lightcross Just a couple of brief updates from me today, the first one related to a post I had made about a month ago and the second one being more of an edifying story.

Back at the beginning of March I published a response to an email we had received about apologetics and evangelism, the interplay between them and how to avoid neglecting one in favour of the other. To expand a little on what was written on that issue, here is a real-world circumstance that bears it out. As indicated in prior publications, I was engaged in a formal debate on the subject of whether or not any versions of the Problem of Evil succeed at proving the non-existence of God. I have received a few emails from people commenting on that debate, but one of those emails came from someone who was contemplating the points I had made during the debate and felt compelled to ask me a question that provided a beautiful launching point into the message of the gospel. He wrote the following:

I enjoyed your debate on the Problem of Evil. It was a fantastic debate, and I learned a lot from yourself and him. Anyway, I don’t believe in God, but you are one of the more notable theists on this site, so I wish to ask a question of you: Do you believe atheists and people of other religions are going to hell? If so, then why? Thanks for your time.

To which I replied:

That is a vitally important question. If they remain unbelievers their whole life (i.e., if they go to the grave as unbelievers), then yes, they will end up in hell. Why? On account of their sin. God is perfectly just; those who break his laws must face the punishment that incurs. That’s the bad news.

However, there is also good news. Jesus bore upon himself the punishment due for all the sins of those who repent and believe. Therefore, all those who repent and believe have no fear of the wrath to come, Jesus having bore the penalty on their behalf. Those who do not repent and believe are choosing to pay the penalty themselves. And God will say, “Thy will be done.”

He has not yet written back, and I cannot know what has come of the seed that was so briefly planted, but I thought the experience beautifully illustrated the way in which apologetics can so often lead to an evangelistic opportunity (and especially how head knowledge does not have to compromise fidelity to biblical truth).

The other story is perhaps even more exciting. At least it was for me.

I do most of my writing at an internet and gaming center. It is quite popular so there is a lot of people about, sitting next to me or walking past. There was one particular man who had noticed that I’m constantly busy with writing Christian articles, listening to Christian music, reading Christian web sites, etc., so one day while I was updating this site he asked me about it. I told him what this site is about, why we built it and what it is that I happen to do here. It was a very brief conversation, lasting no more than five minutes or so.

But something must have stuck with him, for a couple of weeks later he confronted me outside and within a few minutes he was unburdening his heart to me. There is no need to get into the details but his life was in shambles and I noticed a pattern of reasons that led to basically one central issue. So I shared with him the message of the gospel, that who he is designed to be, bearing the image of God, points toward an eternal Father in heaven who is sovereign and faithful, that his problems stem from fighting against the nature he was designed with and against the Author of life, that through repentance and faith in Christ he can be reconciled to God and enjoy the peace that comes from a restored fellowship with God in whom rests the faithful promise of all spiritual good. We stood there a long time, him asking questions and me answering, showing him where the Bible explains this or promises that. In the end I prayed with him (right there with people walking around us!), tears streaming down his cheeks, and since he did not own a Bible I gave him one of mine.

We have talked many times since then, and he is always excited to share with me this new thing he read in the Bible, or how he prayerfully trusted God to provide something and God delivered, or asking me how to go about releasing the reigns in some area so that God can be his sovereign provider. But the most exciting thing—and the reason for sharing this story here—was the day he told me about the opportunity he found to pass along to someone else the very things I had shared with him. He told me that he had met someone who was in a very similar situation to his and it dawned on him to share with that person the very message he heard from me. And at one point when he looked up from reading to that person from the Bible I gave him, he was startled to find that there was suddenly a crowd of nine people gathered around them, listening to every word he was sharing! His heart fluttering with nervous joy, he pressed on, and that day ten people heard the message of the good news of Christ Jesus.

It is not very often that we get to find out what the effects are of sharing the gospel with someone; one plants, another waters, and we simply place our trust in God who makes it grow, praying that the seed bears fruit according to what he has purposed. But there are rare occasions like this one where we are granted a vision of what a few minutes of our time in sharing the gospel can go on to produce. I pray that this experience of mine will edify and strengthen you even half as much as it did me, and perhaps embolden you to not waste any opportunity to plant the seeds of the kingdom, because although we often don’t know what our efforts go on to produce, sometimes there are experiences like this which give us a glimpse. Go and live your faith out loud.

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