There are essentially two ways to answer any question regarding Christianity. One is logically matter-of-fact and the other is compelling and personal. One clearly sheds light on the what of Christianity and the other the Who of our faith. While both are fine and have a place in our witness, the latter is decisively better. I suspect this is likely the reason why the Apostle Paul opts here to share about Who he knows rather than what he knows.
“Whom I Believe”
I’m treading gently here, but nevertheless, our faith has less to do with what we believe and everything to do with Who we believe in, submit to, and rely upon. Therefore, our most effective witness occurs when our focus is kept on Jesus and our relationship. Similarly, if you were telling someone about marriage, the better account would come not from a dictionary, but in the sharing of your personal relationship you enjoy with your spouse. This of course in no way diminishes the importance and vitality and truth of Biblical data.
What vs. Who
Reflect on what you know about the Bible and chances are you fall into one of these two categories:
a) You are not very knowledgeable and feel hindered by the fact that you do not know a lot.
b) You study the Bible a lot and have come to the realization that the more you learn the less you know.
Perfect
This is a wonderful position to be in and Paul, the biblical scholar, would agree (although he would never counsel anyone to not study the Bible. That would be ludicrous). The formerly blind man would also agree — he knew very little (if anything) of God‘s word. However, he was more than willing and able to share about his relationship with his Savior Jesus.
Sometimes all you have is all you need.
“One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” John 9:25
- What does the verse tell us about Jesus?
- What does it tell us about ourselves?
- What if anything should be changed?
These articles may or may not be related:
- 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy (tylersheart.wordpress.com)
- God Encounters / Transformed (jimf.wordpress.com)
- God Encounters / Transformed (j4man.wordpress.com)
- A Case Study of Common Evangelical Objections to Orthodoxy (orthocath.wordpress.com)
- An Interview With A New Testament Scholar (jamaljivanjee.com)
- I do not understand 8-point progressive Christianity (johnmeunier.wordpress.com)
- Galatians 6:14 Bible Verse of the Day (momsfirstscreenn.wordpress.com)
- The Way (How to walk in it) (worksbyjjchristianblogs.wordpress.com)
- God Encounters / Not I But… (j4man.wordpress.com)
- God Encounters / Not I But… (jimf.wordpress.com)
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HI David, I enjoyed your thought-provoking blog. I appreciate your focus on personal evangelism. Certainly, it is important for us, as God’s people, to share Christ with our neighbors in whatever way we can. Often, it is appropriate to share aspects of our relationship with Him. However, I think you may have overstated both the importance and usefulness of this method.
As a matter of record, when sharing the Gospel, the apostles most often did not talk about their personal relationships with Jesus (see the Book of Acts or the Epistles for confirmation). On the other hand, all evangelism/preaching that follows the Biblical examples points to Jesus and makes personal appeals (to the hearers). True preaching/evangelism is not just a restatement of facts of the Gospel, although sharing the Gospel cannot be accomplished without stating the facts of the Gospel. This being the case, I think the characterization of “matter-of fact” preaching v. “personal” preaching is overstated.
You wrote: “There are essentially two ways to answer any question regarding Christianity. One is logically matter-of-fact and the other is compelling and personal. One clearly sheds light on the what of Christianity and the other the Who of our faith. While both are fine and have a place in our witness, the latter is decisively better.”
I think both ways are matter-of-fact, and both are compelling. Only one way makes use of personal reference, and that way, while appearing in the NT, is not as prevalent as what you characterize as the “decisively better” way. In my reading of the NT, they are both good — and neither is better than the other.
Good word Chuck and of course, very much appreciated. I agree in that I understated my explanation (I suppose I was addressing a particular sort of Christian and I did not elaborate on what sort that was). My aim was to bring ease to the one(s) who might not be well informed (Biblically) and assure them that what they knew to be true of Christ Jesus by means of their personal experience was enough to plant a valid seed. At the same time (by means of implication) I was addressing those who tend to smack others over their heads with Biblical knowledge only serving to alienate them.
Although I did give the ‘whats’ of the faith honorable mention, I see how it might appear that I somehow diminished the significance of a becoming a true student of the word. Certainly not my intent. As I wrote, “I’m treading gently here…” I knew the ground was both sacred and vital.
God bless you Chuck.