even those who refuse to repent of their sins? He obviously doesn’t understand that we must repent and come to Jesus. Only through Him can we be saved. Since he doesn’t believe in the Trinity, he probably doesn’t know that Jesus is God.
Justin: Eve seems confused. Maybe I should go back to where we started. “We go to the temple to make covenants so that our families can be together forever. If I am true and faithful to my covenants, and endure to the end, I can, through Christ’s Atonement be resurrected with an immortal body and receive a degree of glory, hopefully the Celestial Kingdom.”
Eve: ‘Endure to the end’? Oh dear God, that’s HORRIBLE! What a bondage! Oh! I feel sick inside for Justin. He doesn’t know Jesus. And why does he keep talking about a temple? A temple is just a building. What only matters is if the Lord shows up. There’s no way Justin understands anything about the Gospel and how to be saved if all he can do is hope for some ‘Celestial Kingdom.’ Lord, help me! I’ve got to remember to stick to the Word of God; it gives life …“The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9 “By grace you are saved through faith, not a result of works, lest any man should boast.” I know it’s by God’s grace that we are saved. There is nothing we can do that can earn us salvation. I’ve heard that you’re a Mormon. Do Mormons believe the Bible?
Justin: “Yes, we believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly. The Book of Mormon says ‘It is by grace we are saved after all we can do.’ ” We need to show by our actions that we have truly repented of our sins. Just saying a quick prayer isn’t good enough. We also need to do good works which include; sincere prayer, coupled with repentance, humility, placing our faith in Christ, and trying to make restitution if we have sinned against others. These are necessary works to show that we are sincere in our request for forgiveness. After we have done all of these things, when we come unto Christ, and ask in humble prayer, His Atonement will cleanse us from our sins.
Eve: ‘After all we can do’? What matters is what Jesus Christ did! There is no way we can be saved without Jesus. Placing our faith in Christ is what counts. And ‘as far as it is translated correctly’? The Bible is God’s Holy Word. How could anyone who loves the Lord doubt His Word? Lord, I guess there’s no way Justin can be a Christian if he doesn’t even believe the Bible. That means Justin doesn’t understand about prayer, repentance or placing your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe I’d better find out what he does believe. Dear Father, please help me share Jesus with Justin. I want him to be able to be born again and have You in his life. From what Justin’s told me, he is so far from You. Dear God, he doesn’t even know Your Word is true. Holy Spirit, Help me! Maybe I’d better find out what he does believe. “Do you believe the Book of Mormon is true?”
Justin: I wonder why Eve looks confused? Why do I feel this tension? But this can be an awesome chance to bear testimony. I want to testify of truth. “Yes. We believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God, and another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Prophet Joseph Smith said that a man would draw nearer to God by abiding by its principles than by any other book. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. He was the first Prophet of the Restoration. We now have living prophets and apostles on the earth in our day.”
Eve: Who’s this Joseph Smith? I’ve heard a lot of stories where Jesus has appeared to people and they get saved. I remember the cover story ‘When Muslims see Jesus’ in September 2011 Charisma magazine about thousands of Muslims converting to Christianity after encountering Jesus in dreams or visions. And Christ-centered TV is always highlighting different ministries of men and women who are modern day prophets, prophetesses and apostles; they speak to Jesus. I’m grateful for these women and men who hear from the Lord, and I’m grateful for their teachings. … In fact, I met the Holy Ghost through Benny Hinn. How sad about Benny’s wrecked marriage … His ministry blessed me so much, I’ve got to pray for him… And he was introduced to the Holy Spirit through Kathryn Kuhlman. I remember that day when the power of the Holy Spirit fell upon me, and I’ve never been the same since. Thank God we live in an age when the Lord talks to each of us personally. Thank God He gives us apostles and prophets and prophetesses and evangelists and pastors and teachers today, just like the New Testament church … But why does Justin talk about this Joseph Smith and not about what Jesus and the Holy Spirit are doing? He must not know Them at all. I guess I can’t even talk to him about the Holy Spirit, if he doesn’t even know Jesus. I do know you can tell what people worship by what they talk about. Maybe he does worship Joseph Smith. That’s SICK!! I’m starting to feel real upset here. OK, take a deep breath …Maybe we can start back at the beginning of our conversation … “You said you went to the temple over the weekend. Is that where you go and worship?” Maybe he’s more like the Jewish people who think you have to go to a certain place to worship. I wonder how you worship if you don’t know Jesus? Maybe he’s felt the Holy Spirit drawing him, as he keeps sincerely searching and trying to find God. Dear God, please help me to help Justin find Christ! I don’t want him going to hell!
Justin: Eve seems confused. Remember Gordon B. Hinckley taught about establishing common ground. She asked about worship. I can talk about worship. “Yes. We worship at the temple. We also worship in our chapels on a weekly basis. Every week, we partake of the sacrament to remember Christ’s Atonement.”
Eve: I give up. At least he thinks about Jesus once a week. That’s a start. But he hasn’t even talked about getting born again, or the power of the Holy Spirit. Justin obviously can’t know the Holy Spirit at all, if Justin keeps talking about the things that Justin is doing, and doesn’t focus on what God’s done, and is doing. Justin hasn’t yet given any glory to God! Oops, I’d better be sure that I am giving glory to the Lord! “Worship is where I really feel the Lord; His Power and His Majesty, and I know that He’s close to me and working in my life. I had a wonderful time over the weekend too. We had an incredible worship service at church. The Presence of the Lord was all over the place.” I feel this spiritual drawing to Justin even though he is so far from You, Lord. Maybe he’s ready to start being open to You in his life. Help me, Lord. “Can I ask you a question again? Where do you think you will go when you die?”
Justin: Eve seems so sincere. Why does there seem to be this brick wall between us? Lord, help me as I bear testimony. “Heaven. That’s what I’m hoping for, and also to be reunited with my family and loved ones in God’s presence.”
Eve: Hoping? He’s only hoping? Oh dear God, he has no hope …
Justin: “…I know that because of the merits of Christ, the Atonement provides so that I can be exalted and be with my family together forever in the Celestial Kingdom, if I am faithful and endure to the end.”
Eve: Exalted??!! Only Jesus is exalted!! Why would Justin want to push God the Father off the throne and rule in His place? I’m starting to feel furious here. Calm down. Love is the only way. There is no way Justin understands the magnitude of what Jesus did for us. No wonder he has to talk about enduring to the end; without Christ, he’s lost. Oh Lord, that’s horrible. He has no hope and no joy. All he has is his family to cling to, he doesn’t even know Jesus. That’s so sad.
Justin: “Oh, I guess lunch is over. I really enjoyed talking with you, Eve. I’d like to talk again sometime. And if you’re interested, I’d love to invite you over to meet with the missionaries from our church. They’d be glad to answer any questions that you might have.” Lord, I’ll fast for Eve this coming up Fast Sunday, that she can begin to understand the truths of the Restoration.
Eve: “Oh, well, thanks. I enjoyed talking with you too, Justin. See you later.” (She gets up to leave). Missionaries! How can they have missionaries? They have nothing to share but a religion of dead works and bondage, with no hope. Justin doesn’t know Jesus. He isn’t born again. He has no concept of the freedom that’s available
