How to Answer Questions or Criticism
Meet any opposition as a chance
to lovingly share God's Word. Don't debate opinions
look to Scripture. As with any other problem in
our lives, the answer is found in Scripture. Be
it Jew or Gentile, our job as believers is to:
1. Explain you are not celebrating the feast
to earn favor. Share this book with anyone who
accuses you of being legalistic.
2. Pray, ask for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
Ask God to direct your paths.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy paths. (Prov. 3:6).
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth
unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
(Ps. 25:10).
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have
burned incense to vanity, and they have caused
them to stumble in their ways from the ancient
paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
(Jer. 18:15).
Concerning the words of men, by the word of thy
lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps
slip not (Ps.17:4-5).
3. Remember, we are not struggling against human
beings but against the unseen agents.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph. 6:12).
4. Strive for unity.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren
to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious
ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the
beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the
skirts of his garments; As the dew of Herman,
and as the dew that descended upon the mountains
of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing,
even life for evermore. (Ps. 133:1-3).
5. Give glory to God (I Cor. 10:31, I Peter 4:11).
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;
but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves
in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
and making melody in your heart to the LORD; Giving
thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ; Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God (Eph.
5:18-21).
6. Encourage and uplift one another in the Lord.
And let us consider one another to provoke unto
love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;
but exhorting one another: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching. (Hebr. 10:24-25).
Summary
No matter what we do or who we are, if we are
obedient, if we give sacrificially, if we give
our all, it means absolutely nothing if we lack
love for the Father or for one another.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of
angels, and have not charity [love], I am become
as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal (1 Cor.
13).
From
A
Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays
|