Are We to Convert Others?

August 20, 2014 by DoneWithReligion

Is it our job as Christians to convert the unsaved?

Are we to force our views and beliefs on others so that they might come to God?

My answer would be no. It is our job to follow Christ and love others, and the Holy Spirit’s job to convict and lead people to the Father.

We cannot convert others; we cannot make them come to Christ by forcing our views and beliefs on them. Only the Holy Spirit can convict the world of sin and lead them to repentance.

Jesus said in 1 John 3:23 that we are to accept Him and love others. Apart from that, we have nothing more to do than to be available to Him and allow the Spirit to work and love through us.

We are called to make disciples, but disciples would be those who already have a relationship with Christ. The dictionary describes a disciple as ‘a professed follower of Christ’. We are to be there to encourage and help one another into maturity in our fellowship with Him.

We are also told to go into all the world and preach the gospel. The gospel being the good news that God loves us, He has provided freedom from our sinful nature and has restored fellowship with us. Again, this is done by loving God and loving others not by being judgmental, pointing fingers, threatening and other means we sometimes use to force others to accept Christ.

When we show the love of God to others and accept them as they are people will be be drawn to Christ easier than through condemning and threatening ways. This does not mean we have to agree with everyone or say you can live anyway you want with no consequences, but we can show the love of Christ to non-believers and accept them without expecting them to change and start acting like we think they should. God accepted us as we were before we came to Him we should do the same.

In love, tell the good news to those you meet that God loves them, encourage and make disciples out of those who know Christ and stop trying to force salvation on non-believers through ‘holier than thou’ attitudes, guilt and condemnation. Love is the answer. God is love.

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living | Tagged acceptance, Christianity, conversion, convert, disciples, Good News, grace, love, salvation, sin | 7 Comments

7 Responses

on August 26, 2014 at 3:16 PM | Reply richardpowell2013

Reblogged this on High Voltage Disciples: A Journeyman's Journal.

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on August 26, 2014 at 3:16 PM | Reply richardpowell2013

Great blog! I would love to share this!
God Bless brother.

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- on August 26, 2014 at 3:22 PM | Reply DonewithReligion
  
  Thanks Richard. I am glad you liked it. Feel free to share it. Thanks so much.
  
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on August 21, 2014 at 6:32 AM | Reply john morris

I also agree, great post. So much pressure is put upon believers to go an preach the gospel. Like you, I feel it is better to live it.
I will say that over the years, I have on a occasion ran into those who have a particular gift or calling, or whatever you might want to call it, that have a very casual and natural way of sharing the gospel with nonbelievers.They seem to be continually bringing other to Him. I still think that it ultimately is up to the Holy Spirit to draw them to Christ.
Thanks for sharing. JM.

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- on August 26, 2014 at 3:21 PM | Reply DonewithReligion
  
  Thanks John. I agree, some people seem to have a natural gifting of sharing the love of God with others. The main point is, it is God using them through a natural gift or ability He has given them. As you mentioned, it is the spirit that draws, convicts and ‘converts’. I appreciate you reading and commenting on my article.
  
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on August 20, 2014 at 1:02 PM | Reply oikoskrk

I totally agree Mike. The only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love.

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- on August 20, 2014 at 1:04 PM | Reply DonewithReligion
  
  Thanks Chris. Love, not guilt and condemnation.
  
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