Welcome back Rob.
How to get people to think like you?
Very tough question.
I would say start with doing first and then speaking, maybe you'll convince them.
But not all will be convinced to think like you.
Thanks Eli1 for responding
My question isn't, so much, how to get people to think like me, but how to get people to "think" like Jesus ? Remember the ol' saying, "WWJD" "What would Jesus do?" .. I ask myself this quite often, when confronted with a decision to be made, in my life.
2ndTimothyGroup said:
"Welcome! There are mostly "Chiefs" here instead of Indians . . . but you never know, you just might find someone who is genuinely looking for answers.
"
He's right ! Most people here
are "Chiefs" ... following themselves rather than Christ .. from my perspective anyways. Which is why I'm bring up this question. To see if anyone else "sees" this the same way as I do. I sometimes feel like Diogenes (a Greek, 404-323 BCE) ... carrying a lantern, during the day, searching for an honest man, ... while I'm looking for a "True Follower of Christ."
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. Eph 6:18-20 I Pray, Amen!
Jesus, from the beginning of His ministry, went around saying "follow me" .. Ya know, like Mat_4:19 "And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." and Mat_16:24 "Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me." Mat_19:21 Jesus said to him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and
follow me. John_10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me"
Here is an AI generated definition, from the web, of what it means to "follow Jesus";
To follow Jesus means to dedicate oneself to His teachings and example, aligning one’s life with His values and actions. This involves absolute obedience and commitment, as Jesus requires followers to forsake everything else and prioritize Him above all else. It means living a life of love, service, and obedience to God, rather than merely adopting a religious label. Following Jesus involves applying His teachings to one’s life in a way that leads to transformation, not just memorizing information. This includes serving others, being part of a community of believers, and growing in faith. It also means being willing to sacrifice one’s own plans and desires for God’s purposes and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and empower one’s actions. Ultimately, following Jesus is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Him through obedience and imitation, leading to a profound and transformative change in one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.
.. and I will add .. A CHARACTER CHANGE ! to that of the "Righteousness of Christ" , The perfect "Right doing" of Christ ... Commonly referred to as our repentance, from the "old disobedient, sinful man" and a conversion, born again experience, into "Christ and His Righteousness" Gal 2:20 ... "By the Grace of God, there go I" ... I pray, Amen !
BUT ! Everywhere I look, I see people, mankind, following themselves for selfish reasons... all with their different versions of "The Truth."
"Pew Research Center’s 2014 Religious Landscape Study found that there are more than 300 Protestant denominational families in the U.S., each with
unique beliefs and practices." BUT ! Jesus said the there is only
one Truth,
one Way, to Life, which is in Him.
Mat 7:13-14 Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it.
Which is why, when anyone asks me if I am a Christian, I often say, "No !", "I am a follower of Christ Jesus." ... to not be confused with these 300+ different denominations. Plus, this usually starts a conversation of " what do you mean by that?" .. which leads to the conversation that we are having now
... and what does a follower of Christ look like, how do they act, and what do they say. Like you said Eli1, "I would say start with doing first and then speaking, maybe you'll convince them." Good advice ! Thank You !
So !
What am I doing, first? Following Jesus, out of love for Him, and the Father, as he commanded us to do, ... and as did the original Disciples, and loving my neighbors, as myself, as I'm doing here & now.. by telling all Y'all the Truth. ( I'm a middle TN, country boy
Mat 28:19 Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 7:21, Jesus states that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father in heaven. This indicates that true followers of Jesus are those who follow the will of God the Father.
In John 6:38, Jesus explicitly states, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.” Jesus emphasizes His commitment to fulfilling the Father’s will rather than His own desires.
Matthew 12:50, Jesus defines His true family as those who do the will of His Father in heaven, saying, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
So we know, that Jesus came to Earth, to do the Will of The Father, keeping the Commandments of God, perfectly, so to be the Lamb of God, to be able to pay the ransom, redeeming us from the penalty of sin, which is death, thereby giving us another chance to make the right choices here on Earth, during this, our God given life to follow Christ to Salvation, or not, as our choice might be.
"Here I stand", ( think Martin Luther), unequivocally, ... following and believing Jesus, ... John 3:16 " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Thanks Eli1 for listening to my "witness" for Christ .. so it seems, I've done
I really just meant to ask the question, "How do we get people to follow The Truth, His Way, to Life in Him, but then had to explain my understanding of "Following Jesus", as He want's and teaches.
Your probably asking, "what makes me think that most of the people on this Christian Chat forum, and the majority of those 300+ professed Protestant Churches are not believing & following Christ, His Way?" There are literally hundreds of deviations from the Truth, probably 300 or more, but the ones that are the most common amongst these churches are the observing of the first day, Sunday as The Lord's Day, when Jesus said that He is Lord of the 7th Day Sabbath. Gen 2:2-3 & Matt 12:8 Then these churches teach / believe that we aren't required to obey God anymore, to help them defend their changing of the Sabbath from the 7th day to the 1st, against the commandments of Father God.
I believe & follow Christ, ... He and His disciples always taught & kept the 7th Day holy, and always taught & obeyed the Father's Commandments, no where in the Bible does it say anything about the Father or the Son changing God's Sabbath Day or teaching that we don't have to keep the 10 Commandments. This is what the world , governed by dark forces and the teachings of the "man of lawlessness" has us believing these last 2000 years and still teaching today, to where most of us, believe "we don't have to obey God" and can be "lawless" and not suffer our eternal destruction. Rom 4:7 2, Cor 6:14, 2 Thes 2:1-12 etc. Why would the so called "protestant churches" advocate lawlessness, that we aren't under the law anymore, and that by "Grace alone, without obedience", we will secure our salvation, when that's what caused us to fall from Eden, in the first place, being deceived by Satan, to disregard God's command of not eating of the tree. Causing the need for the Gracious, Son of God to come and pay the price, redeeming us from the consequences of our sin, our lawlessness. Praise His Holy Name !! Thank You Lord Jesus. Amen !!
By the Grace of God, I believe & follow Christ, ... So, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:10-18
So Eli1 ? Where do you stand ? Are you a believer of Jesus, or a follower of the world? ( don't answer, that's between you and God
Remember! ... James 4:4 "... know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
I pray that we find the "strait gate, and narrow way " by following Jesus
Amen !!
Blessed Day Brother
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