I went to the University of Minnesota tonight. The longest conversation was with Jeremy and two of his friends - all of which were grad students at the UofM.When I first asked Jeremy what he believed about God, he indicated that he didn't know - that he was agnostic - but leaned toward believing in God. However, after talking to him for a little while, it became apparent that he had a much more extensive set of beliefs about God.
Jeremy had some knowledge of the Bible, but missed vital points necessary to be saved from his sins and justified before God. Usually, when I speak to people about the good news of Christ I share it in two parts. First, I talk about the law that God requires everyone on earth to follow perfectly (i.e., the bad news part of the good news, see Rom. 3:9-19). Second, I share the essence of my faith, namely, that Jesus Christ was God, that he was born as a man, lived a perfect life, died to pay the penalty that I deserved to pay for not living up to God's standards, and rose from the dead (the good news part of the good news).
Long story short, I didn't really get past the bad news with Jeremy. I got stuck at whether we are sinful people deserving to be punished by a just God. I don't think Jeremy believed he was bad enough to go to hell. He didn't see how God is so Holy that He requires perfection and that lying, stealing, and committing adultery in his heart were worthy of death. Although, I didn't bring it up I'm pretty sure he would reject Rev. 21:8 that says "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, ... and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
I never really moved beyond the bad news, because Jeremy couldn't get past it. Jeremy said he believed that Christ led a life as an example to us - this is the natural conclusion one would have if one didn't understand the necessity that Christ die for our sins. In my understanding, Jeremy didn't believe that he had any sins that would require payment. Thus, the good news part of the good news was meaningless to him.
I told Jeremy about this blog and he said he might check it out. I asked him to keep me honest in my post because I'm trying to fairly portray his beliefs. I pray that God will open his eyes to sin - that he will see how we are all seeped in it. Only then will the good news be good.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Conversation with a lost Catholic
I went out again with our witnessing group tonight and spoke to three people in the one and a half hours that we were out. I spent most of my time talking with Ryan. When I first asked Ryan what he believed happened after death, he said he did not have any firm beliefs ... he just didn't know.
When I inquired further about whether he believed in God, Ryan said that he thought that there was probably a being "up there" looking down on us. I suggested that the God of the Bible was the being looking down on us and that he did indeed see everything we did. Ryan initially stated he would be "pretty alright" in God's eyes, but when we went through the particulars of the ten commandments it became apparent that neither Ryan or I were alright.
In fact, we were *all wrong* in God's sight. He saw the lies we told, our disobedience to our parents, and all of His other laws that we broke. He even saw into our hearts, and specifically I spoke about how he could see every lustful thought we ever had. I explained that all these sins demanded punishment from a just God, but that God in His mercy paid our fine on the cross, rose from the dead, and offers us the chance of eternal life if we repent of our sins and have faith in Jesus Christ.
As we talked, I found out that Ryan had a Catholic background and he seemed to have some understanding of what I was trying to communicate. It seems that somewhere along the way he had professed to believe in Christ, but had not continued to follow him. I tried to emphasis that following Christ is not merely an intellectual assent that fades or does not impact your life, but is instead something you must trade everything for. Our love for Christ must be so strong that our love for our father, our mother, and even our life must look like hate compared to it.
I asked him to reconsider all these things again and use the common sense attitude he professed to have to see if they were true. He thanked me and told me he would consider these things. I pray to God that he was sincere.
When I inquired further about whether he believed in God, Ryan said that he thought that there was probably a being "up there" looking down on us. I suggested that the God of the Bible was the being looking down on us and that he did indeed see everything we did. Ryan initially stated he would be "pretty alright" in God's eyes, but when we went through the particulars of the ten commandments it became apparent that neither Ryan or I were alright.
In fact, we were *all wrong* in God's sight. He saw the lies we told, our disobedience to our parents, and all of His other laws that we broke. He even saw into our hearts, and specifically I spoke about how he could see every lustful thought we ever had. I explained that all these sins demanded punishment from a just God, but that God in His mercy paid our fine on the cross, rose from the dead, and offers us the chance of eternal life if we repent of our sins and have faith in Jesus Christ.
As we talked, I found out that Ryan had a Catholic background and he seemed to have some understanding of what I was trying to communicate. It seems that somewhere along the way he had professed to believe in Christ, but had not continued to follow him. I tried to emphasis that following Christ is not merely an intellectual assent that fades or does not impact your life, but is instead something you must trade everything for. Our love for Christ must be so strong that our love for our father, our mother, and even our life must look like hate compared to it.
I asked him to reconsider all these things again and use the common sense attitude he professed to have to see if they were true. He thanked me and told me he would consider these things. I pray to God that he was sincere.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
First Night Witnessing
Tonight I went out with a group from my church witnessing to the people of downtown Minneapolis. I was surprised at how calm and bold I was. I have shared the gospel of Christ with people in the past, but have always felt nervous when I thought of walking up to total strangers and talking to them about Jesus.
We prayed that God would give us boldness and take the fear that several of us had and replace it with His peace. God is so gracious and he did just that.
Tonight I spoke with a Muslim cab driver about the difference between Jesus Christ and Mohammad. I don't think I've ever spoken to a Muslim before about his faith. I anticipated hostility, but he listened very intently.
After I explained that Christ paid for our sins with his very life, he said that Mohammad also will cover Muslims' sins on the judgment day. I labored with him to explain that God, being a just judge, demands payment for our sins and that Mohammad did not give this payment, but Jesus Christ did. He agreed that Mohammad did not make this payment.
I told him that I didn't know him, but that I cared what happened to him. He thanked me for talking with him, got in his cab, and left. I pray that God works in his heart so that he turns to Jesus Christ for the payment for his sins.
We prayed that God would give us boldness and take the fear that several of us had and replace it with His peace. God is so gracious and he did just that.
Tonight I spoke with a Muslim cab driver about the difference between Jesus Christ and Mohammad. I don't think I've ever spoken to a Muslim before about his faith. I anticipated hostility, but he listened very intently.
After I explained that Christ paid for our sins with his very life, he said that Mohammad also will cover Muslims' sins on the judgment day. I labored with him to explain that God, being a just judge, demands payment for our sins and that Mohammad did not give this payment, but Jesus Christ did. He agreed that Mohammad did not make this payment.
I told him that I didn't know him, but that I cared what happened to him. He thanked me for talking with him, got in his cab, and left. I pray that God works in his heart so that he turns to Jesus Christ for the payment for his sins.
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