I remember an incident in which a person received a tract and then threw it away on the street. Another person, who had a nail stuck in his shoe, was looking for something to cushion his foot. He picked up the tract and stuffed it in his shoe. He returned home and began to mend his shoe. Then he saw the tract and was saved. There are numerous similar cases of people being saved by tracts. Some of these cases are actually quite marvelous.
-Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 3) Vol. 49: Messages for Building Up New Believers (2), Chapter 2, Section 7 Today I started my first book. I've often been stimulated by the line in 2 Timothy 4 where Paul says, "Do the work of an evangelist." I'd like to unpack that statement and give a sound exposition on an evangelist's office, powers, and duties.
I don't want it to be a bunch of esoteric stuff (like debating whether or not the office of evangelist was to be perpetual or not). My intent is to provide something practical, perhaps aiming at the college age guy who might be interested in evangelistic work. This is by no means something that will be hitting bookstores in the near future. I'm sure it will be a life work. The prospects are fun, nonetheless. Oh, why do I say, "My first book"? Because I've had other topics tickle my fancy. For instance, I've always wanted to write a study guide for women on Proverbs 31. I might start on that one when my wife finally lets me lead the women's study. Today I met with some Mormons who wanted to talk to me since I "was interested in this kind of stuff." T'was a fun time to listen and tear down every lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ.
They gave me their pitch, and it went like this: 1. The church fell into apostasy after the apostles and men corrupted the Scriptures to gain power. 2. Joseph Smith looked to James 1:5, and prayed for wisdom. Whereby god gave him the revelation of Mormonism. Do you see the error? Mormonism makes a fatal slip: If the Bible is corrupted, how can Joe gain wisdom from James 1:5? That passage might have been corrupted! He put his trust in a word that is essentially wrong! The whole of Mormonism is built on James 1:5. But, according to Mormonism, James 1:5 cannot be trusted because the Bible is full of errors, has not been translated right, and is often not interpreted correctly. That's like saying, "There is a giant hole under that rug." Then you run over to stand on the rug. I asked these guys to consider the alternative, which is my Christian faith. I serve a God who will not let His Word be corrupted. He is powerful enough not just to have it inspired, but He is able to keep that truth free from defilement all through history. This word is holy and a reflection of His character. To allow it to be defiled would be to allow man to mock God. God's word says, "The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." (Isaiah 40:8; 1Peter 1:24-5) Jesus himself said that heaven and earth would pass away, but "My word will not pass away." (Matt. 24:35). |
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