A Customer Service Call with a Backslidden(?) Believer

I needed to call my insurance company, and as I was dialing through their phone system I received a pop-up message on my computer from a family member asking that I not use the phone so they can make a call. Since I wasn’t talking with anyone at the moment, I hung up and waited until the phone line was available to make the call.

I called back in and had business taken care of in a few minutes. Many companies have their customer service reps – before hanging up – ask if there is anything else they can help with. I said that my business was all squared away but I had an unrelated question for him – had he ever taken the good person test? He hadn’t – so I started right into it. He felt he was a good person, and that he had kept most of the commandments.

We started with lying (he felt everyone had done that – but yet it was hard for him to admit the word “liar”), then stealing (again, something he feels everyone has done), followed by blaspheme (taking God’s name in vain). He chose to discuss murder instead of adultery (when I gave him the choice), and then he agreed that God looks on the heart. It didn’t seem like he was really getting into the test as he was a bit quiet – so I was wondering how much farther he would go (would he make it to the gospel part?). When I told him that – compared to man – he’s probably better than most, but God would look at him, as he has admitted himself, as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, murderer at heart – I didn’t hear him laugh as some people do. I told him this was the moral to the story: if he were to die and stand before God, and God were to judge him based on the 10 commandments, would he be innocent or guilty. His response: “Guilty, but I would go to heaven because I am trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of my sins.”

I was very surprised, as his response was one of the most theologically correct responses I’ve ever received from a believer who has taken the test. As we talked about salvation and what it means he was started becoming more open. I asked if he was living for the Lord and he said “not really.” I asked if he was attending church – not regularly. I asked if he was in the Word on a daily basis – no.

As we kept talking it became apparent that – assuming he is saved (which he genuinely believes that he is) – he has backslidden in his faith. I asked if there was any particular sin that he was bound to and he said there was. I asked if he was living on his own or with his family – and he said he has a family. My heart went out to him, and I gently encouraged him to get right with God, as the proof of our salvation isn’t in our verbal testimony but rather the way we live. We aren’t saved by living a certain way, but the way we live demonstrates our salvation.

I asked if there were any Godly men that he would look up to as a mentor and be willing to go to and share his struggle with, and who he would be willing to be accountable. He said he had someone he could do that with. I encouraged him to not delay – and that no matter what he was struggling with, all temptation is common to men – he isn’t alone in his struggle.

We talked for about 20 to 30 minutes, and then I asked if I could pray for him. He was grateful for the prayer and the sharing and said it was a blessing to him and that he needed to hear it. He genuinely sounded contrite and you could tell a spiritual war was being fought in his heart (as he acknowledged was the case).

The one regret I have is not specifically asking if I could call back and see how he is doing. I still can do so as I know the 800#, and have his full name – so he wouldn’t be hard to get in touch with. He’s been on my heart all today and I’ve been praying for him.


I also had my hair cut today, and went to a different barber. I’ve already shared with my regular barber, who believes he will go to heaven because he strives to keep the ten commandments (and he feels God will simply forgive his past failures). Since he has clearly heard the gospel, I thought I would try a new barber and see how it works to share with a captive audience. It was perfect because the new barber has his shop in the front portion of a grocery store, and the conversation he was having with another client as I waited my turn was regarding shop lifting. Later, as I was having my hair cut I asked about his background and found out he is a Catholic – and feels he has kept most of the commandments. I only was able to work through three of them (which he readily confessed), because we were talking about other subjects in-between. I didn’t get to judgment, or the gospel, but the foundation is definitely laid for the next time I get my hair cut. In the mean time, I’ll be praying that the Lord will be working in his heart.