Sharing Your Faith in Tolerant Times
Fath, A Solution to the World’s Problems?
Sharing your faith can be both exciting and intimidating. This is because we live in a society where people have many different views concerning God and religion.
We also live in a world that strives to promote tolerance of all beliefs because everyone has a right to their opinion. Consequently, individuals who stand firm in their convictions may be labeled as close-minded, arrogant, or hateful.
With that said, sincere Christians have an answer to the hopelessness, fear, anxiety, depression, and identity crisis people experience. So how can we tell others about this solution in ways that cause as little offense as possible?
I will use the remainder of this article to explain faith from a biblical perspective. Then I’ll highlight the importance of sharing your faith, some dos and don’ts, and common objections you may experience.
Defining Faith
Believing in God the Father
Before explaining the importance of sharing your beliefs, let’s define faith from a biblical perspective. Hebrews 11:1 says, “now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (King James Version).
For Christians, the substance of what we hope for but cannot see is a holy God who dwells in and governs the world from heaven. While God rules and reigns from above, the creation account also affirms him as an intentional creator who spoke the majority of creation into existence.
Humanity is the sole exception since God didn’t speak human beings into existence. Instead, God forms the first human from dust and then breathes life into his nostrils.
After breathing life into Adam, Elohim uses the man’s rib to create Eve and resides among them in the cool of the day. Elohim’s detailed involvement when forming humanity proves he is an intimate deity who loves to commune with humanity.
Unfortunately, humanity’s fall due to sin (and listening to Satan’s lies) creates a rift separating God from man. Thankfully, Genesis 3:15 promises that God will bring forth a seed that will crush Satan’s head.
But before that seed comes, God uses imperfect people who display great faith in key moments of obedience. These individuals live out Hebrews 11:6 as their trust in God bears witness to him.
Spreading the Gospel
The Importance of Sharing Your Faith in Jesus Christ
While they are recognized for their faith, only the promised seed can reconcile humanity back to God. Consequently, the promised seed (God’s only begotten son, Jesus Christ) died for our transgressions through crucifixion on a cross and rose from the tomb.
Everyone who believes this biblical account and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will have eternal life. This is what Christians call the good news of the Gospel.
Scripture suggests accepting this good news is a cause for celebration. At the same time, Jesus doesn’t expect us to keep this heart and life-transforming revelation to ourselves.
Through Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus mandates his disciples (and all future believers) to spread the Gospel throughout the world. Mark 16:15-18 echoes these sentiments while mentioning the spiritual gifts that affirm those who are truly believers.
These spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit’s power, enabling us to be effective witnesses all around the world.
Sharing Your Faith in the New Testament
Unlike modern Christians who rely on the Holy Spirit’s power, New Testament converts had physical encounters with Jesus, inspiring them to share their faith.
A Samaritan woman proves this by urging people to see a man who told her about everything she’d ever done. The invitation allows people from her village to experience and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior for themselves. The women’s willingness to be a witness shows that sharing your faith can bring salvation to an entire community.
Similarly, being unashamed of the Gospel can help lead families to eternal life. Paul and Silas confirm this while in prison for casting out a demon from a fortune teller who made her owners rich.
Their boldness allows them to lead a prison guard on the verge of suicide and his whole family to salvation. Paul and Silas’s example highlights God’s desire for families to be saved.
Their experience also teaches believers that, like Christ, we must suffer for the sake of the Gospel. How we behave during our suffering can be a display of faith in God that draws unbelievers to him.
If Paul and Silas had taken advantage of an opportunity to escape from prison, an entire family might have perished due to repentance.
Along with enduring imprisonment, God may allow someone to be born with a disability to demonstrate his miraculous power. A blind man validates this when Jesus heals him to expose the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. The blind man also testifies to the Pharisees, saying he’s unsure of Jesus’ identity but knows he gave him sight.
Sharing Your Faith Effectively
3 Dos and Don’ts for Sharing Your Faith
Share Your Testimony
Similar to the blind man Jesus heals, believers are encouraged to share their personal testimony.
Experts endorse this evangelistic method because personal experiences help unbelievers understand how Jesus can transform their lives. Mentioning personal experiences also makes the Gospel relatable and teaches people that they can receive Christ’s love despite past mistakes.
Here’s a helpful video about how to tell your conversion story from a class at Mt.Sinai Baptist Church, based on the book Becoming a Contagious Christian.
Don’t Forget the Gospel
While testimonies are specific to each person, no individual should be the star of their story. Instead, we must magnify the Gospel and the impact it’s made in our lives since our conversion.
The Gospel means believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose from the tomb. This grants believers victory over sin and eternal life.
Emphasizing the Gospel keeps the focus on Jesus Christ and his ability to transform the lives of those who choose to become his disciples.
Pray
Before trying to share the Gospel, pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the opportunities, wisdom, and boldness needed to do God’s will.
Depending on the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean a soul will always be converted. However, it does mean you are choosing to do the Lord’s work with the Holy Spirit’s guidance and not mere human strength. If nothing else, praying will assure you of God’s presence, power, and protection as you seek to fulfill the Great Commission.
Avoid Using Churchy Language
Fulfilling the Great Commission requires talking to people. Unfortunately, the words you use can hinder your ability to effectively share your faith.
Scholars suggest avoiding using Christianese or churchy language common among believers. Like Paul, we should use ordinary language reflecting the way we usually talk.
This prevents listeners from being confused by words and phrases they don’t understand.
Build Genuine Relationships
Along with not using confusing language, believers should build genuine relationships out of love. Taking the time to get to know others establishes trust.
Once trust is established, those you know personally will be willing to hear and respect your beliefs, even if they disagree. This is how your daily life can win the respect of unbelievers (1 Thessalonians 4:12, New Living Translation).
Don’t Argue or Force Conversion
When unbelievers express disagreement as you share your faith, don’t argue. Instead, patiently listen to their perspective and then end the conversation or change the subject.
Taking this approach allows you to maintain peace while demonstrating godly love. You can also demonstrate godly love by not forcing conversion on anyone. Believers must respect other people’s perspectives and hesitancy concerning Christianity.
While passion for the Gospel is necessary, Christians must remember that God is the one who draws unbelievers to Himself. All He wants believers to do is share the good news and live lives that honor Him.
Handling Objections When Sharing Your Faith
Along with living lives that honor God and not trying to force conversion on anyone, believers must know how to respond to objections. Three common objections believers may hear while sharing their faith are
- I’ve been hurt by Christians.
- Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
- I’m a good person
William Fay offers responses to these and many other objections in his book Share Jesus Without Fear. When talking to someone who’s been hurt by Christians, he suggests apologizing for their experience and emphasizing that Jesus wouldn’t harm them (William Fay, Sharing Jesus Without Fear, 1999, p.83).
From here, allow them to vent and understand that they may need to go through a healing process before giving their life to Christ. Knowing this, pray and trust that God will save them in due time.
Similar to those who’ve been hurt by Christians, some skeptics wonder why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Fay suggests explaining that we live in a fallen world where sin happens within everyone innately (Fay, 110). Fay also encourages believers to admit they don’t know why God doesn’t intervene when bad situations occur (Fay, 110).
Offering Forgiveness
That said, Fay also compels believers to mention that there is healing and forgiveness in Christ’s nail-scared hand (Fay, 110). When Fay makes this offer to a student who was molested, she prays and promises God she will eventually forgive her offenders (Fay, 110-111).
Forgiveness in Christ is also what Fay offers those who say they are a good person. Fay encourages believers to challenge this belief by asking the person to measure their actions according to God’s standard (Fay, 93-94). Doing this will help them understand they are without sin and guilty of breaking the whole law.
Once they realize their imperfection, let them know they don’t have to wallow in condemnation. Instead, they can receive salvation and forgiveness by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
Have you tried to share your faith with others? What was your experience? Please leave a comment below so I can learn more about your experience. All feedback is greatly appreciated!
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