Some of us were one of them.
We’ve either created art right beside them in studios during art school or class, or we communicate with them on art or design forums. They are INCREDIBLY talented and the fact that they have a God-given gift as visual artists is evident.
The oddity is this: They have a God-given talent, but they vehemently reject the notion that there is a God. They despise the Gospel message.
Now, don’t get me wrong. They can be the coolest, most open and fun-loving people that you could ever meet. But the mere notion of Jesus as Savior or, in many instances, the existence of God at all is met with great contempt. The paradox is that their talent is a living example of God giving us unique abilities as a testament to Himself.
Are you friends or acquainted with artists like these?
Were you ever one prior to accepting Christ?
Do you attempt to share the message of the Gospel with them?
Share your thoughts on this subject in the comments below!
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oops! that should have been “salvation” rather than “surrender”…
Techne, I hope you’re still checking up on this “thread.”
I had to ask you about something you shared…
“the issue was one of lordship, and not simply surrender. that is why i ended up laying down that artistic gift for 5 years after G-d took hold of me.”
Would you mind “opening that up” for me, alittle more?
Thanks, Techne!
I think it’s wise for us to follow your example as you stated:
“i simply bide my time, keep declaring Truth and sneak in the gospel while discussing my work/ their work/ any work with them…”
I believe God has us strategically placed in relationships to demonstrate Himself through our day-to-day walk.
Especially in cases where we’ve BEEN where those who need Salvation currently ARE.
TS-
as i very notationally responded elsewhere: i was one of those people…the non-christian neo-hippie artist, your friendly neighbourhood pagan, the new age sensitive pony-tailed tramp, open-minded and debaucherous. i lived, acted and embraced the entire image and myth of the artist. that being said, for me at least, the main issue was christians, not christ. christ (and christianity) was simply one more expression of spirituality, and it even had a lot of good ideas.
but, since you’ve expanded the question here, i will likewise expand my response (based on your points/ statements/ questions).
1. Are you friends or acquainted with artists like these? yes. i have artist friends in both camps, but most of my interaction is with non-christian artists. and many of the christian artists i know are actively engaged in trying to engage with any non-christian (artists and non). of course, there are many artists who vehemently oppose the gospel (or, the Truth). however, no more or less than the general non-christian population (and even some “christians”). i simply bide my time, keep declaring Truth and sneak in the gospel while discussing my work/ their work/ any work with them…
2. Were you ever one prior to accepting Christ? see above. ultimately, the issue, as someone already noted above, the issue was one of lordship, and not simply surrender. that is why i ended up laying down that artistic gift for 5 years after G-d took hold of me.
3. Do you attempt to share the message of the Gospel with them? sure. but which “Gospel” is that? the issue isn’t the gospel – or rather, the “gospel of the kingdom” as opposed to the “gospel of the church” (i.e. religion). i don’t waste my time with arguments – there are so many smokescreens out there. i don’t proselytize so much as engage Truth. eventually, people will (and often do) ask me about my content or ideas about art and its role, and then i am able to speak of its source, which is (hopefully) grounded in christ, the word and the Truth.
That’s good feedback, Gimel.
I especailly liked what you said about “artist that have accepted Christ as Savior, but not as Lord and Master”.
So true.
I do have a close college friend of mine that is apart of a church/cult.
I love him dearly and we have/had the best times, but our fellowship is indifferent when it comes to spiritual understanding, a holy life and the Grace of God.
I had no idea that what he was apart of until he showed me a website he had designed for his “church.” I immediately called him and asked him about it. I found myself speaking to a soul that was without Christ and not my friend.
When it was all said and done I left him to just do one thing…”To find out God for himself and not to stand upon what was mandated for him to believe.”
When I got off of the phone with him, he was still my friend. I distanced myself from him for a season just to make sure that relationship to him would not be solely of natural affection, which would blind me to the Lord’s general heart towards the lost…months later God brought him back into my life.
When we do talk to one another, there is no indifference…we speak through the gospel and he listens. He discovers that though he has an idea of God, he is still missing the Person.
I think I love him more now than ever.
I also know artist that have accepted Christ as Savior, but not as Lord and Master.
There is one thing about a God-given gift given to mortal men…they mistake the gift for God and worship it and they even acquire a following and they worship it also.
So at its core, despite what God endows a man with or what natural beauty He puts around him…no one can see the Father except through the Son.