World Religions in a Nutshell (25 page)

How to Reach a False Convert

It’s important to keep in mind that a spurious convert may say all the right things. He may say that he loves the Lord. He may be in fellowship, and even have regular time of prayer. What then can we say to these people to awaken them to their terrible condition? I have found that there are two questions that will help to expose his true state. The first is to ask him when was the last time he read his Bible. The second (and more revealing) question is, does he think that he’s a good person?

Use the moral Law (like a mirror) to show him his true state before a holy God. However, once you have shown the seriousness of sin, explain that seeing sin in its true light has been what has been lacking in his life. This will help him understand why he
has never truly repented. Why should he repent if his sin isn’t too bad? Ignorance of the Law has left him seeing himself as a basically good person. Without the light of the Law, he has never seen the character of a holy God, known the fear of God, or understood the sacrifice of the cross.

Think of yourself as a good doctor. His patient is sure that he is healthy, but the doctor sees a number of serious symptoms on his flesh that alarm him. So he merely keeps asking questions of his patient, until the patient too is concerned for his own well-being.

Be bold and very thorough in your examination. You can do this if you are motivated by love and concern. Make sure both of those virtues are very evident in your tone.

Witnessing to a False Convert

You:
Hi, how are you doing?

Eric:
Good.

You:
Are you from around here?

Eric:
Yes.

You:
I’m Ray. What’s your name?

Eric:
Eric.

You:
Eric, I have a question for you. What do you think happens after someone dies? Do you think that they are reincarnated, or do you think that there’s a Heaven?

Eric:
I think that there’s Heaven and a Hell.

You:
Who goes to Heaven?

Eric:
All who believe in Jesus Christ.

You:
Are you a Christian?

Eric:
Yes, I am.

You:
Have you been born again?

Eric:
Yes. Definitely.

You:
Tell me about it. What happened?

Eric:
I used to have a pretty bad drug and alcohol problem, and when I asked Jesus into my life, it completely went away. Praise the Lord.

You:
Great. Eric, when did you last read your Bible?

Eric:
I don’t know. A while ago.

You:
How long ago?

Eric:
A couple of months.

You:
Do you think that you are a good person?

Eric:
Yes. I know that I’m a sinner, but I am basically a good person.

You:
So you wouldn’t say that your heart is deceitfully wicked?
⁴³

Eric:
No, definitely not. My heart is good.
⁴⁴

You:
I’m a little concerned for you, Eric. Here’s why. In Mark 10:18 Jesus said that there is none good but God. So, who is right, you or Jesus? Couple that with the fact that you haven’t been reading your Bible, and it makes me think that something is wrong. There’s nothing more important than your eternal salvation. We are talking about where you will spend eternity. Let’s use a car as an analogy. Is God is the driver’s seat, passenger seat, back seat, or in the trunk?

Eric:
The passenger seat.

You:
He should be in the driver’s seat, if He is your Lord. Do you remember what it says in Matthew 7:21–23? “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!
’”
Imagine that happening to you.

Eric:
I hear what you are saying.

You:
Eric, I want to do something that will really help you get this issue cleared up once and for all. This will help you. You said that you are a good person. Let’s find out if that’s true by looking for a few moments at the Ten Commandments. Okay?

Eric:
Okay.

[Then you take Eric through the Ten Commandments—opening up their spiritual nature, as you would anyone else. Once he sees himself in the mirror of God’s Law, it will send him to the cleansing water of the gospel.]

Notes

1. www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=707.

2. The witnessing encounters in this book are based on the author’s personal witnessing experiences with thousands of people from many different faiths. While these conversations are composites, the actual questions and objections that are raised are true
to life.

3. www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm?article=article_01.htm.

4.
The Watchtower
, Oct. 1, 1967, p. 587.

5. www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/apologetics/AP0100W4.htm.

6. www.apologeticsindex.org/j02ab.html#resources.

7.
Let God Be True
, p. 9 todays_religions/01chap05/default.htm>.

8. www.cnview.com/on_line_resources/facts_you_should_know_about_jehovahs_witnesses.htm.

9.
Watchtower
, December 15, 1989, p. 30.

10.
Keep Watch Over Yourselves
..., p. 35.

11. www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/jw.htm.

12. www.towerwatch.com/Witnesses/Beliefs/their_beliefs.htm.

13. www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/apologetics/AP0100W4.htm.

14. Copyright Answering Islam, originally published at www.answering-
islam.org/Testimonies/yucel.html. Printed with permission.

15. www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s1c3a3.htm#ten.

16. www.catholic.org/bible/ten_commandments.php.

17. www.gotquestions.org/plenary-indulgences.html.

18.
Compendium, Catechism of the Catholic Church
(Washington, DC: USCCB Publishing, 2006), p. 69, par. 230.

19. Ibid., p. 49, par. 171.

20. For a few examples, see Acts 9:13; 9:32; 9:41; 26:10; Romans 8:27; 12:13; 15:25,26; 15:31; 16:2; 16:15; 1 Corinthians 6:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; 4:11,12.