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