<> Ask the Pastor The Rev. Father Walter Snyder Q: As a believer, am I to evangelize to my non-Christian friends every day? Is the fact that they know and respect my beliefs enough of a witness? Is a simple confession of my faith enough? They know what I believe, but on the surface don't seem to care either way. Because I believe that Hell is a reality for those who reject God and the Messiah, I am discouraged and feel that I may not be doing enough. A: I, too, believe that hell is a reality for those who reject Jesus and his blood-bought salvation. We don't know when our Lord will come, nor do we know the last hour of our own or others' lives. Thus, there's an urgency to all our Christian mission and evangelism. Yet, some hearts are not ready to hear the message of reconciliation. They are too busy with the things of this world, worrying and chasing and never dwelling on eternity. Some might listen if you "forced" the issue, but most will probably ignore and avoid you. However, a good opportunity for reaching out may occur--not by chance, but through the work of the Holy Spirit. Often, these moments arrive as personal problems. Tragedy and loss are often used by the Lord as barriers drop and as a person feels the crushing weight of living in a sinful, hopeless world. Then your friends might be more willing to listen to messages of forgiveness and hope. Remember also that often one plants while another waters and still another reaps. You may be preparing the soil for someone else to gather the harvest. While waiting, continue your prayers. Pray intentionally and specifically for each of your friends. Continue to ask the Lord for the correct words and deeds, and he will keep you ever prepared for the opportunities that present themselves. In all of this, thank God also that he has given you such a desire to reach out with the Good News to others. And pray for your brother and sister believers that they might likewise be moved by the Lord to speak and live the Gospel of salvation among their own sin-bound friends. Q: We are a group of four students from Holbaek seminarium in Denmark. We are between 20 and 25 years old, all studying to become teachers. We are working on a project in religion about racism and Christianity. We are very interested in your opinion on these subjects. Our question is: Is it possible to defend being both a racist and a Christian at the same time? Our opinion is: You can't be a racist and a Christian all in one! This subject is very much "up to date" here in Denmark at the time. We would be very grateful if you would help us out on this matter. A: Sadly, this subject is also very much "up to date" here in the United States, as well as in much of the rest of the world. Color of skin, language differences, national origin, and other differences are used as barriers to shut people out of society and--much worse--to keep them away from the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote (Galatians 3:26-28), "In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The Old Testament, especially Isaiah, readies us to expect the Word to come to "all nations." Certainly, race is not a factor in salvation! God has ordained certain differences among people, but racism is not caused nor commanded by him. It is not even a true distinction, according to the Scriptures. Indeed, since most racism is based upon fear, those who are caught most tightly in its grasp may also be those most in need of a new or renewed relationship with Jesus. He is the One whose perfect love casts out fear. Whether the racist is white, brown, black, or some other shade of color, I can't agree that anyone who is in any way a racist is not at all a Christian. Christians are, on this earth, imperfect, struggling, and sinful. One of our many temptations may be that of believing in the racial superiority of ourselves or the inferiority of others. Some may be caught so deeply in this vice that they have pushed the Lord completely out of their lives. Many others, however, realize that their views are wrong and sinful, yet must daily do battle by means of confession of sins, renewal in the Word, and prayer. To condemn such people is to deny the work already done in them by the Holy Spirit. With them, we commend them to God in our prayers and work through our own attitudes and actions to teach them about these whom they fear, teaching them also about God's love for all people in Christ Jesus. That's it for now. You can "Ask the Pastor" at . Walter Snyder is the pastor of St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches in Jasper and Woodville, Texas and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Pastor Snyder serves St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas, and is the coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1997 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.