Results 1 - 8 of 8
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Should we shake the dust from our feet? | Matt 10:14 | Bill Mc | 16859 | ||
Should we use this verse as justification to pull our missionaries out of countries like Afghanastan, Pakistan, or China where Christians are in danger of being killed or persecuted? There are many countries in the world that are hostile to Christians and the gospel message that salvation is found in Christ alone. Why do we maintain a missionary presence there if Jesus has told us that if we are not received, then we should leave and not come back? Also, would Matthew 7:6 apply? Jesus said not to throw your pearls before swine or they would turn and tear us to pieces? Is this what we are seeing with the terrorists' attacks on America? | ||||||
2 | Should we shake the dust from our feet? | Matt 10:14 | charis | 16877 | ||
Dear Bill, Greetings in Jesus' name! I think that "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." Matthew 7:6 NASB, can be applied to countries or religions. Only with individuals or households can we discern this, and even then not a permanent judgment. We are to be wise AND gentle. Sometimes it is wise to discern a (presently) inpenetrable wall, and pray for the Lord to deal with it while we move on. There may come a time when the door for ministry is open. As to whether these verses can be applied on a larger (country) scale, I don't think it would work. We would 'give up' and surrender an entire nation or religion to the devil. Even in Afghanistan and North Korea there are faithful saints. Japan has an extremely low proportion of Christians for an 'advanced' nation, but I cannot give it to the enemy. I have had a few times when I have put certain individuals 'on hold.' In a few cases, doors were opened at a later date that were effective to salvation. Even 'don't throw pearls' and 'shake off the dust' are not permanent, but temporary or giving them unto another vessel for ministry. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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3 | Should we shake the dust from our feet? | Matt 10:14 | Hank | 16903 | ||
Charis, I quite agree. Should Christians opt to measure a country's rejection of God's message by its governmental stand, what country would measure up? Would a country in which prayer and Scripture reading are banned in its public schools? Would a country that hosts the pluralistic view that one faith is as good as another? The message of Jesus Christ is for all nations. But salvation comes in small doses, personally, individually, to one person at a time when he is led by the Spirit to respond to the message of the gospel. That any given nation holds dissenters and enemies of Christianity neither diminishes the force of the commission Jesus laid down to preach the gospel to every creature nor gives Christians license to be selective of their audience. Paul did not hesitate to travel to foreign lands that were hostile to his message. Neither should we. It's the cross we bear when we follow Jesus. --Hank | ||||||
4 | So what does this passage mean? | Matt 10:14 | Bill Mc | 16912 | ||
So what did Christ mean in this passage? There are those on this forum that insist that everything Christ said applies to Christians in the here and now. Christ did say this to His disciples. Does this passage apply to Christians? If so, how do we know when enough is enough and to 'shake the dust off'? If Christ said to do this, then how can we negate it? |
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5 | So what does this passage mean? | Matt 10:14 | Hank | 16913 | ||
Bill Mc, I don't see this as a passage of Scripture that should pose any problem for anyone to understand. Jesus' words are clear enough. Take His message to the world. Present it, teach it, preach it. On those who do not receive the message or the messenger, shake off your dust and go to someone else. Jesus used the word "whoever" and "home" and "city", but the sense of the context would be strained indeed should we read it to mean an entire people, or nation, or perhaps a whole region, such as the Middle East. --Hank | ||||||
6 | So what does this passage mean? | Matt 10:14 | Bill Mc | 16917 | ||
OK, Hank, thanks for your response. I just have mixed feelings concerning our missionaries who could die for sharing the gospel where it has been made imperatively clear (under sentence of death) that Christ is not wanted there. I'm outraged that our government can do nothing about it. We can obviously pray for them. But it seems hypocritical to pray, 'God, keep them safe and spare their lives', then support sending them or others right back into the lion's den. | ||||||
7 | So what does this passage mean? | Matt 10:14 | Hank | 16921 | ||
That is indeed a grave concern, Bill, and I believe all Christians share it and none has a really good answer. We are living in a world in which easy answers come with rapidly diminishing frequency. Were it not for my hope in Christ I would be, I should think, numbered among the world's greatest pessimists. Whether the real and present problem of mortal danger to Christian missionaries in a given location was indeed addressed in Jesus' phrase about shaking off the dust I cannot say with anything that approaches certainty. A missionary effort that is known beforehand to be met with deadly resistance before it has a chance to carry out its function would hardly be worth mounting and could not have any positive effect, it seems to me. A live missionary is more apt to bring the lost to Christ than a dead one. To this scenario, perhaps Jesus' words do indeed apply. --Hank | ||||||
8 | So what does this passage mean? | Matt 10:14 | Searcher56 | 16935 | ||
Hank, Do you know January 8, 1956 is a day that changed the missionary world. Do you know what the impact of the deaths of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, Roger Youerian had on the world, not just the Huaorani? Jim's wife and Nate's sister went back ... and now Nate's son ministers in an area that was very hostile. "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." (an entry in Jim Elliot's journal) Are you willing to die for Him? Steve |
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