Response to the classmates post:
1. Your replies to at least 1 other classmates' threads must be 150 words each.
2. Title the subject line of the replies "Reply to John Smith," " Reply to Jane Doe," etc. so that it will be clear to whom you are responding.
3. Your replies must include:
o 2 positive comments or observation about the post.
o 2 suggestions or thoughts that you would add to his/her post.
Please note that "I like what you said," "That's a good comment," and "I disagree with your comment" in and of themselves do not count as complete replies.
Laura Dipaolo:
In today's current culture the Christian gospel is perceived as judgmental and condemning to values of modern secular society. Just about every day in the news media there seems to be something negative said about Christians and their beliefs. The Christian gospel is seen as intolerant and politically incorrect. Children cannot even pray at a public school during a school day without worrying about having consequences. The gospel message is under direct attack in our current culture like never before.
Some specific moral reasons people may reject the Christian gospel is that it talks against the love of money, sexual immorality such as homosexuality, greed, drunkenness, and accountability for our actions. People want to live life the way they want to and do not want to be accountable to anyone for their actions and if you do not agree with them, then they say you are intolerant.
One specific emotional reasons people may reject the Christian gospel is that they may have been abused by someone in a church. I do know two people who have been maliciously raped by their father who was a deacon at his church and raped them in "the name of God." Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident and sexual sin is rampant in some churches. This is happening in Seventh Day Adventist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and other churches and because of this people have a difficult time with the Gospel message.
Another reason why people may reject the Christian gospel is that they are unhappy with themselves, their life, or circumstances and they are going to do what they want and pursue what they want, not caring what others think, in the pursuit of joy or happiness. They are tired of waiting for prayers to be answered and want instant gratification or satisfaction instead of being content where they are at, or doing the work needed to get where they need to go.
Some intellectual reasons that people reject the gospel is that, "Perhaps they believe that existence of evil/suffering makes the Christian idea of God impossible or their commitment to science and the belief in philosophical naturalism makes them reject the possibility of Jesus' resurrection. Their worldview is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity and therefore they reject it" (Allee, 2014). Some people question everything and lack the faith to believe in Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1.
What Christians can do to address these objections and better communicate the Gospel message is seek God for wisdom and pray that people would open their hearts to God. If they see an issue of sin in fellow believers, address it biblically instead of looking the other way. Follow the example of Christ and love people and respond to them in love. It is not our job to condemn people, conviction comes from the Holy Spirit, but we are instructed in Galatians 6:1-5 how to deal with the matter if someone in the church is caught in sin.
Reference: Allee, Jacob. (2017, October 17). There Are Only Three Reasons People Reject Christianity. [Web log post].