jonesthecurl wrote:I have a related question. I'm reluctant to ask really, cos I don't want to be the cause of too many things going on at once- b ut I think it's pertinant to this point.
Say that someone had somehow never heard of Christianity (unlikely these days I know). For thought-experiment reasons, you have limited communication with them. how much of the Bible would it be essential to get to them, and what bits would you begin with? You can assume for the thought experiment that they'll be easy to convert.
The question is for any Christian.
If talking to a Jew, the Old Testament would be needed to establish to them that Jesus fulfills all the prophecies concerning the Messiah. Jesus' genealogy was traced through the blood line via his mother to King David to God. And from God to king David to Joseph as the legal line to Jesus. That Jesus was a virgin birth in Bethlehem. & the spirit of Elijah preceeded Him via John the Baptist. His name was Emmanuel (God with us: Jesus is God in the flesh). He rode into Jerusalem on a colt 383 years to the day. He was beaten, whipped, stripped of flesh via scourging, wore a crown of thorns & did not fight back, died & rose from the grave 3 days later. All the prior list were requirements of the messiah.
Jesus died on the same day as Holy Passover & ascended to Heaven 40 days after His resurrection.
Moses spent 40 days to get the 10 commandments, Christ fasted 40 days before beginning His ministry, Noah's flood rained for 40 days & 40 nights. Moses wondered in the wilderness for 40 years. Christ was on the earth 40 days after resurrection.
Discussing with a Jew the the word for God is Elohim. Which is plural form of one God. That Jesus was there at creation. Genesis 1:27"Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness". See the plural personal pronouns? That's because Jesus is with the Father. I would point out verses that establish no one has ever seen God. Yet Moses sees God face to face & so too do Adam & Eve, so to does Abraham? How? No one has seen God the Father, but Jesus is God in the flesh as the Son. Jesus has always been the way to the Father but He was a hidden mystery revealed 2000 years ago.
To a gentile, its best to go to creation to demonstrate God.
Whomever a Christian is talking to, the path to salvation is through Christ alone. It is a free gift, nothing we can do to earn it, otherwise we would boast in ourselves. Salvation is through faith alone. Teaching them the Bible is from God, a testimony of Himself & His requirements for us.
Christians can't persuade anyone to believe, no cleverness of speech. Only God can change the heart. & He does to all those who ask. Anyone want truth? Ask God, He will give it.