Facebook "happy, feel good" theology

[Marston]

My niece posted this on Facebook and I'm debating with myself as to if I should respond and how or, for the sake of family harmony, leave it alone. The Bible tells us that some are going to the Lake of Fire and are never going out and so this message sounds nice but isn't true, according to the Bible.

Would you respond and, if so, how? Thanks.

"Please remember this; once upon a time, God thought of you. That's right. The creator of the universe and all life once thought of YOU! God wanted you and so he brought you into existence by creating you.

 

Life is tough, but that's because God is testing, refining, and shaping you for living forever in his kingdom. And rest assured, God has BIG plans for YOU!  

 

Never feel that you're unimportant or that your life doesn't matter. Remember, God thought of YOU, created you, loves you, and has BIG plans for you in his kingdom!"

[Gracejj]

I would respond and say- 

 

Amen!! Thank you Jesus! Glory to God. 

[other one]

Do you know who her audience for this post was.   I could post that for virtually all my posts only go to friends.  I don't have Facebook friends who are not believers.  This would be very appropriate for me to post on Facebook.   Maybe not hers.

 

[BornAgain490]

3 hours ago, Marston said:

My niece posted this on Facebook and I'm debating with myself as to if I should respond and how or, for the sake of family harmony, leave it alone. The Bible tells us that some are going to the Lake of Fire and are never going out and so this message sounds nice but isn't true, according to the Bible.

Would you respond and, if so, how? Thanks.

"Please remember this; once upon a time, God thought of you. That's right. The creator of the universe and all life once thought of YOU! God wanted you and so he brought you into existence by creating you.

 

Life is tough, but that's because God is testing, refining, and shaping you for living forever in his kingdom. And rest assured, God has BIG plans for YOU!  

 

Never feel that you're unimportant or that your life doesn't matter. Remember, God thought of YOU, created you, loves you, and has BIG plans for you in his kingdom!"

There's lots in her message that appeals to the flesh, and there's things in it that one could pick apart, but I'd just respond with an "Amen", then share the gospel of Jesus Christ with her and her audience, then see how she responds and reply to her accordingly.  ✌ 

[AnOrangeCat]

8 hours ago, Marston said:

My niece posted this on Facebook and I'm debating with myself as to if I should respond and how or, for the sake of family harmony, leave it alone. The Bible tells us that some are going to the Lake of Fire and are never going out and so this message sounds nice but isn't true, according to the Bible.

Would you respond and, if so, how? Thanks.

Context matters. We're certainly told to build each other up and exhort each other in Christ. The message could be seen as doing that, if it's predominantly aimed at other Christians. If it's not? Maybe she thinks of it as a method of witnessing to the unsaved who read the post. Do you know where your niece stands in her relationship with God? Does she generally display a sound knowledge of theology? Those variables affect what sort of response is appropriate. If you don't know already it'd be good to talk to her about it in depth.

[Marston]

35 minutes ago, AnOrangeCat said:

Context matters. We're certainly told to build each other up and exhort each other in Christ. The message could be seen as doing that, if it's predominantly aimed at other Christians. If it's not? Maybe she thinks of it as a method of witnessing to the unsaved who read the post. Do you know where your niece stands in her relationship with God? Does she generally display a sound knowledge of theology? Those variables affect what sort of response is appropriate. If you don't know already it'd be good to talk to her about it in depth.

 

She believes in God but knows next to nothing about the Bible. She has many Facebook "friends". I don't think she's big on theology. I think she just assumes that everybody is going to Heaven. I think I'm just going to leave it alone lest I be accused of causing division in our family. 

[ayin jade]

I would respond with scripture, something like 

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Shares her message of love, but also adds the qualification of needing to believe in Him.

[Who me]

11 hours ago, Marston said:

Would you respond and, if so, how

I would suggest posting a reply along the lines of

" Yes the bible says that God really  does love us as John 3:16-18 says, 'God so Loved the world ( its people ) that he sent his Son that all who believed in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.' Do you believe  in Jesus? "

In posting something like this one quotes scripture, points to the fact that we have to respond to God's expression of love while also confirming your nieces statement that God loves us.

 

Alternatively message her privately and ask her what does she mean by her  message and would a reply from you saying.... offend her.

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Marston, treading lightly, at least at first, can be important with family members and friends, so if I was you, I'd talk to her about what she posted on Facebook and why before saying anything to her about it.

Her opener sounds like the old Campus Crusade for Christ opener for their tract called, "The Four Spiritual Laws" (which is one of their witnessing tools). It began with "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life". 

It's pretty much the same now under their new organization called "Cru" (and you can see it here online in .pdf if you'd care to, just scroll down a bit when you get there until you see what looks like the cover of a yellow Christian tract and that's it: FourSpiritualLaws.pdf 

The thing is, the Four Spiritual Laws presents the Gospel, of course, but it also tells people what the Gospel is a remedy for (why it is "necessary" and not just "nice", for instance, the Good News ~AND~ the bad news, which is something that seems impossible to get around in a presentation of the Gospel, at least it does to me anyway).

Your niece doesn't do that in her Facebook post, she just presents some of the positive side of the Gospel (but she may have a reason for doing so, so ask her about it, about her friends' response to it, and about what she says to them when they do reply to her about it, things like that). Then you'll know how to best respond to her.

Praying for you!

God bless you!!

--David
p.s. - here's a quote from pastor and theologian A. W. Pink about this (about this new approach to evangelism and why he thinks that it is not a good idea). I think what he says is quite important, but it is rarely well-received for some reason (when compared to the responses that I've seen to most of his other famous quotes).

 

Edited January 23 by St_Worm2

[Michael37]

13 hours ago, Marston said:

My niece posted this on Facebook and I'm debating with myself as to if I should respond and how or, for the sake of family harmony, leave it alone. The Bible tells us that some are going to the Lake of Fire and are never going out and so this message sounds nice but isn't true, according to the Bible.

Would you respond and, if so, how? Thanks.

"Please remember this; once upon a time, God thought of you. That's right. The creator of the universe and all life once thought of YOU! God wanted you and so he brought you into existence by creating you.

 

Life is tough, but that's because God is testing, refining, and shaping you for living forever in his kingdom. And rest assured, God has BIG plans for YOU!  

 

Never feel that you're unimportant or that your life doesn't matter. Remember, God thought of YOU, created you, loves you, and has BIG plans for you in his kingdom!"

Hi @Marston It's possible your niece received an AI answer to a question she asked, and then posted it on Facebook. Such an answer would be tailored to her. Just a thought from someone who uses AI to research interesting subjects as a remedy for boredom.