Why The Update – I Know It’s a Sin
Why the update I know it’s a sin? Because that’s what the young man admitted to me. Several of us were witnessing downtown on a Friday night in November 2016. I started talking to a young man named Cody while he waited on his friend who was talking to Erica. Cody appeared to be very intoxicated, so I asked him if he’d been drinking and he said that he had been. When I asked him if he realized that getting drunk was sinning against God, he admitted, “I know it’s a sin.” You need to realize that most people won’t admit their sinning when confronted with their sins. Typically, people come back with comments like “everybody does it” or “it’s no big deal” or “it’s human nature or just being human.” So it’s actually refreshing when someone actually admits their sin.
Does This Bother You?
I showed Cody in Matthew 7:21 where Jesus says that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter into the kingdom of Heaven, but those who do the will of God the Father. (Please note that we cannot earn salvation. No, salvation is of the Lord. That’s why we must repent and trust Jesus for our salvation. What Jesus is pointing out is that a saved life IS a changed life. Repentance is a change of mind and heart – a God change – that leads to a change in actions. Godly sorrow works repentance to salvation – 2 Corinthians 7:10. If we miss godly sorrow, if we miss repentance then we miss salvation.) Then I directed Cody to Matthew 7:23 where Jesus says “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
I asked Cody if this bothers him and admitted that it does. Then I shared the Gospel with him and told him that he needs to repent and trust Jesus. I told Cody that I would pray that God saves him and asked if I could pray for him right then. He told me I could and then he put his arm around me and I put my arm around him. After I prayed with Cody, he gave me a hug and thanked me. Since Cody didn’t have a Bible, I gave him a Gideon New Testament. I do hope and pray that God convicted and converted Cody. The ministry update included several other witnessing encounters that same week. Hopefully God was glorified by His truth that went forth.