My Pastor had a different view. What would your view be?
He was aghast at the idea of the man being invited. Of course I was initially confused, but then I realized Pastor wasn't being foolish at all. The man had been invited in to share in the fellowship - not to be corrected of his horrendous error and called to repent in order to be saved. My Pastor saw the Devil's servant welcomed in as a friend. A ravenous wolf who would seek to draw away disciples after himself.
We are called to keep our fellowship pure, not just keep the Lord's Table pure. There is surely room to bring sinners to hear the truth, but they can not be allowed to confuse themselves with being part of the family. They must know that they need to be born again in order to be part of the family.
Then on Thursday two Mormons knocked on my Pastor's door. He reasoned with them from the Scriptures but realized that these people have been systematically brain washed. Today, two Mormons knocked on my door. Previously I have listened to their reasoning and corrected them from the Scriptures. However today, I listened closely and they were itching for an argument with me as soon as they knew I am a Christian. I asked them if Jesus Christ is God or not. I did not bite on their answers which were cleverly designed to make me ask more questions. I simply asked twice more if Jesus is God or not. Instead of answering they asked me the last time if I believe in the Trinity. I knew they had been well trained to argue with ill-prepared people who have heard some Christian terminology (this includes weak Christians). So I shut them down. "If Jesus the Christ is not God then you are still in your sins and will surely spend eternity in the Lake of Fire." They were not interested in the Truth, they were interested in drawing disciples to themselves, and their Bishop.
My Pastor was right to be upset. The Mormon Bishop, from the temple just down the road from my house and our church building, had sent these young men into our neighbourhood. He hadn't attended the Friday service and been convicted. He was going to say, as the young men at my door today said also, that he too follows Jesus Christ. The problem is that he's talking about an entirely different person. He's doing all he can, and sending people out to do all they can to make sure that people are confused about Who Jesus Christ is.
I'm studying and praying in order to assist Pastor in his job of shepherding our assembly. He's asked for my counsel. So I'm asking for the thoughts, studious notes and prayers of you all who read On My Walk.
Right now I'm thinking of passages about those who seek to make disciples for themselves, and how people outside the Church were afraid to come in because of God's judgment in Acts. I'm thinking of how consistently Christians in the bible were told to GO to the lost and preach the Gospel, and how they actually went. I do not know of a single passage in the Bible where someone was witnessed to by having them join the assembly of Believers.
