As I was doing some yard work in the front of my house two people approached me. They were going around and talking about water or such subjects that were of interest to people. I asked them if they knew about the water walk (supports building wells in places like Africa) in Bidwell Park this year but they switched subjects.
The guy said that they were sharing their beliefs with people and I told him that's really cool. So we had about a 10 to 15 minute calm discussion on the Bible, Jesus, and our Beliefs. Remember it's important to be real with people and hear them out.
I told them that I was a Christian and that I believe that Jesus died on the cross and on the third day rose again. And that he paid for all of our sins and is coming back again one day. The guy told me that he believed that Jesus died and paid the price for our sins, but he also said that faith without works is dead, and wanted to show me some scriptures. I could tell we where going to have an interesting conversation. Please remember it's important to take our time when we talk with people about Jesus.
Ah...I said you mean James chapter 2 where it talks about Faith and Works. The guy said yeah that's the section and asked my thoughts (see James 2:20). I told him that I think faith is like the root of what I believe and works are the fruit. And that we are not saved by our works (see Ephesians 2:8-9), just like the man that died next to Jesus on the cross.
He said "today you will be with me in paradise" and so the man only believed and Jesus never told him to get off his cross and do some works to be with him in paradise (see Luke 23:43 ). I do believe that man next to Jesus on the cross saw his sins upon Jesus and that he had sinned against a Holy God and at that point repented and trusted in Jesus.
The guy then asked me if I thought works were something we should be doing. I told him that while works are good, they are more of a heartfelt response to what Jesus did for us and it allows us to grow closer to Him. And that one day we will be in heaven with Jesus. To that The guy asked what I thought we would be doing in Heaven.
I said I really didn't know but I do know that we will be worshiping God and He will be our only source of light as scriptures tell us and all we need (see Revelation 21:23). Please remember we have a concern for other peoples soul and share the truth in love.
The guy said that even the disciples where commanded to go into the entire world and preach the gospel (see Matthew 28:19-20), however I could tell we had some different thoughts on what the Gospel is. So, I pointed out again and again that I believe that the gospel is simply this "that Jesus died on the cross, rose again on the third day, was seen by more than 500 people and will be coming back again and those who believe in him will join him in Heaven". It's time we rise up church and go into the entire world and preach the gospel.
From there the discussion we were having went into Heaven, Hell, and our fallen state of sin. The guy talked about how Adam and Eve messed it all up for the rest of us. I told him that if I were in Adams shoes I probably would have done the same thing and it would have been just a matter of time.
The guy then talked about hell and Shiloh which is the grave of man where people go when they die and is really just 6 feet below the ground. To that I replied that I didn't really know much about that but knew that when Jesus died on the cross he lead the captives free, which means he took home Abraham and his descendants and led them to Heaven. Remember it's okay to admit that we don't know, because we don't know everything.
At that point I was really interested in which church they were from and asked "So which local church are you from?" and the guy replied we are Jehovah Witness. (Oh, I thought how wonderful, my pastor just talked about Revelation and how Jehovah Witness believe that they are the 144,000 and them alone.)
So I asked "What do you think about the 144,000 mentioned in Rev. 7 and 14?". The guy said that he believed that we need to take Revelation figuratively and not literally. I told him I thought different and believe that the 144,000 is Israel and not the church as he has stated. And that I think it's Israel because the Bible says it's Israel and even list's out 12,000 for each of the 12 tribes.
To that the guy said that he thinks not everyone is going to Heaven. I agreed but once again we had a different view on God's standard and his Holiness. However I told the guy (and the girl standing next to him quietly) that Jesus died on the cross for us all and not just for a chosen 144,000 only.
I told him that I think the Bible would say something like the 144,000 is like the people of Israel or like the church if that's what it was trying to say. I told him that just as Jesus marks his followers in Revelation, Ephesians talks about how we are sealed with the Holy Spirit that the anti-Christ will also seal his own (see Ephesians 1:13-14).
We discussed about what and who the anti-Christ is and I told him that there can be more than one of them and that one day the last one will sit on the throne in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and declare that he is god.
I also told him that I believe that Jesus is throughout the Bible, and even in Genesis it mentions the trinity about how it says "come let us make man in our image" (see Genesis 1:26-27) and in the beginning of the Bible it talks about the spirit hovering above the waters (see Genesis 1:2). Please remember it's important to talk about truth and to do so in love.
The guy said that he's not sure about the trinity and that even Jesus prayed to the Father but wouldn't need to if they were really one. To that I replied honest that I didn't fully understand the trinity and that I'm glad I can't put God in a box where I can figure out how it all works and that I'm okay with believing that the three are one.
The guy said that he thought Jesus came from the Lord. And I told Him that I believe that Jesus was God incarnate and had a perfect relationship with the father. Also that when we die we are absent from the body and present with the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 5:6-8).
At that point I think the guy did not want to talk further and thanked me for taking a moment of my time. I said no problem and shook their hands and got to know their names at that point. The guy asked if I would be interested in further discusses and be around next week. I said that I' am and will be around the same time on the weekends.
As they were about to leave I asked if I could pray for them, and that's when the guy told me "No, I'm sorry but we can't do that, that they could pray for me but now allow me to pray for them". So I told him that I would be praying for them anyways. So then they went on their way.
Right then I begin to pray as they walked down the street and later came inside to do some research into what Jehovah Witness believe and I couldn't believe how the Lord led me to share exactly what the main differences we had on Bible, Jesus, and our Beliefs.
(I found out that we differed on the following: the trinity, man's soul once he dies, if hell is real, who are the 144,000, about salvation such as grace vs. works, and that Jesus was crucified on a cross.) Please pray for them as I continue to think about them and pray for them now more than ever, and pray for me to continue to have boldness.
I also shared on what we have in common but couldn't believe that the Lord had just used even me. The previous night I was at a Church men's dinner and we read 2 Timothy 4 about being ready in season and out of season (see 2 Timothy 4:2).
Wow, this event has really caused me to see the need to share the true Gospel, and to become more bold in sharing my faith in Jesus Christ with others. Thank you Lord for allowing me to share your word and your truth in Love!
Please pray for me as I'm wanting to be more bold for Jesus, and out-witness these people. Also this month I met a new friend named Jon Talley who introduced me to a book called "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven" by Mark Cahill. Awesome book! (check out www.markcahill.org)
Seek and save that which is lost and press on in Love,
Tim Molter
The guy said that they were sharing their beliefs with people and I told him that's really cool. So we had about a 10 to 15 minute calm discussion on the Bible, Jesus, and our Beliefs. Remember it's important to be real with people and hear them out.
I told them that I was a Christian and that I believe that Jesus died on the cross and on the third day rose again. And that he paid for all of our sins and is coming back again one day. The guy told me that he believed that Jesus died and paid the price for our sins, but he also said that faith without works is dead, and wanted to show me some scriptures. I could tell we where going to have an interesting conversation. Please remember it's important to take our time when we talk with people about Jesus.
Ah...I said you mean James chapter 2 where it talks about Faith and Works. The guy said yeah that's the section and asked my thoughts (see James 2:20). I told him that I think faith is like the root of what I believe and works are the fruit. And that we are not saved by our works (see Ephesians 2:8-9), just like the man that died next to Jesus on the cross.
He said "today you will be with me in paradise" and so the man only believed and Jesus never told him to get off his cross and do some works to be with him in paradise (see Luke 23:43 ). I do believe that man next to Jesus on the cross saw his sins upon Jesus and that he had sinned against a Holy God and at that point repented and trusted in Jesus.
The guy then asked me if I thought works were something we should be doing. I told him that while works are good, they are more of a heartfelt response to what Jesus did for us and it allows us to grow closer to Him. And that one day we will be in heaven with Jesus. To that The guy asked what I thought we would be doing in Heaven.
I said I really didn't know but I do know that we will be worshiping God and He will be our only source of light as scriptures tell us and all we need (see Revelation 21:23). Please remember we have a concern for other peoples soul and share the truth in love.
The guy said that even the disciples where commanded to go into the entire world and preach the gospel (see Matthew 28:19-20), however I could tell we had some different thoughts on what the Gospel is. So, I pointed out again and again that I believe that the gospel is simply this "that Jesus died on the cross, rose again on the third day, was seen by more than 500 people and will be coming back again and those who believe in him will join him in Heaven". It's time we rise up church and go into the entire world and preach the gospel.
From there the discussion we were having went into Heaven, Hell, and our fallen state of sin. The guy talked about how Adam and Eve messed it all up for the rest of us. I told him that if I were in Adams shoes I probably would have done the same thing and it would have been just a matter of time.
The guy then talked about hell and Shiloh which is the grave of man where people go when they die and is really just 6 feet below the ground. To that I replied that I didn't really know much about that but knew that when Jesus died on the cross he lead the captives free, which means he took home Abraham and his descendants and led them to Heaven. Remember it's okay to admit that we don't know, because we don't know everything.
At that point I was really interested in which church they were from and asked "So which local church are you from?" and the guy replied we are Jehovah Witness. (Oh, I thought how wonderful, my pastor just talked about Revelation and how Jehovah Witness believe that they are the 144,000 and them alone.)
So I asked "What do you think about the 144,000 mentioned in Rev. 7 and 14?". The guy said that he believed that we need to take Revelation figuratively and not literally. I told him I thought different and believe that the 144,000 is Israel and not the church as he has stated. And that I think it's Israel because the Bible says it's Israel and even list's out 12,000 for each of the 12 tribes.
To that the guy said that he thinks not everyone is going to Heaven. I agreed but once again we had a different view on God's standard and his Holiness. However I told the guy (and the girl standing next to him quietly) that Jesus died on the cross for us all and not just for a chosen 144,000 only.
I told him that I think the Bible would say something like the 144,000 is like the people of Israel or like the church if that's what it was trying to say. I told him that just as Jesus marks his followers in Revelation, Ephesians talks about how we are sealed with the Holy Spirit that the anti-Christ will also seal his own (see Ephesians 1:13-14).
We discussed about what and who the anti-Christ is and I told him that there can be more than one of them and that one day the last one will sit on the throne in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and declare that he is god.
I also told him that I believe that Jesus is throughout the Bible, and even in Genesis it mentions the trinity about how it says "come let us make man in our image" (see Genesis 1:26-27) and in the beginning of the Bible it talks about the spirit hovering above the waters (see Genesis 1:2). Please remember it's important to talk about truth and to do so in love.
The guy said that he's not sure about the trinity and that even Jesus prayed to the Father but wouldn't need to if they were really one. To that I replied honest that I didn't fully understand the trinity and that I'm glad I can't put God in a box where I can figure out how it all works and that I'm okay with believing that the three are one.
The guy said that he thought Jesus came from the Lord. And I told Him that I believe that Jesus was God incarnate and had a perfect relationship with the father. Also that when we die we are absent from the body and present with the Lord (see 2 Corinthians 5:6-8).
At that point I think the guy did not want to talk further and thanked me for taking a moment of my time. I said no problem and shook their hands and got to know their names at that point. The guy asked if I would be interested in further discusses and be around next week. I said that I' am and will be around the same time on the weekends.
As they were about to leave I asked if I could pray for them, and that's when the guy told me "No, I'm sorry but we can't do that, that they could pray for me but now allow me to pray for them". So I told him that I would be praying for them anyways. So then they went on their way.
Right then I begin to pray as they walked down the street and later came inside to do some research into what Jehovah Witness believe and I couldn't believe how the Lord led me to share exactly what the main differences we had on Bible, Jesus, and our Beliefs.
(I found out that we differed on the following: the trinity, man's soul once he dies, if hell is real, who are the 144,000, about salvation such as grace vs. works, and that Jesus was crucified on a cross.) Please pray for them as I continue to think about them and pray for them now more than ever, and pray for me to continue to have boldness.
I also shared on what we have in common but couldn't believe that the Lord had just used even me. The previous night I was at a Church men's dinner and we read 2 Timothy 4 about being ready in season and out of season (see 2 Timothy 4:2).
Wow, this event has really caused me to see the need to share the true Gospel, and to become more bold in sharing my faith in Jesus Christ with others. Thank you Lord for allowing me to share your word and your truth in Love!
Please pray for me as I'm wanting to be more bold for Jesus, and out-witness these people. Also this month I met a new friend named Jon Talley who introduced me to a book called "One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven" by Mark Cahill. Awesome book! (check out www.markcahill.org)
Seek and save that which is lost and press on in Love,
Tim Molter
