A New Design for a New Year

Well? ... What do you think? Figured two years is time enough to put the old design to rest.

Some of you will want to know that I finished Mark Driscoll's "Vintage Church." I'm presently mulling over my thoughts on the book; once I've made some headway you can bet I'll be putting together a few words on the subject =). It's not everything I thought it would be. He did surprise me some.

I'm amused that the previous paragraph - if you can call it a proper paragraph - both begin and end with the word "some." Or maybe it's just that it's 1 AM and I'm a little slap-happy before bed.

Before my start date with Schwab I hope to work through a number of interesting reads, including former President Bush's new book.

Goodnight my friends, and Happy New Year's Eve!

rustypth

Word Travels Really Fast - Part 2

"¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16, NASB)

The anticipation for my next appointment was growing. I had been preparing throughout the week for possible counter-responses and objections, if for no other reason than to be capable of accurately presenting the gospel to them.

Finally the day came, and they were on time (they usually are - which is a good quality). After catching up for a few minutes, we jumped right into where we left off. I asked if they had a response to Isaiah 45? They were clearly stunned. One looked to the other, who replied silently with an awkward glance towards me. The senior missionary shrugged his shoulders and tried to explain why they hadn't had time to discover an interpretation that supports their beliefs.

"Does it bother you that this passage seems to contradict the Eternal Law of Progression?" I asked.

Sadly, the conversation could have been repeated by any number of missionaries I've met with before them. They began by attacking the Bible's inerancy, then moved onto attacking my sincerity ... because if I was sincerely seeking the truth the Holy Spirit would have revealed to me that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only true Church today.

As they tried to end our meeting early, I asked for one more moment of their time and explained how this conversation looks from my perspective. "Even though you doubt the sincerity of my faith, I don't doubt yours. I believe you are sincere in your conviction that the LDS Church is the true Church, but I believe that you are sincerely wrong. You see that the Bible contradicts your beliefs and so you attack the Bible's authenticity. But you do so based on a Church and prophets that disagree with the Bible. This is classic anachronism: interpreting what comes before by something afterwards. This is backwards; rather, the Bible ought to be the test for the Mormon faith because it came before. I urge you to re-read the passage in Isaiah and strongly consider what the Lord is saying to you in Scripture."

They smiled, we shook hands, and they were on their way. Like so many missionaries I have spoken with, this conversation was very typical. It saddens me to my very core that they are so deceived with a false gospel, but I also need to remind myself that the power of salvation is the gospel. I pray that the Holy Spirit does reveal Himself to those two gentlemen, through the Scriptures so that they might see the lies they were taught. My God can save anybody, so I know there is hope. I will continue to pray for their salvation, and trust that the Lord's will will be done.

Thanks for reading,
Case of Base

Word Travels Fast

Word travels fast, or so it seemed to me when the second pair of Latter-day Saint missionaries I met "had heard of me." I suppose I should take that as a compliment? =). I did.

They came knocking on my door after I requested a new copy of the Book of Mormon after my brother-in-law told me there were recently some minor grammatical changes. Of course, I invited them inside so that we might have a beneficial conversation. It has been my custom for some time to be very up front with Mormons so that they know my agenda right away. I'd rather be up front about my intentions so that there is no confusion on their part as to whether I am seeking to convert or not. Most often this is received well and will allow for at least a lengthy discussion or two.

Our time together began with brief introductions followed by an explanation of what I hoped to accomplish by our meeting. Right off the bat I find it important to set some ground rules: (1) They know I am not interested in becoming a Latter-day Saint, (2) I put myself on the same level with them by explaining that I am likewise a missionary for my gospel, (3) I explain that though we use similar terminology we mean completely different things by them, (4) It is my intention to use persuasive arguments while not becoming argumentative - a polite but passionate discussion is what I'm after.

Setting the stage helps immensely in avoiding LDS-taught tactics to avoid conversations with people not ready and willing to convert immediately.

So I began by suggesting the Trinity as a starting point because it would force us to focus on many of our essential differences. It was at this point that these missionaries asked me if I recently met with another pair of missionaries. I told them I had, to which they informed me they had heard of me. Apparently, what they were told is that I was passionate but a lost cause. The missionaries sitting before me couldn't understand why they were told that because I was "such a nice guy." There was some nervous laughter as they realized the awkwardness of my hearing that I was a lost cause ... =).

In any case, we moved on from there to discuss the first tenet of the doctrine of the Trinity: absolute monotheism. I stuck to one passage throughout our dialogue: Isaiah 45:18-21,

"18For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else. ¹⁹"I have not spoken in secret, In some dark land; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek Me in a waste place'; I, the LORD, speak righteousness, Declaring things that are upright. ²⁰"Gather yourselves and come; Draw near together, you fugitives of the nations; They have no knowledge, Who carry about their wooden idol And pray to a god who cannot save. ²¹"Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior, There is none except Me."

Many familiar with discussions with the Latter-day Saints would wonder how they continue to believe in polytheism in light of passages like this. The truth is that it takes a great deal of effort to suppress the truth contained in this passage. Comparing the Mormon doctrine of the Eternal Law of Progression ("As man is God once was; as God is man may become") with the Bible demonstrates the utter falsehood of this Mormon doctrine.

Rather than interacting with the text of Scripture, these missionaries accused the Bible of being corrupt, and it is only because of latter-day revelation through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that the gospel has been recovered. I quickly took them to Matthew 24:35, "³⁵"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." And asked them if Jesus' prophecy contained in the New Testament passed away? Not wanting to accuse Christ of being a false prophet (for which I am thankful), we were able to agree for the moment that the Bible is reliable.

I brought them back to the text of Isaiah 45 and asked them how the Eternal Law of Progression could be true in light of Scripture?

The senior of the two admitted they did not have an answer, but agreed to prepare a response for our next meeting, which I will blog about in my next entry.

Thanks for reading,

Rusty

August 14 to Present Recap

Have you ever stopped long enough to catch your breath and wonder where the time went? Beyond any doubt my blog is representative of this, or rather, there is a lack of representation *grin*.

For any casual readers who still meander their way through my corner of cyberspace I'll recap some personal updates so you don't feel left out. Most significantly, my wife and I were married August 14 of this year, and what a marvelous occasion that was. She was stunningly beautiful, and I ... well, I was made to look good standing next to her.

Within a few weeks I was offered my own store at Starbucks! But, another opportunity came knocking on my door. The 9th was my last day with the Starbucks Coffee Company, and I am now employed with Charles Schwab as a stock broker.

Emily and I bought our first home together in a nice part of Gilbert. We are thrilled to have this 1500 square foot blessing so early in our life together. Every day that passes our house looks more and more like a home.

2010 was a year the Lord was especially merciful to me and my wife of four months. We are settling into our lifelong adventure and couldn't be happier with where God has brought us.

Please expect regular updates from here on out. My new job means I now have a consistent work schedule with less stress, thus freeing up mental energy to spend on the things that I love.

You'll be hearing from me soon, Lord willing,

Rusty