"Preach the gospel always, If necessary use words." ~ St. Francis of Assisi. How do you live out this statement?

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• good answer, truthy.

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  by singwell-is off researching a lot on January 24th, 2008

• ... yeah... don't exactly agree with your answer ... at all... but thanks anyway.

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  by Smurphy on January 27th, 2008

• I do think that St Francis had a point though. Sometimes is better to keep quiet and act out the gospel rather than mouth words which our actions contradict.

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  by singwell-is off researching a lot on January 27th, 2008

• "There is no way to preach the Gospel by Works...unless your an Actor."
  
  
  
  This is pretty far from the truth. See the post I made below.
  
  Remember Jesus said, "Whatever you 'did' for one of the least of these you 'did' for me."
  
  And that is how we will be judged, on how we "Acted out" or "Did" the Gospel work, which the Gospel is "love."
  
  Pretty basic stuff actually.
  
  Read the post I made concerning this question.

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  by yareelohim on July 13th, 2008

• I think it challenges use to live like Christ before we tell others what they need to do. If we are living a life in Christ, people will be drawn to the light of the Spirit in us, then the words can explain the life and the salvation. If we run out in our pride and ego to tell people what they need to do, then it will not be from the Spirit and they will be driven away. I believe that pride in the Lord's service can be one of the most harmful sins to the growth of his body.

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  by tansey11 on January 25th, 2010

• I don't agree with your comment. Yes we are fallen creatures and we sin, but through Jesus' death he has given us new life. We are called therefore to be like Jesus. No one can do this perfectly, but if we all come together as the Body of Christ this can be accomplished.
  
  St. Francis is ecoing Peter when he writes, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitde of sins." -1 Peter 4:8 NIV

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  by Melissa_A on December 1st, 2010

• what? LOL...it's meaning is deeper than that! Why do people always want to take things literally when they don't TRULY understand what is asked of them?

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  by me+JMJ+ on January 18th, 2011

• You just dont get it. Maybe someday you will understand until then keep looking and learning and do less talking because you know not what you speak. " A person unaware of their ignorance will be mislead by their knowledge" further more on that from an anonymous source if you speak in ignorance you will mislead others and that is a damnable act. This is the problem with Christianity of the past 500 years. Its what " I think" and not the understanding of those closet to Jesus and the Apostles adn what they learned directly from them so as to keep continuity of the Gospel not this modern ida that you can figure out what it means by scripture alone and direct inspiration. If this was true there wouldnt be 10's of thousands of denomination believeing differently.

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  by ytrebilefil on April 4th, 2011

• For Truthy.. Since I am unable to "show" you what I've learned from Christ about being a Christian I will "ECHO" his words....(Apologize for any typo's) "But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:27-36. Hope this clears up your misconception of what we believe. We also know there isn't a thing we can do for our own salvation. Christ paid one ransom for all of us. We don't "act" or "do good deeds" with the notion that it will save us. We are called to "BE" followers, beleivers, Christians, to preach the gospel. And as St. Francis put it, "when necessary use words" as I have only been able to do today!! God Bless you and keep you!!

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  by Echomom1128 on March 28th, 2012

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• Awesome answer...

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  by Smurphy on August 18th, 2008

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• Awesome answer... although I meant it in a more specific way but whatever... still awesome answer...

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  by Smurphy on July 23rd, 2008

• Good answer but our greatest command is to proclaim the name of Jesus to all the nations and make disciples of all nations for his names sake so that he gets all the glory. but Jesus is love and apart from God nothing is good so to love your neighbor is not to give them things of this earth or your own affections but rather show them the love that Jesus Christ has for them and that is the greatest form of love that you can show your neighbor.

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  by Jonathan_K on October 9th, 2010

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• "Personally, I would suggest using words. It's easier." Actually I think the exact opposite... words can be thrown back in your face but just loving others... thanks for the answer though.

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  by Smurphy on January 27th, 2008

• Smurphy -- loving others, when we do it the way Christ said to can be much harder than speaking the words. With words, we can "hit & run" -- go into an area, hit 'em with the words, then run on back to our lives. With loving the way Christ said to, we go in, we love and we keep loving -- even when they don't accept it, even when they don't like it, even when they throw it back in our faces, call us names, etc.
  Just something else to think about...

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  by tenngal on February 9th, 2008

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• Hey, that's amazing and thanks for answering the question... I was kinda bummed about it going unanswered.

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  by Smurphy on February 19th, 2007

• how can you leave St Francis unanswered. Even scurvy Protestants like me like St Francis. You know that he went to Egypt in the midst of the Crusades, to try and model Christianity to the Muslims? He was so godly that the Pasha said he wished that all christians would behave like Francis. He even gave him an escort to Jerusalem, one of very few Christians to see the Holy land in those years.

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  by singwell-is off researching a lot on February 19th, 2007

• darn, smurphy. I got negged -3. can you believe that? I mean, you, the questioner, liked the answer, but they, who didn't ask the question and are probably not even interested in answering the question, negged me. What a world.

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  by singwell-is off researching a lot on January 24th, 2008

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• You just dont get it. Maybe someday you will understand until then keep looking and learning and do less talking because you know not what you speak. " A person unaware of their ignorance will be mislead by their knowledge" further more on that from an anonymous source if you speak in ignorance you will mislead others and that is a damnable act. This is the problem with Christianity of the past 500 years. Its what " I think" and not the understanding of those closet to Jesus and the Apostles adn what they learned directly from them so as to keep continuity of the Gospel not this modern ida that you can figure out what it means by scripture alone and direct inspiration. If this was true there wouldnt be 10's of thousands of denomination believeing differently.

  • Report
  

  by ytrebilefil on April 4th, 2011