Joe the college student and kitchen knife salesman

A neighbor asked if we would spend about 30 minutes with a college student she knows. Seems like he is selling knives and kitchen stuff to get points for a scholarship. The obvious answer is yes, then he can listen to what we have to say. Jen had an appointment and left me to handle this.

After hearing the pitch about the knives, lifetime replacement, etc., etc. it was my turn. I asked Joe what happens when you die. He said nothing and we just rot away. I asked if he believed in God to which he replied he was agnostic but did not believe the Big Bang idea and also that some ‘higher power’ created everything. At this time I let him know that when we die, we all will face God and let him know about Hebrews 9:27. He was surprised at this. Without going into all the details, Joe admitted he was a liar, a thief and an adulterer at heart. He even said he would be guilty of these things when standing in front of God. Also he felt that ‘if’ God were a righteous and just God he would be sentenced to eternity in Hell.

I gave him the scenario about a local courtroom and if he had committed some crime and sentenced to $10 million but could not pay but someone paid the fine on his behalf, how the judge could let him go since the debt had been paid. I asked if this could happen and what would he half to do. I explained that just because someone offered to pay his fine, that he must accept that payment, not just acknowledge it.
This started making sense. I explained how Jesus is God made in the form of a Man could take the world’s punishment and make the payment of his sin debt and the whole world’s debt BUT he must accept the payment. I explained to Joe that he must admit he is a sinner, repent and put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

We talked some more about religion and a relationship with God and Jesus.
I gave him some tracts, Why Christianity? and a Gospel of John. He thanked me for them, though I know he probably would rather have the sale of a knife set. He did say he would read the booklet and think about what we talked about.

And, brothers, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and in which you stand; by which you also are being kept safe, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures; 1Corinitians 15:1