Jean-Marc Alter highlights some fundamental truths from the Scriptures
It’s a lovely day and just as you put the kettle on, there’s a knock at the door.
‘Who on earth can it be?’, you wonder, as you tentatively open the door, only to be faced by two people on your doorstep.
‘Hello, what a lovely garden you have. Would you call yourself a religious person?’
Your mind is in a whirl: ‘Who are these people? Which cult do they belong to? What do they believe? What should I say? How should I answer them?’
Such is often the scenario when we open the door and face a visit from one of the door-to-door missionary endeavours of the cults. However, the questions that go through our minds are valid. How do we respond? What should we say? How should we act towards them? All are extremely important.
How should we act towards them?
We should be kind and gracious. These people may be members of a cult, but they are human beings made in God’s image. They have souls and will face the same Lord and judge as you at the Last Judgment. We should therefore act towards them as bidden in the Scriptures. 1 Peter 3.15 should be our guide: ‘… sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.’ We shouldn’t be rude and slam the door in their faces, we shouldn’t be aggressive and belligerent, nor try and win an argument and make them look silly or feel small, neither should we be pliable and agree with everything they say.
We should be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ, polite and gracious, prepared to speak for him to everyone who asks, but in a meek and reverent way. Christian witnessing should come out of Christian living.
What should we say?
‘Some cults believe this, some believe the other. Some have this view, some have that view. It’s all so confusing I can never hope to be an effective witness. There is so much I don’t know!’ It is daunting to face a member of a cult on the door but you can witness effectively to any group without knowing anything about them. You just need to stick to basics, to focus on the three main questions: What is God like? Who is Jesus Christ and what did he come to do? How does anyone get saved? These three are the key doctrines that need to be emphasised and focussed on.
Don’t be sidetracked by who the 144,000 are, or what does baptism mean, or what the fourth toe represents in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision – focus on the major issues. No one is ever saved by knowing the answer to the aforementioned questions, but the key truths are vital.
1. What is God like? (mainly taken from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Questions 4 – 6 and the Baptist Confession of Faith 1689, Chapter 2.)
• God is a Spirit (Deuteronomy 4.15–19; Luke 24.39; John 1.18, 4.24; Acts 17.29)
• God is Infinite (1 Kings 8.27; Psalms 139.7–10, 145.3, 147.5; Jeremiah 23.24; Romans 11.33–36)
• God is eternal (Deuteronomy 33.27; Psalms 90.2, 102.12, 102.24-27; Revelation 1.4, 8)
• God is unchangeable (Psalm 33.11; Malachi 3.6; Hebrews 1.12, 6.17–18, 13.8; James 1.17)
• There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6.4; Isaiah 44.6; 45.5–6, 14, 18, 21–22; 1 Corinthians 8.4-6; Jeremiah 10.10; John 17.3; 1 Thessalonians 1.9; 1 John 5.20)
• There are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3.16-17; 28.19; 2 Corinthians 13.14; 1 Peter 1.2) (Suggested in Genesis 1.1, 26; 3.22; 11.7; 19.24; Exodus 3.1–6; Psalm 110.1; Isaiah 6.8 and many others)
• These three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory (Psalm 45.6; John 1.1, 17.5; Acts 5.3–4; Romans 9.5; Colossians 2.9; Jude 1.24–25)
2. Who is Jesus Christ and what did he come to do? (Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions 21–29 are good here, and the Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689)
• Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God (Psalm 2.7; Matthew 3.17, 17.5; John 1.18)
• Jesus Christ is fully God and has the attributes of God:
Creator (God is: Genesis 1.1; Job 33.4. The Son is: John 1.1-3; Colossians 1.12-17)
First and last (God is: Isaiah 41.4; 44.6; 48.12. The Son is: Revelation 1.7; 2.8; 22.13)
From everlasting (God is: Psalm 90.2. The Son is: Micah 5.1)
Final judge (God is: Romans 14.10. The Son is: 2 Corinthians 5.10)
The Good Shepherd (God is: Psalm 23.1; Ezekiel 34.7–24. The Son is: John 10.11; Hebrews 13.20)
Forgives sin (God does: Exodus 34.7; Micah 7.18. The Son does: Mark 2.5)
Calms the seas (God does: Psalm 107.29. Jesus, The Son, does: Matthew 8.26)
Fills all (God does: Jeremiah 23.24. Jesus, The Son, does: Ephesians 4.10)
Name above all (God has: Psalm 83.18. The Son has: Philippians 2.9)
He alone is Saviour (God is: Psalm 106.21, Isaiah 45.21–3. The Son is: John 4.42; Acts 4.10–12)
• Jesus Christ is fully human (Isaiah 9.6; Matthew 1.23; John 1.14; Galatians 4.4)
• He is forever now God and man, two distinct natures but one person for ever. (Acts 1.11; Hebrews 7.24–25)
Why did the Son of God become man and come into the world?
You need to emphasise that the Son of God did not come to prove anything, to earn favour or even to set an example. He came as a Saviour for others. The Son of God came into this world to live as a substitute for his people. He came and lived a perfect life for those who turn from their sins and trust in him. He fulfilled the law, in every aspect for them and died for the sins of his people, on the cross removing their guilt and punishment. He also rose again as their Saviour and head. (Isaiah 53; Daniel 9.24; Matthew 20.28; Mark 8.31; 9.31–32; 10.45; Luke 9.56; John 10.17–8; 1 Corinthians 15.3– 4; 2 Corinthians 5.21; Ephesians 5.23–32; 1 Peter 3.18; Romans 4.25)
3. How does anyone get saved?
You need to emphasise that we have a major problem with God, called sin. This is rebellion against God and continually falling short of his standards. Our goodness is nowhere near the standards of God and our sins have to be punished. We have no hope in anything that we can do.
We need a Saviour. The only Saviour for lost humanity is the one sent by the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We need to explain this to those who knock on our doors – that salvation is only through Jesus Christ. He alone can make us right with God. Whoever is made right with God is done so by repenting, turning from their sins and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only way of salvation – this is God’s way (Jeremiah 17.9–10; Romans 1.18–23; 1 Corinthians 6.9–11; Colossians 1.12–14; 21–23; John 14.6; Acts 4.12; 1 Timothy 2.5–6; Titus 3.5; Ephesians 2.1–10; Romans 1.16–7; Galatians 1)
Too much to take in?
‘Ah yes,’ you might say,’ but that’s too much for me to remember – I will never remember all that!’ True, there is a lot here. Why not cut out this article and put it somewhere safe for reference (if I can be so bold as to suggest that you cut up en!) Or refer to this article online at www.e-n.org.uk. Or try and stick to one key passage for each point. Go through a section with your visitor and show them what the Bible says in that section.
• What is God like? Isaiah, chapters 40, 43–46.
• Who is Jesus Christ and what did he come to do? Person of Jesus Christ: Isaiah 9.6–7; John 1.1–18; Colossians 1.12-39. Work of Jesus Christ: Isaiah 53; John 10.1–18
• How does anyone get saved? Ephesians 2.1–10 and Galatians 1.6-9
