When to stop?

[1Timothy115]

I've been witnessing for weeks now to the Romans Chapter 1 crowd. They are persistent in refusing the Gospel.

Jesus taught us to move on. Key word below being "when."
Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Paul wrote a book to these folks.
Romans 1:18-32
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprOBate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disOBedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

When is it time to move on, pray, and let the Holy Spirit have His way?

[John81]

We are told not to cast our pearls before swine. Are those refusing the Gospel doing so respectfully? Are there any signs of openness? Or are they attacking, are they slinging mud?

If they've been presented the Gospel a few times, sometimes even after a time or two, and they are hostile then it's time to move on. You have planted the seed. Pray the Lord may soften their hearts and one may come along and water that seed behind you and eventually someone may reap a good harvest.

[1Timothy115]

We are told not to cast our pearls before swine. Are those refusing the Gospel doing so respectfully? Are there any signs of openness? Or are they attacking, are they slinging mud?

If they've been presented the Gospel a few times, sometimes even after a time or two, and they are hostile then it's time to move on. You have planted the seed. Pray the Lord may soften their hearts and one may come along and water that seed behind you and eventually someone may reap a good harvest.

That's what I've been thinking, thanks John.
I'll check from time to time to see how the Holy Spirit uses the Gospel I left.

[John81]

Our associate pastor recently got an email from a guy he had witnessed to in college. He had witnessed to this man during college but he had rejected the truth. Then after five years since the last contact this man emails our associate pastor telling him how he finally saw the truth in what he had witnessed to him and how he was trying to witness to a friend and wanted some help in that.

Of course there are many others he witnessed to in college that still reject Christ or he hasn't heard from since, but it's encouraging to know that at least one finally came to the truth as a result of seeds planted long ago.

[irishman]

We are told not to cast our pearls before swine. Are those refusing the Gospel doing so respectfully? Are there any signs of openness? Or are they attacking, are they slinging mud?

If they've been presented the Gospel a few times, sometimes even after a time or two, and they are hostile then it's time to move on. You have planted the seed. Pray the Lord may soften their hearts and one may come along and water that seed behind you and eventually someone may reap a good harvest.

I don't know if there is a proper time that we can define. The hostility of those we approach becomes a sure sign of conviction; shall we quit then because they are convicted? A tough question.

I believe that an indifference is more of a sign to quit than hostility. The swine would totally ignore you, not understanding a word you said, as would the dog. The dog might turn on you and growl, and even bite, but he is usually just afraid, and feels he is protecting himself. I don't know much about pigs, actually, but I heard they too can attack you if you are not alert. A total indifference to the Word of God tells me that their hearts have not been prepared by the Holy Spirit, while hostility may mean that the heart has been dealt with, but the fear of change, and loss of "Privileges" that the flesh affords, may be stopping them, and they lash out lest they give in!

Consider Joh 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Many are willing to fight for their sin which they enjoy so much.

[John81]

I don't know if there is a proper time that we can define. The hostility of those we approach becomes a sure sign of conviction; shall we quit then because they are convicted? A tough question.

I believe that an indifference is more of a sign to quit than hostility. The swine would totally ignore you, not understanding a word you said, as would the dog. The dog might turn on you and growl, and even bite, but he is usually just afraid, and feels he is protecting himself. I don't know much about pigs, actually, but I heard they too can attack you if you are not alert. A total indifference to the Word of God tells me that their hearts have not been prepared by the Holy Spirit, while hostility may mean that the heart has been dealt with, but the fear of change, and loss of "Privileges" that the flesh affords, may be stopping them, and they lash out lest they give in!

Consider Joh 3:19 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Many are willing to fight for their sin which they enjoy so much.

Outside of the guidance of the Holy Ghost there is really no way for us to tell what's in anothers heart. I pray for guidance and try and heed the guidance of the Spirit.

Hostility would go with the swine trampling the pearls. It could be their hearts are already hardened to the Gospel or they are simply not yet ready.

If we can reason with them, there is hope at that moment. If they are just hostile, unwilling to listen to reason or consider reason, then we are better to go to another and pray the Lord will prepare their heart for the next one who brings the Gospel to them.

[John81]

Acts 19:9

"But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus."