The missionary and two native brothers were traveling by horseback through the mountains of Southern Mexico. They stopped at a little village for two nights and preached the gospel there. During the day the missionary sat near the door of the little house and answered questions and talked to those who came to see him.
One morning a young fellow came up, and looking the missionary over, he said, “I am come to argue with you. I don’t believe like you do.”
Not wishing to get into an argument, the missionary handed him a Bible instead, saying, “This is God’s Word. Read it and argue with IT if you wish.” Very surprised, the young fellow took the Bible, and sitting down in the shade of a tree, he began to read.
All day he read, and then stayed for the gospel preaching that night. The next day when the missionary moved on to the next town, the young man went with them. The following morning he gave back the Bible saying, “That is a good Book. I can’t find anything in it to argue about.”
One of the brothers gave him another Bible saying, “You seem to like the Bible. I give you this one to keep.”
The missionary heard no more from the young man. Then twenty years later, when visiting again in that district, he was holding some more gospel meetings. One night part of the service was set aside for testimonies.
The first man to get up grinned at the missionary and told the little audience how that many years ago he had come to argue, and remained to find the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour.
He had read the Bible given to him, and later he had been baptized by an evangelist. He himself was now preaching the gospel of the grace of God in that same district.
How wonderful are the ways of God in grace!
“But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,... For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (See Eph. 2:4-94But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:4‑9).)
ML-09/18/1977