Just Getting Some Chips
The conversation started to turn to small talk. I thought to myself that I could walk away from this conversation thinking she was saved because she liked my Jesus pin. The problem was she equated being a Christian with going to church and personal devotions with Wednesday Bible Study. I thought to myself, "If I don't witness to her, I will regret it." So I asked her if I could ask her a question. She said yes.
I asked her if she considered herself a good person. To my surprise she said yes. I asked her if she kept God's commandments. She answered, "Yes, I mean not always but I have definitely paid the price." I went through the Ten Commandments asking her if she broke any of them. She admitted to me that she was a lying, thieving, blasphemous and murder at heart (1 John 3:15). She told me that I was making her feel bad and uncomfortable.
(By the way that is what God's law is supposed to do)
I asked her if she died tonight and our Creator was to judge her by the Ten Commandments, and she admitted to Him what she admitted to me (liar, thief, blasphemous, murderer) would He find her innocent or guilty. Again to my surprise she said she thought God would understand her sin and see the good she has done.
She could not tell that I was completely shocked by what she said. Honestly, I did not expect her to say that God would basically overlook her sin and allow her to enter Heaven because she has done so much good. I have heard this many times from many people, but for some reason I didn't think it would come from her.
I calmly explained to her God does not save us by our good deeds. She replied, "Really? I'm going to have to ask my pastor about that". I continued by explaining Titus 3:5 and James 2:10
"He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit" (NASB)
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. (NASB)
I could tell that this seemed totally foreign to her and quoted 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God."
I gave her an analogy to help her understand God's justice. If I was to rob this store and latter be caught. And I was put before a judge and told him that I thought he should understand what I did and since the robbery gave money to charity and helped an old lady cross the street, should he let me go? No she exclaimed. If this doesn't work in the civil court, why do many think that it would work in God's court? God is not a corrupt judge, He must punish those who have rebelled against Him. In fact, God will judge even our thoughts and ever idle word we have spoken (Matt 12:36, Romans 2:16, 1 Cor 4:5).
I explained to A that God is holy and perfect and cannot look at sin. When God came down on the mountain in Exodus. He told the Israelites not to cross a certain line. If even an animal was to cross this line, the animal would die. The Israelites could not approach God. It is the same with humankind today, we cannot just approach God the Father, we must have a mediator.
At this point in the conversation, I could tell A was very convicted.She said she had to continue shopping and get home to her husband. I didn't want to leave the conversation without telling A the good news of Jesus Christ. I asked her if she knew what it was we must do to get into the Kingdom. She didn't know. I told her that God has called everyone to repentance. We must change our mind about the sin in our life. We must acknowledge that the way we are living is wrong and God's way is right. When David sinned with Bathsheba, he broke all of the Ten Commandments; he coveted and stole his neighbors wife, committed adultery, committed murder and dishonored God. When David repented from his sin, he told God, "Against you and you only have I done this evil in your sight" (Psalm 52:4). That is what needs to come from our heart. Many people think they have paid the price for their sin because they have hurt others and have endured the consequences. But we need to be grieved over sin because it offends the God who made us.
I told A that God the Son came to earth to take our punishment for sin and that God the Father poured out his wrath on Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus rose himself from the dead proving He was God and now commands us to repent and trust in the work He did.
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36
"Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life." John 6:47
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
" He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:12-13
I told her that once she does this she will become born again. The criteria to enter heaven is not to be a good person but to be born from God (John 3:3-6).
I can only pray now that A will get on her knees and repent before God and trust in the work of his Son for salvation.
Many Christians do not want to offend others today. However, I contend that sinners must be offended before they come to Christ.They must see themselves helpless before a holy God and in need of a Savior.
My encouragement to you is share your faith wherever you go. There is not a right place to do it. Whether it is at a mall, street corner or in the chip aisle there are people who need to hear the truth of the Gospel.
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