An obvious yet long forgotten analogy jumped out at me right in the midst of a gospel conversation yesterday during campus book table evangelism. I was talking with a student named Daisha who professed Christ sincerely but was not able to identify her testimony, then specifically her salvation testimony and then indeed she was not sure what the primary thing is from which she (and all people) need salvation. She did highlight some significant things from which many people often need to be saved including addictions, self-esteem issues, depression and suicidal thoughts, to name a few she mentioned.
After initiating the gospel conversation with some simple open-ended questions, I listened closely and actively for a few minutes. Once she had expressed her spontaneous thoughts generalized above, I proceeded to agree with Daisha that these serious and significant matters she mentioned all call for help. At the same time, I explained how the biggest eternal issue of salvation involves the problem of sin. As we talked, I pointed at a large tree right behind the table where we stood and explained how God loves the sinner, but hates all sin. I explained how simple this truth is yet how difficult it is in reality for people like us to distinguish consistently and carefully between the sin and the sinner. That is because the whole world is caught in sin so that all of us mortals exist in a fallen world where sin exists much like in a tree riddled with life-choking parasitic growths, vines and foreign plant species.
Pray for Daisha and all the students and staff at the campus who heard the clear message of the Good News of salvation by grace through faith in our LORD and Savior, JESUS Messiah, the Son of God.
Read below for further reflection on the spiritual appication of these natural obvervations.
Sin is Not Romantic
Wisdom in the WORD 