“We have reduced Him to a poor puny Savior who needs us to accept HIM?”
I’m not too sure that Mr Platt is preaching a theological treatise rather a message to those who use this style of contemporary evangelism.
I was ‘born again’ in a Christian revival Crusade… and went from there to the AOG. I have raised my hand, repented, recommitted my life, been down to the front and accepted Christ as my Saviour more times that I can count on two hands and feet. And none of it was necessary. I was caught up in playing the game of church Christian but I was living in the fullness of the Lordship of Christ. I was a baby Christian, lapping up milk instead of growing and moving on to solid food.
Altar calls where the continuous call is, “Are you willing to commit your life to following Jesus?” or “Are you willing to allow Jesus Christ to take over as King and ruler of your life?”
What is really being said is “Accept Christ…receive Christ…make a decision for Christ.”
Where does it say in Scripture that a Christian is to make Christ Lord? When did accepting Christ become an evangelistic message?
Christ does indeed call us. But from my perusal over Scripture, He calls the one who is already a believer.There are calls to discipleship, calls to death, calls to sacrifice, calls to laying down one’s life, calls to obedience, calls to submission and so on…
“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as… what… Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”
Romans 10: 9
You saw Jeanne get me started. What is thIs? A wind Ganeida up vendetta? lol
I have major issues with: the *sinner’s prayer*; lack of discipleship in churches; baby mush served constantly instead of solid food; going round in circles instead of growing up in Christ. Mind you, I fail at all of the above at least some of the time but the idea is to grow. I worry if that stops happening.
will have to look at the sermon later though. Wednesday’ is choir day & I have invoices to send out first. ☺
He-hee, I think we share a very similar understanding of theology, Geneida. 😉
Do take a minute to watch the 2min video… really, it says it all and I not have added my 2c worth. I tried to show restraint, which I think you can tell. But the video by itself is a nugget.
Have you read any of Dorothy L Sayers? The woman should have been a preacher but she said the same thing over 50 years ago. This is her understanding of who Christ is too ~ I am following your lead & being restrained. ;P
Hehee, you don’t have to follow my lead. Go Ganeida, follow your conscience! LOL
Part of me wants to read more from D. Sayers but after reading her work on Classical Education I just struggle with her.
We love him, because he first loved us!
:Them he also called, them he also justified them he will also glorify! (Rom 8
I also prayed a prayer and accepted Jesus in an AOG. I wasn’t there long and I soon came to realise that indeed God had called me by his Spirit and not vice versa, however, I do believe I became aware of my sin and need of a Saviour at that time and that my journey in sactification began then.
I agree Ruby! Despite my man commitments and re-commitments and being slain in the spirit countless times, I don’t doubt for one second that God was working on my life and drawing me to Himself. Bottom line – it’s all about Him and not me. 🙂
Well, I just wanted to say, good ole AOG, I also became a Christian at an AOG church in India many moons ago:)
Wow really? So cool! I believe there isn’t a strong Christian presence in India… or am I wrong, Rosemary?
I didn’t ever ‘become’ a Christian. My spirit was rooted in Him from my very first existence, and I have never uprooted that but allowed it grow nourished by Him. To grow like that, sheltered and richly fed on the Word all my life, is THE GREATEST GIFT a Christian home can give. It doesn’t stop bad things happening, but it does shield the heart and soul of the child who chooses to stay within the safety of His hedge of protection.
Sometimes -maybe often – that can lead to complacency and pride. A lack of understanding of how great is the reliance we have on Christ for nourishment and protection. Just how can we comprehend our need if every need is met?
I think for myself it is still a growing realisation of just how great my need is. I think I learn my lessons the gentle way – by observing the suffering of others. The more I read, the more I hear, the more I watch, the more I personally observe others – the more I see the stark reality of life outside God’s hedge.
Now the trick is to transfer that back on to myself: If I – I! secure me, safely tucked in him – if I were torn out of his hand by my own wilfulness, then everything I see and hear could be me also.
To remain on guard against the little foxes, the weeds sown while I am not watching, the lies and twistings of truth that constantly seek to lure me into danger – that is the hardest.
Particularly in this ever so comfortable ‘blessed’ country where we dont have to sacrifice comfort to have faith….
I said: “Sometimes -maybe often – that can lead to complacency and pride. A lack of understanding of how great is the reliance we have on Christ for nourishment and protection. Just how can we comprehend our need if every need is met?”
Just wanted to add – maybe this is why churches who predominantly rely on biological growth end up not seeing the need of unhedged persons to have a definite transition date. And conversely, why churches which have a huge ‘new to faith’ contact don’t understand how a person can grow up nurtured in Christ all their life, never having rebelled against it.
Perhaps both need to start highlighting our need, and say less about our ‘decision’….. Once we know our need, the choice becomes obvious.
Yes Jess – Amen! Either way, it’s all about Him. He does the calling, the drawing, the softening of our heart, the teaching, etc.
My children have grown up in this family- they have always been my children but our relationship has grown, developed, matured more since it has been a two-way communication street. But they have always known me and been my children. I wonder if God’s family is like that too… for those that have grown up in the faith. Some people don’t understand it (as you wrote) but it’s like our human family. Isn’t it?
So where does that leave us with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper? Who is it for? A means of grace for whom? Should babies/children born into a Christian home be taking part – just like in the Exodus….
We have always gone with our conscience on that one… and actually so have our children. We always allowed our children to partake in the Lord’s Supper. However, we also taught them what it was all about from an early age.
When a child turned from the Lord, they also chose not to partake. It’s a natural part of the life of a believer, so why wouldn’t a child? Then again, the denominations we’ve been a part of haven’t had a teaching against this so for us, it hasn’t been an issue.