What's Wrong With

The
Offended
One

This Picture?

As you read the following scene, try to guess:
What's wrong with this picture?

   What a day for a walk, Ted thought.   The sun was out, the birds were chirping, the
temperature in the seventies.   A perfect day, until a sudden interruption came from behind:
   "Excuse me sir, if you get a chance please read this."   A young man handed Ted
a brochure and went on his way.   Ted stopped to read the title: If You Were to Die Today,
Where would you Go?
   "Hey son.   Wait!"   Ted ran after him, "This thing you gave me, it's a gospel tract,
right?"

   "Yes," the young man cautiously answered.
   "Then here.   Take it back!"
   "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to offend..."
   "I don't need it.   I'm already a Christian."
   The young man smiled, "Then you understand why I gave it to you."
   "No.   As a matter of fact, I don't."
   "But you said you're..."
   "Yes, I'm a Christian.   But I don't believe in shoving it down a person's throat."
   "But as a Christian you'd want to...."
   "How old are you son?"
   "Twenty two."
   "I'm twice your age," Ted said, growing impatient.   "I'm sure I've been a Christian
longer than you.   So don't tell me how I should act."

   "I only meant that...."
   "I know what you meant and I resent it."
   "But I..."
   "Stop interrupting me."   Ted clenched his fists, "Don't you know that my faith is
a private matter between me and God.   It's not supposed to be spread around, much less
push on others."

   "But..."
   "Don't waste your time son, and, by all means, DON'T WASTE MINE."

Turn the page to see if you guessed the right answer.

The problem with this picture is that it contains
four statements that prove Ted is not a Christian.

The First one occurs when Ted is asked if he understands why he was given a
gospel tract and he answers:

"No.   As a matter of fact, I don't."

   If Ted were truly a Christian he would know the importance of passing out gospel
tracts and witnessing to others.   He would understand that a person cannot get saved and
go to Heaven without first hearing God's Word because the Bible clearly teaches that:
"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.   How then shall they
call on him in whom they have not believed? and HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IN
HIM OF WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? and HOW SHALL THEY HEAR
WITHOUT A PREACHER?"
Rom. 10:13-14
   The "preacher," referred to here, includes anyone who witnesses for Jesus Christ.
And Jesus Himself instructed all Christians to witness when he said: "YE SHALL BE
WITNESSES unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the earth."
  Acts 1:8

The Second statement is:

"Yes, I'm a Christian.   But I don't believe in
shoving it down a person's throat."

   True Christians don't view spreading the gospel as "shoving their beliefs down a
person's throat."
  Instead they see themselves as messengers spreading the good news
(the gospel) that "Christ died for our sins."   (1 Cor. 15:3)   This means that no longer does
a person have to go through life trying to earn their way into Heaven.   Christ's death and
shed blood paid the penalty for our sins and made salvation available as a gift; free for the
asking, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED."
(Rom. 10:13)   Any professing Christian who thinks that spreading this wonderful message
is an attempt to force one's religion upon them, does not understand the message itself.
In fact, that person could not have possibly been saved in the first place!

The Third one is when Ted says:

"Don't you know that my faith is a
private matter, between me and God?"

   True Christians know that God never intended for them to keep their faith private.   On
the contrary, the Bible says: "And BE READY ALWAYS TO GIVE AN ANSWER to
every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you."
  (1 Peter 3:15)   After
all, if you were truly saved from Hell (as any true born-again Christian is) wouldn't you
want to tell others so they can be saved from Hell also?   Unless, of course, it's not real to
you in the first place.

   Apparently Ted's Christianity was not real to him.   In fact, people who react like Ted
are, in essence, saying: "My religious beliefs are not worth sharing, I have nothing to
offer."
  But true Christians have something real to offer.   That's why Jesus told them:
"YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.   A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it
giveth light unto all that are in the house.   LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE
MEN."
  Matt. 5:14-16

The Fourth and final statement is:

"It's not supposed to be spread around."

   A true Christian knows that Jesus Christ WANTS it spread around: "For this is good
and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO
BE SAVED, and TO COME UNTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH."

                                                                                                                                 1 Tim. 2:3

   In fact, His parting words to His disciples were: "...GO YE INTO ALL THE
WORLD, and preach the gospel TO EVERY CREATURE."
  Mark 16:15

   In Conclusion, the main thing wrong with this picture is that, while Ted claims to
be a Christian, he doesn't understand that a true Christian is supposed to share his faith
with others.   Thus, Ted exposes himself as not truly being a Christian.

IF You were to die today, are you 100% SURE
you would go to Heaven?
  The Bible says
YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13).

BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps
you from going to Heaven are your sins, because:
"...your iniquities [sins] have separated
between you and your God,"
Isa. 59:2.
In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For
all have sinned, and come short
of the glory of God;"
Rom. 3:23.
And Jesus, referring to sinners, said that He:
"shall send forth his angels, and they shall
gather out of his kingdom all things that offend,
and them which do iniquity
[sinners];
And shall cast them into
a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing
and gnashing of teeth."
  Mat. 13:41-42

SECONDLY, you must realize that there is
NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn
Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast."
  Eph. 2:8-9   Baptism, good deeds,
church membership, self-righteousness are all
examples of good works that cannot save you,
because: "Not by works of
righteousness
which we have done, but
according to his mercy he
[Christ] saved
us
,"
Titus 3:5.

THE ONLY WAY you can get saved
is through Jesus Christ.   He said: "I am the
way
, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh
unto the Father, but by me."

(John 14:6)   THAT'S WHY: "...while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us."

(Rom. 5:8-9)   THEREFORE: You must REPENT
(change your mind); admit that you are a Hell
deserving sinner and can't save yourself.   And
call upon Christ, and Him alone, to save you.
"if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus
[REPENT], and shalt believe in thine
heart
[TRUST] that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
  Rom. 10:9

SEND THE LIGHT
P.O. Box 815   Fargo, ND 58107

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