Christians are well recognized for their attempts to evangelize, or share their views with others in the hopes that they may likewise become Christians. Actually, according to Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus Christ directed His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and instructing them to keep all that He had commanded them. A comparable mandate can be found in Acts 1:8: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
However, why is this so crucial? Why are Christians unable to simply keep their faith to themselves and allow others to choose whether or not to believe what they want? As a practicing Christian, allow me to enumerate some of the reasons why I desire other people to share my belief in God.
I love God
I love the Lord God because He fills me with His love (see 1 John 4:19). He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to earth and made Him suffer and die out of love for us (see John 3:16). He has done everything for me. Therefore, I want Him to receive the honor He deserves. It makes me sad when people deny God’s existence or serve other gods. It grieves me when people are deceived into not believing in God. When He is mocked, it hurts me. I long for the time when “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). One day that will happen, when this earth ends and a new earth comes. But how wonderful it is when people already acknowledge Jesus as their Lord here and now!
I do not think religious truth is just a matter of opinion
Sharing your faith (evangelism) is perceived by many as inappropriate and invasive. People who express their own beliefs regarding religion, particularly when those thoughts are followed by a request to accept them, irritate them. That makes sense if you consider religion to be merely a matter of personal conviction. According to this perspective, people should not annoy others with their religious beliefs, but it is acceptable for them to believe in God if doing so makes them happy.
However, faith is not a subjective view that you can customize to suit your preferences. I am a Christian, and I think it is important to realize that there is only one truth. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” declares the Lord Jesus. Only through Me may anyone approach the Father (John 14:6). It makes far more sense for believers to desire to spread the word about the one true truth if there is only one. Because of this, the Christian faith is the one truth among a multitude of falsehoods and misinformation, rather than just one choice among many.
It is not optional to believe or not to believe in God
I frequently hear people say things like, “If believing in God makes someone happy, then by all means, they should do so! But I’m not a religious person. According to this perspective, religion is voluntary. You adhere to religious laws and believe in them if they make you happy. You look elsewhere for happiness and meaning if religion is not your thing.
But faith in the Lord God is not a hobby for enthusiasts. On the contrary. It is vitally important to believe in Him and give Him the honor He deserves. He is the Creator of every human being, and thus He deserves our devotion and worship. Therefore, if we do not acknowledge Him as our Lord, we are committing a sin. And it will be punished. The Bible speaks of this in horrendous terms. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” says Hebrews 10:30-31. I don’t wish that on anyone! Therefore, I hope that as many people as possible come to repentance and begin to recognize God as their Savior and King. The apostle Paul put it this way: “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
A witnessing Christian has your best interests at heart
For these three reasons, I want other people to come to religion as well because I am a Christian. There might undoubtedly be additional justifications. Thus, it is not intended to impose one’s personal opinion on someone who want to share their faith with you. That person is persuaded that knowing the Lord God directly is the only way to experience long-lasting bliss. Believers want you to experience the same profound joy that they do in their relationship with God!
However, we are unable to convert anyone to Christianity. Trying to force our faith on someone else is not acceptable and doesn’t even make sense. Belief in the Lord God is a conviction of the heart, and God ultimately gives each and every human the freedom to embrace or reject His offer of salvation and atonement.
What would you think if someone brought up Christianity in conversation? Do you think that would be okay?
