministers pray with others. It is not often that people pray with us.)

Later I asked myself who or what is the center of my life. Often we will say, "the truth". We live and preach the "truth" but in my life this truth is more often than not the doctrines of our church. I pray to Jesus to help me to be faithful to the "truth". The issue it seems that we must ask ourselves is, is the truth a what or is it a who?
Perhaps the problem is that the Pentecostals have a copyright on the Holy Spirit and the Baptist a copyright on being born again. We generally give little emphasis to being born again, but rather to accepting the truth. We pray for the Latter Rain but what for? To finish the "work". What I am saying is that my life tends to use Jesus as a means to an end and not the end in itself. We can't love the Ten Commandments for the simple reason that they can't love us.

 The gospel in the early church was about one thing and that was Jesus. I am reminded of the man who wanted to follow Jesus after the Lord had cast out the devils. Jesus told him that rather he should go home and tell others what Jesus had done for him. "Sharing our faith" must be the story of what Jesus is doing in our own lives. Tell them about the Mark of the Beast, the state of the dead or all the rest, but it all begins in telling of a crucified and risen Lord and then what He has and is doing in our lives

[Raven]

We can't love the Ten Commandments for the simple reason that they can't love us.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.  Ps. 119:97. 

I really am a troublemaker.    Maybe Larry will ban me. 

Otherwise, I agree with the points you made.

[newbie]

when sharing, often I hear the retort, " oh, I"m a ________" or "I'm not changing my religion"

when I hear these things..first, I try not to be moved but rather say,
don't you want to know Jesus and have a relationship with Him?  Most will then say, "Yes" and then I can usually get them to take a book or two or even a bible. 
the point being, that I agree with, is that if they have Jesus in their hearts, it is a first step
and then Jesus will show them the truth in due time if they continue to pray and read the Word of God daily
Yes, Jesus IS THE precious TRUTH. 
He will then open their eyes to all the rest

[Listen]

Have heard Ivor Myers talk about the 10 commandments as the wedding vows between us and Christ. 

"the truth". 
John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

[Larry Lyons]

We can't love the Ten Commandments for the simple reason that they can't love us.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.  Ps. 119:97. 

I really am a troublemaker.    Maybe Larry will ban me. 

Otherwise, I agree with the points you made.

Raven, you could change meditation to medication and it would still work.

[Raven]

Raven, you could change meditation to medication and it would still work.

 

[Ed Sutton]

The holy law spoken by God from Sinai is a part of Himself, and holy men who are its strict observers will alone honor Him by teaching it to others.  {EW 101.2} 

Tell them about the Law - yes and the Author of -law and how it is part of Him. 

God's love for the angelic host is as a part of Himself, direct and positive in its divinity. God's love for the human race is a peculiar form--a love born of mercy, for the human subject is all-undeserving. . . .  {TMK 46.3} 
     Mercy implies the imperfection of the object upon which it is bestowed. Because of man's imperfection, mercy was brought into active existence. Sin is not the object of God's love, but of His hatred. Yet He pities the sinner, because the guilty one bears the Creator's image and has received from Him the capabilities that make it possible for him to become a son of God, not through his own merits, but through the imputed merits of Jesus Christ, through the great sacrifice the Saviour has made in his behalf. . . .  {TMK 46.4} 

Tell of God's love and mercy - love and mercy so great that - words fail to tell - so God sent Jesus the One most like Himself to live it teach it tutor it, model it in front of the people He came to save.   

But keep going - tell them  ....... 

Christ's true followers will represent Him in character. They will turn aside from worldly policy, and every day will train themselves for service in God's cause. In active service they find peace and hope, efficiency and power. They breathe the atmosphere of heaven, the only atmosphere in which the soul can truly live. By obedience they are made partakers of the divine nature. The doing of the living principles of God's law makes them one with Christ; and because He lives, they will live also. At the last day He will raise them as a part of himself. He declares, "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." "This is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." Christ became one with us in order that we might become one with Him in divinity.  {RH, June 18, 1901 par. 7} 

Colossians 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

John 17:
22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 ¶  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25  O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

There is lots of stuff to tell them everything is centered in Jesus law grace, conversion, baptism of water & Spirit, all the church doctrines, prophecies, types, symbols - everything,Biblically intertwine everything as being part of Jesus-His work of salvation, Father God His Beloved Father, Master over Him, the Holy Ghost as His partner.

  Christ was the spirit of truth. The world will not listen to His pleadings. They would not accept Him as their guide. They could not discern unseen things; spiritual things were unknown to them. But His disciples see in Him the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And they shall have His abiding presence. They shall have an experimental knowledge of the only true God and of Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. To them He says: You will no more say, I cannot comprehend. No longer shall you see through a glass darkly; you shall comprehend with all saints what is the length and depth and breadth and height of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. The honor of God, the honor of Jesus Christ, is involved in the perfection of your character. Your work is to co-operate with Christ, that you may be complete in Him. In being united to Him by faith, believing and receiving Him, you become a part of Himself. Your character is His glory revealed in you. And when you shall appear in His presence, you will find the benediction awaiting you, "Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things: I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." {SW, October 25, 1898 par. 2}