Why Hand Out Tracts?
I've made a connection.
Not everyone is interested in hearing the gospel, particularly if life is going moderately well for them.
On the other hand, there are people out there who are *not* doing well, and in fact, they're totally lost - and some are dangerous.
Most people are not at this extreme (below), but to make this connection, I thought, "What if some of these people had received a gospel tract, sometime before they made the news . . . Maybe they wouldn't have done the crime, or have sought out rehab."
I will put links here for people whom I wish I had been able to give a gospel tract, and who need prayer.
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11/21/12 Zachary Weimer found guilty of murdering Eleanor Robertson in Madison Township (with video) . . . http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2012/11/21/news/doc50aba08459283920537515.txt?viewmode=fullstory
11/21/12 Frederick Joseph Hengl, Oceanside, CA . . . Prosecutor: Cops found man cooking wife's body . . . http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/nov/21/husband-pleads-not-guilty-in-dismemberment-killing/
01/14/13 Brutal teens kill and try to dismember two men in trap at their home in Joliet . . . http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2262564/Brutal-teens-kill-try-dismember-men-trap-home-Joliet.html
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Chick Publications . . . http://www.chick.com/default.asp
Chick Publications on Facebook . . . http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chick-Publications-Inc/436937560057?sk=wall
Chick Publications on Twitter . . . http://twitter.com/#%21/ChickPub
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Why preach the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Besides it being the Great Commission (Mark 16:15) . . .
What is the Great Commission? . . . http://www.gotquestions.org/great-commission.html
Mark 16:15 . . . http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Mar&c=16&v=15&t=KJV#15
. . . and possibly saving some from hell . . . It has a leavening effect on the culture - it teaches personal responsibility, and internal self-discipline.
If everyone were a believer, there would be no crime . . . https://www.crimereports.com/
. . . and no need for jails . . . http://www.jailexchange.com/
There would be no need for lawyers of any kind.
There would be no alcoholics, drug addicts, domestic violence, rapists, or murderers.
There would be no demand for alcohol, illicit drugs, abortion, prostitution, or psychiatrists.
There would be no porn or STDs.
There would be no Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, or Pride.
When in jail, it's at that time that many find Jesus and become Christians . . . This makes me wonder - why did we take prayer and Bible reading out of the public school?
If people were exposed to God's Word at an early age, then they might have been able to avoid jail to begin with, and been productive members of society.
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Way of the Master . . . http://www.wayofthemaster.com/
Eric Ludy - The Gospel . . . http://youtu.be/SXTwUn0GMBU
The Light of the World - YouTube . . . http://youtu.be/pcz25mkXl1M
The Light of the World (Video) . . . http://www.chick.com/catalog/videos/lotw.asp
Gideons International - Changed Lives Video . . . http://www.gideons.org/ChangedLivesVideo.aspx?source=video_bobby&ID=10
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What are the covenants in the Bible?
We are under the New Covenant . . . http://www.gotquestions.org/bible-covenants.html
Covenant . . . http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/covenant
Answer: The Bible speaks of seven different covenants, three of which (Abrahmic, Palestinian, Davidic) God made with the nation of Israel and are unconditional in nature. That is, regardless of Israel's obedience or disobedience, God still will fulfill these covenants with the nation of Israel. A fourth, the Mosaic Covenant is conditional in nature. That is, this covenant will bring either blessing or cursing depending on Israel's obedience or disobedience. Three covenants (Adamic, Noahic, New) are made between God and mankind in general, and are not limited to the nation of Israel.
The term "covenant" is an unbreakable promise made by God. The "old covenant" law was written on tablets of stone. The "new covenant" is written on our hearts.
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How would you summarize the message of the Gospel?
. . . We have The Ten Commandments from the Old Testament:
1) You shall have no other gods before me. - Ex 20:3
2) You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. - Ex 20:4-6
3) You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. - Ex 20:7
4) Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. - Ex 20:8-11
5) Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you. - Ex 20:12
6) You shall not kill. - Ex 20:13
7) You shall not commit adultery. - Ex 20:14
8) You shall not steal. - Ex 20:15
9) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. - Ex 20:16
10) You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's. - Ex 20:17
. . . The Ten Commandments are summed up by these two in the New Testament:
Mt 22:36-40 (NIV) ... 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
. . . If someone were to ask me, "How do I show 'love' for God and my neighbor?" ... I'd say by knowing, keeping, and highly revering God's law - which makes sense: don't lie, don't steal, etc . . . but keeping the Law is not the full answer (and it's impossible for us to do this, anyway). We also have faith in the saving work of Jesus. We get our ability to do God's will by the power of the Holy Spirit. The law is still there for teaching and discipline, but we are no longer condemned by it, we live by faith:
Gal 2:19-21 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Gal 3:9-11 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.
2Pe 1:5-11 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
. . . After being saved, doesn't this mean that we can then sin with no fear of punishment from God? No, we are always to be in repentance of sin, as a way of saying thank you to God for forgiveness (Ro 6:15)
Ro 6:1-18 ... What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. [6:15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. [6:16] Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
. . . Another example is the woman taken in adultery (Jn 8:11), Jesus said, "Sin no more" . . .
Jn 8:1-11 ... Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with [his] finger wrote on the ground, [as though he heard them not]. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard [it], being convicted by [their own] conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, [even] unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? [8:11] She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
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