# Biggest Hindrance to the Public Expression of the Faith



## RamistThomist (Aug 6, 2005)

A thread arose a long time ago on the biggest challenge to the faith (atheism, liberalism, et al). This has to do with the most effective hindering (if I may phrase it like that) of the public expression of the faith (missions and evangelism).

Is a ruthless totalitarian regime the most deadly enemy of the church's public life (ie, Hitler, Stalin, socialism)?

Pietism--not piety but the privatization of Christianity, making its relation to the world non-existent.

Neo-Gnosticism--a logical corollary of pietism. The famous, "The world's evil and about to be destroyed, heck with it,"

Unbelief--either liberalism or the failure of the church to have faith in the promises of God (see Iain Murray's sermons at sermon audio dot com on the History of Revival).

some other option


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## Texas Aggie (Aug 6, 2005)

A decree of God declares the form of hindrance. With that said, I tend to think unbelief is the primary answer (all have absolutely no belief until God reveals Himself to His chosen).

Next in line would probably be a totalitarian regime (masses ruled by fear). Even the majority of believers would most likely keep their mouths shut.


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## Bladestunner316 (Aug 6, 2005)

unbeleif in the church for sure. if christians dont believe in their God and Bible then how is that going to help spread the word?


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## Puritanhead (Aug 6, 2005)

Doesn't this question all depends on the geographic location of the person? I don't think people in Romania in 1970s would be complaining about internal strife in the church over the oppression they endure from the state. Read the Christian Jew Richard Wurmbrand's _Tortured for Christ_ to see the plight of the Romanian Christian under communist rule manifested. Same thing with the Nazis-- despite efforts of liberals and Marxists to marry Christianity w/ National Socialism, they were vehement in their persecution of Christians... Clergy were executed, imprisoned and killed, and the tolerated church was under the thumb of the state.

Though, where I am at -- I would say unbelief in the church... while there some isolated incidents of state harrassment that is rather trivial.


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## RamistThomist (Aug 6, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Puritanhead_
> Doesn't this question all depends on the geographic location of the person? I don't think people in Romania in 1970s would be complaining about internal strife in the church over the oppression they endure from the state. Read the Christian Jew Richard Wurmbrand's _Tortured for Christ_ to see the plight of the Romanian Christian under communist rule manifested. Same thing with the Nazis-- despite efforts of liberals and Marxists to marry Christianity w/ National Socialism, they were vehement in their persecution of Christians... Clergy were executed, imprisoned and killed, and the tolerated church was under the thumb of the state.
> 
> Though, where I am at -- I would say unbelief in the church... while there some isolated incidents of state harrassment that is rather trivial.



You're right on that and I noticed that these questions are not mutually exclusive and imply one another.

For example, one can argue (as Gene Veith did in Postmodern Times) that postmodernism (unbelief) forces "tolerance" on a community, thus statism/totalitarianism.


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## Robin (Aug 6, 2005)

Ignorance of and cowardice for the true Gospel is the greatest threat, in my opinion.



Robin


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