I don’t buy this tale for a minute. Granting that it happened as stated, shame on you John MacArthur for using this woman’s messed up life to score your illustration about how people need to prove they’ve received the FREE GIFT of eternal life.
While I don’t disagree with her need to abandon her lifestyle, his choice of words was poor.
The Holy Spirit would lead her into doing that.
Coercing behavior out of someone can give them a false sense of security. I guess I’m more of a believer in presenting the claims of Christ, and if they choose to accept them, waiting for the fruit to appear to verify the commitment was genuine.
If someone is instructed on how to live and does it, then you never know if it’s a result of a changed heart or not.
“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.”
What commitment does he mean?
A blood oath?
A total submerged baptism plus public confession of faith?
The gift of eternal life is FREE. Believe in your heart & confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth and it’s yours (Romans 10:9-10). Works-based salvation isn’t the Gospel of Christ, though more than many legions of misinformed Christians swear by it.
The proof he was asking for wasn't to prove to others--it was to prove it to herself. We must all prove to ourselves that we have accepted His gift.
Acceptance of that gift means that we accept His truth--His will for our lives, and how we should live. If we merely pray for salvation, then do nothing in our lives to reflect that salvation, we have not really received it.
His illustration was absolutely correct.