Would you comment on Matthew 7:5-7, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
Sometimes when I talk to a nonbeliever about the Bible and they totally reject the gospel this verse comes to my mind. Am I taking it out of context? Would you share your thoughts about this verse?
Teaching should be consistent with the listener’s capacity for comprehension. Paul taught that the things of the Spirit are foolishness to a person who lacks the Spirit and cannot be understood because they are Spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14)
The openness that some unbelievers demonstrate toward the Gospel is an indication that the Holy Spirit is moving them, but a rejection means there’s no openness and you might even experience an attack of some kind. This is the enemy using your listener to scare you away and discourage you from evangelizing.
But God promised that His word would never return void. Some time, perhaps when your listener least expects it, your words will come back into his or her mind where they’ll receive the serious consideration they deserve.