Sinner’s Prayer? Are Altar Calls Biblical? [podcast]
Is the Gospel not a divine ultimatum? Yes it is.
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15-16
The Point of Leading Someone to Christ
Just another perspective to consider…. Personally, I won’t fault anyone who sees this differently…. for me, when the convicting law, the Word, the Gospel is preached, I often ask the now convicted hearer if he would like to repent and receive Christ (Acts 17:30; 20:21; John 1:12). Jesus saved me in this very fashion after I heard God’s Word preached and was then invited to pray with an elder.
“I was asked to say the sinners prayer after hearing the message of the cross back in 1980. I was not a false conversion. Still walking with Jesus today. 9-19-23.” Kathleen
“Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch (capture) men.” Luke 5:10
It seems to this disciple that if Jesus sent us forth to be “fishers of men,” that at times, we are going to actually land those fish in His boat, right? Those fellows are going to get into His ship – fellowship.
“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
Those who truly follow Jesus are fishing for men – seeking to see Him save lost souls. It would seem from this that our LORD expects to land some of the fish He is seeking to save through our efforts. The goal of those who fish is to land fish into the boat, right? Do you concur?
The sinner’s prayer is NOT essential to salvation. Jesus says that repentance and faith in Christ and His finished work are essential, but not coming to Him via a “sinner’s prayer.” Yet please remember that the thief on the cross used his sinful mouth to call upon the LORD and was saved.
“I prayed the sinners prayer 51 years ago and I was transformed by the Holy Spirit, born again and still serving Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.” Judy
“Sinner’s Prayer” – Call it what you wish – Personally I can’t find a biblical reason why praying with someone who is repenting and putting their faith in Christ is a sin. Also, no shade cast upon those who don’t agree with such.
“I prayed by myself on my knees beside my bed! I had told a friend I can’t find God. She quoted me John 14:6. Even though she was not saved, but had heard those words from a Pastor. My life was a mess and I knew I needed something more outside of myself. I prayed a very simple prayer and said God I am told I need Jesus so I am asking to receive Him tonight. My life is a total mess! I can’t remember all the words I prayed but in the morning I was a completely different person! Everyone who saw me noticed immediately. And kept saying what happened to her? Jesus happened that’s what happened!! I went to bed and woke up a brand new creature in Christ!! Hallelujah!” Karen Cochran
Should we not throw altar calls perpetually … calling, inviting men to come to Jesus in repentance and faith?!
“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 the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17
Do you personally desire to pray with more people, sinners, seeing them come before our LORD in repentance and faith and be saved? How’s that going to happen if there’s no preaching and invitation, calling them to “Come”?
Can we observe that the so-called “altar call” and “sinner’s prayer” are simply catch phrases that define certain methods used in ministry? Yet, it seems observable that these occasions can be used differently, depending on the one conducting the ministry. Though never using these phrases until this type of discussion arises, in this disciple’s perception, that which is called an “altar call” or “sinners prayer” is merely an occasion to pray with someone in order to facilitate them drawing nigh to the LORD for the first time or otherwise.
I recently heard a very popular evangelist complain that only 1 of the 28 people he prayed with to be saved continued with Christ. Here was my response:
“Instigating a false conversion by not properly giving the sinner the Law and saving Gospel is one thing and leading a ready sinner in prayer to God is another. It happens both ways – a sinner praying to be saved with someone else or individually. Why do we think it has to be one way or the other? So, are you saying that praying with those 28 of your friends and only seeing only one truly get saved and follow Christ was a waste? Was that one eternal soul not worth it all?”
Perhaps the problem is not preaching the Law and Gospel to the sinner thoroughly enough before praying with them.
I’ve personally prayed with hundreds of people who were repenting and putting their faith in the LORD Jesus. Have seen a mixture of carry through or fruit after such – in perfect accordance with Jesus’ teaching of the seed of the Word and the heart soil. That’s what’s going to happen no matter who the ministering disciple is. See Luke 8:11-15. Have seen many who prayed to God in repentance and faith and are walking strong today in Jesus! Remember, sinful people chose to reject the ministering of Jesus, Peter, John, Paul, etc. That’s just how it goes with the Gospel – because God gave all men free will (Deuteronomy 30:19-20; Isaiah 1:18-20; Joshua 24:15, etc.).
Personally I take issue with giving people the convicting Law and saving Gospel and then not asking them if they’d like to repent and receive Jesus right that moment (John 1:12; Acts 16:30; 20:21; Galatians 3:24, etc.). If it’s clear that someone is ready to repent and receive Christ, I ask them if they like to stop their life, admit to God they’ve sinned against Him, and let Him save and forgive them. The choice is there’s. Some people don’t like what is called “the sinner’s prayer” because they or someone they know prayed and didn’t get saved. First off, that’s one of the 4 heart soils Jesus taught about (Luke 8:11-15). Also, praying with someone to repent after they’ve heard the Law and Gospel is one thing, and the individual’s free will is another. There’s a timing for individual’s to be saved. Most of the time we, as Christ’s laborers, are planting the seed of salvation that may ultimately lead to the recipients repenting and putting their faith in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:6-9).
There are ministers I like who disagree with this. That’s fine. My use of praying with sinner’s to be saved is not the classic “sinner’s prayer” magic formula by any stretch of the imagination. No, it’s a thorough citing, reading of God’s Word and their own personal desire to repent and put Christ first in their lives.
“I encountered the Messiah while reciting the sinners prayer. Tech Sargent Mayfield lead the entire group in this simple, life changing prayer… I experienced God’s presence and my life was changed forever. 47 years ago. Thank You Lord.” Pedro
This message is primarily associating the use of praying with sinners in the context of personal evangelism, one on one…. and not leading a large group in saying some magical “sinner’s prayer.”
“I said the sinners prayer many years ago and while saying it I felt my pride leave and a tingling sensation on my head. Like the Holy Spirit was there. My life has never been the same. Weeks before a similar thing happened to my wife.” Dino
Reciting a prayer mechanically is one thing. Being led in a prayer of repentance and faith in Christ after hearing the convicting law and desiring to be saved, is yet another thing!
“Whether the sinners prayer is biblical or not, I was instantly born again when I said it…I went from blind to seeing. It’s about your eyes being opened by the Holy Spirit. Nothing at all wrong with the sinners prayer.” Jimmy
Just because some in ministry recklessly ran people through a sinner’s prayer in a meeting with masses of people and it didn’t “stick,” doesn’t change my view on praying with and leading a sinner in a prayer, a repentance and faith confession before God.
“15 years ago I was a truck driver working in the oilfields of Texas. One night I stopped at an old truck stop to get something to eat and on my way out I picked up a gospel tract that was sitting on a shelf by the door. Little did I know at that moment that my life would be forever changed. Later that night all alone in the middle of the Texas oilfield on an oil lease, I found myself on my knees crying out to God and reading the sinners prayer. Today, I am an ordained and licensed minister with a full time street ministry spreading the message of hope and salvation to the homeless on the streets of down town Houston, Texas. 15 years later I wished I could tell the person who placed the Bible tract in that truck stop that the seed he had sown did not fall by the wayside. I use Bible tracts with the sinners prayer today. It is a seed that I am planting. Some of the seed will fall by the wayside, some onto stony ground and some will fall among the thorns. BUT some will fall onto good ground. Not everyone who reads the sinners prayer will pick up their cross and follow Jesus but some will… It wasn’t easy and I made some mistakes along the way but with the help of the Lord I am an overcomer!” Carlos
Some have made an idol of the “sinner’s prayer” instead of preaching the Word, letting the Holy Spirit convict, and praying. There’s no such thing as a magical prayer. When the law to convict and saving Gospel of Jesus is preached, the prayer will merely facilitate their repentance and faith.
“I was saved using the sinner’s prayer. It helped me articulate words better. I know I’m saved because of my conviction of my sins and faith and trust in Jesus.” Dom
This writer is not condemning you if you don’t like praying with a sinner to God to be saved. You are welcome to your opinion. Personally, I prayed with a pastor and Jesus saved me. Since when do we factor out prayer, praying which is simply communicating with God, just because some misused it? Since many pervert the doctrine of salvation, why don’t we just abandon it also? Should we now glorify the devil by throwing away God’s truth because some mixed it with lies or misused it? Does God no longer answer prayer? Will the Almighty not listen to and answer a prayer, a simple request from a sinner, to save someone into His kingdom? …. as if He cancelled prayer due to a few diabolicals who perverted it?
“The Harvest”
If our LORD didn’t have in mind the harvest of precious souls for whom He died, why then did He come and die for them? Why would He have said:
“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:37-38
A “harvest” is a reaping from seed previously planted and notice that Jesus says that He is “the Lord of the harvest.” Soul winners have long clung to the precious exhortation given us in Psalms 126 where a harvest is promised to those who labor in winning sinners to Christ.
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed (God’s Word), shall doubtless (surely, definitely) come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves (harvest) with him.” Psalms 126:5-6
I believe this truth. It seems apparent that all true soul winners are going to see Jesus capture souls via their prayerful, biblical efforts!
Posturing the sinner’s heart by administering Holy Scripture is vital, so that if you do pray with them, their heart is made ready by the LORD.
There are some who do ministry by preaching the law and Gospel and then send those people they ministered to on their way without seizing the moment by inviting the convicted sinner to pray right there, settling things right with God.
“(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured (helped) thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” 2 Corinthians 6:2
It is this disciple’s conviction to help sinners be secured into Christ’s kingdom while the conviction is teeming in them.
There is no shade thrown here on those who do not minister this way and yet but rather a giving of thanks for the Word, the seed those ministers are sowing in the hearts of people. As we know, God’s Word never returns back to Him void but rather accomplishes what He pleases in those hearts in which it is sown (Isaiah 55:11). Though the methods of Christians differ, if they are preaching the original Gospel, may God be praised (Philippians 1:15-18). Yet, I will respectfully disagree and will definitely give my perspective on this matter of praying with sinners to facilitate them coming to Christ, as I believe that it’s important to capture the fish in a timely fashion when he is ready to be caught (Matthew 4:19).
While I am not going to judge another man’s servant on a non-essential matter such as this one, for myself, I will continue to pray with sinners who are ready to come to Jesus and agree to repent and place their faith in Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins (Matthew 26:28; Romans 14). Without apology, this servant is going to continue to preach the law to convict the sinner of sin, the Gospel of Jesus to save, and lead in a prayer of repentance and faith every precious, eternal soul possible! And, by God’s grace, I will continue to use a verbal confession to the LORD from them, as they pray aloud to the LORD, to secure their place in God’s kingdom, leading them to confess Christ aloud before men, turning to Jesus from their life of sin!
Is it okay to preach to them and just leave them? Well, in my limited opinion, I believe that if someone is ready to convicted and agrees to repent right there … not if they are ready to repent and to commit their life to Christ! That’s my perspective and I believe it’s according to and certainly not in violation of the biblical perspective.
A prayer saves no one. In fact hell is full of people who said a prayer to be saved. If one doesn’t repent, their prayer is in vain. Jesus says that repenting is an imperative. God does hear the cry of repentance from a sinner whom He then saves into His kingdom.
The reason I personally believe it’s important to “catch men” or capture them when they are presently convicted, is so that Satan has no place or time to steal that seed. See Jesus’ parable of the sower and the Word. See Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8. Another general truth that governs my concern for souls is that we are in a battle for the souls of men. Satan is the enemy. We as Christ’s are His “ambassadors” as you know and involved in winning souls to Him and catching them as a fisherman catches or captures fish and brings them in the boat (Luke 5:10; Proverbs 11:30; 2 Corinthians 5:20).
“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” 2 Corinthians 5:11
There was a clear urgency about Paul’s ministering to others.
So, I may be wrong, but these biblical truths have formed my thinking in this matter of giving sinners the option, invitation to repent and receive Christ at the time they have heard the Law and Gospel.
“Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3, 5
Sinner’s Prayer?
—–SINNER’S PRAYER? This is a stirring examination of the use of the Sinner’s Prayer as it’s called.
What has become known as “the sinner’s prayer” is simply to get the sinner to confess Christ publicly – before men – in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
Does the Bible tell us that the sinner must “confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus and believe with thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead” to be “saved”? Yes or no please?
“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. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9-10
My desire is not to be forceful. Just trying to qualify things here, squaring them with Holy Scripture.
Now, that being said … Don’t like the sinner’s prayer?
The fact is, that if someone repents and trusts Jesus, anywhere anytime on His green earth, like it or not, God is still going to save that soul.
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13
Here’s a believer who called upon the LORD and God kept His promise and saved him:
“The sinners prayer was my call out to Jesus and ever since then I’ve been saved by his grace and his sacrifice he’s changed my life.” Tino
The problem only arises when men misuse this method. Yet, for this disciple, I see the virtue of using this public confession to bring souls to Christ, one by one usually.
“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9
According to the full counsel of God’s Word, entrance into His kingdom includes true repentance, faith in Christ, and a verbal confession before God and others that one believes Jesus died, was buried, and rose again from the dead (Matthew 3:2, 6; 4:17; 10:32-33; Acts 16:31; 20:21; Romans 10:9-10).
In this disciple’s heart, at my current level of understanding, it is my opinion that God put this truth about the need for heart belief and verbally confessing Christ in His Word, particularly Romans 10:9-10, in order to give His body a sort of prescription for leading sinners to Him.
The sinner’s prayer is simply confessing Christ upon repenting and believing upon Him. It must never be used to simply run someone through a prayer, acting as if that sinner saying a prayer saves them. It doesn’t – repenting does. And, that repentance can be facilitated through a prayer. In order for this to be done correctly, several Gospel elements of truth should be utilized. When a sinner is led to believe that somehow, after praying a magic little prayer, that he is saved for life and eternity, that sinner has been completely misled. No, when a sinner is going to repent and believe upon Christ unto eternal life, they should be told that they are giving their whole life and trust to Jesus Christ, nothing held back. I like to preface the repentance prayer with “John, you should realize that you are not praying to me or any man but rather to God, and He’s listening. With everything that’s within you, pray this to the Father in Heaven who awaits your repentance and confession of Jesus Christ.”
To a man who preached the law and sin to sinners regularly, I once suggested that he also seek to win the souls of those who will choose to repent and be saved. I shared this with this particular man because the ministry he was conducting seemed to only communicate the condemnation of God upon sinners without offering them the Gospel of Christ’s saving grace. Praise the LORD that this man is actually sowing that biblical truth into the hearts of many – that they are condemned by sin. This will surely result in some of them, under the weight of guilt, eventually repenting. I applaud that brother’s efforts because the lost soul must be convicted that he is a sinner in order to see his need to repent and receive Christ.
Let me stop here to say that this most undeserving disciple, the one penning this article, was saved from an altar call and through repenting via a sinner’s prayer per se. How glad and grateful to Jesus do you think this unworthy man is for the beloved brother who firmly led me to the feet of Jesus that blessed night in 1984? Eternally! He made sure I had the opportunity to hear the original Gospel and to see that I acted on it. He didn’t send me off in the dark of the night for Satan to devour the seed that was sown in my heart (Luke 8:12).
“I love the story of Nicodemus’ chat with Jesus about being born again. If people just repeat the sinner’s prayer and backslide, then maybe they did not understand the power of God’s word. The “sinner’s prayer” is not an incantation where one speaks the magic words and voila! I remember specifically the day I bowed my head and prayed when a pastor gave the invitation during his summer crusades in ’67. At 13, I really did not understand, but know the Spirit of God kept me from many issues plagued by young people. Fast forward: After a year in Iraq, I was ready to head home when I suffered a stroke at Ft. Benning. As I laid in the ambulance, I realized how close to death I may be, or worse, becoming paralyzed. With that thought, I physically with my lips spoke praise to Jesus and proclaimed Him Lord of All. If I was to become paralyzed, then those would be my last words spoken. With that I asked what I could learn from this emergency to help others. Then I heard the Lord’s voice that nothing more will move against me. When I heard those words, the driver asked the attendant “Fast? Or slow and steady?” My attendant said “Slow. I think we’re good.” My word of confirmation. I suffered with NO debilitating conditions. Praise the Lord Almighty of Heaven and Earth!” Randy
Winning souls is God’s will. That is, winning them over into God’s kingdom from the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 1:12-14).
“He that winneth (seizes) souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30
The Hebrew word here for the English word “winneth” is laqach and it means to carry away, receive, seize, take away, to win.
Think about and begin to meditate upon the word “winneth” here.
We are here to win – to seize the moment in bringing others home to Christ! That is, while they are under conviction, getting them to submit their lives to Christ on the spot. That’s how this sinner was saved into Christ’s kingdom and for that I am eternally grateful to Him and those who cared enough to win my soul to the nail-scarred, risen Savior!
We are Christ’s and so we will win it all in the end and even now! And, we shall be used of Him to win others in this late hour before His soon return!
Do you believe God can use you?
Jesus literally captured the hearts of men and He still does today – everyday! To His disciples, our LORD said “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch (capture) men.” (Luke 5:10)
In the Gospels we read how the Son of God called me to Himself. In fact, that’s why He came – to “save sinners” like us and all men (Luke 19:10; 1 Timothy 1:15). When Jesus called the individual disciples of His twelve to “follow me,” they did. Is Christ still calling men to follow Him? Yes! And, Jesus is now using you and I to beckon others to follow Him. To follow Him, the individual must be willing to lay himself aside for the great reign and glory and supremacy of the King of kings to rule in their life!
“A true witness delivereth souls.” Proverbs 14:25
It seems noteworthy here to mention that Jesus never commanded any person to “join a church” or to “go to church.” Fellowship sure is important, yet like the earliest disciples in the first century, we should be experiencing fellowship “daily” and “from house to house” and not just in the context and confines of a certain building on Sunday morning (Acts 2:42-47; 20:20; Hebrews 3:13; 10:24-25). Christ told us that following Him is “daily,” not weekly (Luke 9:23-24). Jesus is the “first love” of all who are ready to meet Him (Revelation 2:4-5). That means that they are consumed with Him – “daily” – as opposed to the casual churchgoer who holds Jesus as a second class citizen, one only worthy of an hour or so per week. “Lukewarm” is hell bound (Revelation 3:15-16).
We must be careful what we “win” people into. Think about it: Most people today who are won to Christ in America are immediately whisked away and taught to become a churchgoer type or church member instead of a true “daily” disciple of Christ who is learning to deny himself, take up his cross and truly follow Christ (Luke 9:23-24; 2:42; Acts 17:11; 20:20). This is an abomination. They are not being won into a real, daily walk with Jesus where they study His Word diligently and seek His face in prayer, witness, and walk in His love. No, they are taught that the extent of “Christianity” is to be a good church going church member, pay their tithes, and go to sleep spiritually (Revelation 3:15-16). This has and will continue to send millions into eternal damnation who “fall away” due to this falsity and misrepresentation of Christ (Matthew 10:22; 24:1-13; Luke 8:13; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39; Revelation 2-3, etc.).
“Ye are the Light of the World”! Matthew 5:13
Now for those who have laid down their lives and are presently following the Master, first, we should acknowledge that people in darkness need the help of Christ the light and those whom Christ has already brought into His kingdom of light. Jesus says “Ye are the light of the world” and that’s because He who is “the light of the world,” dwells in us and uses us to help others see and come to His blessed light! (Matthew 5:13; John 8:12)
Though some have used the altar call to get a “decision for Christ,” I personally don’t discount the power of preaching the Word that brings men to a decision. Obviously Peter’s preaching brought people to a decision and they responded by asking “what shall we do?” Peter answered:
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:38-42
Certainly, the apostle Peter didn’t leave them hanging. He told them to “Repent, and be baptized.”
It is my personal opinion that a prayer of repentance with that convicted sinner is permissible and for myself preferable. In my personal estimation, there’s no problem with praying with someone to repent and receive Jesus, the problem is when that person is not truly ready to repent and confess Christ – to lay down their life – due to the person ministering not bringing them to the place of deep conviction using the holy law (Psalms 19:7; Romans 7:7, 12; Galatians 3:24). This problem can be due to ineptness or lack of seasoning in those ministering to that person. By the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, we must give sinners the soul-converting, convicting law of the LORD and let it do its work to bring them to Christ (Psalms 19:7; Galatians 3:24). Then, some of those we give the law to are going to have their eyes opened and begin to see who Jesus is and why the Son of God came to die on a cross and be raised again. They will then see why they need Him and call upon Him to be saved! Those are the souls we want to “catch” or capture (Luke 5:10).
In praying with sinners to be saved by Christ, it’s important to realize that they should confess their sinfulness, rebellion, and that they believe that Jesus Christ died and rose again for them. This must be done with their own mouths. We have ample evidence that confessing Christ before another human being is very important to the LORD – in showing that one is not ashamed of Him and in coming into the kingdom of God as they call upon the name of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:13).
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized (public confession), he and all his, straightway. 34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” Acts 16:30-34
Getting the Sinner to Respond in Repentance Means Winning that Soul!
There comes that moment in time – that moment in the life of each individual – when Christ convictingly beckons to their heart to “Follow me.” That person must then choose to follow or to reject Christ. This is how it was with His twelve as He called each of them on a certain day in their lives. Jesus was there, present with them in person, when He called them to follow Him. Christ told the rich young ruler to “Come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22) That meant that this rich man (in this temporary world) had to deny himself and lay aside all and begin following Jesus at that moment. He chose not to and Jesus made no attempt to accommodate his rebellion.
“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34
Well, we know Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever,” right? (Hebrews 13:8) Is it possible that the LORD now many times uses the members of His body to bring the souls He is seeking to “follow” Him? Does that begin at a certain moment in time? Yes. Is it possible that Christ wants to use you and I in divinely-ordained encounters to call sinners to repent and begin at a certain moment to follow Him? I happen to be of the distinct mindset that the answer is a resounding Yes!
The problem is not with calling men to repent and leading them in a prayer of repentance and faith, but rather in praying with people who are not ready and willing to truly turn their whole being to the LORD in repentance, placing all their faith in Christ alone for salvation. This is the laying down of their lives to follow the Son of God. When we minister correctly and thoroughly, we will know most of the time when a person is ready to repent and receive Christ. I like to ask them “Is there any good reason why you couldn’t stop your life this moment, repent, and receive Jesus today?” I dare you to try this!
As the LORD uses each of us in our daily lives of following Him, things will happen at least a bit differently in every scenario. Of course, our LORD is in control, not us. Not long ago, while on a trip out of state, I was blessed to meet a 59 year old man who was not yet saved. He grew up Catholic and so never heard the true saving Gospel of the grace of God through Jesus Christ alone. He was searching and yet didn’t know how to get things right with God. We spoke for about an hour and a half the first time we met and let me tell you, it was an engaging conversation I shall never forget. Well, before I departed that day, after I had thoroughly preached the convicting law and the saving Gospel of Jesus to this precious man, I gave him a copy of the Born Again book which is a small and super potent soul-wining tool. The next day, I went to the same coffee shop and immediately upon arriving was approached by this same man who was now wearing a bright and beaming smile. He said “Hey Todd, I read that Born Again book last night. Then, at 2:30 A.M. I woke up and prayed the prayer in the last chapter!” He had marked the page where the prayer is to repent and be saved. So, then, with his copy of the Born Again book in one hand and grasping my hand in a firm handshake with his other hand, he said, “Sir, I wonder if you would allow me right now to pray this prayer in your presence?” I immediately said “yes, I’d be honored” and told him “that’s exactly what the LORD wants you to do. He wants you to confess Him before men. Jesus says ‘Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.’” (Luke 12:8-9)
Well, I was privileged to spend the rest of that week with this dear man, nearly daily. We were able to cover a lot of ground in those precious times of fellowship where the LORD was discipling him deeper each day in his new walk (Colossians 2:6-7). As the LORD allowed, we covered many Bible passages and questions he had about a variety of things in this life and the life to come. He was now full of peace, joy and love. It was obvious by his new found words, manner of speech, and demeanor, that this man’s life was changed – that he was now a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). This man and I talk by phone on a regular basis now as we have since we met. He is now following Christ. The fruit is evident.
“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. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. … 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:9-10, 13
Note again that “with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
The word “confess” appears 28 times in God’s Word and is usually used when people are instructed to confess sin and to confess the name of the LORD.
“Every tongue” will one day “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” and yet, for most, that will be as they are terminated into the lake of fire. Does this not make it more the reason we should seek to secure that confession now, before it’s too late?
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:11
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” 1 John 4:15
“Phillip Ran” – Go Get Em!
Securing the confession of a truly convicted, repentant soul is key, that is, when the timing is right. This is what Philip did with the Ethiopian eunuch whom the LORD saved.
“And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.” Acts 8:30-31
Notice that “Philip ran” to help this man get saved. That’s certainly very different than preaching to someone and then letting them just go away into the darkness of this world. Right? Philip was diligent to help this seeking man get saved. And note that the unsaved man realized that he needed someone to help him – “How can I (understand), except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said (confessed), I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Acts 8:35-37
Believing upon Christ by confessing Him as LORD is the prerequisite to being water baptized, otherwise water baptism is futile/useless. Water baptism is the public confession of one who has already repented and believed upon Christ unto salvation! So, before this Ethiopian was water baptized, what did Phillip tell him he must do? – believe with all his heart, right? Then the sinner confessed aloud with his mouth that “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” He was saved by the LORD at that moment.
Confession Seems Universally Important to Saints and Sinners Alike
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 18:21
Whether we understand it or not, verbal confession is very important in the divine economy. Perhaps it’s more important or useful for the human confessing than it is important to God for His sake. What it does in the human when he confesses seems to be powerful. – “with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) In this disciple’s opinion, I believe that a type of legal right is given to the entity associated with the words of our mouths. Following the simple instruction of James 4:7, I have seen many precious saints delivered from bondage and sin due to freshly submitting to God, then resisting the devil, and watching the enemy flee by the power of Jesus’ name! This all transpires by verbal confession with words proceeding from the heart. This is in line with Hosea 14:1-2:
“O Israel (God’s people), return unto the LORD thy God (repentance); for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” Hosea 14:1-2
Also, how about factoring in the truth we have in 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Jesus goes so far as to tell us that He will “deny” those who do not “confess” Him “before men.” Here’s His promise to “deny” those who refuse to “confess” Him in the presence of men:
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33
Knowing when the Iron is Hot
There’s a saying that speaks to the notion of seizing the moment (timing). The saying is “Strike while the iron’s hot.”
Before leading someone in repentance and their confession that Jesus Christ is LORD and that He rose from the dead, we must make sure the time is right. That is, that they are ready to repent and receive Jesus (John 1:12; Acts 20:21).
Discerning where a person is is important. Timing is everything as has been said.
“A wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.” Ecclesiastes 8:5
God is the only One who can save a soul and give the “increase” of salvation! And, He delights to do so. Watch here what the apostle Paul says of this:
“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9
Most of the time we are sowing the Word in the hearts of men. Sometimes, it’s time for the harvest. May our LORD grant to our heart His discernment as to whether we are sowing into that person or that God is bringing the “increase” of His salvation – or both.
As we see here in this passage above, our LORD Jesus privileges us to be used in sowing the seed of His Word into the hearts of men. Those whom the LORD has saved “are ambassadors for Christ,” they are “a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Into our now regenerated lives, “all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)
Walking in this new life and “ministry of reconciliation,” it’s important to realize that most of the time we are sowing the seed of divine truth while at other times and instances, we must be ready to pull the drowning sinner into the boat of Christ’s salvation.
I personally pray with people after communicating the law and Gospel to them to give their life to Christ when I perceive that they are:
- Convicted by the law
- Willing to repent and believe upon Christ
To the person who seems to realize that they are undone in sin before a holy God, I always ask them something like, “Are you willing to acknowledge to the LORD that you have violated God’s holy law, repent, and receive Jesus Christ today?”
Or,
“Is there any reason why you couldn’t admit to God what He already knows – that you are a sinner – and to repent and receive Christ?”
Question Received:
The “sinners’ prayer.” There are variations of it, but in a nutshell it involves confessing you are a sinner and asking for forgiveness from God. In your opinion, is this the point of salvation?
Reply:
Romans 10:9-10 … The mouth is important to God as it externalizes what’s in the heart (Matthew 12:34) and in their initial act of obedient repentance, one should with their own mouth confess Jesus Christ as their new LORD and outwardly/verbally acknowledge that He rose again from the dead. – “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. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) In coming to Christ to be saved, that soul is repenting – turning their life over to the LORD, placing their full faith in Christ, the One who died and rose again to justify them (Acts 16:31; 20:21). Yes, if a sinner prays sincerely from the heart in repentance (turning their life to God), confessing Christ as the new LORD of their lives, believing He died for them and rose again, God is going to save them right then and there. That is according to His own Word of promise – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) So, praying with a sinner who is ready to repent and put his faith in Christ, is simply facilitating them calling “upon the name of the Lord” at which point the Word of God tells us that they “shall be saved.” I have personally seen hundreds of people genuinely saved this way. That is, people who went on to bear fruit in the LORD’s kingdom, something only possible by God’s saving grace.
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“Hi brother, your posts about, not just telling people about Lord Jesus, but–*Regaining That Fervour*–to actually spend the time to try and bring people to the point of–*Surrendering Unto Christ*–has really inspired me, I actually prayed with a lady that comes to my apartment to do 1 hour of home duties, but instead, I saw–*pain & distress in her* and spent the whole hour testifying that–*Only Surrendering Unto Christ*–Can He help with the–*extreme distress in her life and actually got her to pray with me, for her to accept Christ–and she did–Hallelujah–Amen brother, amen. As you know, repentance is the must of the Gospel along with the “must” of being born again (John 3:3, 7 and Luke 13:3, 5). Unless I am missing something, repentance means coming to complete surrender of our will and lives to Christ. Acts 2:38; 3:19; 20:21, etc. God bless you brother. Thanks bro, keep up the–*Good Works For Christ*–Amen.” Paul, Australia
Easy Believism and the Sinner’s Prayer
Most who misuse or over emphasize a “sinner’s prayer” also teach the eternal security heresy. So it’s an easy in and guaranteed forever no matter how you live “salvation” which is completely foreign to Scripture.
Easy believism is a curse of the modern apostate church world to be avoided by all true disciples of Jesus. “Once saved always saved” or unconditional “eternal security” as it’s called, is another horrible and deceitful falsehood peddled by many false teachers. Most evangelicals are taught the lie that they are “once saved always saved” which is a notion that never appears verbatim or in concept in God’s Word as a doctrine taught by Christ or His holy apostles. To the contrary, Jesus and His apostles taught that the one whom Christ saves, must “endure to the end” to be saved into eternal glory or that person will lose out in the end and have a more excruciating eternal torment than the sinner who was never saved (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; 25:1-13; Luke 8:13; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39; 2 Peter 2:20-21, etc.). See the books Lie of the Ages and Soul Damning Sins.
William MacDonald apply captures this easy believism apostate phenomenon:
“We have oversimplified the gospel. The first fatal flaw is the missing emphasis on repentance. There can be no true conversion without conviction of sin…We sugar-coat the gospel when we de-emphasize man’s lost condition…It is useless to tell un-convicted sinners to believe on Jesus – that message is only for those who know they are lost. We have forgotten that the message is repentance toward God as well as faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. A second serious omission is a missing emphasis on the Lordship of Christ … A third defect in our message is our tendency to keep the terms of discipleship hidden until a decision has been made for Jesus. Our Lord never did this. The message He preached included the cross as well as the crown … We popularize the message and promise fun. The result of all this is that we have people believing without knowing what they believe (with) no doctrinal basis for their decision. They do not know the implications of commitment to Christ. They have never experienced the mysterious, miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration.” (Author’s emphasis) William MacDonald, Evangelical Dilemma, p. 4
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Abiding
The Damning Myth of Unconditional Eternal Security! [podcast]
HELL Awaits!
SO YOU THINK YOU ARE ETERNALLY SECURE? WHO TOLD YOU THAT LIE? NOT GOD!
IT SIMPLY DOESN’T MATTER HOW POPULAR A PREACHER IS – IF HE’S TEACHING SATAN’S FIRST LIE THAT CAUSED THE FALL OF THE HUMAN RACE – OSAS/ETERNAL SECURITY – HE’S A FALSE TEACHER, AN AGENT OF SATAN (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). OF COURSE he’s popular – he’s not preaching the cross but rather excuses for sin against a Holy God! RUN from that devil!
You will be safe and eternally secure when you get to Heaven, not before.
ARE YOU enduring sound doctrine today or walking in lies? (2 Timothy 4:2-4)
There are not a few but rather “MANY adversaries” – “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are MANY adversaries.” (1 Corinthians 16:9) All born again believers who are presently abiding/remaining in Christ are exclusively going to be with Christ (John 15:6). All others are destined for irrevocable damnation in hell.
OSAS/eternal security is irrefutably Satan’s first lie and anyone teaching it is an agent of Satan Himself – Genesis 2:17; 3:4.
MOST Christians have been weakened in their resolve via Satan’s first lie which is peddled today under the clichés of OSAS (once saved always saved or eternal security). This unconditional security heresy removes the holy fear of God from the hearts of those who allow it and lowers their guard, always leading to sin. This is EXACTLY what happened to Adam and Eve when this doctrine of devils was introduced to them (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).
Remember that Satan is the first one to teach this eternal security lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). Now, who’s peddling this same lie today, other than Satan’s human agents?
More proof that false prophets teach unconditional eternal security/OSAS:
“They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace (eternal security); and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil (judgment) shall come upon you.” Jeremiah 23:17
Satan and his false leaders are the only ones teaching OSAS as is clear from God’s Word (Genesis 2:17; 3:4; Jeremiah 23:17; Jude 4).
Concerning Satan’s OSAS/eternal security heresy, one sister testifies: “This doctrine almost sent me to hell, thinking I was on my way to heaven while living in sin. It’s repulsive and damning. It feeds the ego and wicked mind of man. It props him up for a great fall. It’s a deadly and hellish deception.”
The central reason people want to believe OSAS is that they simply do not want to truly repent and die to self.
Like it or not, if you are peddling Satan’s first lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4) – OSAS/eternal security – you are of him and not God. A false teacher is simply anyone who is teaching falsely.
IMAGINE THE TRUTH FOR JUST A MOMENT …..
The bowels of eternal damnation – hell – is chock full of eternally vanquished – irrevocably departed – consciously and forever suffering souls who once had the same opportunity you now temporarily have. There is no and will never be a release date from the incarceration of this righteous justice of the Almighty. Yet, even though many of those who now occupy hell got initially saved, they chose to deny Christ instead of self in their daily lives. They therefore ran out of fuel and like the 5 foolish virgins, had the door into the bridal chamber with Christ (the Bridegroom) shut on them! Read Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:1-13.
“For if AFTER they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are AGAIN entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, AFTER they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit AGAIN; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:20-22
MILLIONS now irrevocably occupy hell, horribly, consciously suffering with no end – ever. Many of these helpless tormented souls were in their earthly life saved by Christ and yet chose not to endure to the end, to abide – REMAIN – in Christ, and just as Jesus promised, were cast into the fires of eternal damnation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; John 15:6). In fact, their sufferings are even worse than if they’d never known Christ (2 Peter 2:20-22). ANY person teaching an unconditional “eternal security” is a messenger of hell! Rebuke them sharply! (Titus 1:13) If they don’t repent, run! Expose them.
“Study to shew thyself (YOURSELF) approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
These are the foolish virgins of Jesus’ parable who chose to deny Christ for the cares and riches and pleasures of this fleeting world, to think about and coddle the false god of self …. Upon awaking in their mornings, they freely chose to read the paper, check Facebook and emails, watched the news, etc. …. They freely chose not to fill their vessels with God’s Word ….. and they will never cease to suffer consciously for it….. the lake of fire lies ahead and so it’s just going to get worst! Revelation 20:11-15 … When a billion years of earth’s time have passed, not even 1 second will have expired from eternity’s time clock!!
Is it really worth it?
YOU are going to choose!
No one else can choose for you!
May the LORD Almighty figuratively dip your soul in the bowels of hell. May He shake you to the core of your being … before it’s too late!
RUN for your life from every so-called preacher who refuses to preach on the essential biblical doctrines of repentance, the daily cross, holiness, judgment to come, and hell – and the absolute necessity of enduring to the end after being saved (Jeremiah 23:17; Amos 9:10; Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Colossians 1:22-23; Hebrews 3:6m 12-14; 10:26-39; Revelation 2:26, etc.).
CHRIST said HIS work is finished, not yours (John 19:30). You are taking Christ’s words out of context. The ONE who died on the cross for your sins also commanded YOU to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him daily – and that’s what saving grace looks like (Luke 9:23-24).
“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:” Revelation 2:26
OSAS is a scam teaching. The lascivious, “once saved always saved (OSAS)” and Calvinistic devils tell others that God requires nothing at all of them after He saves them. But that is clearly a false gospel, another gospel, and they are “accursed” for preaching it (Galatians 1:6-9). Ridiculous. In His Word the LORD gives us initial and ongoing personal responsibilities which if not met, one loses out (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; 25:1-13, etc.). Jesus commanded those He saves to “abide” – to remain in Him to the end or perish (John 15:1-6).
“If a man abide (remain) not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (hell).” John 15:6
Many do not recognize that in Scripture there is
1. initial salvation and,
2. final salvation.
False teachers will tell you that you only need to get saved initially. Yet the Bible teaches initial and final salvation. Jesus told His own that only those among them who “endure to the end” will be saved into eternal glory (final salvation).
“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:10-13
False teachers teach that just because you’ve been initially saved, you are now judgment proof! This is exactly what the false leaders of Israel taught. They refuse to call people to true repentance and personal holiness and promise eternal life/security/peace to those living in sin (2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 5:25-27; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
Were the Gentile believers judgment proof?
“Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:20-22
Did the apostle Paul believe he was judgment proof?
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:27
There is no guarantee of unconditional eternal security given in God’s Word and in fact many clear truths which reveal one can “fall away” after being saved (Luke 8:13) or be “cut off” (Romans 11:20-22), or cast into the fires of hell if the believer doesn’t abide/remain in Christ (John 15:6).
“I have not yet figured out how anyone can preach the true Gospel without including the fact of hell that we are saved to escape! In this positive think world, hell has become a `negative` and thus avoided. But it is still a fact that has to be preached, to warn others not to go there.” Shirley Moose Filer
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Eternal Security/OSAS | Accounted Worthy to Escape [podcast] | Eternal Security Exposed | Sealed? | The Return of Christ | Support | Lie of the Ages [podcast] | 10 Questions about Eternal Security | Is Salvation Eternal? | The Damning Myth of Unconditional Eternal Security [podcast] | The Essential of Fearing God | The KING is Coming [podcast] | Lie of the Ages (Blockbuster book exposing OSAS and calvinism)
More on Hell here | OSAS/Eternal Security Exposed
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Apostasy
Penknife Sacrilege [podcast]
When Bible Burning Backfires [podcast]
Bible Burners in the Modern Church World: Butchering the Word of God for Self-Serving Purposes
(excerpt from the book LIE of the Ages)
Forsaking the Full-Counsel of God
“And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire (this is what is happening today in our churches) that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid (no fear of God), nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.” Jeremiah 36:23-24
- “Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife” – like Jehudi, many today only read till they see something they don’t like in God’s Word.
- “until all the roll was consumed in the fire” – one either receives God’s Word as a whole or he rejects it all.
- “they were not afraid” – “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:18) Rebels reject God’s Word with impunity and “judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life.” (Acts 13:46)
At this dark time in the history of Israel, the Scriptures had been lost and out of circulation among the people of God. Then they were found and read before the king, king Jehoiakim (the son of Josiah) and his servants. As a result, conviction of sin came and certain parts of God’s Word were rejected and thrown into the fire to be vanished out of their presence. Read Jeremiah 36.
This is a fascinating occurrence captured in Jeremiah 36 that is transpiring today in full scale, perpetrated by false leaders (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
Satan was the original corrupter of God’s words and is behind all such rebellion in our day (Genesis 3:1, 4, etc.).
Be careful of those who carefully select Bible verses/promises while intentionally dodging the “hard truths” found throughout Holy Scripture. Such a person who siphons selectively is a wolf. Such a manipulator is positioning you in order to deceive you and to perpetrate their own self-serving purpose, not God’s (Philippians 3:18-19). For example: People know Jeremiah 29:11 but not v. 13 … or Luke 9:23-24…. amazing deception! Share this!
2 PARTIES GUILTY HERE: Just as it was in the days of the prophet Jeremiah, so today, many “kings,” that is, those in spiritual authority, and “servants” who claim to follow Christ, are allowing the Word of God to be diminished, distorted, damaged, denied, disdained, desecrated and dodged. Many of our leaders and those they lead are spiritual swine who refuse to “rend their hearts” in repentance of this travesty and trampling of that which is holy (Joel 2:13; Matt. 7:6). Instead of acknowledging and embracing the whole of the Word of God as we have been so privileged to have received, like the king of Judah in Jeremiah’s day, some are cutting out and denying those parts of Scripture which don’t line up with their denominational tradition. These deceitful workers refuse to lay down their lives and call upon the LORD to circumcise their hearts. They refuse to mortify the sins of the flesh in the fear of God. Those listening will never know what is being intentionally avoided and left out of their messages – unless they embark upon the blessed adventure of learning and knowing intimately the Holy Scriptures (Jer. 23:18; Jn. 5:39; 2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Pet. 2:2).
Jeremiah 36 summated: In this chapter we read how Jehoiakim king of Judah, burned the scroll where the Word of the LORD was written. Then God pronounced judgment on him (Jeremiah 36:29-31). You can burn God’s Word – ignore it, butcher it, read a fake version of it, etc. – yet that doesn’t change one iota the impending doom coming on those who refuse to obey Him (John 8:47). Denying, ignoring, evading, or destroying a Bible changes nothing – other than the wrath coming on those who do so (Proverbs 30:5-6; Jeremiah 36:29-31; Revelation 22:18-19).
Of this magnificently revealing Bible chapter, F.B. Meyer wrote:
“These written words had been directly given from God, Jeremiah 36:18. The fast was instituted to seek divine help in the approaching conflict with Nebuchadnezzar. But of what good is a fast while the evils of apostasy and disobedience are unredressed? It was against these that Jeremiah protested; and his words were read to a vast concourse of people by Baruch his faithful friend. It was the month of December, and the royal chamber was warmed by a brazier of burning charcoal. As Jehudi read, the godless king cut the roll with a penknife and consigned it to the fire. All down the ages false priests have dealt thus with the Word that condemned them. But a sailor does not escape shipwreck by destroying the chart which indicates the rocks on which he is drifting. God’s words are eternal, though the material on which they are written may perish. He who rejects God’s truth does so at his peril, while God hides His faithful servants in the secret of His presence, secure from the attacks of enemies.”
The tragedy is that many of those claiming to be the “servants” of the LORD, namely those who are not in the pulpits, refuse to discern and raise the red flag in protest of “another gospel” being preached (2 Corinthians 11:1-4; Galatians 1:6-9). Not only do they not object to falsehood by raising biblically-based questions, they financially support and promote these false teachings and teachers by attending churches that pick and choose what they will and will not acknowledge from God’s Word. The LORD holds us accountable for such (Isaiah 5:20-24). Believers are never to bid God speed (endorse or condone in any way) to any form of false gospel nor person peddling such (2 John 10-11).
“If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 10-11
As it was in Jeremiah’s day, so it is today. There are those who will stand against the deceptions which are causing many to fall and leading millions astray. There is no doubt that eternal Hell is full of those who were (like the “kingdom of heaven” which Jesus likened to five wise and five foolish virgins – Matthew 25) once truly saved and did not endure to the end of their lives trusting and obeying the LORD with all their hearts, but rather allowed their heart lamps to run low and ultimately leak out the oil of His presence that was once there (Matthew 25:1-13). This was a parable of warning from our LORD Jesus. These foolish virgin believers did not pursue depth of relationship with Christ – they weren’t “planted by the rivers of water” (Psalm 1:3). The five foolish virgins had “received Christ Jesus the LORD” and yet did not continue to walk in Him nor did they choose to become “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith” (Col. 2:6-7). These who counted other things more important than their relationship with the Bridegroom, didn’t choose to endure persecutions and various sufferings associated with the true Christian life and allow Him to “perfect (mature), stablish, strengthen, settle” them in His grace (1 Peter 5:10). They didn’t stay in intimate communion with the LORD they were espoused to but rather took the path of least resistance and lived according to the flesh, breaking their engagement with the Bridegroom (Jeremiah. 3:8; Amos 6:1, 9:10; Luke 12:35-40; 21:34-36; Revelation 3:15-16, etc.).
Being Planted and Flourishing
It takes a whole Bible to make a whole, a complete disciple and Church!
Healthy fruitfulness is the sign of life and nourishment. As the roots of a tree go down into the earth, absorbing vital nutrients for healthy fruit-bearing and growth, so the believer who roots himself in the King and His kingdom, receives nourishment and grows and prospers. He grows and becomes stronger and stronger (Psalms 84:7). The LORD promised us that we would “flourish in the courts of our God,” “bring forth fruit,” and not grow faint and weary if we remained in the heart posture of hungering and thirsting after His righteousness and “planted in the house of the LORD” (92:13). See also Matthew 5:6; Luke 18:1; Galatians 6:9 and Hebrews 6:11-12.
“Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To show that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Psalms 92:13-15
May the Lord be praised for those who are calling leaders to repentance for their doctrinal atrocities, for purposely avoiding hard truths in order to grow their own church businesses. The Almighty sees all and for this evil He will judge:
“Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them. 26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take (capture, incarcerate) Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.” Jeremiah 36:25-26
God hid His faithful servants then and does so today. The only safety is to be in the pure truth of God.
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield (protector) unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6
These men (Elnathan, Delaiah, Gemariah) feared God, not man . They boldly beseeched the king not to cut out any part of the words of God – never to alter God’s word (Revelation 22:18-19). Are we beseeching leaders not to ignore any part of God’s Word? Are we cutting out, denying or dodging any truth we read in the Scriptures? Are you pandering to, using, and/or defending Satan’s corrupt version of God’s pure Word? Are we willing to elevate the LORD and His Word above all else and confront leaders for their refusal to teach His full-counsel from His preserved Word? (Psalms 12:6-7)
Of this incident, Adam Clarke wrote:
“Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah – Three of the princes wished to save the roll, and entreated the king that it might not be burnt. They would have saved it out of the fire, but the king would not permit it to be done.”
Does this incident not align with today’s purists, who seek to get God’s people back to His pure Word, the King James Bible? Yet many deceived souls battle to defend the enemy’s corrupt “bibles.”
“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:10-11
Note here that these “more noble” disciples of Christ refused to simply believe everything Paul the apostle stated before they personally verified such in the Scriptures. They put everything he said to the acid test of Holy Scripture – “they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They were being wise instead of naive like many today who are quite frankly overtly gullible. These Berean believers took and compared Paul’s doctrine to the Scriptures to see if the apostle’s message was from God’s Word.
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” Psalms 138:2
No leader alive today possesses more kingdom authority than the apostle Paul did. And yet, the Christians at Berea acid-tested what Paul stated against God’s Word to see if it were true or if it were false. They magnified the Word of God above any man’s teachings – “yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
As you can see from this account in Jeremiah 36, selective penknife sacrilege is no new thing. In fact, it started in the Garden when Satan added one word to God’s Word/statement concerning sin (Genesis 2:17; 3:4). Adding to or taking away from God’s Word brings the ultimate death sentence (Revelation 22:18-19).
Is this not exactly what we are warned about in the very end of the Bible?
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19
More penknife sacrilege or taking away of God’s Word: The NIV removes 64,000 words from God’s Word. This is due to the fact that it is taken from the diabolically corrupted (few) manuscripts as are all new versions. See Bible Versions page on this site.
The believers living in the city of Berea are a glorious example of what the LORD desires in all of us – a noble heart that believes nothing unless they dig it out of His Word for themselves! Saint, consider making Acts 17:10-11 your focal text this week. Memorize it. Meditate upon it. Highlight, underline, and cross-reference this vital passage with other like verses. Pour over this text until it begins to take root in your understanding.
Some who claim Christ as Savior do not want all of God’s Word, only those parts which coincide with the lifestyle they are living. Many would rather buy into doctrines foreign to Scripture, teachings which do not demand death to the self-life. They migrate to teachings which place their lives at ease and do not call for repentance from sin. These teachings pander and grant license to those who do not possess the love of the truth. The uncircumcised heart chooses to please its own evil desires instead of honoring the LORD and His Word. We must delight in and endure sound, full-counsel Bible doctrine and love the change the Potter will bring as we allow Him to pour the water of His Spirit upon our hearts, making them pliable putty in His holy hands (Jeremiah 18:6).
Those who have been schooled in the “once saved always saved” message will have a decision to make after reading the myriad of irrefutable Scriptures in this volume, Lie of the Ages. The OSAS adherent will be faced with the decision of whom to trust – his favorite pastor, doctrine, denomination, or God. Divine wisdom instructs us in this way:
“Let God be true and every man a liar.” Romans 3:4
“There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against (equal to) the Lord.” Proverbs 21:30
“For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalms 119:89
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
If you are ready and willing to embrace the purity and fullness of God’s truth and relinquish this ungodly, anti-biblical, unholy, license-to-sin teaching from your life, from a humble heart, repeat the following prayer aloud and from your heart:
Dear Father in Heaven, I truly love You. Thank You for finding and saving me through the blood of Your Son and for continually leading me into all truth about Yourself. Thank You kindly for all the grace and mercy you have shown me. I hereby repent of and denounce the unconditional eternal security lie and all its effects upon my life and those around me. Please forgive me for ever buying into this lie. I begin now to embrace the truth of Your Word, Your full-counsel. Please forgive me for believing this falsehood which is not taught in Your Word. Help me to discern truth from error. Restore to me the fear of the LORD. Father, please teach me Your ways and Your wisdom in all things pertaining to Your kingdom as I seek Your holy face and study Your words. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
There is virtually no end to the Bible truth that can be unearthed and studied to expose this lie of the ages as diabolical in origin and intent. Our Great Shepherd informed us that the enemy, the father of lies, has come to steal, kill and to destroy (John 8:44; 10:10).
The Word of God is absent of any such teaching as an unconditional eternal security. This teaching is no where to be found in Holy Writ except as the message of Satan and the false shepherds. In light of this, may God bless us to study what He has given us in His Word and apprehend His mind. May He grant us to have no other agenda but to know Him and His truth and to forsake all we have previously espoused which does not align with His Word.
Suggestions:
1. Get a King James Bible (accept no substitute – see BIBLE VERSIONS button on this ministry site).
2. Get up early and embark upon seeking the LORD’s face in Bible study and prayer communion.
3. Fast and pray regularly, pouring over Isaiah 58.
PRAYER: LORD, please make my heart tender with Your grace. I choose to magnify Your Word above the counsel of all others! Forgive my sin of ever dodging or ignoring anything from Your Word. From this moment forward, I count Your holy truth above the words of any and all mere men. Cleanse me with Your blood and Word, for my allegiance and loyalty is to You Jesus. I embrace the fullness of Thy counsel and despise all that does not align. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
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Abiding
“Cup Runneth Over” Heavenly Evangelism [podcast]
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you RICHLY (abundantly) in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16
WHEN our LORD’s Word is running rich in your spirit via daily deposits, it’s going to overflow from your life—a crucified life that’s truly anointed, filled with His Holy Ghost and Word, a “vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
“If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21
Beloved of God, we don’t even have to try in our flesh to do ministry.
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; MY CUP RUNNETH OVER.” Psalms 23:5
When we are so full and overflowing with His grace and glory via fellowship with our Savior, it’s going to pour out of our lives and it’s going to be flowing from Him—“a pure river of water of life.”
WHEN we are full of Jesus, we’re going to exude and to speak Jesus. His love is going to overflow onto others (Psalms 23:5)!
“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1
As we drink from His heavenly water daily, He’s going to guide our steps—right into divine appointments He alone could have orchestrated!
“Mark 16:15-16. This is a call to action. To step beyond our comfort levels. Not hide in the apostate churches but to go out into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Key word is go!” Karen Cochran
Yes, and one doesn’t even need to schedule special times. If we are seeking God, as His very temples, our lives are brimming over with His power, grace, and love! It WILL happen.
“A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary.” Jeremiah 17:12
As the divine virtue of Jesus Christ flows into His children …. it’s then Him living in and through them.
“If we intimately know Jesus we share him through our daily lives, our conduct, and by the words of our mouth through proclaiming His Word. If we only know of Jesus, we usually point people to a church in hopes that this will absolve us of our sin of unbelief. The latter: if we remain in this state, it will result in hearing the most fearful words of all, ‘Depart from me, I know not whence you are’ (Luke 13:27). Be the church! Be the living Gospel and not the withered branches of dead religion. ‘Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually’ (1 Chronicles 16:11).” Jon Crane
“The Lukewarm Christian vs the Christian of whom Jesus is their first love: The Lukewarm only care about self. That’s why they don’t share the Gospel. They are in churches that tell them how great they are and tickle their ears. They refuse to lay down their lives and follow Christ who said, ‘Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it’ (Matthew 7: 13-14).” Karen Cochran
“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” Acts 17:28
Recently someone wrote the following:
“The average professing Christian attending church sings over 500 songs and hymns, listens to over 200 ‘Bible’ messages every year and does not share the Gospel with even 1 person.”
“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.” Luke 12:8-9
IF my life didn’t have enough of Jesus in it to obediently spill over onto others, I’d be deeply concerned for my eternal soul. The vessels, the lamps of the Heaven-ready wife virgins are filled daily by personal communion with Christ and the Father—His Word and prayer, praise, and fellowship (Matthew 25:1-13).
“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;” Psalms 107:2
Is Jesus Your “First Love” Today?
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4-5
If you are not on fire for Jesus today, all you have so far is dead religion.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. … 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:6, 16
The light of Jesus in you is going to shine brighter and brighter through your life as you hunger and thirst for more of Him, crying out with John the Baptist – “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).
As long as you are putting logs on the fire, you are going to burn bright for Jesus!
When you cease putting logs on the fire, when you slack at stacking logs on that love fire for and with Jesus, your light is going to dim.
“They shall be filled” – JESUS fills no one who chooses not to hunger and thirst after more of Him (Matthew 5:6).
ALL not hungering and thirsting for more of Jesus have rejected His Lordship in their personal lives.
“There is a glow and a spiritual fragrance about the life of a person who is Spirit filled that is unlike anything found in natural man. The beauty of divine holiness ought to be radiated from all Christians. It is always seen in the lives of those who are truly controlled by the Spirit.” G. Christian Weiss, Insights into Bible Times and Customs
To overflow with the love, the joy of Jesus, you must first be filled with Him, His holy presence – and that’s only given to those who are hungering and thirsting after Him (Psalms 23:5).
May the LORD, as we make Him our Shepherd, cause His river, the bless-ed oil of His holy presence, run over, overflow from our lives onto the lives of others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
YOUR PRAYER: Holy Father, I come to You in repentance—for all my sins, including foolishly attempting to do things my way instead of Yours. In this I have committed the sins of idolatry, unbelief, pride, and rebellion. Please wash me clean in Thy precious blood dear LORD Jesus. Now, please begin Your deep work of cleansing this vessel of every stitch and tainting that defiles me in Your holy eyes. Here and now I submit my spirit, this whole being into Your holy hands and care dear LORD. In Jesus’ name. I am all Yours my dear LORD Jesus.
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