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Question about witnessing

Discussion in 'Evangelism, Missions & Witnessing' started by SavedByGrace31, Oct 14, 2003.

  1. SavedByGrace31

    SavedByGrace31 New Member

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    I ran across a problem today. Most people I know, or come in contact with are Catholic. I witness to people and I get either the cold shoulder, or I am what I am etc...

    Well my cousin called me this afternoon and I was not home so she left a message. I called her back but she was not home. She again called me and went on about how she was out doing the CCD thing.

    I bragged on how involved I am in my church and how much I loved being there etc..
    She told me she was more involved now in her church because her daughter would soon make her sacrament. She went on talking about how much she liked her Catholic church and bragged about how her husband was both Prodestant and Catholic.
    ( HMMM :rolleyes: )
    Then in the next breath said if it were not for her daughter getting ready for her sacrament she probibly wouldn't go to church at all.

    she also stated that she believes what is in the bible.

    So here are a few things I asked her. If in fact she does read the bible and believes it.

    #1. Show me anywhere in the bible that it states your child must make these sacrements?
    ANSWER: She didn't know

    #2. Show me where in the bible it says we must confess our sins to man and man alone and not God?
    ANSWER: She didn't know.

    #3. If you were to die today could you say for certain, 100% that you would go to heaven?
    ANSWER: Yes

    That is where I froze. I was able to elaborate on the first 2 questions, but most people answer the third as " They think, or they hope they will go to heaven.

    So the only thing I could think of to do was ask:

    Why do you know you are going to heaven?
    ANSWER: Because I feel I have been good, not only in treating people but doing the "church thingy" too!

    We all know that being good is a part of it, and the " church thingy" too, but we also know it is a whole lot more.

    She went on to say her church teaches about God. And I challenged that. I asked her to tell me what she knows. She couldn't.
    I have been a Catholic for 30 years so I know for a fact she don't know about God.

    So here is my question to anyone who wants to answer.

    Since I was so stumped on that 3rd question, I was taken back, how would some of you have handled it?

    SBG31

    P.S. she ended the conversation with saying she has to go play a game of OUJI!!!!! :eek:
     
  2. Abiyah

    Abiyah <img src =/abiyah.gif>

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    I am So Sorry! I just saw that this is Baptist only. :-(

    Edited for this reason. Thanks. Saggywoman

    [ October 17, 2003, 01:35 AM: Message edited by: SaggyWoman ]
     
  3. SavedByGrace31

    SavedByGrace31 New Member

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    I guess no one else has any comments?

    I woudl really like to know how others would have handled that situation. Not for right or wrong, just for the fact that maybe I can learn for next time..
    [​IMG]
     
  4. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    The FAITH classes we took at our church had us use a different question for number 3. We were to ask 'What, in YOUR opinion, does it take for someone to go to heaven?' That's where the 'church thingy and being good' would have come in and you could then share how being good or good works are useless without faith in Christ.

    I still don't use that question in that form. I have witnessed for too many years using the 'If you died today' question and old habits die hard.

    Diane
     
  5. lighthouse

    lighthouse New Member

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    savedbygrace,
    The question you asked was the right one. You just need a little fine tuning. When you asked, "do you know where your going when you die?" It is the most important question one could ask, simply because when you cross over it's for eternity. The answer is found in 1Jn.5:13. It says,

    "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; THAT YE MAY KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

    In other words, when you believe and receive the written Word of God about the person and work of The Lord Jesus Christ,you are saved. To receive the written Word of God is to have a testimony of the Truth. It has nothing to do with what kind of person you are or what you do in life. Salvation has always been from the beginning, belief of the truth(1Thess.2:13). Only when you grow in the Lord does it produce fruit to be reconized. Don't be confused with the fruit of the lost. A lot of lost people are decent, moral, kind people. If they can't tell you why they are saved, then most likely they are not. We are all sinners, guilty before God by His law. The payment for telling one lie is eternal separation from God's presence. God has allowed one provision to erase that sin. That is to allow Jesus to take that penalty in your place. That's what Calvary was all about. Your sin, or at least the penalty of your sin is forever taken care of by God imputing His sinless life in your life and at the same time taking upon Himself all of your sins that you have commited, are commiting and will commit. PRAISE GOD FOR THAT! That's Grace. As soon as you start adding works to that plan of salvation, you void the plan of grace(Rom.11:6). Now, once you are saved, kept by the power of God(1Pet.1:5), you want to do works that show your faith(James 2:22). The first work is baptism. Baptism is a work of profession of the death, burial and resurrection of your faith. A symbol. Peter calls it the "like figure" (picture) of the one baptism(Eph.4:5) that saves us. A Spiritual baptism that places us in the Body of Christ(1Cor.12:13).

    I am saved on my way to heaven one day because I realized that by the law I was guilty before God and my future destination was the lake of fire. I called upon the Lord, my Judge to have mercy on this sinner and He heard my cry. He then chose to forgive me, adopted me into the family of God, forever changing my future eternal state.
    My church had nothing to do with it, baptism had nothing to do with it, good works had nothing to do with it. Faith in the written Word of God did. Do you have the right Bible?
     
  6. RaptureReady

    RaptureReady New Member

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    Amen brother!
     
  7. dclark14

    dclark14 New Member

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    Sometimes it's better to ask "On what basis would God let you into His heaven?" This takes the answer away from a subjective, or personal "feeling" answer.Its really hard to get past others "feelings" in this case. Any basis offered other than "the righteousness of Jesus Christ applied to my account upon receiving Christ as Lord" can then be refuted using scripture.Ephesians 2 is helpful here.Receiving Christ by faith, rather than through a "churchy thing" is important to make clear.It sure is difficult when theological semantics seem to check each other!Not everyone who says "Lord,Lord" will enter the kingdom.
    Blessings,
    [​IMG]
     
  8. dawna

    dawna New Member

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    Why did the 3rd question stump you?
    Go show her from the Bible that being (Good) doesnt save you. romans 3:23 says for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. everyone including (good) people are sinners and is seperated from God.
    Thats why jesus came to save us sinners remeber we are all sinners including (Good) people Romans 5:8 but God commendeth his love toward us in that, while WE were yet sinners Christ died for us...
    so if we are all sinnners what will happen to sinners? in romans 6:23 it says For the wages of SIN IS DEATH; BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.....
    Death means separation forever from God . Eternal life comes by trusting jesus and not by being good or going throught he motions of going to chruch. Its accepting What Jesus did for you jesus took the punshment that you deserved. romans 10:9 says if you confess with thy mouth the Lord jesus and shalt belive in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.....all you got to do is belive that jesus died for your sins and declare that you accept Him as savior.
    Romans 10:13 says for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved...... this is Gods promise to you if you accept Jesus He will accept you .
    always go to the Bible for the answers . does what she said about I know im going to heaven because i am being good or the churchy thing does it line up with what the Bible says? no it doesnt the Bible says Jesus is the only way to get to heaven . jesus said I am the way the truth and the life nobody goes to the father expet by me.

    and if she would like to accept Jesus as savoir she can pray a prayer like this

    Dear God, I know i have sinned and i want to ask for forgivness . I belive that Jesus died for my sins I now accept your offer of eternal life. i will follow jesus as my savoir and try to obey Him ia all That i do. thank you for my new life. in Jesus name amen.

    but make sure you show her from the bible and what the bible says about sin and that she understands what jesus did for her first before you ask if she would like to ask jesus as her saviour.

    dawna72002
     
  9. GM

    GM Guest

    Witnessing:

    Get prepared by researching for facts and proof first.

    Then
    Just ask some one, "Where do you plan on spending eternity?"

    and go from there.

    God Bless my Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
     
  10. Pastor Larry

    Pastor Larry <b>Moderator</b>
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    The better question is, "If you were to stand before God right now and he were to say, '(name), why should I let you into heaven,' what would your answer be?"

    This will tell you why a person thinks they are going to heaven. Then you can something like, Have you ever thought about what God says about that reason? Can I show you from hiw word where he gives an answer?
     
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