Your recollection appears faulty.
Posted on 12/19/2018 2:51:31 PM PST by metmom
"How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard" (Heb. 2:3).
Many people know the facts of the gospel but won’t make a commitment to it.
I will never forget a lady who came to my office, confessing that she was a prostitute and was desperate for help. I presented the claims of Christ to her and asked if she wanted to confess Christ as Lord of her life. She said yes and prayed, seemingly inviting Christ into her life.
Then I suggested that we burn her book of contacts. She looked at me incredulously and said, "What do you mean?" "If you want to live for Jesus Christ," I explained, "and you've truly accepted His forgiveness and embraced Him as Lord, then you need to prove it." "But that book is worth a lot of money," she said. "I don't want to burn it." After putting it back in her purse, she looked me right in the eye and said, "I guess I don't really want Jesus, do I?"
When it came to counting the cost, she wasn't ready. I don't know whatever became of her, but my heart aches for her and others like her.
I'm sure you know people like her—they know and believe that Christ is the Savior, they know they need Him, but they are unwilling to make a commitment to Him. Perhaps they even go to church and hear the Word of God. They are like the proverbial man who says he believes a boat will keep him afloat, but never sets foot in one.
Those people are the most tragic of all. They need to be warned—to be given a powerful shove toward Christ. May the Lord use you as His instrument for that purpose in the lives of many who are on the edge of a decision for Christ.
Suggestion for Prayer
Ask God to soften the hearts of people you know who understand the facts of the gospel, but haven't yet made a commitment to it.
For Further Study
Read Matthew 19:16-22. What kinds of questions should you ask of someone who appears eager to become a Christian?
From the beginning, man has been finding ways to pervert the good things of God. Do our failings make those things any less good or any less true?
Perhaps you, like me, believe in the doctrine of election but, you don't like what some believers do with it.
metmom, really, again? As a whole?
Do you know who started Evangelism Explosion? Why, none other that the "aloof, unapproachable" Dr. D. James Kennedy (a Calvinist). And what about the teachings of Dr. R. C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries?
Your ping list includes many of these "aloof, unapproachable people," yet you continue to misrepresent us on this site. I'm sorry you have had bad experience in your personal life with those who claim to be Calvinists, but frankly, this is one bias of yours that I take as a personal offense.
Finally, your bad interactions with these people should not discredit their theology any more than bad behaving Christians discredit the teaching of Christ.
+1 to all of that.
that's not what he said....
he did not suggest to do good "work"....
he suggested STOP SINNING....
the worse people I know talk a good Jesus....claim they're "saved" but in reality are the biggest liars and cheats around...vindictive and hateful..
but you go on believing that if you say you believe in Jesus then your whoring and porn addiction and your drunkenness don't mean a thing..
.infact, sin more.....
I recall all those Bible belt good ol'boy Christians in the south voting for Bubba, because as you know, ones' actions are meaningless, even if you're a high end grifter and rapist....
Your recollection appears faulty.
“However, the problem I see with the election folks, is a lack of evangelism or apparent concern for the lost.”
Excuse me?
I don’t believe that God chooses to save only a few people.
His call is for all men everywhere to repent, that He is not willing that ANY should perish but all come to repentance, that Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.
But men love their sin too much to respond to His call and prompting.
Some respond, most don’t.
So I think in one sense, God chose to save those whom He foreknew would respond as opposed to condemning them with the rest of humanity, like they deserve, but but I don’t believe He picks and chooses based on some criteria that only He can fathom, and tough luck for the rest of them.
He really messed up with this lady.
How is God’s foreknowledge not a “criteria that only He can fathom”?
I know. I took EE.
I’m just telling you about the people I have personally met face to face in my life, people I worked with and for and I never knew they were Christians. For YEARS. That’s my experience, and again, it isn’t all.
I’m sorry that they leave a black mark on the face of Calvinism, but that is what I encountered.
Maybe it was just the area I grew up in.
For the most part, I don’t have problems with their theology. I find it to be pretty solid and enjoy the teaching.
You should not take offense as if I am painting you that way. Since you are different, then it doesn’t include you.
Of course, being told they are a bunch of jerks can make them aloof. 😉
The Calvinists I knew did NOT share the gospel with me. I never found out they claimed to be Christian until well after I got saved.
I have actually read that when somehow sharing Christ with people you cannot tell them that Christ died for them because we don’t know who the elect are who Christ died for. Just somehow mention Jesus and if they are meant to be saved, they’ll get it.
It was a long time ago and I could not tell you who wrote that. I wish I could remember so I could point others to it.
The Calvinists I knew did NOT share the gospel with me. I never found out they claimed to be Christian until well after I got saved.
I have actually read that when somehow sharing Christ with people you cannot tell them that Christ died for them because we don’t know who the elect are who Christ died for. Just somehow mention Jesus and if they are meant to be saved, they’ll get it.
It was a long time ago and I could not tell you who wrote that. I wish I could remember so I could point others to it. I have searched for it but the search led nowhere.
Sorry for the double post.
Don’t know how that happened.
In all reality, can any Christian tell a nonbeliever that Jesus died for them? Jesus died for those who believe. If he died for everyone then a lot of his blood was spilled for no reason. Every drop was effectual for those he died for.
I do share the redemptive work of Christ. And I can, and have, and will continue to do so without telling someone that Jesus died for them.
Take that plank out of your eye hypocrite. You’ve got a lot of nerve posting lies, false witness, and discord about people you don’t even know - “Christian” (yes I use that term very loosely with you).
Proverbs 6:16-19
What gospel do you claim SAVES people?
You say stop sinning right? Somebody needs to read their Bible again....many times. You just committed several sins in your post to me.
1 John 1:8-10
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Not surprising at all!
And if you believe everyone makes their own decision, then you must believe some souls are in hell simply because they weren't evangelized enough to come to the right decision. Then, you must wonder how many of those souls could have been saved if you'd seized your opportunity to witness to them, rather than blowing it off.
Then you have to wonder why everyone you share the gospel with isn't saved. It must be that you are not sharing the right way or you haven't studied enough or you aren't dressed right. By the way you would be rather confused about the idea that some people are "swine" and not worth any effort because they will only trample your pearls and turn and rend you.
Or, perhaps it's not me, it's them! Maybe they're too stupid or too proud to know a good deal when they see it. I don't mean to boast but, hey, I'm saved and they're not, right?? /s
"Thank you Lord that I'm not like other men."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.