Your mother is a fine woman, but she does not want to hear what she calls “your version of what a Christian is,” she has been in the Roman Catholic organization since before you were born. Your mother is also a good woman, might not have been when she was younger, but both her and your father finished “sowing their wild oats” a long time ago, but they would just as soon you don’t talk about any “religious stuff” when you come over for a visit. “We have our way and you have yours sweetheart.”
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)
That’s what we are trying to tell everyone we meet at every opportunity, that there is only one way, the problem is, they all think they have found the way. I have never found any other way than quoting the Scriptures to someone to either help them to see the truth or watch them walk away. You have two choices here, you can either hide His word in your heart (Psalm 119:11) or you can carry a Bible with you everywhere you go. In some places the latter may cause imprisonment, torture and even death, the former takes up much less luggage and space.
But there is a truth to both of those methods, only the Word of God, penned by men led by the Holy Spirit can convict anyone. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
But there is another truth that must occur no matter which of these two you choose; you must be willing to speak of Christ to them. Here is where the question in this letter must be addressed, how long can you continue to remain close friends with those who deny Jesus Christ?
That verse in Matthew 7:6 speaks loudly at these times, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” Oh, but hope, as they say springs eternal, and some will even attempt to interject 1 Corinthians 7:16 here, “For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” I have met far more born-again believers, myself included, that have been drug back into that rebellious sinful life if even for a short period of time than I have those who do not know Christ yet coming to Him in faith.
Most people, at least in the eyes of the world are good people, and since we were very young, we have been told that good people get rewarded, bad people do not, so it has been a very easy transition to take this ideology into the religious realm. “Good people go to heaven; bad people go to hell.”
We are the ones that the Lord sends with this message; we’re all bad, we all deserve hell, and if you do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord in your heart, you will go to hell. That my friends is the entire Word of God concerning salvation boiled down to one sentence.
Here is where we find out who it is we serve, and why, here is where we find if we are obedient because of our love for Jesus Christ, or if we have determined that maybe it’s just best if we don’t make any waves, we would rather not take the chance of losing that close, personal relationship with those we love and hold dear to us. “And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.” (Luke 4:24)
These were the people He grew up around, these are those whose weddings, births and funerals He attended. I have often wondered if our Lord shook the dust of His feet off the last time He visited His hometown.
They are the pearls of God Almighty, you might want to be very careful with them, but you also might need to start thinking if you are handing them out in the wrong place.
