bible class discussion

As I sit in the back of Augie's Coffee Shop, facing the red brick wall with dim lighting, I think about last night's discussion in Dr. Sorojkool's class. What does it mean to be a missionary? How can we reach out to different cultures about Jesus without forcing our cultures upon them. There was an article about "anticolonialism" which was pretty interesting. I reminisce back to Korea where I taught a religion class to four adults who were eager to learn English. One was a professor, two business men, and one stay at home mother.

The first day of class I was intimidated, how can I reach out to them? What can I do as a missionary, as a Christian? How can I answer there difficult questions. For example "Eden, will there be people in Heaven that are not SEventh-Day Adventists? Will there be people in Heaven who never accepted Jesus? WHy do people tell us the only way to be saved is being a Christian? What about all our ancestors who never heard about Jesus? Does that mean they will not go to Heaven even if they were very good people?" How does a 22 year old answer life's questions?

The Bible clearly states Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The only way through the Father is through Jesus. Salvation is only through Jesus Christ. I remember searching for answers, and I can't remember the specific verse but there was a verse mentioning that God will judge each person according to their heart, their search for truth, and their stage in life.

Trying to eagerly answer their questions and sometimes coming up empty handed made me feel less of a missionary. I've been born as a Seventh-Day Adventists, went to Sabbath School every Saturday since I could remember, went to a Christian school my whole life, and yet I couldn't answer one of the first questions an atheist had for me. I truly cared for my students (when I call them my students it seems so weird because they were so much older and I respected them so much), but I truly cared for their salvation, their eagerness to learn about Christianity, and to reconstruct their worldly distorted views of who Christians were. I tried to show them kindness and love, but was never able to answer all of their questions

At the end when I was about to return to the US, the four students wanted to take me out to dinner. We went to a nice Chinese restaurant, and we took pictures, talked about family, and finally talked about our class. Unfortunately, although I wish It could be some happy ending where all 4 were baptized, were still atheists. Yet, they thanked me for showing them kindness and perhaps a different view of Christians and what Christ was all about, love. I tried to reshape their thinking about Christianity as a religion not based on works, but based on love and faith. However, it wasn't until later that I realized whatever I said or my answers was not REALLY missionary work is about.

It is about sharing the truth in love, many people have different gifts in sharing the gospel. For example, some have the gift of music while others have the gift of interpretization. However, as Christians our main principle when sharing the gospel should be based on love, a deep commitment in helping them find what we believe is the way, the truth, and the life. From the New International Version Ephesians 4:15 says “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is Christ.” In sharing the gospel, it is not forcing our culture upon them but it is essentially an act of love, and by doing this we become more like Christ.

In love, we are called to be missionaries, which does not mean going out to a different country, but really sharing the truth, whether to your brother or to some stranger.

Now, back to the question, to the question that Joel Olsteen couldn't even answer when Larry King asked him, "Can you be saved only through Jesus Christ?" My answer to this is, YES-IT is only through Jesus Christ that we are saved.

HOWEVER, to my atheist friends, Ellen G. White does mention that there will be people in Heaven who never heard of Jesus Christ. Now, what does this mean? Even though there are people who never heard of Jesus, they will be judged according to their search for truth and by what was in their hearts, however, it is still through Jesus Christ that they are saved, otherwise we would all be dead to sin. I am not saying I am biblically correct, but that was just an epiphany i had last night, If you disagree, please enlighten me. :) thanks