FWIW Jonathan Edwards used that passage as an evangelical appeal.
And how much like a lamb does Christ appear in Matt. 9:28 30. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
O thou poor distressed soul! whoever thou art, consider that Christ mentions thy very case when he calls to them who labor and are heavy laden! How he repeatedly promises you rest if you come to him! In the 28th verse he says, “I will give you rest.” And in the 29th verse, “Ye shall find rest to your souls.” This is what you want. This is the thing you have been so long in vain seeking after. O how sweet would rest be to you, if you could but obtain it! Come to Christ, and you shall obtain it. And hear how Christ, to encourage you, represents himself as a lamb! He tells you, that he is meek and lowly in heart, and are you afraid to come to such a one!
And again, Rev. 3:20. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him and he with me.” Christ condescends not only to call you to him, but he comes to you; he comes to your door, and there knocks. He might send an officer and seize you as a rebel and vile malefactor, but instead of that, he comes and knocks at your door, and seeks that you would receive him into your house, as your Friend and Savior. And he not only knocks at your door, but he stands there waiting, while you are backward and unwilling. And not only so, but he makes promises what he will do for you, if you will admit him, what privileges he will admit you to; he will sup with you, and you with him.
And again, Rev. 22:16,17. “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth, say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely.”
How does Christ here graciously set before you his own winning attractive excellency! And how does he condescend to declare to you not only his own invitation, but the invitation of the Spirit and the bride, if by any means he might encourage you to come! And how does he invite every one that will, that they may “take of the water of life freely,” that they may take it as a free gift, however precious it be, and though it be the Water of life.
Jonathan Edwards - The Excellency of Christ
I'm not sure I agree here. The "Church" these remarks were directed to was the church at Laodicea. Of the seven Churches Christ addresses in Revelation this was one he had nothing good to say about. He chastises them greatly. The verse preceding the one quoted in the article ends by calling on these people to repent. I think a very good argument could be made that this is evangelistic.
This brought to mind an old memory ..35 years ago or so the United Church of Christ had a publicity thing ..they had billboards all over our Area that said "I Found It"
I was involved in a non denominational ministry with a few people from the UCC..so i asked about it ..they gave me a pin to wear that said "I found it"
About a week later I stopped at a wake for an RC friend ...an elderly man noticed the pin and asked me "what dd you find ?" ...So i told him.."new life in Christ"...his response to a friend????"Oh she is ONE OF THOSE"
I hope Christ found him before he died
From Church to Church.
They will also not repent and believe unless God draws and convicts them, opens their heart, and grants them repentant faith, (Jn. 6:44; 12:32; 16:9; Acts 11:18; 16:14) but which condition does not disallow the call to both seek the Lord (Acts 17:27) and repent being given to all hearers of the gospel. (Acts 14:15; 17:30)
The depravity of man also does not mean the lost do not have basic revelation/light that God exists and , but men become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart is darkened into progressive degeneration, even ending up blatantly worshiping and serving the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever, Rm. 1:18-25ff) in contrast to the elect who by God's grace "do by nature the things contained in the law," (Rm. 2:14) which obedience to light leads to Christ, the Light "which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (Jn. 1:9)
I do not presume to reconcile all the texts on both side of the Calvinism vs, Arminianism debate, nor do i feel i must, but as God preaches to all men to repent and believe, and holds them responsible for not doing so, then i am to tell them likewise.