In the past three issues, Joe has taken us on the journey of desperately wanting his family to come to a saving knowledge of Christ, yet realizing that in the Amish way of life, the gospel, culture, and traditions are so closely woven together that they bleed into one another like tangled threads in a rope. He continues…

But that being said, I want to assure everyone of us:

There are dividing lines.

Unless the Spirit of God opens our eyes and helps us to see those lines, unless we come to the place where we completely remove Amish culture and tradition from faith in Christ alone, we cannot be saved. To be almost saved is the same as being totally lost.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

I am very thankful that God revealed those dividing lines to me on July 28, 1985. On that day, I forsook my own righteousness, saw only the righteousness of God, and believed with all my heart. On that day, according to the scriptures, I was transferred from death to life… from a state of lost to a state of saved… from the grip and power of being a son of Satan to the grip and the power of being a son of God.

On that day, God saved me (II Tim 1:9); He translated me from one kingdom to another.

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13-14).

So, the question remains: Are my parents truly saved? Only God knows that answer.

Where does my mom stand? I honestly don’t know, but I do know this: My parents have both been witnessed to many, many times. Truthfully, they probably know more about salvation than most Amish people ever will.

In conclusion, I wanted to share this part of my testimony for one main reason: to encourage those who are witnessing to their Amish neighbors and friends.

Sometimes, after a good conversation, you may walk away thinking, “They’re probably saved.”

But I urge you, think twice before you’re too sure.

A great question to ask is this: “When did you go from death to life?”

That question demands a clear and personal response. If you receive a generic or cloudy response, you have every reason to question whether that Amish person truly understands salvation.

Philippians 3:4–9: “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

• Circumcised the eighth day,
• of the stock of Israel,
• of the tribe of Benjamin,
• an Hebrew of the Hebrews;
• as touching the law, a Pharisee;
• Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
  
  

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”