I talked to a young lady from Sweden. I asked her what she thought happened after you die. She told me that all the souls are gathered up, and all the souls go to a good place. I asked her if those people that were really bad deserve judgment in the afterlife she said yes but she didn’t think they got it. I asked her if there was a God? she thought there was some sort of spiritual being in charge. I asked her if that was a personal being I had to explain between impersonal matter and forces and personal and those of us with a personality with emotions and such. I explain to her that she had never seen the impersonal create the personal so God must be a personal being because here we are. I showed her why God must be a trinity. I explained the gospel to her and asked her if she had any questions. She told me it was a lot to take in and thanked me for talking to her. Pray for Allison.
God must be a trinity because God does not need people. If he was not a trinity then He would need people so that His characteristics could be defined. Since God is a trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) then He has perfect fellowship without people. Mercy, Love …can be defined based on His relationship within the Godhead.
Several times this week I was able to encourage believers. God allows there to be different types of churches for us as a mercy. This young lady does not like loud noises and so I directed her to go to a church that only sings the Psalms and does not use instruments. She was grateful to know there is a place for her in the church. She said she had tried several churches but did not feel like she was a part of one. I told her to go to the pastor and ask to join a small group. Then she would have fellowship with those in her small group. I explained that churches are big and people would not know that she was lacking that fellowship so she should reach out to the pastor and ask for help.
I had a 2-day booth in Evans City at the Pumpkin Festival this year. We have never been to this event but one of my students asked me to have a booth at this event so I could not let her down. We handed out more tracts and had more conversations than we normally do. We were able to encourage many Christians who were so excited that we were there sharing the gospel. We talked to many people that go to church each week but did not know the gospel. They were grateful to understand the gospel for the very first time. Tons of people that we talked to are nonreligious and after hearing the gospel thanked us for sharing and said the gospel is good news.
I had a booth at the Mars Apple Fest this month. We talked to many people. A young man stopped and talked to us. He is a new Christian that goes to Slippery Rock University. He was so excited that we were sharing the gospel and wanted to help. I showed him how we share the gospel and asked him what church he attends. He told me he did not go to a church just a weekly Bible Study. He asked if he had to go to church. I talked about Hebrews 10:24 and told him we are not to neglect that fellowship of the saints. He told me that he meets with other saints in Bible Study. I showed him Matthew 18:15-19
“15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[f] in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.””
I showed him that if someone sins against another then the person is to go to them by themselves and then bring another person and then go to the church. The scripture assumes that the person will be in a church.
I showed him Titus 1 and explained that he should have a Pastor that was caring for his soul. I showed him who an Elder needs to be and that an Elder is to be able to instruct him in good doctrine. Elders in the church are to help him stay on the narrow path.
We went back and forth for a while. I took him to another brother in Christ and had him explain that people are supposed to be in church. I asked him why he did not want to be in a church and he did not give me an answer. He took many scriptures out of context to prove his point.
He also did not think that he needs to be baptized. Please pray for him I hope to meet with him this week again. I will be bringing another Christian with me to help me show him the need a Christian has to be in a good church.
