Posted on 10/18/2002 8:56:55 PM PDT by xzins
| First the bad news. Because we have sinned we are born separated from God. Without intervention, we are ineligible for Heaven. This applies to the entire human race. You are not alone. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:10 says, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:" Romans 6:23a "For the wages of sin is death;" Revelation 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:" There is no amount of good works we can do to save ourselves from being eternally separated from God. Ephesians 2:8-9 say, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." To be separated from God forever, simply do nothing. To ignore or reject God's son is the only sin that can keep a person out of Heaven and the only alternative to Heaven is eternal torment in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15, 2 Thes. 1:7-9). John 3:18 "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." But there is good news! There is a simple and free way to be reconciled with God made possible by God's only son Jesus. A blood sacrifice was needed to pay for your sins and Jesus was sent to become that sacrifice. He was nailed to a Roman cross to shed His blood in payment for your sin. Then three days after His death, He rose from the dead, validating once and for all His qualification to be our only Savior.
Jesus said (John 14:6), "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life:, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 3:16 & 17 are clear. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." The Bible clearly tells us how to be saved: Romans 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." This is a free gift from God because He loves you. Romans 6:23b "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 10:13 "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Are you ready to believe right now? If so, simply tell God what he asked you to confess. You might use a prayer similar to this one: "God, I admit to you that I am a sinner and I know I cannot do anything to earn my way to Heaven. I truly believe that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose from the grave. I put my faith in His sacrifice to pay for my sin in full." What did you decide? I just trusted Jesus as my savior! Still undecided and thinking about it. I still have questions. I understand and have decided not to believe. |
Some like such methods and some don't. In any case, it is a sincere effort at evangelism. Personally, I like it. Not only is it simple, but it demonstrates a sophisticated use of modern technology.
The real question boils down to effectiveness, though, doesn't it? What do you think? What's your evaluation of this plan? What plan do you use/like/prefer?
Now, as I say, I don't want to be negative about something so positive as this. But I would suggest adding to that prayer something like this:
"I admit I am sinner and that I can't, of my own power, do anything to earn my way to Heaven. But I am tired of my sin and my sinful ways and I want to turn from my sin and truly believe believe that Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose from the grave to pay for my sin in full and to give me power to triumph over sin in my life. I want that power which comes from you in my life today."As a lawyer, I suppose I shouldn't derogate the 'legal' change of status, but to me that is only half the gift of God. It is not just 'pie in the sky when you die' which is offered, but God's power over sin in this life right now. Sometimes I think evangelicals leave out the second half of the Good News: He is faithful and righteous to (i) forgive us our sins and (ii) to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Your thoughts?
Above is a method and a specific program for leading folks to Christ.
OK, I'll admit, I'm confused.
If I am to believe in absolute double predestination, and I am either saved or damned at God's good pleasure, what difference does it make whether I tell my friends how to be saved or I myself am lead to Christ.
This "program" implies I need to do something to be saved, but if I'm either doubly predestined or saved not by works, isn't my doing something to be saved a work?
Care to explain this a little more for a thick headed Catholic?
By the way, I was just informed that if one believes and practices what the RCC teaches and knows what they teach, no I don't believe they are Christians, they are deceieved, so I need to know what to do to be saved, but of course now I'm afraid if I try to do something to be saved I'll be damned to hell for trying to do a work.
What a dilemma.
Of course that is where the strict Calvinists and I would part company. Neverthelss, I am convinced that despite what you say, you are not: "afraid if I try to do something to be saved I'll be damned to hell for trying to do a work"
Nobody has ever argued that anyone is damned to hell for trying to do a good work. You are damned to hell because you cannot enter into the presence of God with sin in your life. The sin must be purged and only Jesus' blood can wash away your sin.
Frankly if you follow the instructions in the article, and if you truly want to be saved, then of course you will be saved. Now a calvinist might argue that you would not want to do so unless your were an "elect." The arminian might argue that if you want to then you will be "elect." Its basically the same thing. The problem is that most people don't want to. Most people are repelled by the idea that God could not accept them in their sinful state and indeed they are offended that anyone would suggest that they are not good enough to get into heaven on their own. That is the sure ticket to hell.
Now, are you willing to surrender wholly to Jesus, or are you unwilling? Either way, your salvation is wholly dependent upon your answer to that question. Are you willing to say that little prayer and mean it and then follow Jesus as he has commanded? Or are you satisfied in your own mind that salvation comes only through the Roman Catholic Church?
Placing your complete trust in Jesus death, burial and resurrection is God's one and only means of reaching Heaven.
You should heed the simple gosple message, and then you will no longer be deceieved, but you will then be saved.
God Bless
BigMack
From my own personal testimony:
The thought of dying then, having never taken my faith seriously, having been shown by a recurring dream the damnation I could face, and recalling my unconfessed sins of many years, brought his challenge to the immediate present and the front of my intellect. I could not tell God to wait any longer. I could not suppress the commitment I knew I must make now, or risk never making again.
We were having Bible study in that doctor's office one Tuesday morning in June of 1991, when it all hit me. I walked out the back door of his office in tears, and right then, I did as the doctor recommended. I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I told Him I would go wherever He wanted me to go, do whatever He wanted me to do, say whatever He wanted me to say, and be whatever He wanted me to be. I felt certain that at that moment He no longer wanted me to be a Catholic, in a church that withheld this vital message to its ignorant adherents, who likely would fail to achieve Heaven because they thought they would get there by works and attending mass, not by accepting Him as Savior.
But this also meant abandoning the Faith of my youth, my family, and my friends. My tears were just as much from relief at finally deciding to take Him seriously, as they were of thinking that this meant searching for a real Christian Church and breaking the news to all those I loved. But I truly intended to search. If anything, I wanted to know the Truth. If it had been withheld from me during 25 years of Catholicism, then my first mission was to find that Truth. I was not going to look for a popular church or a comfortable church, or just any "Bible believing" church. I wanted to find Truth.
I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior (if you insist I use evangelical lingo). I have made a conscious decision to follow Christ.
Have you?
If so, why do you judge my soul as one who has not accepted Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, in opposition to scripture which says Judge not, lest ye be judged?
I would never tell you that you are damned because you do not agree with my own personal interpretation of scripture.
Yet you have told me this repeatedly now.
And in so doing you insult every other committed Catholic Christian on this thread, and closed their minds and hearts to that Word of God that could be bearing Fruit for His Kingdom but does not because of your ignorance and bigotry.
I did just that on a Tuesday morning in July of 1991. Why do you assume Catholics have never made an adult conscious decision to follow Christ and His Church (or, to use your lingo, "Accepted Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior)?
Do you not realize that in assuming Catholics have not decided for God, that you judge men's souls rashly, a grave sin?
I do not assume that you have not made an adult decision to follow Christ.
Why do you non-Catholics assume such about us?
Do you not see that your basic assumptions are based on bigotry and assumption, not Truth?
When will you learn that your approach does not win souls for Christ, at least the approach you take with Catholics?
IF there are any Catholics here who have not already come to know, love and serve Christ in this life (a little Catholic lingo meaning exactly the same thing as the evangelical lingo, "accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior" found of all places in the Baltimore Catechism) you will not help them arrive at the point of deciding to "know love and serve Christ" by your approach.
Do you desire to win a debate, or win souls?
If you truly desire the latter, change your assumptions and your approach.
Not at all. Anyone familiar with my style knows that I do not set up straw men, and that far from feigning confusion, I'm simply using satire to make a point.
Admit your sin, my child. You were, in fact, making satire by feigning confusion. :-)
BTW I think you will see that the Calvinsts will point out that you truly are confused, and you are not feigning it.
Just a couple of quick questions. Is there salvation outside the Catholic Church? If some non-christian reads the article and follows the instructions set forth above do you believe he would be saved? Or is there some additional stuff one needs to do beyond merely clinging to the cross of Christ?
Just a couple of quick questions.
Sorry, I asked the question first. After we cover that ground, we may proceed. Oh, BTW, your questions have already been patiently answered on approximately 12,798 threads already. I don't want to cover old ground.
Do you not realize that by assuming that I was assuming that Catholics have not decided for God that you judge my soul rashly, a grave sin, and further, that by assuming that I have committed a grave sin that you have committed a grave sin?
Sorry I couldn't pass that one up. ;-)
So, I guess we're all grave sinners here, huh? So what, pray tell, is the remedy for our sins?
Five hail mary's, or the blood of christ?
I usually don't hang out at the Catholic threads. So excuse my ignorance.
BTW, your question was obviously rhetorical, so you will have to excuse me if I respond rhetorically:
I cannot "win souls." That is the job of the Holy Spirit, is it not? It is my desire that souls be won. Is not that your desire as well? It is also my desire that the truth be told and that heresies be exposed. Is not that your desire as well?
You need not respond to my rhetorical responses unless you really feel predestinated and foreordained to so respond.
I'm struck that what Andrew wished was to introduce his brother to Jesus. He figured that Jesus would be more than able to make his own case if he could just get his brother there to listen to Him and meet Him.
Therefore, this article is both an opportunity to discuss as you all have been doing, "How to Lead Someone to Jesus?" and at the same time it is a post that might attract someone who will respond to a clear message of good news. It would be helpful if we were on our good behavior on this thread for that very reason. (And that's real tough for me...I'm a natural born agitator....just ask DrJ.)
Winston points out that some clarity is lacking in this article because they have not addressed repentance. I tend to agree with that because Peter said to "Repent and be baptized." But that wasn't the whole gospel method either. Peter left off the parts about believing.
Then there's Pauls Rom 10: 9&10. He leaves repentance out in that particular presentation.
That makes me think that the critical element is getting the candidate in the presence of Jesus and letting Him do the rest of the work.
We don't save anyone. We "lead them to Jesus." That is, we get them into the presence of the Living One, who is, himself, Salvation. He will do the work.
How can we lead them to one whom we don't think is actually alive, present, and able? We can't. This will go over the spiritual heads of those who haven't themselves become believers in the resurrected and presently LIVING Jesus.
Simple knowledge of Jesus Christ isn't the redemptive quality. The secondary belief after that knowledge which has been spiritually metabolized in the soul bears the fruit which is sought and it is only proffered from the Holy Spirit.
It's funny. One can act in faith and the belief, which is fully described in Scripture and still not be able to accurately communicate its meaning, but remain a believer ans saved. Conversely though, it is possible to understand many academic facets of epistemology, and yet never intuit the meaning of faith and belief communicated over millenia in Scripture.
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