A Quick Pizza Discussion

I took a young relative out for pizza today. Two ladies were at the pizza place in front of us, and they were told their pizza would be ready in a few minutes. When we placed our order, we were told it would be just a minute (the type of pizza we ordered was just coming out of the oven – whereas the pizza ordered by the ladies was just being put into the oven). While I was paying for the pizza, my young relative offered the two ladies a million dollar bill tract. She was then explaining to them what it was as I finished paying and joined the conversation.

I knew I wouldn’t have long, so I explained that it was a form of the good person test on the back of the million dollar bill, and asked if they felt they were good people. I was surprised that they both felt they weren’t. I said it was important to deal with because it impacted our eternity in heaven or hell. The one lady asked which church I went to, and after I answered I asked about the two of them (one attends a Lutheran Church and the other is Catholic). After asking the Lutheran (who was raised Baptist and was familiar with salvation and had been saved) if she was living as the Lord would have her to live, she said she was trying. I was a little bold and encouraged her that trying might be good, but we can live as He wants us to if we are obeying Him.

The Catholic at some point made a comment about everyone being headed for hell, and so I took the opportunity to say that that was an unfortunate aspect to being a Catholic – not ever knowing where they will spend eternity. How not even the Pope himself knows if he will enter heaven or hell. I said it was very unfortunate because the Bible is VERY clear that a person that is headed for heaven can know it for sure.

I encouraged her to get her Bible out and read I John 5:13: (KJV) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

What is interesting to note, is that even the Catholic Bible uses a somewhat similar translation for I John 5:13: (NAB) I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

I didn’t share this with them, but Dave Hunt points out in his book “A Woman Rides the Beast”, that any Catholic that believes that their sins are forgiven and that they will for sure enter heaven when they die, that person is anathema (meaning “cursed”). The Council of Trent, Six, XVI, Canon 13 states: If anyone says that in order to obtain the remission of sins it is necessary for every man to believe with certainty and without any hesitation arising from his own weakness and indisposition that his sins are forgiven him, let him be anathema.

I John is written so that we may know we are going to heaven (something which is only possible if our sins are forgiven – because sinners cannot enter heaven).

We only had a minute or two of conversation until the pizza’s were ready – but I pray the Lord will use that time in their lives.