SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO USE THE WORLD SITUATION AS AN EXCUSE
Some people like to use the situations existing in the world as an excuse to reject the Lord Jesus. They reason that if there is a God, why would He allow so many things to happen? They mention the wars with so many people being killed. Others reason that God should perform miracles to take care of all these problems. One of the most common questions raised by thoughtful persons is why God would allow these sorts of things to occur.
We can answer such a question by saying, “Yes, you are really right. Nearly every thoughtful person would ask the same question. Honestly speaking, I don’t know how to answer you. This question is too great. If I can answer you, I must be God. He is God. God is mysterious, and we do not understand everything that He does. But one thing we know is that in the Bible He tells us that He wants us to repent and that He wants us to believe in Him. Now, I don’t know that much, but I must tell you I do know that I should repent, and I did. I do know that I should believe in the Lord Jesus, and I did. I also know that God wants you to receive His salvation.”
This approach condenses all the potential problems into one point. In this way you save yourself from being tempted into a misleading problem. You could argue with him three days and three nights without result. The more you argue, the more he has to say. You should not follow him into these things. You must say something to restrict him, to bring him back to the point for which you came to see him. You came to him to bring him to Christ.
Learn never to fight or argue with people. In considering this present case, a good verse with which to bring such a one back to the point is Deuteronomy 29:29 which says, “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” What has God revealed in the Bible? The Bible reveals that we are sinners, that we have to repent, and that we have to believe in the Lord Jesus. Right away you can bring this one to the point toward which you are working. However, if you use your Bible too much, you will fall into Bible teaching rather than conversing.
SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO USE RELIGION AS AN EXCUSE TO REJECT THE GOSPEL
Someone may say that he does not want to believe in the Lord Jesus because he has been damaged by religion. He may refer to all the ugly things that are happening these days in religion, such as the preachers who are misleading people and taking their money. At this juncture we should not discuss religion with such a person. Forget about that. Rather, with such a case, it is better to point out to this dear one that today, in this universe, there is God, who is absolutely good and bright. Also there is Satan, the Devil. God is working today, but His enemy, the Devil, is also working. In Matthew 13 the Lord told us that while He is working, the Devil is also working. This is why you have wheat, the good ones. You also have tares, the bad ones. Even among His twelve disciples, there was Judas. Later in the New Testament, a number of Christians were deceived and misled. But we cannot give up the positive side because of the negative side. It is not wise to reject being wheat just because of so many tares. This is the way we can respond to such a case.
ANSWERING ACCORDING TO THE KIND OF PERSON
While you are talking with someone, you can realize what kind of person he is from his attitude or from the tone of his words. If he is highly educated or quite knowledgeable concerning the Bible, you have to consider how to proceed with him. Your answer must be according to his level of education and according to the amount of knowledge he has about the Bible. If he is not highly educated and not knowledgeable concerning the Bible, you can take a simple, clear way with him. Remember that you should never fight or argue. Do not say “no” to people’s words. Rather, use whatever is brought up by the person to instruct him.
(The Exercise and Practice of the God-Ordained Way, Chapter 14, by Witness Lee)
