Battle Log
Tuesday 31 May 2016
Posted 6 June 2016, 1:39 PM by Ryan Hemelaar. Permalink
It was another fruitful outreach today in Woodridge. It is great seeing people come to grasp the gospel for the first time.
Today, I asked a young man named Fire what he thinks will get him to Heaven. He didn't want to answer the question right away, but asked me to ask his friend the question instead. His friend thought that he would be let into Heaven because he has tried his best.
So I talked about sin and how we fall short of God's perfect standard and therefore our own goodness would never save us. I explained how Jesus died to take our sins, but Fire's friend didn't understand it at first.
So I then placed a pile of gospel tracts on my hand and said "Let's say these tracts represent all the sins you've done. God sees you, He sees your sin." I then pointed to my other hand, "This is Jesus' record, He is perfect. And 2000 years ago he took our sin from us and died for them, and He then gave us His perfection." While I said this, I transferred the tracts to my other hand.
Then it clicked in the mind of the friend, he came to understand what Jesus did on the cross for him and how he needs to respond in repentance and faith. It was so exciting to see this.
I then turned back to Fire and asked him what he thought would save him. He explained how he used to trust in Christ alone for his salvation and nothing of his own efforts, but he said he has now outgrown the need for the Bible. He said he has been influenced by an African preacher who says that he has learned about God more when he gave up reading the Bible, and unfortunately Fire has followed suit.
Fire said he hears from God in his own mind, and so he said, "What will save me? I used to trust in Christ's righteousness and sacrifice on the cross to save me, but now believe I will be saved simply because I exist." This unfortunately is what occurs when a person gives up on the sufficiency of the Word of God.
Please pray for Fire, and also for his friend who has come to grasp the gospel. To God be the glory!
View previous Woodridge (QLD) report (24 May 2016)
Woodridge Team (QLD)
Meets 2-5pm every Tuesday afternoon at the Woodridge train-bus interchange on Station Rd.
Contact Ryan Hemelaar for more information.