Whilst been in Xiahe, China we as a team have been given an eye opening book to read. Revivals Golden Key by Ray Comfort. I would like to take this oppertunity to share some of the revelations that stood out for me, as this will surely impact the way i witness to the lost in the future.
This particular story really hit home to me..
" Two men are seated on a plane. The first is given a parachute and told to put it on, as it would improve his flight. He's a little skeptical at first, since he cant see how wearing a parachute in a plane could possibly improve his flight. Afrter some time, he decides to experiment and see if the claims are true. As he puts it on, he notices the weight of it upon his shoulders and finds he has difficulties in sitting upright. However, he consoles himself with the fact that he was told the parachute would improve his flight. So he decides to give it a
little time. As he waits, he notices that some of the other passengers are laughing at him because he's wearing a parachute in a plane. He begins to feel somewhat humiliated as they continue to laugh and point at him, he can stan it no longer. He sinks into his seat, unstraps the parachute and throws it to the floor. Disillusionment and bitterness fill his heart, because as far as he was concerned he was told an outright lie.
The second man is given a parachute, but listen to what he is told. He's told to put it on because at any moment he'll be jumping 25,000 feet out of the plane. He gratefully puts on the parachute. He doesnt notice the weight upon his shoulders, nor that he cant sit upright. His mind is consumed with the thought of what would happen to him if he jumped without the parachute.
Let's now analyse the motive and result of each passengers experience. The first mans motive for putting on the parachute was solely to improve his flight. The result of his experience was he
was humiliated by the passengers, disillusioned and somewhat embittered against those who gave him the parachute. As far as he's concerned, it will be a long time before anyone gets one of those things on his back again.
The second man put on the parachute solely to escape the jump to come. And because of his knowledge of what would happen to him if he jumped without it, he has a deep rooted joy and peace in his heart knowing that he's saved from death. This knowledge gives him the ability to withstand the mockery of the other passengers. His attitude toward those who gave him the parachute is one of heartfelt gratitude.
The modern gospel says" Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He'll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment and lasting happiness." In other words, Jesus will improve your flight. The sinner responds and in an experimental fashion puts on the saviour to see if the claims are true. And what does he get? The promised temptations, tribulation and persecution - the other
passengers mock him. So he takes off the Lord Jesus Christ, he's offended for the words sake; he's disillusioned and somewhat embittered and quite rightly so. He ends up been another inoculated and bitter "backslider".
Instead of preaching Jesus improves the flight, we should be warning the passengers that they have to jump out of a plane. That it's appointed for a man to die once and after this is judgement. When a sinner understands the horrific consequences of breaking the law of God, he will flee to the saviour solely to escape the wrath thats to come.
If we are true and faithful witnesses, that's what we'll be preaching. That God commands all men everywhere to repent because he has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:30,31) The issue isn't one of happiness but one of righteousness".
We as christians need to clarify the motive sinners should have when they come to the saviour. The world is full of rocky soil converts - who's
soil has not been ploughed with the law before planting, therefore doesnt recognise and repent of their sin.
The goal of the law is to put to death all self righteousness (Gal 3 23-29). Jesus didnt come to destoy the law but to fulfill it. We can no longer add or subtract to the word of God. As much as we like to read about Gods love, mercy and grace, we need to read about His wrath, fear and judgement.
We need to discard our doctrines and ways of doing evangelism and do things according to the pattern given to us in scripture. Jesus applied the heat of the law and didnt present a fluffy, feel good gospel (John 4 v 18, 28+29, 1 Cor 6,9+10)
Where have we gone wrong? Why do we deal with soo many people who have been hurt and backslidden from the church? We have convinced them of a cure to a disease they didnt even know they had/ a parachute to improve their flight.
People need to hear how bad the bad news is before they will realise how good the good news really is !!