ME: You get enough to eat?
ATHEIST: Oh yeah - stuffed. So, this "new life" stuff. I've got to be honest - seems a little crazy. Be honest ... do really believe that?
ME: Oh yeah. I not only believe it, I've experienced it. It's easy to believe when it's happened to you, but it's not always easy to convey a personal experience to someone, especially when they'd prefer not to believe it.
ATHEIST: So, you had an experience. Kind of like a alien abduction or something? [smirk]
ME: Yeah ... no. So, it's something that you've probably always sensed. I mean, we aren't this body right?
ATHEIST: Huh?
ME: I mean, if you didn't have arms or legs, would you still be you?
ATHEIST: Yeah - of course.
ME: How about if you were just a head, and you could somehow still live. Would you still be you?
ATHEIST: I suppose. Where are you going with this?
ME: My point is ... we're not this shell we live in are we? We're something more. You inherently get that, right?
ATHEIST: Yeah. I know, the soul or the mind or whatever. Okay, so what?
ME: So, the Bible tells us that we were all born into sin. We will sin and we continue to sin. This is a fact and no one is exempt ...
ATHEIST: Yeah, you covered that.
ME: ... and the wages of sin is death. Remember that part? That means that, as long as we are in sin, we are dead ... spiritually. Our bodies are living, but our spirit is a dead man walking.
ATHEIST: Sounds pretty depressing. Pretty hopeless.
ME: I know, right? But that's why the good news is so crazy good! Jesus IS hope. Jesus died for us so that we can live. God has his sites on us to pay for our sin, but Jesus took the bullet and then some for OUR sin. Amazing news, right? So, through Him, we gain an eternal life. That eternity doesn't start when we die ... it begins the day we accept Jesus! And the day I accepted Jesus ... the MOMENT I accepted Jesus, I knew it was true. I knew it in my mind, my soul, my heart ... The Holy Spirit entered me. Period. End of story. Life has not been the same since then!
ATHEIST: Wow - you're pretty enthusiastic about this.
ME: I am! And ever since I learned the truth, I can't help but talk to people about this. I want everyone to have what I've found. If you found out an incredible truth that could change someone's life for the better, wouldn't you want to tell everyone?
ATHEIST: I suppose I would.
ME: On that day I accepted Christ, I was literally born again! The first time I was born, it was physical, through natural processes. The second time was through the spirit of God. Now, even though my body will die, I (the real me) will live forever. I know that sounds like something from a movie, but where do you think they get these ideas? Something in all of us knows that it's true.
ATHEIST: I'm not sure I'm liking this.
ME: Not liking what?
ATHEIST: You're starting to make sense. I agree with what you said before: I'm not sure I want to believe this.
ME: But if it IS true - which it is - everything is at stake! If I'm right, you stand to spend eternity without God - in hell. If you're right ... well, we all lose don't we?
ATHEIST: I guess that's true enough. But I have so many more questions. There are so many more things that just don't make sense to me.
ME: That's okay, that comes with time. Just know that there aren't any questions that have not been asked and answered. Like I said, you don't have to understand everything, and you certainly don't have to be perfect. I certainly wasn't, and I'm still not. But I am through Jesus, and only through Jesus. God wants you just as you are, even with your doubts. Are you ready to accept Christ into your life?
ATHEIST: I don't know. Seems like I'm missing something here. Let's just talk for a bit more.
ME: Cool. What else is on your mind? I'll chat about this as long as you'd like.
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