It’s been four days now. Four days ago, we taught from God’s Word on the death, burial and resurrection. As each day passes we have been able to visit with more people as to what Jesus did for them and their response to His work on the cross. With each day we are excited to see God is adding to His kingdom.
On Thursday, when we presented the Gospel there were three distinct groups of people. There were a couple of individuals that stood and contradicted the Gospel of grace. They clearly went against Scripture and started listing things that we must do in addition to trusting in the finished work of Christ. As they spoke about living a good life, not smoking, and not chewing beetle nut in order to get to heaven it was clear to us that they were not accepting the free gift of God.fortunately it was clear to many of the Patpatar as well. The second group were those who accepted the Gospel of grace. A handful of men and women shared that they were not relying on themselves for salvation, but were believing in Jesus as their Savior to be accepted by God.
Here is what some of them had to say:
“You asked us this question, ‘You are believing in what?’. Let me answer that question, I am believing in Jesus alone, that He died and rose again for me. He is the road to God. He has placed me in God’s clan.”
“I just want to tell you this. I am a pastor and have been preaching God’s Talk for a long time, you know that. However, this teaching of God’s Talk you have given us, has made me clearly understand the message of God. Before, and all the way up to today, I have had one foot standing on Jesus’ death and one foot standing on all my good deeds. Now it’s clear to me though, that I am a sinner and my good deeds are not able to get me to God. That is why He sent Jesus. Jesus came to pay for all my sins on the cross. I am trusting in Him. Today I have both feet in what Jesus has done on my behalf.”
“All the teaching we have had from God’s Talk makes one thing very clear to me. Belief. Over and over God’s Talk says believe. Belief is what I am doing now in God’s Son who took my place. That is all my talk.”
“Until today I was unclear on how to get to heaven, but now it is clear. I have turned my thinking from all that I used to try to do to be acceptable in God’s sight, those things were taking me down the wide road to hell. I am now believing in the cross, in what was done on the cross, in Jesus to get to heaven.”
We are rejoicing with the angels over the handful of Patpatar who have testified to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. There is a third group though. A majority of the people who heard the Gospel sat silently and had no outward response. Some of them have trusted in Christ as their Savior as we have found out in the last few days. However, we know of others who are still struggling with the truth, still trying to understand what was done on their behalf, still struggling to place their trust in the Messiah.
Pray with us as we are seeking opportunities to visit with individuals one-on-one to see where their understanding is and to answer their questions. Pray also, as next week we will continue to meet with the Patpatar (twice a week like we are currently doing in the other village with the believers there). Though our aim is to gather the believers together and begin teaching them their standing in Christ and the truths God has in His Word for them, the first few lessons we will strongly communicate the Gospel message over and over in order that the truth of salvation will become clear to those who are still unclear. Praise the Lord with us for the gift of His only Son. Praise also, that because of that, we now have more Patpatar brothers and sisters in Christ.
ALL for Him, Aaron and Lori