I was in KY last week checking out a Bible school and I went witnessing with some of the students in the small town near the school. After I had given people tracts I tried talking to them about Jesus and most of them either said they invite Jesus into their hearts every day or that they confess their sins several times a week.
How do you deal with this? What Bible verses could you use to counter that type of a response?
Jordan
Ask them to show you the verse where it says to ask Jesus into their heart.
Ask them why they confess every day.
Ask them what sins they confess and why they keep committing them.
This should spark enough to make them question their salvation at which point you can walk them through the law and then the true meaning of the cross.
If someone told me that they invite Jesus into their heart everyday (the equivalent of being born again John 3:3-7), I would ask them how many times they were born, physically. Of course, just once, and in the same way you will only be born of God's Spirit one time. It's not like Jesus comes into their heart then leaves and comes back next week when you invite Him again. These people are more than probably trying to justify themselves. Which leads to their next statement. "I confess my sins several times a week." If someone says that to you, take them through a courtroom scenario. They're standing before a judge, found guilty of multiple crimes and as the judge is about to pass sentence he asks if you have any last words. You say, "Well, judge I know I'm guilty, I know what I did was wrong, and I'm really sorry, can you just forgive me?" The judge can't let you go simply on the basis that you're sorry, and God will not let them go simply because they asked forgiveness. Because of God's holiness and righteousness His law demands justice be served. The only way God's justice can be served is through the sacrifice of His Son. Explain to them that the only way for them to be set free from God's judgment is to repent of their sins and trust the payment provided by Jesus alone. I hope this helps. If I didn't answer your question fully or it didn't make sense message me and I'll do my best to clarify.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
There are times in street evangelism that we witness, times that me hand out tracts, times when we defend the faith or even rebuke sinners. See where I'm going? Than there are times when we learn to minister to the needs the Lord sets before us. Learn how to hear the voice of God in the midst of your witnessing, you'll be just fine. Don't let anyone pour you into thier mold, you learn to be the you Christ has made you and do as the old Quakers used to do, they called it centering down to hear the voice of God. Do that and what comes next will be of use to the ones you are witnessing to.
:-)
Welcome Timothy! hope you find the wealth of resources on this site edifying, as well as the "fellowship" it can provide.
I'm sure this isn't exactly what you meant, but I wanted to clarify: asking Jesus into your heart is NOT the equivalent of being born again. One is a real, biblical experience; the other is a heresy that has given millions of people a false sense of security.
Having asked the Lord to remember me, a sinner, and to have mercy on me for being such a poor example of Christianity, ask them if they, when they say they as Jesus into their hearts every day, mean, are they acknowledging the debt they owe to God for Jesus coming in the first place?
Those of us that pray to God in this way so naturally turn for help to God, as does a family member who lives in the same house, greet and talk to 'Dad' when he comes home, that we also invite Him in to sit, and stay a while, in a more deeply felt kind of way.
I often request the Lord's attention to focus particularly upon me as I live the hours of my day, and in the morning, at communion, do it again. And although it might sound like coming to the Lord the first time, He knows I like welcoming Him frequently, or else He would tell me to shut up!
Hopefully this will get into their hearts, for a Christian loves nothing so much as talking God, while one who misunderstands what they are doing may indeed need to ask Jesus into their lives in the permanent way.
Blessings,
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