As I have been processing what I preached yesterday morning and applying it in my life today, I've been thinking through to clarity on the ideas of responding to unbelief in ways that honor Jesus most. It helps me to think through the main points. Matthew 13:53-58 shows how unbelief responds to Jesus and how Jesus responds to unbelief.
Unbelief rejects God's ways, confuses God's identity, refuses God's rule and forfeits Gid's blessings. Jesus' response was to keep preaching and teaching God's Word; He listened and refocused on truth; He answered gently and humbly; and excercised compassion. In Christ's response we find our marching orders for similar engagement as we interact with people everyday.
With those who reject God's ways we must persistently preach and teach God's Word, keeping the gospel central. When Jesus is central, the gospel is central. With those who confuse God's identity, claiming untrue things about Him, we must intently listen and refocus them on biblical truth. With those who refuse God's rule we must lovingly answer gently and humbly, putting a life yielded to Christ's lordship on display. And with those who are forfeiting God's blessings, we must uncondemningly respond compassionately in hopes that they would experience God's mercy and enter into the joy of life in Christ.
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