I was recently traveling cross-country... I had a number of opportunities to give out tracts, and even had some rejections. At a McDonald’s we stopped at the pony-tail wearing manager who checked us out, said it was against policy for him to accept a “ticket to heaven” since it was considered soliciting. He did accept an optical illusion tract – but I told him he probably wouldn’t want that either because it had the gospel message on the back. It’s the first time a worker at McDonald’s has ever turned one down – but it was funny – instead of giving back the optical illusion tract he handed it to a co-worker. I guess it is against policy for him, as the manager, to accept a gift of a gospel tract that he can read later, but he can turn and hand it (on the job) to an employee for them to read later!! But, it is a good reminder that we need to be sensitive to others that are “on the job” and also be respectful of private property when we are out and about.
On one of my return flights, I had the privilege of sitting next to a middle-aged man from Canada. As we started talking, I asked about his accent and found he is originally from Kabul, Afghanistan. He immigrated to Canada in 2002. We talked about Afghanistan and his life for a while – and I was fascinated to hear first-hand details of his life and the move to Canada. Eventually, I found out he was a Muslim and began asking questions about the Muslim faith.
I said, as a Christian, I’m always curious when I hear people say that “if you kill an infidel you go to heaven” and other things – to find out whether they were actually in the Koran. I figure there are a lot of professing Muslims that probably don’t even read the Koran, just as there are a lot of “professing” Christians that don’t even read the Bible (Matthew 7:21-23). He agreed that it is a problem: the Muslims that don’t know what the Koran says, and he said the Koran says it is NEVER acceptable to take another’s life (I was a bit surprised with that considering how strict the Islamic law is?!?).
I asked what a Muslim must do to get to heaven according to the Koran. He said you must do good works and be a contributor to society. I asked then about heaven/hell and punishment. He said that bad deeds will be punished: the worse the deed the worse the punishment. I never did understand then, whether that means a person goes to hell first for their punishment, and then to heaven. Or if everyone goes to the same place which is mixed with suffering and then blessing – that part didn’t make sense.
As he shared about his Muslim beliefs, he said that he believes all religion is like the branches of a tree and that they share the same roots. I was so very grateful to the Holy Spirit that this man mentioned that, because it gave the perfect springboard to begin sharing the gospel message with him.
After he was done sharing, I was grateful that he had been open and took the time to share (it was my first real opportunity to talk with and learn from a Muslim who wasn’t wanting to debate or argue, but was genuinely sharing).
I then said he might be curious to hear what the Bible actually teaches about heaven and hell – because I said that there are several things which completely and totally separate Christianity from every other religion in the world (relating to what he said about them all being the same). Over the next hour and a half, I had the opportunity to share from God’s Word, and my heart, and show him these three differences:
Difference #1 - The Bible teaches that there is NOTHING we can do to earn our own salvation in our own good works.
I said that every other religion I have come across appears to have a system whereby you work towards heaven (and he couldn’t disagree because he had just said all religions were the same!). We then looked up a number of Scripture verses and I read them aloud while he intently followed (I would have liked to have him read them out loud, but the time I asked him to, he read silently, so from then on I read them out loud while he followed along).
The main two verses were from Ephesians 2, 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
We talked about a lot of different things, but one illustration that the Lord put on my heart I shared with him – and I was a little emotional sharing it, and noticed he also had tears in his eyes…
If he and I were buddies fighting in a war, and were down in a bunker during battle one day, when the enemy threw a hand grenade into the bunker – and he, in order to save my life, jumped on the grenade and was instantly killed (this has happened many times – read the online Medal Of Honor Citations for the US Army). But let’s say he had a wife and a young child back home that were now left all alone. I said I would go back to the States after the war and would do whatever I could to look after and provide for them. He agreed – any soldier would do that. I said I wouldn’t be doing it to earn what he had down for me, or even to pay him back. One could never earn such a gift or repay such a sacrifice. I would be doing it because of my heartfelt gratitude for what he had done. THAT is why Christians do good works – not to earn our salvation, but out of gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ for what He has done for us.
Difference #2 – The Bible (and Jesus) teach that Jesus is actually GOD.
Every other religion that I am aware of believes that either Jesus was a good person, a teacher, a false prophet, the “son” of God – ANYTHING except that actual truth of what Jesus said and the Bible says: Jesus IS God and was also fully man.
A person CANNOT believe Jesus is simply a prophet (as the Muslims and Jews both believe) – because a prophet can never speak something that is not true. At least twice, while Jesus was on earth, He claimed to be God, and each time the Jews picked up stones to kill him (specifically because He claimed to be God). If Jesus was truly a prophet, the Words He spoke were true (which they are) – and that means He is God. If the words He spoke were not true, then He would have to be a liar. You cannot believe that Jesus was simply a good man or teacher – there is no middle ground. Either He is Who He says He is – or you have to believe something else.
John 8:57-59 (KJV)
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
John 10:30-33 (KJV)
30 I and my Father are one. 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. (emphasis added)
Difference #3 – A relationship with Jesus is a LIVING relationship – not a stale religion with a set of rules.
Having the Holy Spirit alive and at work in our hearts is a wonderful thing. It is something we cannot comprehend. No other religion (that I am aware of) is a living relationship with the God of Creation (the Lord Jesus Christ) – Praise Jesus!
We talked the entire hour and forty-five minute flight, and stood in the terminal and talked another twenty minutes. He asked some sincere and honest questions about the claims the Bible makes, and I showed him verses and said I would e-mail him others. I am praying that he will e-mail me soon (his e-mail account is blocked so that only people that he e-mails to can e-mail him – that way he doesn’t get junk mail and spam).
I was very, very excited to see the Lord working in hearts!
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