This may be a "back door" way of touching hearts, but, if we practice this, I think it can and will touch hearts.
It is based on understanding. We should all be familiar with this Scripture from Proverbs:
3:5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Now, the understanding I am speaking of is understanding that not everyone sees things as we do, nor has the same convictions that we do. That does not make us or them right or wrong. It just makes us individuals. Scripture reference:
Mark 7:14) And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15) There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
Romans 14:14) I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
While the Scripture from Romans deals with eating certain things, I also believe it applies to most anything. By that, I mean, IF WE believe something to be unclean (a sin), then, FOR US it is unclean (a sin). And we should surely abstain from it. However, others may not believe as we do, and FOR THEM such would NOT be unclean (a sin), and here is where understanding comes in.
We must understand that we should never hold others to a standard that we, ourselves can not attain. We should not hold others to what we believe is unclean, sinful, right, wrong, proper or mistaken interpretations of Scripture. If I believe that eating tofu is a sin, then, for me it is surely a sin! However, someone else may love tofu and not believe it to be sinful to consume. I have no right to condemn them for eating tofu just because I believe it to be a sin to do so.
The flip side of this is: If there is something that I (or you) do that others may believe is a sin, then I (or you) should be careful to NOT do/consume whatever it is in their presence. Doing so could present a "stumbling block" for them, and this is wrong.
Romans 14:13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
1 Corinthians 8:9) But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
I believe that if we practice this understanding that our beliefs may differ from others, and that we are cautious to not be a stumbling stone to them, nor to judge them based on our beliefs/standards, that we can surely touch hearts and have more productive fellowship with them.
God bless
It is based on understanding. We should all be familiar with this Scripture from Proverbs:
3:5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Now, the understanding I am speaking of is understanding that not everyone sees things as we do, nor has the same convictions that we do. That does not make us or them right or wrong. It just makes us individuals. Scripture reference:
Mark 7:14) And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15) There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
Romans 14:14) I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
While the Scripture from Romans deals with eating certain things, I also believe it applies to most anything. By that, I mean, IF WE believe something to be unclean (a sin), then, FOR US it is unclean (a sin). And we should surely abstain from it. However, others may not believe as we do, and FOR THEM such would NOT be unclean (a sin), and here is where understanding comes in.
We must understand that we should never hold others to a standard that we, ourselves can not attain. We should not hold others to what we believe is unclean, sinful, right, wrong, proper or mistaken interpretations of Scripture. If I believe that eating tofu is a sin, then, for me it is surely a sin! However, someone else may love tofu and not believe it to be sinful to consume. I have no right to condemn them for eating tofu just because I believe it to be a sin to do so.
The flip side of this is: If there is something that I (or you) do that others may believe is a sin, then I (or you) should be careful to NOT do/consume whatever it is in their presence. Doing so could present a "stumbling block" for them, and this is wrong.
Romans 14:13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
1 Corinthians 8:9) But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
I believe that if we practice this understanding that our beliefs may differ from others, and that we are cautious to not be a stumbling stone to them, nor to judge them based on our beliefs/standards, that we can surely touch hearts and have more productive fellowship with them.
God bless