A WORD TO PASTORS & PREACHERS (3)

Again, I must say I have been overwhelmed at the response to the 2 previous blogs in this series, although I must admit I considered not writing any further blogs on this topic, as I do not want to sound like a “ranting” Prophet, or some “old” bloke feeling the need to sound off. If you have read many of my blogs you will know, my writings are primarily positive and Pastoral, and definitely NOT POLITICAL. The righteous indignation has won out so I will continue ok?
It is so often NOT downright heresy that we need to confront, but either the DILUTION of truth, or an unbalanced interpretation of the truth. Someone has said “that much heresy can have much initial truth in it”.
I made a short list at the end of blog 2 of some things that disturbed me, the first one on the list is MODERN DAY REVIVALISM.
Let me say right at the start I believe 100% in MASS EVANGELISM (as well as Personal Evangelism),  I thank God for Evangelists of past generations and more recent men like Billy Graham and Rheinhardt Bonnke and I am also committed personally to the preaching of the Gospel, that says a man will be eternally lost unless he responds to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and repents of his sin and make the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of His life.
The things that disturb me is what we call the “altar call”, where a person is asked to raise his hand and make a “decision” to become a Christian. Some churches do not even lead the person/s in a “Sinner’s prayer” simply get their contact information at the end of the service. The common practice though is to lead people in a “Sinner’s Prayer” and often the content of the prayer is excellent and Biblical, sadly, I have heard many Preachers then say “Now you have prayed this prayer you are a Christian”. How can a Preacher see into a person’s heart and make such a statement.  They say it because of Paul’s words in Romans 10:9 NKJV That if you CONFESS with your mouth the Lord Jesus and BELIEVE in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
See the two words I have highlighted.
I have written numerous blogs on confession, and it is a very important truth, that has been neglected in the past, until God raised up some ministries to preach and teach on this important and essential truth. It is on the basis of our confession that preachers will say “now you are a Christian”, forgetting about the 2nd key truth here. That is BELIEVE, the Greek word for this is related to the word translated for FAITH, and it means a lot more than simply mentally believing the historic fact that Jesus rose from the dead. It means to put our faith and trust in Jesus for our spiritual well being, we are not capable of ding this ourselves unless the Holy Spirit has drawn us and convicted us of our sin, Paul expresses it so clearly in Eph. 2:8-9 NKJV For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
The AMP. N.T. says For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.
The MESSAGE Bible says Saving is all His idea, and allHis work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing!
Sadly, we have many people sitting in church pews all around the world who have prayed the “Sinner’s prayer” and been told that they are now a Christian, BUT DO NOT HAVE THAT ASSURANCE THAT THEIR SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND THEY ARE ON THE WATY TO HEAVEN. That is why there are some Preachers include in their prayer those who are “not sure” whether they are saved.
I have asked literally many hundreds of my past students “How many times had they prayed the “Sinner’s prayer”. many said they had prayed the prayer 2,3,4, or more times before they knew they were born again. Of course there are many who when they respond to an “alter call: are truly born again. Often though, when someone prays the “Sinner’s prayer” it is just the beginning of a pilgrimage, that could span weeks and months and longer, until that spiritual transaction takes place, and they “they know because they know they are saved”.
In past generations, seekers were invited at the end of an evangelistic service to go to an enquiry room, where a Counsellor would share and discern and be like a wise “midwife” in assisting the person to experience the spiritual birth.
Billy Graham’s Counselling team would say the first 48 hours following a “decision” is so important, WE MUST ASCERTAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE “DO THEY HAVE ASSURANCE OF SINS FORGIVEN?

THEN BIBLICAL DISCIPLESHIP MUST COMMENCE.

MY DEFINITION (one more time)

SOMEONE WALKING WITH THE NEW BELIEVER (FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES) UNTIL BEING A CHRISTIAN BECOMES A LIFESTYLE, AND WANTING TO BECOME A DISCIPLEMAKER.
Once again your comments please ?