Witnessing on the streets of Philadelphia, I've found that controversy sparks interest, and people stop what they're doing and listen. God USES controversy to get people to think about eternal things!
Black Israelites have been in the news not too long ago, with CNN's "mugging" of Nick Sandman, the Covington Catholic youth wearing the MAGA cap at the March For Life Rally in Washington, DC.. But the Black Israelites are in Philly as well. They look for opportunities to get news coverage wherever they go. I've seen them set up their display outside "Liberty Place", on 1600 Chestnut St, one of Philadelphia's prime shopping and business districts. I recently visited 1600 Chestnut St. to pass out CHAIM's gospel tracts and speak to people. Ten feet away were some Black Israelites behind their missionary display, wearing distinctive white robes and "Aaronic" head-dresses, doing street preaching to all who would listen.
Black Israelites are a racist cult. They believe that black people are the true Israel of God, simply by virtue of their race, and that in the resurrection of the just, all "true" (i.e. black) Israelites will be slave-masters and all whites will be their slaves. Since I was only ten feet away, I challenged them on this, showing from Scripture that adoption by God is not on the basis of race, but by faith. I told them I was an Israelite by race, but they replied that no Caucasian can be a Jew in the eyes of God. According to them, all white Jews are illegitimate as Jews.
As we were speaking, several other passers-by gathered around and began taking my side, arguing with the Black Israelites. "What about someone from a mixed race? Will he be a slave or a slave-master in the resurrection?" I asked them. "There ARE no mixed races," they told me. " ... because racial descent is through the father only."
They were claiming that a black person who is 1/256th white by decent, with a distant white male ancestor, is actually white, and will be a slave of a black man in the resurrection, EVEN IF that "black" man is only 1/256th black, and APPEARS to be white: as long as he has no black male ancestors. THAT little conversation went nowhere, but I DID have a chance to share the gospel with "H", an young Algerian Muslim nearby, and with "G", a biblical studies student at Swarthmore College who, though studying the Bible, had not yet believed in Christ as his Lord and Savior. But "G" was receptive and thankful that we had this conversation, perhaps sparked from this street controversy, that happened right before I met him!
So what's the lesson here? That God uses controversy and interest, even negative interest, to advance His message.
"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill. The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. what then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice."
[Phil 1:15-18]
Continue reading other blogs? Click http://www.scripturesdramatized.com/radio-blogs
Witnessing on the streets of Philadelphia, I've found that controversy sparks interest, and people stop what they're doing and listen. God USES controversy to get people to think about eternal things!
Black Israelites have been in the news not too long ago, with CNN's "mugging" of Nick Sandman, the Covington Catholic youth wearing the MAGA cap at the March For Life Rally in Washington, DC.. But the Black Israelites are in Philly as well. They look for opportunities to get news coverage wherever they go. I've seen them set up their display outside "Liberty Place", on 1600 Chestnut St, one of Philadelphia's prime shopping and business districts. I recently visited 1600 Chestnut St. to pass out CHAIM's gospel tracts and speak to people. Ten feet away were some Black Israelites behind their missionary display, wearing distinctive white robes and "Aaronic" head-dresses, doing street preaching to all who would listen.
Black Israelites are a racist cult. They believe that black people are the true Israel of God, simply by virtue of their race, and that in the resurrection of the just, all "true" (i.e. black) Israelites will be slave-masters and all whites will be their slaves. Since I was only ten feet away, I challenged them on this, showing from Scripture that adoption by God is not on the basis of race, but by faith. I told them I was an Israelite by race, but they replied that no Caucasian can be a Jew in the eyes of God. According to them, all white Jews are illegitimate as Jews.
As we were speaking, several other passers-by gathered around and began taking my side, arguing with the Black Israelites. "What about someone from a mixed race? Will he be a slave or a slave-master in the resurrection?" I asked them. "There ARE no mixed races," they told me. " ... because racial descent is through the father only."
They were claiming that a black person who is 1/256th white by decent, with a distant white male ancestor, is actually white, and will be a slave of a black man in the resurrection, EVEN IF that "black" man is only 1/256th black, and APPEARS to be white: as long as he has no black male ancestors. THAT little conversation went nowhere, but I DID have a chance to share the gospel with "H", an young Algerian Muslim nearby, and with "G", a biblical studies student at Swarthmore College who, though studying the Bible, had not yet believed in Christ as his Lord and Savior. But "G" was receptive and thankful that we had this conversation, perhaps sparked from this street controversy, that happened right before I met him!
So what's the lesson here? That God uses controversy and interest, even negative interest, to advance His message.
"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill. The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. what then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice."
[Phil 1:15-18]
Continue reading other blogs? Click http://www.scripturesdramatized.com/radio-blogs
