"But everyone has heard of Jesus."

I am in a discussion about personal witnessing on a Christian forum...I just posted some thoughts there after responses were made by some of the forum members explaining why most Christians don't share the Gospel boldly with their mouths (at least one reason), and I thought some readers here might appreciate my response...

Romans 10:14
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

...and a common argument is that "Everyone has heard of Jesus and know something about him." To me, that is a very scary statement; that any one of us would be willing to let people continue in the knowledge they've gained from mostly liberal college classes, biased media and word of mouth from unclean lips?

I can't tell you how deceived the world is about Jesus...from real world one on one conversations. Sure everyone has "heard of Jesus". Who hasn't heard of Christmas and Easter? OK...most know of what they call a "fantasy tale" about some baby born of a virgin and he was then beaten and killed on a cross and they MIGHT think that's why they can get into heaven...and if they don't have too much of a perverted and false knowledge - that's about ALL they know.

There's one way to find out...ask a few - that might even be a great "icebreaker" into a conversation.

Have you ever seen on TV in a movie or in a newspaper...or can you really think that they'd teach in a freaking college classroom that Jesus bore the sins of the world...not by being beaten and crucified, but by suffering the full wrath of God the Father being poured out on him as a once and final payment for all the sins that everyone in the world ever has or ever will commit? (How? Because that ONE man was worth more than all other men combined). That it's not just enough to "believe" in Jesus (as many think is all that's needed), but that you must take up your cross and follow him every single day...that you must receive his full payment for your sins by repenting and putting your faith and trust in Him.

It's not some easy believe-ism...the whole idea, explained in truth and love boggles the minds of even the hardened atheist - because they think we as Christians (no quotes...I don't want to throw anyone off again) follow some ancient, blind faith religion based on fairy tales and that we're unintellectual throwbacks to a time of gods, rituals and sacrifice. scripture even says that the things of God will seem foolish to the lost. How better to turn up the illuminating light of perfect truth then to engage them in a simple conversation?

We talk about sports, cars, politics, our families, the economy, "global warming", movies, TV, the weather...now why would we ever bypass the most central truth of our lives?

To answer the question "Why are we here as Christians?"
To worship God and to bring the illuminating light of the Gospel into as many lives as possible (to seek and to save that which is lost as Jesus put it). Do I save? Heck no...but many, many, many people will never have a chance to even hear and be given a chance without someone spelling the truth out to them with great concern and care. The seed of the truth (and I mean the TRUTH, not the false BS that is strewn via contemporary media, schools and people) has to be planted...before it can be harvested.