As I have been learning about the aspect of power encounter in the Gospel,
I realize that I have held a false belief that I have to be super
spiritual to participate with God in such matters. In reality, once I
have received by faith God’s gift of Jesus, then I am now by adoption one
of God’s children and get to wear Jesus’ righteousness instead of my own.
Good works are not a means to God’s favor nor of His use of me in
furthering His Kingdom, but rather good works are an outcome of His favor!
So I brought this “new” realization with me to my latest meeting at a
mosque in Orange County. We discussed many topics, eventually the conversation turned to salvation and Man’'s eternal destination. The man asked me how Christians go to heaven. I responded by sharing something similar to what I shared above regarding the receiving by faith the righteousness of Jesus. He then asked a follow
up question, “how about me? What does your religion say about me as a
Muslim?” What a difficult question to answer! I told him that I don’t
have the authority to say definitively since I don’t know the condition of
his heart, but rather that I am compelled to tell others about the gift
God has given in Jesus and that Jesus’ righteousness is available for
anyone and that it is Jesus’ righteousness, not our own, which allows us
to enter heaven and find favor with God. Before I left he invited me to meet again and we’'ll continue to see how things unfold.
I realize that I have held a false belief that I have to be super
spiritual to participate with God in such matters. In reality, once I
have received by faith God’s gift of Jesus, then I am now by adoption one
of God’s children and get to wear Jesus’ righteousness instead of my own.
Good works are not a means to God’s favor nor of His use of me in
furthering His Kingdom, but rather good works are an outcome of His favor!
So I brought this “new” realization with me to my latest meeting at a
mosque in Orange County. We discussed many topics, eventually the conversation turned to salvation and Man’'s eternal destination. The man asked me how Christians go to heaven. I responded by sharing something similar to what I shared above regarding the receiving by faith the righteousness of Jesus. He then asked a follow
up question, “how about me? What does your religion say about me as a
Muslim?” What a difficult question to answer! I told him that I don’t
have the authority to say definitively since I don’t know the condition of
his heart, but rather that I am compelled to tell others about the gift
God has given in Jesus and that Jesus’ righteousness is available for
anyone and that it is Jesus’ righteousness, not our own, which allows us
to enter heaven and find favor with God. Before I left he invited me to meet again and we’'ll continue to see how things unfold.
