This topic has been coming up frequently in many of my recent conversations with other Christians.
With the continuing trend of fruitless Christianity, more of God’s discerning people are realising that something isn’t quite right.
People “get saved”, and after a short period of keen interest in Christian living, they revert back to living a clearly unsanctified life.
What’s wrong?
Well, I don’t profess to know the answer, but I am always reminded of the parable of the sower in such scenarios.
Christ told us clearly, just because someone may find great joy in the hearing of the Word, (and i suppose they may even pray ‘the sinners prayer’) doesn’t mean they’ve been regenerated. Remember what Christ said, “he hath not root in himself” and the evidence is clearly seen when “persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended”.
A true story…
I told my mum recently, (hypothetically) if from this day forward for the next ten years I lived in rebellion against God, and I died, I would not have any right to be buried as a Christian.
Inspite of having sought to walk with Christ for seven years, I think too highly of what God says He will do when someone is regenerated, to think that one whom He has indwelt with the Spirit would rebel against Him for an extended period of time.
According to Phil 1:6 that’s just not going to happen.
What’s happening today…
What we’re finding today is that, as long as little Jonny has prayed a prayer asking Jesus into his heart, then he is a Christian. He’s saved.
This, I propose, is turning the supernatural into the superficial.
I’m not making light of little Jonny praying a prayer to God to save him. Rather, I’m saying the Christian’s around him have no right to pronounce him as a Christian when his life would show otherwise.
Suppose I did die ten years from now, and the last decade was spent living for self, rather than God. Living in rebellion against His clear commands, and doing that which was right in my own eyes. What message is the church sending out, if I’m buried as one who had passed into the immediate presence of Christ?
It’s not Arminian…
I don’t believe for one second that you can be saved and lost. The idea is preposterous, flies in the face of scripture, and is the apex of humanism conveyed as Christian doctrine.
However, just as strongly, I do not believe one can experience the miraculous work of regeneration, and live for years in rebellion against God, and die unrepentant.
Yet, this is what’s being taught (perhaps unawares). This is what the Average Joe in the pews of evangelical and some reformed churches believes. There is a chance that it’s just what I keep hearing, but I’m inclined to think it’s fairly common. Much too common.
AW Tozer said,
“It is my opinion that tens of thousands of people, if not millions, have been brought into some kind of religious experience by accepting Christ, and they have not been saved.”
Was he right?
The term, “accept/ask Jesus into your heart” is often used as the gateway into assurance of eternal life. I don’t mean to be overly meticulous over what may be regarded as mere semantics, but the scripture doesn’t command anyone to ask Jesus into their heart. Rom 10:9 uses the phrase, “believe in thine heart” which is an entirely different thing. It is instructing that the sinner must believe with all of his being, so much so that the inevitable outcome is confession (Rom 10:10).
So, how do I know I’m saved?
The only way to be absolutely sure of where you stand with God today, is to consider what you think and how you relate to Christ today. Are the two pillars of salvation, faith and repentance, still to be found in your life? Do you love and fear Him, and does that love and fear lead you to obedience?
If you love and fear, but do not obey, you have no right to be assured of your salvation (1 John 2:3), no matter how sincere your prayer for salvation may have been. Likewise, if you obey His commands, but you have no love or fear of Him, then there’s a good chance you’re living as the Pharisse’s did.
I recall to my mind a profound statement I heard Dr. Alan Cairns say. I may have this slightly incorrect, so instead of quoting I’ll paraphrase.
God has never failed to sanctify those whom He justifies.
Think on that. If anyone professes to be justifed/born again/saved then it is impossible for there to be no fruit of sanctification. Impossible!
I leave you with a quote from Paris Reidhead:
“If I had my way, I would declare a moratorium on public preaching of ‘the plan of salvation’ in America for one to two years. Then I would call on everyone who has use of the airwaves and the pulpits to preach the holiness of God, the righteousness of God, and the Law of God until sinners would cry out, ‘What must we do to be saved?” Then I would take them off in a corner and whisper the gospel to them. Don’t use John 3:16. Such drastic action is needed because we have a gospel hardened generation of sinners by telling them how to be saved before they have any understanding why they need to be saved.“
I’d love to elaborate on Mr. Reidhead’s statement, but I’ve said enough for now.
Are you seeing anything wrong with much of the current day presentation of the Gospel? If so, what do you feel is the problem?
Do you forget to visit the blog? Get free updates via email. Or via RSS if you use a feedreaderWant to read other articles? Try these...
Want to pray intelligently for this preacher? Go here to learn more!
Added Commentary
By Andrew
on 15.05.09
‘The term, “accept/ask Jesus into your heart” is often used as the gateway into assurance of eternal life. I don’t mean to be overly meticulous over what may be regarded as mere semantics, but the scripture doesn’t command anyone to ask Jesus into their heart’
I think you have found the problem, or at least one of them. I don’t think it is one of mere semantics either.
By Armen
on 15.05.09
Hey Andrew,
Thanks for breaking the silence…it was rather deafening. It’s probably going to take some time before I get people responding consistently.
Although we believe in repentance, often it’s not enforced. Much of what we hear is some phrase like that which I’ve mentioned.
I’m certain a lack of emphasis on the Law of God is not helping either. Strong, severe preaching against specific sin is as rare as hen’s teeth.
By Andrew
on 16.05.09
I should have said, it is good to see the website up again. I mostly use bookmarks and Google so my address bar doesn’t really update and the url to this site is still there, yesterday, somehow or other, I managed to select. Google Analytics can’t really account for this sort of thing so I may just call it providence.
I have found J.I.Packer’s introductory essay in the BoT edition of John Owen’s ‘Death of Death’ to offer a very valuable critique of modern evangelism and much better than this it gives a powerful presentation of what the gospel is and what preaching should be. If you haven’t read it I would encourage you to do so. You can also find it in Packer’s excellent volume on the puritans ‘A Quest for Godliness’ or online at http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/packer_intro.html.
In general there is a shallowness and self-centredness in how people understand the gospel. Christ is presented as weepy and weak, as a yearning knocker at the door waiting to be granted admittance, ‘ Oh sinner, won’t you let him in’ (Incidentally hymns like ‘Have you any room for Jesus’ are also culpable. I find, generally, the theological drift comes in hymns from the 19th century on). This is not the gospel preached and it is more than unfortunate that so many think it is. But as Packer shows, the reason these things are uttered is because many people, preachers and laity alike, have either misunderstood or are opposed to what the gospel actually is.
By Armen
on 18.05.09
Well Andrew, I wanted to wait to reply after reading Packer’s introduction.
As you said, it is very enlightening. I read the majority of it word for word.
I like this:
“But in the new gospel the center of reference is man. This is just to say that the old gospel was religious in a way that the new gospel is not. Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach people to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better. The subject of the old gospel was God and his ways with men; the subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference. The whole perspective and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed…and we depict the Father and the Son, not as sovereignly active in drawing sinners to themselves, but as waiting in quiet impotence ‘at the door of our hearts’ for us to let them in.”
Your point about some hymns is something I have noticed myself. It appears to me, that many believers have a theology governed by their hymnology.
By Andrew
on 19.05.09
I’m not sure whether the hymns issue is symptomatic or causative. It is probably both. Hymns certainly provide catechesis so if the hymns being sung are theologically wrong or encourage an undue emphasis then this will show through.
Many hymns do encourage the emphasis Packer is criticising. I mentioned hymns from 19th century in my previous post . This is not to say they are all bad or even that most of them are bad but you can clearly see shifts in emphasis. This is not by accident. The rise of Methodism, German Pietism, Revivalism, along with others, meshed together to produce an emphasis. I don’t want to seem like I am picking on 19th century hymns but in conservative churches this tends to be the period from which most of the hymns are derived. This will tell in how the gospel is preached and how believers understand how the gospel is preached.
By Jay
on 29.06.09
You’re right as to what Romans said: If you Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Christ from the dead you are saved. That’s it, that’s all it takes, and afterwards it is our responsibility to renew ours minds to live lives that are fruitful. The parable of the sower was not about salvation but of how believers live their lives. We are a new creation but it takes a person of their own will to continually working their mind to resist the world and live for God in a loving and personal relationship.
I could go on about more things along this line, but i wanted to make two other points. We are Sanctified and made Holy in His sight, and having been sealed by the spirit by incorruptible seed. Come on, if we are sealed in the spirit and born of incorruptible seed how can we loose that ever no matter what happens you are saved, period.
Lastly, how do I know I’m saved? I manifest the Spirit God has given me. Every “believer” is given spirit and the ability to to manifest it. 1 Corinthians Ch12 gives account of all 9 manifestations every believer. And every time I pray in the Spirit (Speaking in Tongues) I am reminded of the Spirit I have been given and know without a doubt of my salvation!
God Bless you all!
By Armen
on 14.10.09
Jay,
I somehow missed your comment.
I agree 100%
I don’t think that’s the Spirit of God leading you there, Jay.
I recommend you listen to this 7 minute message:
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sid=1229081531320
Haven't you got anything to say?