Should I wait to teach until after my wife is converted? Is blogging a substitute for going into the world to teach the gospel?
Question:
Thanks for all your scriptural answers to questions. They helped me a lot! My questions are:
- Is it wrong to wait for a while to teach (or preach) to other people while I'm still teaching my wife to become a Christian? I feel like a hypocrite to teach others without my wife becoming a Christian yet. I'm having difficulty persuading her to come out of her denomination and this makes me think to go on to teach others.
- Is an Internet blogging ministry a substitute for Christ's command to go to all the world and preach the gospel?
I would really appreciate your answers.
Answer:
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (I Corinthians 15:58).
I understand the strong desire to have the one you love most in this world to be at your side in belief as in other things. But to make her conversion a necessary requirement before teaching the Gospel to others is adding a restriction that God did not place. The command is "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen" (Matthew 28:19-20).
When Jesus taught the disciples about teaching, he told them, "But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. ... and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you'" (Luke 10:5-6, 9-11). Notice that however they were received, the message remained the same. But Jesus also taught there was a sense of urgency to spreading the gospel message. If a town did not receive the disciples, they were not to waste time trying to remedy the situation. They were told to move on. There are so many people out there who desperately need to hear the gospel that a teacher should not tie himself up with those who aren't interested.
This isn't to say that you give up on your wife. Instead, don't let her lack of belief become a roadblock to reaching others who are lost in sin. Who knows? Perhaps your dedication to teaching will make an impression on her that you are really sincere about your beliefs. Lead the way with your example and pray that she follows.
Teaching on the Internet should be viewed as just another avenue to reach people with the Gospel. It is similar to using radio, TV, "dial a Bible thought," newspaper articles, and magazines. It is more interactive than these other media, but it still isn't the same as one-on-one discussions. So treat it as just one way to reach out to find those interested in salvation.
