Jan - 54 years old

What do you do when you meet a professing Christian who regularly attends church, but is not solid on the gospel?  That is the question that I was thinking on as I chatted with Jan.

I met Jan eating lunch on a park bench at the Olympic Plaza.   She said she was a Christian who attends a non-denominational church in Calgary.   I was encouraged when she used "Faith, Christ, & Hope" to describe her religious experience.   I'm always encouraged when someone mentions the name of "Christ" or "Jesus" in their answers.

When asked what one question she would ask God, and after thinking a moment, she answered, "What is my purpose?"

But when I asked her the next question, "If God asked you, 'Why should I let you into heaven?' what would you say?" she responded "Why not?"   Major red flag.

"Why not?" I sought to clarify.

Nodding her head, she affirmed "Why not!"  She went on to rate her goodness at a 7, and I gave her a booklet on Christianity that explained that most people rank their goodness at a 6-7.   I told her that the booklet contains a "Good person test" based on the 10 Commandments.  I asked her if she kept the Commandments and she said, "Yes."

We went through a few of them and it became obvious that she hadn't.  I told her that I'm in the same boat.   I went on to clarify that the reason we break the 10 Commandments is because we are sinners.  Our fundamental problem is that we challenge God's prerogative to command obedience from his subjects.

When asked if God were to judge her by the 10 Commandments, would he find her innocent or guilty of breaking them?

"Guilty, but we are all guilty."

"Yes, and you are quoting Scripture."

"Do you know what God has done so that he can forgive the guilty?"

"Does it have something to do with 'grace'?"

"Yes, and it has something to do with Jesus, right?"   Jan was nodding her head and it looked like the light bulb was going off in her head as she was connecting the dots.

So I explained that Jesus lived the perfect life that we are called to, and died the death that we owed.   I gave her the booklet and told her that she might want to read through it again because our only hope is found in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I thanked her for the conversation.
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Acts 4:1, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 

Spirit, convince Jan that there is salvation in found in Jesus Christ alone.