Sunday, August 30, 2009

Providential Opportunities To Speak of Christ

I had two very good opportunities today to witness to the grace of God in the Gospel. My first witness was to my Muslim co-worker. And the second witness was to a Roman Catholic turned Jehovah's Witness.

The Muslim actually approached me to ask good questions about Jesus. What piqued her interest was that I had previously asked her about her fasting during Ramadan. I wanted to press upon her that fasting does not make us more acceptable to God. Well, this time she came at me with some probing questions about who I think Jesus is, how could Jesus die on the cross if he is God, how could Jesus be God's Son, etc. I answered as clearly as I could, giving her Biblical reasons as to why I believe in Jesus Christ. I look forward to bringing her a literature resource for her further inquiry, and God willing, she may come to see the error of Islam, and the futility of relying on religious duty to be saved from sin and death.

My other encounter happened while I was out walking my baby girl in the stroller. A man probably in his late 40s was holding familiar looking tracts. He spotted me passing by and asked me if I wanted to learn more about life on a "Paradise Earth". My immediate response to the Jehovah's Witnesses is usually "I know the Lord already". And from there I proceed to ask them about Jesus and who he is to them.

I pressed this man with regard to the fact that the honors, attributes, names, deeds and seat of authority of Jehovah in the Old Testament are applied directly to Jesus in the New Testament. At this time, the verse that came immediately to mind was the Great Commission in Matthew's Gospel account. Matthew 28:19 "...make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...". I asked him what the name of the Father was. He replied "Jehovah". "OK, so if The Father is Jehovah, and we are to do this also in the name (singular) of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, what does that make Jesus?" It seemed obvious to me that the singular name of God was equally distributed or attributed to the Son and also to the Spirit. And while the J.W. could read this in black and white in his own "New World Translation" bible, he was clearly not able or willing to "see" the truth of it.

We went on about other aspects of Jesus' Deity, but he just kept denying it. I asked him if he had assurance of salvation. But such precious assurance was lacking in his cult's false belief system. It was clear that he wasn't trusting in Jesus alone for eternal life, because false Christs NEVER give true assurance of salvation based upon the finished propitiation of the Lamb of God, and His PERFECT sacrifice in the stead of his people. I new I had made my case, but it was God's work to open this man's heart to believe. We went our separate ways, and I hope that he will take my advice and question what the Watchtower Society tells him.

I did see the need for my own better preparation for my next God ordained appointments for witnessing. I love to read blog articles, and theology books. I love to watch YouTube videos and listen to MP3 debates and sermons. However, there is NO SUBSTITUTE for the personal, focused, consistent reading, memorization, and study of the sacred Scriptures. It's when we are strong in the Word that we can be effect evangelists and apologists, because we are able to use the Word in a timely and effective way to persuade our hearers.