The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Witnessing to Someone

I am witnessing to someone I know; who at times seems like he has a soft heart. Then he would add something like the following.

To me this smacks of someone who is judging God, based on his depravity.
I do not believe I need to defend God.
Yet, I am trying to think of a way to show him the truth and let the Holy Spirit take care of the rest.

Tom

1. Does he also know WHY God destroyed all mankind with the flood and a multitude of humans after the flood? Scripture is very clear on the matter.

2. Is it 'evil' to exact punishment upon someone who commits a crime? What about if the crime deserves death because it is so wicked and evil? (Gen 9:6)

3. What is this alleged potential 'spiritual relationship' he referred to? Sounds like he's been around some Evanjellicals. How about being reconciled to God Who is his enemy because he has blasphemed Him in every thought, word and deed, and Whom he will have to face in judgment unless the Spirit regenerates his depraved nature and draws him to Christ in mercy.

Read this passage to him:


“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone;
THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,
AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?
Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.[Matthew 21:33-46]


Explain to him this was directed at the Jews directly, but is applied to us indirectly. When we are worshiping anything other than God, we are robbing Him of what is justly His, our praise.

….And he didn’t even get to “eternal punishment” yet.


I think the emotions have to get thrown out.

Every person has to take a more individualistic perspective (what would this truth mean for me?)

Then lastly, and most importantly, Jesus was not spared our punishment. That definitely deserves further reflection.

Also, Tom, I would mention the reality of sin. Not ethics or morals but the fact that we sin in thought, words and deeds. If we need laws to curb our bad behavior where is that derived? Even the “golden rule” is a bastardized version of TRUE living before God & man. Notice how those who deem themselves above the law (typically the most wealthy and influential among us) are not deterred.

The reality of sin is a very good place to start. Don’t let the nonbeliever be the judge of God. Put the onus on his accountability as a rational fallen creature made in the image of God. Be presuppositional. His reality of God as bad for letting such & such needs to be challenged. Who determines what is good and bad anyway?

I’m just finishing the first lecture, but this seems to be a pretty good series…

You Must Be Born Again; Gap Bible Series
https://www.youtube.com/live/OhHB9fgGem0?si=1bCaMvZ-iV5gS6d5

You can just send him this post, ????

Anthony

Believe me, I have not withheld the reality of sin to this person.
I have tried to take to heart basically what 1 Peter 3:15 says.