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Response to "Barbara"

The following is a response to a letter from one of my students, who at one time belonged to a cult. After reading material on the Christian Apologetics Project site she had a few questions she wished to have answered. She followed up with a subsequent letter which turned out to be quite the testimony concerning cult recruitment, bondage, and deliverance.

 

Hi Barbara,

It's nice to hear from you. I'm glad you wrote with your observations, concerns, and questions.

In reference to those [cult members] who seemingly "just showed up," let me first say that nothing occurs by mere coincidence. Given your testimony of being involved in a cult (Jehovah's Witnesses?) and your subsequent salvation as a Christian, there are two individuals who know more about both than you or I put together. Those two are God and Satan.

God allows certain things to come into our lives in order to strengthen us for the long walk as Christians, and that would include allowing Satan to carry through with certain activities. The Book of Job, in the Old Testament, is a classic example where God allowed Satan to almost destroy him, but in the end Job comes out better than at first when all the calamities began.

Satan, on the other hand, knows your background and testimony as well, and knows now that he cannot destroy you, but can certainly cause all kinds of confusion and mayhem, with God's permission. Those following and espousing satanic doctrines are used by him in a variety of ways, ranging from acts of friendship to outright libel and slander. Each act is designed to cause your testimony to be less credible than it really is, or to cause you to stumble in sin or doubt. That is why it is crucial for the Christian to be discerning about his/her relations and associations. It is not that the Christian has to walk around in a state of paranoia, but merely that when former JW friends or Mormon missionaries show up unexpectedly, and wish us to be involved in something that we know is patently contrary or offensive to the truth, then that ought to serve as a red flag which prevents us from involving ourselves in their invitations. And in that case, depending on how prepared we are to "defend the faith," we can either graciously reject whatever invitation they might have for us, or we can prudently engage them in a discussion that challenges their presuppositions to see just where God might be leading them. For one can never presume upon God and know just exactly why He allows certain people to come into our lives until after the fact. For sometimes what Satan conceived as a strategy to try and get the Christian to fall, God may counter with something Satan never thought of, in an effort to redeem a fallen sinner. Again, prudence, discernment, and patience are keys to understanding just what is going on.

As for your "real" question [of which book to begin reading as a newbie Christian], I would recommend that if you have never read the Bible, that as a newbie Christian you start in the Book of John, which is in the New Testament. Not only is it one of hte easier books to understand, because of its simplistic language, it serves to help the Christian understand just who Jesus is, what God does to redeem anyone, and the role of the Holy Spirit in regenerating the lost. Moreover, it is a book that is frequently despised by groups like the JWs and Mormons, since John's doctrinal teaching is the polar opposite of what they teach, thereby providing the Christian with a ready defense when they come calling.

When you get done with the Book of John, then I would take my time and read through the very first book in the Bible: the Book of Genesis. What you want to pay attention to especially are the first eleven chapters, since they set the stage for understanding why men and women continue to act the way they do, the covenants God established to bring redemption to the world, and why Israel plays such an integral part in human history, culminating in the coming of the Son of God to redeem all who call upon the Lord for their salvation.

I hope my response helps you out…thank God for you and your testimony. Later on in the semester we'll be going over some of the JW and Mormon history and teaching, and hopefully that will provide you with an even clearer picture as to where they are coming from. Also, we'll be going over some integral Christian teaching and history when we cover Christianity. So, until I hear from you again, blessings to you and yours. Again, thanks for writing. Take care.

Prof D