"A Jewish lady who might be searching for the truth."

Valentines Evangelism 2008

What a valentines gift to God! I had the privilege of talking to a nice lady on the phone today about the gospel and her need for Jesus. I have been confined to my house and not far from a bed or chair for a week because my back is messed up. A nerve in my lower back got pinched and I landed on the floor last week. It has been sore and painful ever since. Today it is stiff. Anyway, I am praising God an rejoicing in a conversation I had on the phone just now.



I just spent 30 minutes on the phone with a girl who called to reach someone from our old church plant. And I am not exactly sure how or why she called our number because of the fact that after talking to her I found out she was Jewish and while not exactly interested in Jews for Jesus she was open enough for me to talk to her about the gospel message via the good person test. I was SHAKING physically the whole time I was on the phone with her, and maybe even my voice too.


"A Jewish lady who might be searching for the truth."


When she called I told her she had the wrong number, but then I remembered that my phone was listed online as the contact number to our old church. So I asked if she was trying to locate a bible study nearby between such and such towns. And she said well more towards Woodland Hills. I told her I new a lady who is a friend of mine who leads the worship music at a church in that area and gave her my friends home number. She then asked me, seeing as how I was personable on the phone, if I new of any Jewish Christians. I told her that I did and I know of a Christian who talks to Jewish people all the time and I know of an Israelite who became a Christian. She seemed confused about that and I told her that a lot of Israelites are Jews, but this one became a Christian. She asked if his wife was Jewish. I said no she is Christian too, not of Israeli descent. I told her I didn't have their phone number, but their brother in law's and if she could hang on while I got into my computer contacts I could give the email info to her. I couldn't get in so I asked her to call me back in a few minutes. So she did! I thought that incase she isn't saved and she is Jewish I would probe a little and then ask her if I can tell her what Christians believe and why people need Jesus. Well after I gave her the info and then realized she was Jewish I asked if I could tell her about that and she said sure.


I told her it would just take a couple minutes unless she had questions then its up to her how long we talk. She said ok. So I went through the good person test with her and told her that we usually look at man's standard for goodness but we need to look at the 10 commandments – God's Law. So we went through it… she didn't think that someone who said a lie in the past was a liar unless they continually lie. I told her that someone who murders another person is still a murderer and the law will catch them and they will still go to court to be punished for it. Then she said "well that is because there can be no reconciliation between them" and I agree with that but I told her that Jesus said if we hate some one we are guilty of murder in our heart. I asked her if she has stolen anything and then moved on to lust. She said she has lusted after someone at sometime as we all have, and I told her that Jesus said if we do that we have committed adultery in our heart. I said looking at pornography was the same thing – its filth and sex of the mind. She kind of understood what I was saying but because one didn't do the "act" itself she didn't think it was adultery. I asked her about Blasphemy if she has ever used God or Jesus name irreverently and she said she had in the past. I told her that is serious because you know the Law and told her what God says about blasphemers. So I told her how God sees her (I never got her name), and I told her that when she dies and stands before God he will judge her according to the Law. I asked about her guilt she said she wouldn't be. And I said we just looked at the Law and you are guilty of those things. I told her that God knows all about us our thoughts and even things we do in secret. It will all be laid out before Him and it will be a guilty verdict. I said if God is a good and Just Judge would he send you to heaven or to hell. She said she didn't know for sure. I said If you were in court for a serious crime and the evidence was there… wouldn't the judge sentence you to jail? She said yes. I said so too will God have to send sinners to hell for their crimes against Him.


So at this point she ran me down some bunny trails but I kept a mental marker of where we were so that I could get back to explaining why people need Jesus, including her. The things she talked about and asked seemed like someone who is trying to put pieces together but not really believing some of what I was saying.


During that part of the conversation we discussed things like:


She did not think Jesus was God but he was a man. I explained how he was of the God head (explained the trinity to her) and how the Word came to earth to represent God in the flesh by taking on human flesh. God wrapped himself in human flesh so that he was 100% human and 100% God. Its like us putting on a backpack and it adds to us. I explained that Jesus had to take on the flesh of man, because Adam sinned and therefore a perfect man must come and take the place of the sinful man – and Jesus did this on the cross. I explained that there must be the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins and that we are told this in the days of Moses and the Temple. But she asked me about David sinning and those in the time of Job where there was no shedding of blood. I took her to the Garden and explained how they did know of the animal sacrifice necessary for their sins because of the clothing God gave Adam and Eve, and Abel's sacrifice too. However she did not believe that and said that while the New Testament does say that the shedding of blood is required for the forgiveness of sins. I explained how all the blood shedding in the temple and sprinklings were all shadows and symbolic of the perfect One who was coming – the Messiah who would save us from our sins. And that is Jesus Christ.



As we talked said told me that she doesn't believe that God will judge people by His Law, and that she doesn't believe she needs to be saved from coming wrath because she doesn't believe there is any. I tried to explain that a person guilty of a crime would be punished by the judge and sentenced, and so would God for those who violate His Law. It's of high value to God and it reveals his Character and who He is. We fall short of that standard and that is why we need Jesus to forgive us of our sins and save us. I explained that Jesus went into God's courtroom and paid our fine. It's our decision to take that fine out of gratitude and because the fine would be paid, justice would be served and we can leave free. It doesn't mean we aren't guilty. She said so do you believe in human sacrifice then? I said no not in the sense you might be thinking. See Adam sinned and he was no longer perfect. He couldn't pay for his sins, Only a perfect substitute (like a kinsman redeemer) could pay her fine. The shedding of blood was only until that last Passover when all the lambs were being slain and God took his perfect lamb Jesus Christ and put him on the cross alter for mankinds sin. So a perfect substitute and its blood shed could pay for our sins, and that is what Jesus did. She asked about those who don't know Jesus and I told her that if they are not saved they will not go to heaven. If they haven't repented of their sins, turned from them unto obeying God, and asked forgiveness for all their sins, and also put their trust in Jesus Christ who was the fine payer they would be in trouble on the day of God's Wrath on Judgment day after the resurrection (Jews know about this resurrection teaching from OT times even Mary and Martha knew). I told her that no one wants to be judged by God and go to hell, but if people aren't saved they will go there. And I told her that this is the reason we warn others about it and tell them about Jesus so they don't go there.



She asked me about Christians and Nazi's and those who don't know Jesus. And she asked me about what I do as a Christian living my life. I explained about Jesus being my Master and that I cant belong to him (ie being his slave) unless I belong to him. He bought me with his blood on the cross. I cant do anything for him if I don't belong to him. When I get saved I belong to him, therefore I love him and I serve him. She asked if I have to do good deeds and tell others about Jesus, and she wanted to know how I do it. I told her that Nazi's were not Christians.
I told her the catholic religious people were involved and others too. She said no Christians were too. And I said, let me clarify something here so that you know what I am saying….There may be people who call themselves Christians but they aren't. They are false converts or fakers. For whatever reason they have they like the thought of heaven and going there so they believe in Jesus but are not saved (I defined that word again with her). I told her no true Christian would be involved in something like the holocaust. I told her many are deceived and think they can go to church or be good people or do good things and they will end up in heaven, but that is not the truth. She asked if I was a missionary. I told her no just a Christian. She seemed confused. I told her that I do the things that I do because I love God and out of gratitude. I don't do them for my salvation. I live my life growing in my faith by reading and applying God's word the Bible to my life, and I tell others about Jesus. I told her that I am not good and I don't do good things, but because I am a new creation in Christ, God is able to do good things through me. She didn't really understand that so I explained it more. And then I told her that you can spot the false converts by their fruit by their life and how they live. Eventually you will see that they are not growing in the faith and are just claiming to be a Christian. We talked about this for a few minutes and then I closed the conversation. She still thought something about works but I told her that if I have faith you will see my works and my growth in the faith will be evident because it will radiate from me. I will share the gospel with others and become more godly. But I told her that we wont know about many of the false converts until the day of Judgment when they stand before God. I told her that Christians wont stand before God on Judgment day for judgment. Because Jesus work on the cross and his blood have already paid for our sins. Only those who aren't right with God; those who didn't obeying the gospel command while they were on earth will be the ones judged. Scripture tells us that after we die there is only Judgment awaiting.



She told me that she didn't believe several things I was saying including about the blood and coming wrath and she claimed it wasn't biblical. I challenged her that it certainly was Biblical and God wrote it so it is true. And that my salvation experience is proof of it, I am a new creation and I serve my Savior. And I then told her that now she knows what we believe. I also told her that she also has the contacts she requested and can get in touch with them to find a Christian church or a Jewish temple or whatever she is looking to find and I wished her well.


It was a nice conversation and I hope she is blessed by it.


I then called the brother of the Jewish guy and left him a message about it... because I gave her his number incase she couldn't get a hold of his brother in law. And I wanted him to know what we discussed so they have an idea of what to say to her if she does call to talk more about it.


I didn't want to mess anything up and was subconsciously praying for God's help. I was shaking like a leaf the whole time and even for a time after I got off the phone with her. I wanted to share what we believe in love and be helpful and kind to her on the phone, and hoped that she would have some truth of scripture planted in her for whatever God had in store for her next or later in life that would make everything click into place and whala… salvation.


I thank the Lord for sending that young lady to me today via phone, and hope that some of the things that I said will stick with her and bud forth one day after more studies and understanding of scripture so that she can turn to Jesus and be saved.

*I am not perfect at conversations about extra things like those I had with her, but I do my best to answer the questions and the reason we are to be in the Word regularly so that we can go to verses and discuss subjects well with those seeking answers.

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UPDATE:
I have been thinking about what that lady said about blood in the OT and I ran across this information today that reaffirmed what I was saying was true. She must not have been taught the full verse or the full context of the chapter in the OT that deals with "Atonement for Sin" Here is what Leviticus says:

Leviticus 17:11 says, "For THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKETH AN ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL."

GOD prescribed that the blood of an animal belonged to Him and was to be used to make atonement for sin. Sin damages the human soul by separating us from GOD. Because GOD is holy, He cannot tolerate the presence of sin. GOD established a substitutionary system in which the blood of an innocent, sacrificed animal reconciles us with Him. And it was all "temporary" until it would be fulfilled and done with by the one who would take away the sin of the world. It was all based on forward looking to the Messiah who would be the perfect and final substitute for the sin of the world and the sins of those who get saved.

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I just pray that the lady I spoke to will wonder about this and go back and read Lev 17 to see what scripture really does say about the blood. Its not just about not drinking or eating blood as she said it was. I knew it wasnt, but I just hope that she is curious enough to go and read it... so that all we spoke about will make sense to her in a miraculous way and she will come to Jesus for forgiveness and accept his blood shed on her behalf... and that she gets saved.