What would you do Wednesday!
It is Thanksgiving morning. You stand in the front yard admiring God’s creation thinking about the gospel. There is nothing to be more thankful for – nothing more important – than the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel that saved you and shapes your worldview.
It’s going to be a great day!
“Good morning,” your neighbor yells from across the yard. After exchanging a few words your neighbor asks if you’d like to come help serve food to people in need for a couple of hours. He explains that his church serves food for Thanksgiving and gives out church tracts with the meals.
Curiously, you ask what church he belongs to. He says, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.”
What would you do?
- Go feed people and not worry about Mormonism.
- Go feed people and begin dialogue about the gospel.
- Politely decline.
- Accept the invitation on the condition that he repents and believes the gospel.
- Or…
tagged as ethics, WWYDW in Christianity,Church Issues,Culture
About the author
Mark is a Christian, husband and father. A businessman by day; he attends seminary in the off hours working toward an M.Div. More->
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I think this would be an opportune time to spend a little time with this neighbor, since it appears that I haven’t taken the time before to be a witness to them since I know little about them, and they about me. So I ask him if I could come over for a minute and disuss it. “Can I come over for a minute?” As whether to go serve dinner or not is not the only consideration, it is also the witness being shown to my neighbor. Then I would go over and depending on how much time there is, which is probably not much, I would either sit down there for a few minutes…or tell them that it won’t be possible today (if that’s your choice) , but that I would like to take a few minutes the very next available day to get aquainted…and I would make a point to make it happen. It is then that I would talk about it.
“It” being, that I would have loved helping to serve dinner that day, but I would be uncomfortable handing out tracts as I think there is enough of a difference in our beliefs to make me uncomfortable with being involved with that part. Then if they ask what I believe then I would begin talking about it….but if they don’t ask I would not push it as I have not “shown” by my actions that my Jesus and their Jesus is different. Their Jesus doesn’t even exist, but mine does….so, it is mine that should be actively shining a light. This whole situation would be a great opportunity for everyone involved to grow…as I would…truly…be convicted by my lack of witness (command to love my neighbor…and he is about as neighbor as one can get:) I had been showing my neighbor up to that point. However, thankfully, conviction is NOT condemnation…and it just means God has more for me to learn on my journey in this Christian life and in my relationship with Him.
Great question Mark, thank you!! This really helped me….
This article popped up in my Google Alerts today. Regarding the comment:
“Their Jesus doesn’t even exist, but mine does….”
I’m a latter-day saint. I’m sure “jennnyelaine” above really didn’t mean to come across as an unthinking, intolerant bigot. I’m sure she’s a very nice lady. Her remark reminds me of a picture that somebody had posted on Facebook. That photo showed children of all races posed together smiling. The caption said:
“We’re all equal. It doesn’t matter if you’re black, yellow, brown, or normal.”
Fortunately, the sarcasm was obvious in that picture. It parodied racial bigotry. The statement about Jesus above doesn’t carry that sense of sarcasm or irony. It’s a sad admission of ignorance and religious intolerance.
Latter-day saints believe in the Jesus Christ of the Bible. You won’t find anything about Jesus that is written in the Bible that we do not believe! To say that “our Jesus” doesn’t exist is to say that “their Jesus” doesn’t exist.
I encourage readers to ask Mormons what they believe about Jesus. He is our Savior. He is the Son of God. He is our Redeemer. He was born of the Virgin Mary. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He was crucified and rose from the dead. We love him and serve him. The Book of Mormon is a second witness that Jesus lives and it is a companion to the Holy Bible.
Where we differ with other Christians is that we believe that he lives today and continues to give revelation to prepare all who will listen for his Second Coming. Revelation 19:10 tells us that the “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Check http://www.mormon.org or talk to a Mormon neighbor for more info. Anti-Mormonism is bigotry and it’s wrong. Thankfully, accurate information is the cure.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’d say to him, “That’s not a church. A church is where the gospel of jesus Christ is proclaimed in it’s purity. No add on’s. Churches have crosses on top their buildings because the Cross is central to Christians doctrine and theology.”
I pray that they would help hungry people and that no one would fall for their tracts that lead to damnation, and not salvation.
Gregory, Have you ever heard of the “Flat Earth Society”? > http://theflatearthsociety.org/cms/ http://www.newwiccanchurch.org/index.html http://www.bible-truth.org/arelds.htm < I would like to know if myself and other Christians are the ones in error? I believe in the totality of the bible and no other gospel besides it. I am sorry for offending you.
I remember when I was young, I had a very good school friend who was Mormon. She was over to my house and one day she got called home for prayer time, and asked is I wanted to come along. I said, "Sure! We're all Christians anyway!" She said, "I am NOT Christian!" She made it very clear to me that she wasn't. I have always, not just by this, but by looking at their beliefs…seen them as another belief. I am not against the people of course. I would not look down on someone of another belief…THAT is not my belief to do this. Just because I do not believe what someone else believes is correct, does not mean I am against them as a person. I have people in my own family that believe contrary to me and vice versa…and we still love each other. All I ask or urge anyone to do…myself included….is to be open to the Lord Himself, Who is faithful, to show us IF we are in error. I know that I am not done learning and growing, and I hope others are not done either.
Mark, it looks like some of my reply to Gregory is missing….did it not all post?
Gregory, it looks as tho some of my reply to you didn’t post. But, I just wanted to say that a difference in beliefs and not believing that what someone believes is incorrect does not make one a bigot…..as in the URLs I posted of the Flat Earth Society and The Wiccans. I beleive that their core beliefs are incorrect, but I do not look down on them at all….as I see (as in Romans 1:19-20) that God has put it into every heart to look for God,( altho there will be those who decide to disregard this call to come to God)…so, hopefully we are ALL searching and God is faithful to every person who truly wants Him….I am not any different.
http://www.bible-truth.org/arelds.htm <<< here is one place that states some of the main differences that we know of, between LDS and Christianity. Between the Jesus of LDS and the One of Christianity.
Hi Gregory,
Maybe jennyelaine’s statement that your “Jesus doens’t even exist, but mine does…” was not the most gracious way to state our differences. It seems like she was thinking out her response as she typed. While her statement may seem insensitive there is enough difference between Christian and LDS beliefs to make her statement true.
For example, I quoted a Mormon on this blog in the past who stated the following LDS position on God which differs greatly from Christian belief.
Gregory, Again, please see this URL, along with what Mark posted >> http://www.bible-truth.org/arelds.htm << as I think it can give you some idea why many Christians see LDS as different than Christianity.
I am always searching for God and for His truth like a lot of people are and I hope you are…as in Romans 1:19-20. God put it in our hearts to do that…and unless we decide to close our hearts to God (as some do), God will be faithful to show us who He is in every way possible and biblical. He is always faithful to a heart that thirsts for Him.
I am truly sorry for offending you. Please remember, that just because someone truly disagrees with the beliefs you choose, does not make them a bigot. If they said something offensive about you because of your belief, then that is being a bigot.