Gospel Tract

March 5th, 2009 by Sean

I thought this portrayed the divergence between early Christianity and modern evangelism methods. (originally from this blog)

22 Responses to “Gospel Tract”

  1. on 05 Mar 2009 at 9:06 pm1 Victor

    Do we have any accounts of gospel proclaimation in the early church father writings?

  2. on 06 Mar 2009 at 9:15 am2 Sean

    I have no idea…good question though

    I suppose Justin Martyr’s dialog with Trypho was evangelism

  3. on 06 Mar 2009 at 9:19 am3 JohnO

    Yea very specific, but in a way it was.

  4. on 06 Mar 2009 at 9:57 am4 Victor

    I was thinking of that and other such discussions, letters back and forth etc - but I didn’t know if there was something else, which might give some insight into the message and method.

  5. on 06 Mar 2009 at 11:12 am5 Ray

    It’s interesting to look at that. From a worldly perspective the message under the picture looks out of place, but when considering
    what’s taking place, I’m sure the Christians thrown to the lions must have remembered the cross.

    It was the reason Rome was destroyed wasn’t it?

    Genesis 12:3
    And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth
    thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

    Those that destroy Abraham’s seed will be destroyed.

    I suppose one of the plans God has for our lives is that we will
    be hated and rejected by the world, that we may be taken to our
    home in heaven.

  6. on 06 Mar 2009 at 2:28 pm6 Sean

    Ray,

    The point of the cartoon is that telling people “God has a wonderful plan for their life” is absurd…Christianity is much deeper than that.

    You said our home is not heaven. My home is in New York. Do you live in heaven? I don’t mean to be facetious but I just never understood why people said our home (the place we came from, or the place we live) is in heaven.

  7. on 06 Mar 2009 at 6:47 pm7 Wally

    Sean,

    Where do you think you home is? heaven or earth if you finish your the race?

  8. on 06 Mar 2009 at 7:26 pm8 Ray

    Heaven is a Christian’s home because that is where his treasures
    are laid up.

  9. on 07 Mar 2009 at 12:23 am9 Ron S.

    Heaven is NOT our home. It is God’s home.

    Our home is and will be always THIS EARTH!

    Psalm 37 promises the faithful are to “INHERIT THE EARTH” and that they will “DWELL IN IT FOREVER”. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. And Messiah Jesus confirmed the same in Matt 5:5 - “Blessed are the humble for they are going to inherit the earth.”

    Our goal is to be resurrected to eternal life upon the return of Jesus and his establishment of his Father’s Kingdom HERE on Earth!

    Again I implore anyone reading this who believes in going off to live in heaven to honestly consider the Biblical truth of the following article - Christians And Heaven.

  10. on 07 Mar 2009 at 3:09 am10 Mark C.

    Heaven is a Christian’s home because that is where his treasures
    are laid up.

    So in this life, will you live in a bank when you retire?
    :)

  11. on 07 Mar 2009 at 6:21 am11 Sean

    Wally,

    I believe my home is in Schenectady, NY. I do not intend to live in outer space or heaven or whatever. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” (Mat 5.5).

    grace & peace
    ~sean

  12. on 07 Mar 2009 at 4:56 pm12 Ray

    In heaven the Lord has a place reserved for me where I may
    be with him and the whole family of heaven where we will among
    other things wait for the new heaven and earth wherein will dwell
    righteousness, should I pass from this life before that day.

    I know of no bank on this earth that will receive me when I retire.
    God will provide me a place to live outside it’s walls.

  13. on 08 Mar 2009 at 4:18 am13 Mark C.

    I know of no bank on this earth that will receive me when I retire.
    God will provide me a place to live outside it’s walls.

    You missed the point. Just because it says our treasures are laid up in heaven, it doesn’t mean we will enjoy them IN heaven, any more than you would live IN the bank just because your “treasure” is stored there.

  14. on 08 Mar 2009 at 6:46 am14 Ray

    I invested treasure in heaven that it might receive me into everlasting habitation.

    Heaven is where my saviour is.

  15. on 08 Mar 2009 at 10:16 am15 Mark C.

    I invested treasure in heaven that it might receive me into everlasting habitation.

    Heaven is where my saviour is.

    You still miss my point. You don’t go to live with your treasure in the storehouse. There’s nothing in the Bible about “IT receiving you into everlasting habitation.” Heaven is where our savior is now, but that’s not where anyone else is.

    John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

    Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

    Heaven is also not where Jesus is going to stay. He is coming to earth to set up his kingdom, and when he comes he will be bringing our rewards with him. We don’t go to the storehouse.

    Rev. 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

    Have you read any of the resources that we’ve been recommending?

  16. on 09 Mar 2009 at 1:12 pm16 Ray

    Mark, Didn’t everyone that lived according to the way of God in
    times past (before Christ was born of the flesh) and had faith in
    him as Abraham did, enter into Christ and become a part of him
    who is the one new man?

    Maybe that’s a part of what Jesus was telling Nicodemus.

    The old testament prophets didn’t enter into all that was later
    revealed and given to us by Jesus, yet didn’t they become a part
    of him?

  17. on 10 Mar 2009 at 6:43 am17 Mark C.

    Mark, Didn’t everyone that lived according to the way of God in
    times past (before Christ was born of the flesh) and had faith in
    him as Abraham did, enter into Christ and become a part of him
    who is the one new man?

    Maybe that’s a part of what Jesus was telling Nicodemus.

    The old testament prophets didn’t enter into all that was later
    revealed and given to us by Jesus, yet didn’t they become a part
    of him?

    The Bible doesn’t say they became a part of him. It says they are currently sleeping in the dust of the ground, and will be raised up when Christ returns.

  18. on 10 Mar 2009 at 11:11 am18 robert

    doesnt matter when,where or who was Jesus. it just matters that when He was here He showed us if we walk with God there is a great plan for us.
    if you understand that all the power Jesus has was given to him by his father because he loved his father so much. if you loved God as much as Jesus did and trusted every word God has spoken than you could walk with God too.
    God is the creator and all things owe their existance to Him even Jesus

  19. on 10 Mar 2009 at 11:36 am19 Ray

    Mark, doesn’t the Bible talk about them being baptized into Christ
    when they passed through the Red sea? Did they put on Christ?

  20. on 10 Mar 2009 at 7:45 pm20 Mark C.

    Ray,

    I Cor. 10 talks about them drinking of the spiritual rock, “and that rock was Christ” (v. 4). But it says they were “baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (v. 2). On the other hand, WE are baptized into Christ and members of his body (I Cor. 12:12ff).

    However, none of that has anything to do with what we were discussing, which was whether or not heaven is our home. The Bible is quite clear on these things, but you have to look to it for answers and not put your trust in things that you have heard from various sources.

  21. on 11 Mar 2009 at 6:37 pm21 Ray

    Thank you Mark.
    They were baptized unto Moses is what the scripture says, yet they
    drank of Christ who came after.

    Christ is the Law, prophets, and psalms, as he is the word of God.

  22. on 11 Mar 2009 at 7:21 pm22 Ray

    About I Cor 10:4, My KJV has a center reference with a note that
    says, “Or, went with them.” (which is to be connected with the word “followed” in the verse.)

    So did Jesus follow them as they went through the Red sea? (as in
    went with them?)

    Did Jesus close up the sea behind them?
    Did he divide the sea?
    Was he in the wind that blew?

    Is he the one in Genesis 1:2? Is he the Spirit of God?

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