Getting people 'saved' is such a hassle

[Joanna]

In churches where they believe you have to be converted (saved) to go to heaven and not hell, they expect all Christians to preach to (witness to) unbelievers to convert them with the message, "If you don't accept Jesus you go to hell."  I was rebuked for not peaching this Gospel message and told that I was not doing my duty as a Christian.  I felt very uncomfortable about preaching hell and damnation to people as I will explain and I refused to do it.  Many people hate being preached to in this way.  I've seen others preach hell and get an angry or offended reaction or even verbal abuse from those they preach to.  Thank goodness Universal Salvation means we can speak about our faith in a more positive way by saying there's no eternal hell and all will be saved (but some Christians are so adamant that non-believers go to hell, they are aghast if we say there's no eternal hell and accuse us of not speaking the truth).

[Ross]

The methods of man are not good; we persist, but are not accurate when working to our own interpretation, which is what is happening in most churches.

Jesus makes a key point;
John 8;7 " The man without sin among you, let him be the first to throw the stone at her."
They all left.

Paul makes the point to the Thessalonians;

1 Thess 2;7 " Although we could have made demands as Apostles of Christ,
                    we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother tenderly nursing her own children."

1 Thess 2;11 " as you know, we treat each one of you as a father would treat his own children."

1 Thess 4;11,12 " Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,
                      to attend to your own affairs, and to work with your own hands as we commanded you.
                      In this way you will live a proper life and be dependent on nobody."

Not talked about in the church I used to attend.

I.M.O trying to convert people is not our job, we just live as examples and answer questions as asked, but God converts and makes people grow.

1 Cor 3;6,7  " I planted, Apollos watered, but God has been causing the growth.
                    So neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters is anything,
                    but God is the One causing the growth."

The time management of the process is in the hand of God, and He does not work to the 24/7 program. Peter points out that 1000 years a like a day for God.
We try to rush God.
Love conquers all and will not fail.

[sheila]

Amen........

[marie glen]

Amen, Ross! Very true! :gimmefive:

In churches where they believe you have to be converted (saved) to go to heaven and not hell, they expect all Christians to preach to (witness to) unbelievers to convert them with the message, "If you don't accept Jesus you go to hell."  I was rebuked for not peaching this Gospel message and told that I was not doing my duty as a Christian.  I felt very uncomfortable about preaching hell and damnation to people as I will explain and I refused to do it.  Many people hate being preached to in this way.  I've seen others preach hell and get an angry or offended reaction or even verbal abuse from those they preach to.  Thank goodness Universal Salvation means we can speak about our faith in a more positive way by saying there's no eternal hell and all will be saved (but some Christians are so adamant that non-believers go to hell, they are aghast if we say there's no eternal hell and accuse us of not speaking the truth).

...Amen, it's a very strongly held belief.. for some reason.. There's a few things on Earth which seem to me, to be like enchantments.. things, ways of thinking which defy logic so much.. It sometimes feels like a twilight zone! ..The shadow.. of the valley.. this strange sojourn.. It's just weird how strong some (strange) ideas can be! :doh: :mshock:

   

[rosered]

  Amen,  well said !!