The Unconcerned Unitarian. Sitting on a bench outside the courthouse, she accepted a gospel tract. She said she had a church background and considered herself to be a good person. When examined in the light of God's moral law as expounded upon by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, she admitted she had violated God's moral law but refused to believe that God would hold the unrepentant unaccountable for their sins. She said that she learned in the Unitarian church that there is truth in all religions, the bible cannot be trusted because it contradicts itself, and therefore she did not believe Jesus' words in John 3 that you must be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven or else you suffer the wrath of God which already abides upon every unbeliever (John 3). She listened patiently but refused to acknowledge the clear and convincing evidence supporting the reliability of the bible (manuscript evidence, archaeological evidence, fulfilled prophecy, scriptural synergy over 1000s of years, Jesus' resurrection, eyewitness accounts, etc.). Like everyone else I ask, she could not actually point to or name any specific point where the bible allegedly contradicts itself in a substantive manner. She also chose to disbelieve the evidence of the conscience with regard to our inward knowledge that we are guilty before God for having violated His standards. She admitted that if the bible is true and she stands before God in judgment (Heb. 9:27), she will be found guilty (Rom. 3:23) and destined for eternity in hell (Matt 5). But she simply chose to refuse to believe those truths because she "is happy with her beliefs." I explained that I could happily walk into the middle of a highway and simply refuse to believe that the speeding cars would have no effect on my body, but my happy unrealistic beliefs would not change the reality of metal splattering flesh all over the road. No amount of unsubstantiated belief will alter the reality of the judgment to come upon those who refuse to repent and believe (John 3:36; Rev. 21:8). She said I made some persuasive points but she was still "happy" with what she believed. I urged her to truly consider her eternal destiny before it's too. She reminded me of what the Apostle Paul warned the Colossians:
"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy ....
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form ....
[Y]ou were dead in your sins [but] God made you alive with Christ.
He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations,
that was against us and that stood opposed to us [our countless violations of God's moral law]; He took it away, nailing it to the cross (Col. 2:8-13)."
Repentant Roberto. Then, later that morning, there was the encouraging repentant response of young Roberto, the Hispanic young man who came to court to help his father by interpreting for him and helping him navigate the legal system as best he could. They, too, were sitting on a bench outside the courthouse, waiting until the time of their court appearance before going inside. We're all like that ... waiting for our appearance before the Judge of the Universe (Ecl. 12:13-14; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:27). He said he had a church background in a sense, because his father was catholic and his mother was "christian." Roberto, however, did not know for sure what his eternal destiny would be if he died today. But he did want to know. We went through the Way of the Master approach to sharing the gospel (see the video clips at the bottom of the blog). He honestly admitted he had violated God's moral law, that if judged by God's standard he would be found guilty, and if found guilty is destiny would be hell, not heaven. I shared with him the good news of what God had done for him in His great love for Roberto in order to take the punishment that Roberto and the rest of us truly deserve. I explained how God fulfilled his just nature by holding all people accountable for their sin, just like a good judge, when He imposed justice on His own Son on the cross and when He imposes justice on all those who refuse to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. I also explained that God demonstrates His mercy and love to those who repent and believe by forgiving them of all their sin and canceling out the crimes we have committed against a Holy God. I asked Roberto if he had ever repented of his sins (cried out for mercy and forgiveness and turned to follow the Savior) and trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. He had not done that yet. I asked him when he was going to do it? He hesitated. I pleaded with him to do it today before it's too late, because today could be his last day. I asked him if he had a bible. He said yes. I encouraged him to begin reading the Gospel of John a little bit each day and pray that God would help him to obey what he reads. In this way, would truly be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 8:31-32). He said he would repent and trust Christ today and start reading John. I then gave him several gospel tracts and encouraged him to interpret them for his friends and family and help them repent and trust Christ and begin to follow Him, since Jesus said "follow me and I will teach you to fish for men" and since you can't take anything else with you to heaven except other people. He thanked me for the tracts and said he would do it. Praise the Lord!
I pray God will seal Roberto's decision and give him the grace to do it. I also pray the Lord will stir "Unconcerned's" heart and compel her to pursue the truth and embrace it before it's too late.
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