The Bible on Trial

What do you say?

I work part time at a family owned hardware store with a national identity, and my customers are locals from all walks of life. My role at the store is a floor sales associate, and I am able to help customers find what they are looking for, even if they don't know exactly what that is. Given my penchant for loving to have fun, I will include a little entertainment or gentle humor as I go through the process of finding out what they want and walking them through the purchasing process. Often, the line of questioning that defines what they are looking for also allows people to open up to me about all sorts of topics that are just langentially related to finding the right bolt and nut that they need for their home project, which can include their children or grand-children, their work, or for some, even their spiritual life.

The other day the pastor of the local Greek Orthodox church stopped in for some self-tapping screws, and somehow we began talking about the state of the world, and the lack of the recognition of spiritual truth that Jesus brought to earth. His view is exactly what we have been speaking of here at STM, and which he stated emphatically; that Jesus came to earth to die for our sins, and as long as we believe in Jesus we will be saved. I decided at that moment that this was not the time or place to go into the 'fire-hose' treatment, and explain the concept that Jesus came to earth to 'testify to the truth', and that you must be IN the Kingdom of Heaven to be saved. It was not the time or place. What I did was write our Web site on a piece of paper and told him that if he wants to know my perspective on how salvation works he can take a look at the site. 

What I say to my customers when this kind of thing happens is that Jesus is seeking those for His Kingdom that Love and Practice the truth. And that is all I say.