THE SITUATION
‘It made me feel so bad.’ ‘I felt
like I was ripping his whole world apart. If he accepted what I was saying it
would cost him so much.’ The person that told me this had just shared the
gospel with his Mormon friend.
His friend came from a loving Mormon
family. He had four brothers and two sisters, and his parents were pillars of the
Mormon community. They were the model
Mormon family.
All his brothers had served a
Mission, and now it was his turn. He was excited. He had filled in his papers and
was waiting to hear where he was to be sent. He was hoping it would be Africa.
Plans were also in place for his
return from Mission. He had a confirmed place to study at Brigham Young University
and a girl who, upon his return, was keen to marry him. All was good in his
life. How could he possibly leave this behind? Why on earth would he leave this
all behind?
THE COST
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me,
let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
(Luke 9:23)
There is a cost to following Jesus,
but the cost is not spread evenly. For those in the global south, the cost may
be persecution, imprisonment or even death, whilst those in Europe, North America,
and the developed parts of Asia, may have to pay a different price.
Should the aforementioned Mormon
receive the Biblical gospel, it may well cost him greatly. It could cost him
his family, his friends, his community, his future wife, and his place at University.
In other words, he could lose everything he holds dear.
Knowing what it would cost this
young man, should we refrain from sharing the truth of the gospel with him? Should
we feel guilty about it? We may believe that he is trusting in a false gospel
and that he is following the wrong Jesus, but why would we want to turn his
world upside down?
“Do not think that I have come to
bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and
a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his
own household. Whoever loves father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more
than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not
take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and
whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)
THE NEED
Who likes going to the dentist? It is a strange person
that says yes. Toothache is one of the worst pains we can experience, and this
pain forces us to go to a place we would rather not go. We may have to lose a
precious tooth, but we do this because we know that short term pain will lead
to long term gain. Loss can only be made sense of when put in context of benefit.
Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we
have?” (Matthew 19:27)
In sharing the gospel with members of cults, we are
aware that there may be a heavy price to pay for those who would receive it. But
this must not deter us from sharing words of truth and life with them. There
may be loss, but ultimately there will be great gain.
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or
sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will
receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
(Matthew 19:29)
People
do not think much about eternity. Even if we believe there is a life to be
lived beyond this one, we still find ourselves holding tightly to what we have
in this life.
We
forget that, though we may lose much in this life, there is much to be gained
from trusting in the Biblical Christ. We know our sin is atoned for by the
blood shed on the cross and that, as a consequence, we are a forgiven people.
We know that Jesus rose from the grave, conquering death and that we too will
rise to meet with Him. We have an assurance of salvation and a peace knowing
that the work is done. Jesus paid it all. We now, born again by the Spirit of
God, can rest in His finished work. No more striving, no more feelings of
inadequacy, no more trying to save ourselves.
THE
REASON
“Men are going to Heaven or to Hell and it is time that we came to close grips with them about this all-important matter. God help us to do so!”—1893, Sermon #2327[1]
We should have love, compassion and
empathy towards those we are trying to witness, but if we truly love them, we
will share with them the danger in which they find themselves. Jesus said some sobering
words, that we do well to keep in mind:
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John
3:36)
We should not feel bad about sharing the gospel with another, rather we should see it as our duty. Those caught in cults, are outside of Christ and therefore the wrath of God remains upon them. In love and concern for their eternal welfare, we must speak to them about the danger in which they find themselves.
It is the most loving thing we can do.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world
and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36
Comments