A free gift (Response to LDS follower)

I asked a Mormon whether Jesus' shed blood and resurrection completely saves us.  His response was, "It is a free gift. But as in all gifts, it has to be accepted. It cannot be forced on us. We accept the gift by obeying his commandments."

Here is my reply:

Thanks for your words and understanding where you are at. Isn't this a fascinating conversation we are having. To think, we are each seeking to know God with all of our being and yet, at a foundational level, there is not unity in understanding and belief. Interesting and scary at the same time. I mean, I only expect you to be attached to your beliefs because you believe them and yet I would hope you see the same in me.

I believe a gift is a gift with no strings attached. You stated "we accept the gift by obeying his commandments." When I give my child a gift, all they do is reach out their hand and grab it.

Acts 16:31 - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

If I'm ticketed for going 55mph in a 20mph school zone. And thrown before the judge with a $20,000 fine I can't afford. If a man from the back of the court room comes forward and says, "I'll pay his fine." When I hold out my hand to take the money, my hand does not make or earn the money, nor improve the money, nor do I deserve the money. It's a gift. I receive it.

Have you ever seen someone receive a gift and they say, "I can't accept that." The value of the gift is so great that the individual receiving it feels unworthy to receive such a valuable gift. The giver usually states, "But, I want you to have it."

Faith is chosen by God to be the receiver of salvation. It does not pretend to help it.

Luke 7:50 - Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Obviously, using the court room example, a person who receives this sort of gift should want to do something for the giver. He should want to get to know him. To learn from him. To be with him. And if the giver asks him to do something, he would do it. But, if the receiver does nothing, is the gift taken back?

If I give my son Derek a present and afterwards my son consistently disobeys me, do I go back and say, “I’m taking my gift back. You don’t deserve it. You didn't fulfill your end of the contract." I don't think so. There is no deal. The love I have for my child is unconditional. Sure I desire him to be obedient. Sure, I want him to follow the rules because as he does it will make him a better person and his life will be more fulfilling, his paths will be straight as obedience has natural consequences of good outcomes. But if Derek doesn’t obey me, my love for him and acceptance of him does not change. I'm still his father. I still love him. Why would I think Heavenly Father is different?

Now, let me say something. Your belief is consistent with the way of the world. Think about it. Living in the world we have been trained with a way of thinking and being and doing that is consistent to "Believe + Do = Good results." Think about McDonald's ad campaign several years ago. "You deserve a break today." The thinking is that you have had a hard day or you have achieved a lot today and now, you deserve a break.

Take a child going to school. It's his first day in a class. The teacher says, "This class is simple. Do all the work. Do it well. You will get an "A."
"Work hard and you will graduate."

And then people get a job. If a person does a bad job, what happens? Do they get a raise? No. They get fired. They lose their job. Bad performance equals bad results. You get a paycheck because you agree to do what has been set out for you do. You work hard and follow the rules and you get a paycheck.

You said, "If we don't repent and obey his will, his atonement will not be save-able for us." So, the gift is no longer a gift. I don't agree. 

New Years Resolutions (2013)

1. Learn Gentleness - strength under control. Do I explode or not even care? Need to be in the middle of those and be gentle. Like breaking a horse.

2. For evangelism to be in my life more, throughout my day. I want to look for opportunities to be intentionally bold in all my relationships, not just when I log onto GMO or go to the mall, but in all walks of life.

3. Pray daily. I want to be more disciplined in my praying.

Defending our Faith - Session 3

Question on People leaving the church because of sins they see in leaders.

 -- Why is it when Tiger Woods has an affair people don't give up on Golf, but when a minister has an affair, people leave the church?

  -- Because people don't associate Golf with moral character. People expect religion to change a person and make them different.

Question of Tolerance. Every one is right, no one is wrong. Remember conversation with Joannah in office. All faiths right. I'm right. Everyone is right. No one is wrong. We preach inclusion.

 -- Christians are becoming a problem because they are viewed as not tolerant.

Think about the new Iphone or any new technology when it comes out. What is communicated? The perks or the reasons this product will change your life. Never do you hear the concerns or problems.

As a society we are only concerned about the goodness of life.

So, Why WOTM? Why not use something else?

Let's think about this:

How do people of another faith see our faith? -- Mormon vs. Christian, List areas.

How do people who believe in God (in some way) view religion or your faith?  -- Answer, list things generally about faith -- all protestant faiths.

How do people who have no faith or are atheists view religion? -- They clump together any religion into one.

Now, let's think about faith for a moment.  We can strip down all religious thought or really all belief systems into 2 options.

1. God saves you. (Christianity) -- Think of the illustration. Jesus saves us, throws down a rope or ladder, climbs down rope or ladder, reaches out his hand, grabs us and takes us up the rope/ladder.

2. Man saves himself (Muslim, Mormonism, Atheism) - God throws down the ladder, people climb up it.

The more I study the Gospel and Grace the more I understand that all faiths can be stripped down into these two categories.

Scripts: Write out scripts to use at a bus stop

Remind people that your neighbors know you go to church (example: neighbor stating I ride my bike)

As I read scripture and study it, there is just an amazement that I am a child of God. As you engage with people and begin to talk with them and begin to understand that how their worldview has been shaped into what they believe currently is so distant from where you are in your faith. How utterly amazing of our position in Christ. You see this enthusiasm as Eric gives the message. I hope you can see and hear his enthusiasm. As you study God's word you walk away with just an amazement that God did what he did and he did it for you, for me. Wow.

Hebrews 3:1 - Consider. Attentively ponder all that is said of the Messiah. Think of his rank; his dignity; his holiness; his sufferings; his death; his resurrection, ascension, intercession. Think of him, that you may see the claims to a holy life; that you may learn to bear trials; that you may be kept from apostasy. The character and work of the Son of God are worthy of the profound and prayer consideration of every man; and especially every Christian should reflect on him. Of the friend that we love we think much; but what have we like the Lord Jesus?

Authority is so important with Mormon’s. They will always try to make it sound like they have the only truth. They have the authority over you. When talking to them, resist the temptation to feel like you are trying to convert them.  It’s important to simply identify the differences.

They will say, “you are wrong, this is the right way.”

Focus on simply the idea that we disagree. God will decide who is right or wrong.

Always make it personal. Versus simply intellectual. 

Quotes: Passion is perhaps the most important of these characteristics; it’s the one attribute I find most lacking in the Church as I begin to travel around the country speaking on these issues. Most of us are not passionate about Christian Case Making. We fail to recognize the calling of 1 Peter 3:15-16 on our lives. We’re not excited about it. - J. Warner Wallace

Defending our Faith - Session 2

1st Lesson

Cultivating a Compassion for the Lost - 30 minutes

1. Let's get Psyched before we go out. I do this. Listen to tapes. Listen to WOTM episode. Pray together for boldness and God would lead us to the people he would have us to speak to.

2. Sometimes we think we need to build a friendship before we speak to someone. What I've discovered is the longer I'm friends with someone the longer it takes me to initiate a spiritual conversation.

3.  Pray before each lesson. Pay close attention. Do the homework.

Defending our Faith - Session 1

1st Class
I want to spend 15 minutes in each class at the end, praying. 3 Main ideas to this class and praying.

1. God Draws People. He saves.
2. I need to be Bold.
3. God is in Charge of Outcomes.


Why are we here? 
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
(1 Peter 3:15 ESV)


But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8 ESV)


And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
(Mark 16:15 ESV)

Many do not engage in their faith because of fear and yet fear is a good thing. The response of fear is faith.

How did we get here?
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
(Matthew 9:35-38 ESV)

What is our message?

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
(Mark 16:15 ESV)

Way of the Master

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple;
(Psalm 19:7 ESV)
Get personal. Focus on conscience (right and wrong), not their brain or intellect (argument).
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
(Romans 3:19 ESV) 

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
(Romans 3:20 ESV)


Mark 10 - Rich Young Man

START of Class
-- When my wife and I were expecting our first child, my wife Pamela went out and bought a book called, "What to expect when you're expecting." It was a very popular book at the time (it might still be). As you can probably imagine it was written on the simple premise of, as you are getting to engage yourself in something that you look forward to, but yet, is a an unknown, here is some information. For a woman, being a mother is ingrained in them. And yet, there is still uncertainty. There is excitement. There is a little fear, mostly in the unknown. It became a book she poured through and constantly consulted.

For us, as we begin this class and time together, in some ways we could write the Title of this course as "What to expect when you are sharing your faith." It's normal.

The Bible is full of individuals that stepped into a situation, by faith, and yet, not completely knowing what lies ahead. Jonah (confirm this). Isaiah (confirm this). David. There are many individuals.

As we begin let's get some basic expectations out of the way. First of all, this is a 13 week course and so, what will transpire in those 13 weeks.

Week 1 - Introductions, Basic understanding of basic conversations with people and faith
Week 2-9, Begin the 8 lessons. Take your time. If people aren't doing the work, then take longer to move through material. Do the other lessons at the end.
Week 10-13 - Wrap up, concluding thoughts, next steps, Field Work continues


-- This is a class about being confident of Christ and Who He is and what he has already done. And just like singing in the choir, or teaching a Sunday school class, we can be of good cheer. In Choir, we practice. In teaching, we practice. In evangelism, we practice. In all of our acts of service, there will be trials and distresses, but through them all, we can still be of good cheer. - John 16:33 (Amplified)

 -- Our focus in Evangelism must be to depend on Christ. January 4 Jesus calling states, "It is through problems and failure, weakness and neediness that you learn to rely on Me."

Homework: This is a course that requires work. I'm not here to give you something that will only take a few minutes. It is amazing that ministry is often a sales effort to get people to do something that won't take much time.

Sharing our faith
1. Face to face
2. Online/Email/Chat (GMO, Facebook)
3. Telephone (Billy Graham, Church follow-up)

Writing out a Testimony
When we think about 2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV)


Often, when using this verse, a testimony is something good to insert here. So, before the next session, I would like you to prepare your testimony.



but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
(1 Peter 3:15 ESV)

Write out the Gospel message.

This is an incredible verse to study and pick apart. It would be good to look at I Peter 3:8-17

But, just looking at 3:15 we see this:

• Be ready to give an accurate reason connected to God's truth
• Honor Christ in your response (speak of Him)
• Be gentle and respectful (think about who you are speaking to; look them in the eye; consider their position; get in their shoes)

With this in mind, here are some questions for self.

1. Am I memorizing God's word? If not memorizing it, am I meditating on it. At the very least, do I have a Bible with me I can refer to. Not, a big Bible, but something to whip out of my pocket or retrieve on your phone.
2. In my normal, everyday life, do I speak of the Lord's work in my life and give him praise? When good things happen; when trials happen - do you give God the credit for his rewards, for teaching you. And here is the challenge for me -- do I only do this around people I feel safe with? Do I voice in God's goodness with my neighbors who I'm pretty sure are not believers?
  -- around church people we easily talk about God and how he is working in our life and the things we are learning from the Bible
  -- around non-church people, we easily don't talk about God, but instead talk about life as just happening, almost by chance.
3. Does my walk = talk? Can I be proud of my behavior?