...And the woman said as she crumbled one of my articles on grace before
my very face: "Here, why don't you put this in your trash can because
that's where it belongs." I then looked up at her from my work
area, and said: "And may I ask why you are so upset?" She
said: "I read one too many of your articles, and it just gets my
blood boiling when I think of what the "Green River Killer"
did to all of those women, and then men like you make it sound as if
God will forgive such a monster."
I then said: "Woe, hold on now. Before you on, I want to know
how you came across my article that so easily offended you, and what
did the article say." She said: "I didn't read it all, but
I read enough to see how deceived you are when it comes to the correct
interpretation of the bible." I said: "And may I ask who it
was that gave you my article?" She said: "One of the men on
the midnight shift, by the name of "Ray." I asked: "And
may I ask what your name is?" She said: "Norma". I went
on to say: "Norma, what if you were given the chance to witness
Christ to the "Green River Killer?"
Norma said: "I would let him know that God will punish him with
hell and damnation, and that he will pay the ultimate price for what
he did." I then said: "I don't think you understood my question.
Again, what if Jesus would appeared to you as He appeared to Saul, who
later was called Paul, who murdered many Christians, and God told you
to share Christ with the "Green River Killer?" Norma's face
was still burning like hot charcoal, and said: "Well, I probably
lead him in the sinners prayer, and get him to accept Christ by showing
true remorse and repentance for what he did."
I then said: "So, you mean to tell me that if he did all that
you expected of him, that proves that God has forgiven him of what he
did, and that as far as you are concerned he is now a child of God"?
She said in a more calmed manner: "Well, sort of. I would have
to make sure that he gets discipled, reads his bible and does all the
things that God expects a Christian to do." I said: "So correct
me if I am wrong. But as I understand it, you mean to tell me that the
"Green River's" salvation is dependent on what he does and
doesn't do after he receives Christ as His Lord and Savior?"
She said: "Pretty much". I said: "So what you are telling
me is that God pretty much has left it up to man to decide who is really
and truly saved, and it had very little with what Jesus did on the cross
for the whole world to be saved?" She said: "Well, Jesus did
His part and now we must do ours." I said: "Norma, I now see
why my article on grace offended you". She said: "What do
you mean?" I said: "Well, it is clearly obvious that you have
become the judge of God's own heart, and know God's heart enough to
make the determination of who it is that you think is saved and who
is not."
I can see that Norma was still angry, so I decided to close our conversation
with: "Tell me something Norma, how did we all become sinners,
and what was it that Moses gave that confirmed that all had sinned and
fell short of the glory of God?" Norma looked at me as if to say:
"What are you talking about?" She then said: "Look, from
the little that I read in your article, you strike me as a sinner lover."
I said: Woe, woe, hold on again. Doesn't your bible say that Jesus so
loved the world that He died for all sinners so that He might make all
righteous?" She said: "You are crazy, and walked away".
Friends, how hypocritical can Evangelical Christianity be? They jump
all over my face out of ignorance simply because I write that Jesus
died for the sins of the whole world, but the Norma's of this world
can't accept such a thing unless they themselves witness that the murderer,
that prostitute, that drug addict, that child molester, that pornographer,
that gang member and what have you testifies before them that they have
repented and accepted Jesus as their Lord. I don't know how else to
say it or spell it. But if salvation is dependent on who and how many
we witness Christ to, then it is for certain that this Gospel is of
works, Jesus is a liar and we are all doomed for hell.
Grace N Peace
Eddie