She’s the most notorious sinner in town. When you think of the type of woman that you want your little boy to avoid when he grows up, she is the first person that comes to mind. She exemplifies the Proverbs 7 woman as she mocks your Proverbs 31 ambitions.
This is why you are shocked to get a phone call from her. First, you wonder who put your number in bathroom stall as a joke. Then you realize that this woman has hit rock bottom and she is crying out for help. You learn that she got your number from a mutual friend (which kind of makes you wonder how you share a friend). You set up a lunch date to hear her story in the hopes of sharing Christ with her.
As you listen to her story your heart simply breaks for her. You realize that not only is she guilty of sin, and guilty of encouraging men to sin, she has her own scars as well. The conversation quite naturally turns to the Lord and whether or not she has faith in Jesus.
You ask the question about her belief in God with the assumption that you’ll know the answer. Of course, such a woman has probably never heard the gospel. You doubt if she’s ever been in church a day in her life. But here she is at the end of her rope and God is calling out to her. You brace yourself for some postmodern hogwash and a vague belief in some higher power.
As has been customary for this entire lunch, what she says next jolts you. She articulates the gospel pretty well and tell you that she is actually a Christian. She informs you that her grandmother was a strong Baptist woman that took her to church all the time when she was little. At the age of nine she prayed to receive Christ at a VBS.
Curveball…
What do you do at this point?
Do you need to convince her that she wasn’t legitimately saved at the age of 9? How will you do that? Do you need to “get her lost before you can get her saved”?
Personally, I don’t spend a ton of time analyzing her profession of faith at the age of nine. Jesus is concerned with disciples that endure to the end, not one time professions. And my counsel doesn’t change a ton based upon whether or not she was actually saved at the age of 9.
Consider this.
What would your counsel be if she was saved at 9 but has been living in rebellion instead of redemption for the last 15 years? You’d likely encourage her to repent and trust in Christ. She, like you, needs the gospel. So, you would share Christ with her and ask if she is trusting in Christ today. There is no need to emphasize anything that happened at the age of 9. You’d likely ask her whether she is trusting in Christ today and then talk about what that meant.
Would your counsel change if she wasn’t saved at 9 but thought she was? Mine wouldn’t change much at all. I’d still call her to repent and trust in Christ.
Therefore, I don’t spend a ton of time trying to see if something was legit 15 years ago. What I want to determine is whether or not she is trusting in Christ today.
Later…
What I’m assuming here is that if she really does come to trust in Christ (whether for the first time or not), this will not be my last conversation with her. There will likely come a time when we need to talk about baptism and whether or not she really was saved at an early age. You don’t need to nail that down today. The Spirit will do work on her heart and let her know whether or not she is/was truly saved.
Simply proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to her and call her to repent and trust in Christ.
Where’s the “Like Button”?
Most Prostitutes in the States are victims of human trafficking and trapped in a system in some way or another.
Someone who has been supporting herself in that manner needs more than follow up conversations. Is your church willing to help her financialy while she adjust into a new career, help her get job training or a place to stay? When someone is broken and seeking God they need to find more than words they need to find people filled with the love of God who are known by loving each other as Christ loved His disciples. Our words about the love of God and the grace it brings are empty words to those who have not and are not experienceing it first hand from those who claim to have it.
James,
I appreciate your comment. You are correct that getting a woman out of such an industry is more than just words. I made this woman a “prostitute” in the story just to make a contrast from her profession of faith and her lifestyle. Had this been an article about actually getting a prostitute out of that trade then it would have read quite differently.
I think it is also important for anyone in such a situation is to remember that a significant percentage of prostitutes have major issues in their lives beyond just being a prostitute. Many (if not most) are “owned” by a pimp, who threatens and abuses her, holds her finances and possibly even children hostage so she does what he wants, and who forces these women to be on drugs as another means of control. The “lucky” ones who avoid being controlled by a pimp, often come out of lives of severe abuse, physical and emotional, be it from husbands/boyfriends, or family (father, uncle, brothers, ect). Any “Christian” who takes a passive, “just stop being a prostitute” attitude towards such a woman, is doing more damage than they possibly can know. It is for these women, that churches need a strong and trained group of women to help these ladies through this time of trouble. These women need help.
I have to smile when I see that title, because in many cases ‘the prostitute’ may be the most notorious, but not the greatest sinner in town. And only God knows the truth of it.
‘the prostitute’ is a human being made in the image of God and in need of pastoral care from the Church . . . I doubt sincerely, from watching Our Lord in the New Testament, that pointing fingers at this woman and judging her is what Our Lord would call ‘care’ . . .
ministry to the people of the street is something that should not be undertaken by those who see themselves as above other sinners, but is best done by those whose lives are in process of being formed to the Mind and Heart of Jesus Christ . . . and how can they learn how HE would have approached a prostitute in order to minister to her?
Sacred Scripture gives insight into His Way with sinners.
If you want to minister to a ‘notorious sinner’ who is an outcast, take a page from Our Lord, as He was when he dwelt among us on the Earth, and you can’t go wrong.
You are right. Whether she got saved at nine or not, she still needs to confess her sins, repent (change the direction of her life towards God) and show fruit worthy of repentance.
I was in a very similar situation recently. This woman said she lost her salvation. One way or another, as far as i was concerned, she needed to be right with God and God did save her:D
After conversion, there is time for the Holy Spirit to teach her doctrine through the bible, church etc.
Please have her contact me. I get it. I was saved young and I think the devil worked pretty hard on me. In working in the sex field for 13 years I was never pimped. But I do not feel that I did it by choice. For me it became an addiction to easy money and a split from reality.My prayers to God for years were conditional” God help me find another job or income and I will quite.” It was not till I said ” God I am done get me out any way you can.” Two weeks latter I had handcuffs snapped on my wrists and herd God say in my hart,” You are out now.” I did get to go home that night. But I am still drawn back at times. Thank goodness for the support I have found. I will be out of money soon, and have not found a job. If God wants me to lose my house and my car I am sure he has something better planed for me. I know her pain, I have it also. This is my third attempt at stopping, but my first attempt with Gods grace.
It might have made a more relevant story if you had “made her a gossip.”
It might have made a more relevant story if you had “made her a drunk.”
Etc.