March 25, 2015
The Second Commandment
I visited the Jehovah
Witnesses who told me the purpose for their door to door ministry was to see if
people were reading their Bibles. At the time I thought their motivation to knock
on a stranger’s door and inquire about Bible study habits presumptuous. However,
for the purpose of writing an article about the visit I took their response at
face value. Last Saturday when a middle aged man and a youth came to the door I
was prepared to tell them I read my Bible, but to my surprise they didn’t ask.
The team simply commented on the beautiful day, handed me a piece of literature
and said, “Have a good day.” I’m now curious if the JW’s are changing their evangelistic
methods, or if these two individuals just chose to deviate from the denominational
script. Unfortunately the spiritual landscape, Christian or otherwise, is
littered with evangelizing programs, methodologies and formulas that produce little
results. Maybe it’s time to give greater consideration to the second commandment.
Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself” (Matt 22:37-39 NIV).
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----A friend I grew up with once told me that if his shadow ever fell inside a church it would collapse. He felt partly that his life had been too much for the church to bear (though it is the Lord who bears it) and that he just wasn’t going to believe. I only saw him occasionally since then. But in the meantime, Jehovah’s Witnesses got to him. No other church sent anyone out to knock on his door and offer Bible study in his own living room. I wasn’t even real enough to do that. But they did. I admit, their theology leaves a lot to be desired. And although their “Jesus isn’t God” thing is really problematic, their “call on Jesus and you will be saved thing” is bigger, and the JW’s hold to it as do we.
-----Paul says that even if all our works built upon the foundation of Christ be found wood, straw, and stubble by the testing fire, we will yet make it through that fire. Theology is just one of the many works built upon the foundation. Not all theology is gold, silver, and precious gems. Nor is all the JW’s theology wood, straw, and stubble.
-----But the point is, one day when I gave my friend a ride off the street he began talking all of this “Lord stuff”. I didn’t care that it didn’t sound exactly like the “Lord stuff” I talk. What I still praise the Lord for was that this friend now faced the other direction; he repented; he was calling on the Lord. Getting the theology straight would be the gravy. Getting straight with the Lord was the meat and potatoes. He had meat and potatoes.
-----My friend is now dead. I feel I let him down. I took his “shadow collapsing the church” thing to mean he would not hear. And maybe he wouldn’t have hear from me. But a godly girlfriend he acquired and these Jehovah’s Witnesses mixed up some interest in him; he made the call; and I will apologize to him when I get to heaven for not having been more like the JW’s myself.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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