What does Ravi Zacharias mean when he says "Intent is always prior to content"?
score:14
Ravi Zacharias is a renown apologist for the Christian faith. I, too, enjoy listening to him. His account of his interview with the Grand Mufti of the Islam faith, which he describes as perhaps the most tension-fraught interview he has ever conducted, is unforgettable.
Since Mr. Zacharias is an astute apologist, I am guessing that his phrase "Intent is always prior to content" is a good "mantra" for anyone aspiring to be an apologist and a witness for Christ. Before one opens his or her mouth in defense of the faith, a good question to ask oneself is,
"Now, why am I about to defend the faith? Is my intent to make myself look good by out-arguing the person with whom I am engaged in conversation, or is my intent first, to build a bridge of communication with my interlocutor, and second, to bear witness to the truth in Christ Jesus, but in a spirit of love, gentleness, and godly fear?"
If your intent is the former, then you should probably not open your mouth; you'll do more harm than good. If on the other hand you are genuinely interested in hearing the person out, responding appropriately in a Spirit-led way, and all the while being in an attitude of prayer and dependence on God, then you are probably in a position to accomplish something for God.
Remember, our task is not to make ourselves look good, but to make our Savior look good. Moreover, achieving eloquence and thus acquitting ourselves in a prideful way must never be the goal; pointing to Jesus is.
"If I can speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am simply a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (Paul, 1 Corinthians 13).
More post
- 📝 Translation / bibles / composition bible LXX - Masoretic?
- 📝 According to Chalcedonian Trinitarians, why did Jesus not mention himself at John 4:23?
- 📝 How was the Bible used to reduce modern slavery?
- 📝 Does the Mormon Church endorse the children of narcissistic parents breaking off contact with them (not necessarily permanently/forever)?
- 📝 Has there ever existed a Catholic local church feast at Rome in honor of the Domine Quo Vadis?
- 📝 How many resurrections (raptures) will there be?
- 📝 Why was the Apostle Paul seemingly not that interested in baptizing believers?
- 📝 Are Dinosaurs mentioned in the Bible?
- 📝 Refutation of Chizzuk Emunah, Part II, Ch. XII: "Doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus Examined"
- 📝 Are there any christian denominations that think having concubines is sin and why?
- 📝 According to the Catholic Church, why did Jesus walk on water?
- 📝 Does anyone know the name of the pharaoh that Joseph brought his family to meet?
- 📝 Is Jeremiah 10:2-5 referring to a Christmas Tree?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for the belief that the Jews rejected their king?
- 📝 What is the historical Christian view on the rebuilding of David's Tabernacle?
- 📝 Do any church writers compare or contrast Jesus and the burning bush?
- 📝 What Christian groups believe sex was the original sin, and not disobedience?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, is it sinful to physically harm abortion doctors to prevent them from performing abortions?
- 📝 How do proponents of the “Framework hypothesis” hold to their view when God used the word “Yom” instead of “Olam” in Genesis 1?
- 📝 Why is God knowingly and intentionally allowing the majority of people to go to hell without intervening?
- 📝 Is Satan's kingdom here on earth?
- 📝 What is the difference between the Life that Christ gives and the Life that Wisdom brings?
- 📝 Is there a quote/saying in bible "Do not close the mouth of a bull which threshes the grain"?
- 📝 Is there a biblical ban on running a casino?
- 📝 Early Christian responses to suicide (source/text identification)?
- 📝 Are there any laid down guidelines to enrich and strengthen Christian faith?
- 📝 In protestantism are all mankind equal under God?
- 📝 Do Catholic priests have to report child abuse confessed in secret?
- 📝 Why don't Christians celebrate the feast of tabernacles?
- 📝 What is the basis for not believing sola scriptura?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What does Ravi Zacharias mean when he says "Intent is always prior to content"?
- 📝 What does Jesus mean when He says that we should be like children?
- 📝 What does Paul mean when he says Jesus "emptied himself"?
- 📝 What does Paul mean when he says "do not go beyond what is written."
- 📝 What does the Nicene Creed mean when it says that the Father and the Son are of the same substance?
- 📝 When the Pope says "We commend to the Lord the souls..." what does it mean exactly? It it a symbolic gesture, a prayer, something else?
- 📝 What does Paul mean when he says that we are no longer under the law but under grace?
- 📝 What does the Catholic Church mean when it says In-vitro Fertilization separates the procreative act from procreation?
- 📝 What does Paul mean when he says "rather we uphold the law"
- 📝 What does the The Episcopal Church mean when it says it allows everyone to participate in Holy Communion?
- 📝 What does James mean when he says that Judging a Brother Equals Judging the Law?
- 📝 What does the Catholic Church mean when it calls humans co-creators with God?
- 📝 What does it mean when God 'hardens' a heart?
- 📝 What does it mean when Jesus say "Love your enemies" (Matthew 5:43-45)?
- 📝 To "once saved always saved" advocates, what does it mean that church leaders "keep watch over our souls"?
- 📝 What does Paul mean when he speaks of "in Christ"?
- 📝 What does it mean when Archbishop Ganswein stated that Pope Benedict XVI expanded the Petrine Ministry?
- 📝 What does Origen mean in his response when Celsus accuses Christ' of using black magic when performing miracles? What is the actual argument?
- 📝 What does it mean exactly when Wikipedia calls Annihilationism a legitimate minority opinion within modern conservative Protestantism?
- 📝 What does it mean when Jesus cannot be separated from the Father and the Holy Ghost?
- 📝 When the Bible talks about wine does it mean alcoholic wine?
- 📝 What does it mean that Satan is "god of this world"?
- 📝 What does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law but did not abolish it?
- 📝 What does Jesus mean by saying, "Why do you call me good?"
- 📝 What exactly does it mean that Jesus Christ is the son of God?
- 📝 What did Jesus mean when he said ‘Go and sin no more’ if sinlessness is impossible?
- 📝 What does "scripture" mean in NT writing?
- 📝 What does it mean that Jesus was the "second Adam"?
- 📝 What does it mean to "Bless the LORD"?
- 📝 What does CS Lewis mean by True Myth?