Eternal Approach

So, last Saturday morning some people from the Jehovah’s Witness group stopped by to ask me some questions. 

They were friendly. And less aggressive than some of the other visitors I’ve had. 

I get somewhat regular visits from folks. Sometimes JW’s. Sometimes Mormons. 

I think I may be on a list of some kind. Maybe they give certain guys my address as a punishment of sorts. 

You know, to go see this guy just in case they can convert me. Maybe they’ll even get a prize if they do. 

Which reminds me of the churches that used to give out prizes if you brought a guest to church or to Sunday school.

Like a free airplane ride or a steak dinner!

Let me just say at the outset here, I do not have a nasty attitude toward these folks.

Yes, they are false teachers. And No, I don’t invite them into my house. And No, I don’t “give them God speed.” As the scriptures command that I should not do.

Because I’ve been where they are. I’ve done my share of door-to-door “witnessing” for the Lord.

I used to do this when I was a Bible major down at Bob Jones University. When, on Saturday mornings we would drive over to some of the local communities and stop by people’s homes to talk with them about the Lord.

And that is not easy.

At least not the way we did it. I think there may be a problem about how the door-to-door ‘witnessing” or street witnessing is conducted by many churches.

I’m not saying it isn’t necessary. But I think much of the work is done in our own strength. Despite all of our prayers and good intentions.

It’s often done in the power of very dedicated “Christian flesh”. Which may change a bit here and there in its style based on the type of church you go to. Or the tracts and literature you hand out.

Nevertheless, the bottom line for the believer is that this is not done to get points for salvation. That just doesn’t happen. Nor should it be done to get brownie points with the Lord.

Why They Stopped By?

My heart actually went out to the two guys that stopped by on Saturday morning. 

They started out right away with a question about whether I thought there were people in the world that had problems? Or that there were people out there considering suicide?  

After a few moments, I interrupted them politely to ask them where they were from. 

Now, I know that the JW’s need to do this stuff for salvation. Though they would deny that.

This is just how it is for the JW’s; with visitation as part of their list of works that need to be done to go to heaven. Or as is the case for the Mormons, to progress in their climb from the Telestial to the Celestial Kingdom (which are totally unbiblical teachings). 

But the real issue here, in all of this discussion, is to clarify exactly how we are saved?

The Total Sufficiency of Christ

It all comes back to The Total Sufficiency of Christ. 

No matter who is coming to the door, that is the bottom line. 

We must be absolutely clear upon what our salvation is based.

The answer is that it all comes down to the total and completely finished work of Christ. 

If we try to ADD anything to what He has finished, we are rejecting the gospel. Period. 

And this is why we just cannot get bogged down with all the religious groups that are trying to cozy up to our churches.

Who want us to become “partners” with them in their good-works ministries. In their ministries of compassion to the poor, to the sick, to the needy, to the abused, and to downtrodden people. 

Which is exactly what Evangelical leaders are telling us we must do if we are truly following the gospel. That we must help all these people; and to do it by coming alongside these groups. 

That “we must, IF we are truly following the Lord, IF we are truly following His heart, IF we actually love in deeds and not just in words”. 

But what really happens when we “partner” with these religious groups?

To Confuse the Gospel

We sell the gospel out in order to prove something to ourselves. To prove that we are caring people, that we are loving people, that we have compassion. 

But the end result is that we confuse the true gospel. We make it something other than it truly is. 

Those men that came to my house didn’t need me to join with them in some ministry of compassion that they wanted to do for the world.

There is no way I should join with them in helping people of the world in order that somehow I can then show them what the gospel is. Or so that I can have some opportunity down the road to give them the gospe; because I was willing to sit down with them and listen to them tell me how to join with them.

What they desperately needed was to hear that Jesus has paid it all. And that if they won’t believe that and REST in that truth, then they are lost. And they are on their way to hell. 

That is what they really needed. To see that they don’t have to do what they are doing.

That the price has already been paid and that NO WORKS can add to God’s Free Salvation through Christ Alone, By Faith Alone, According to the Word of God Alone. 

To tell people that, above all other ministries and associations and partnerships is what is desperately needed. 

THAT is “what love demands”. 

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