I read this article recently online from Baptist press. 562 baptisms in a parking lot? The dilution of true Christianity is in full swing! The rise of spurious conversions are astounding. My questions to the ministry are:
- "What are the fruits of such converts?"
- "What is the attendance of the church services on Wednesday night prayer meeting?"
- "How about the Sunday School attendance or soul winning nights?"
My questions are not in regard to the number of people getting baptized. My question is more pinpointed, "How many are true conversions to our Lord Jesus Christ?"
In the late 80's, I went to a pastor's school at a famous fundamental Baptist church in the mid-west. It was my first time there and, as an observer, I did not like what I saw. The pastor had over 300 of the bus kids parade across the stage in demonstration of the "conversions" from the previous Sunday. "How many of these do you think are real?" asked the pastor. "Even if 10% were real, I still had more than you had!" he bragged. A bible verse entered my mind. Matthew 23:15: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."
Twofold the children of hell- that was my immediate thought. 10% saved? That's 30 real conversions, hypothetically. 270 only think they're saved and will rest in a false profession for years, possibly never experiencing true repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. 270 will go to their death with a false hope in Christianity. You read it right. Christianity does not save. Baptism does not save. Church membership does not save. Salvation is in a person. His Name is Jesus Christ. Without a personal appropriation of the shed blood of Jesus Christ for my sins, I am as hopeless as a Hindu. One preacher called this "easy prayer-ism." It is the modern equivalent to the Galatians controversy-preaching another Gospel. They are converting souls to Christianity, not to Christ. They are trying to force conversions as a rabid fundamentalists. This is no different than Mohammedanism or Romanism. It is as damning as childhood conversions. How many do you know who made a profession of faith at three-years-old and who cling to that profession all their lives? The testimony usually goes like this:
"I made a profession at 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 , grew up in the church, then I got away from God in my teen years. I lived a wild life until I was 19 or 20 or 30 , then I "re-dedicated" my life to Christ."
Where is that found in the Bible? John the Baptist told those coming to his baptism, "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance." The Pharisees in Jesus day gave tithes and prayed and went to temple. In reference to these hypocrites, Jesus asked His disciples, "What do ye more than others?" I heard of a man that adamantly claims to be a Christian. He makes his claim to Christianity as a result of a profession of faith he made over fifteen years ago. He has a date and time to prove it. He became a Christian and embraced "Christianity." He is cantankerous and mean. He has a bad testimony in the workplace and now his family is laying in ruins. Is this man saved? Maybe he just needs to re-dedicate his life to Jesus? I trow not.
The proof of the Christian life is Christian fruit. Is Christ living in you, producing the fruit only He can bring forth? Does the Spirit of God live in you? Are you sure you are saved? Do you read the Bible daily? Do you have a consistent prayer life? If I asked your wife or husband or mother or father, brother, sister, co-worker, or your boss if they thought you were a Christian, what would they answer? If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Christianity is more than creed and catechism. It is living daily by the Saviour's side. It is Christ living in me and me living for Christ.
We need converts to Christ, not to Christianity.
In the late 80's, I went to a pastor's school at a famous fundamental Baptist church in the mid-west. It was my first time there and, as an observer, I did not like what I saw. The pastor had over 300 of the bus kids parade across the stage in demonstration of the "conversions" from the previous Sunday. "How many of these do you think are real?" asked the pastor. "Even if 10% were real, I still had more than you had!" he bragged. A bible verse entered my mind. Matthew 23:15: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."
Twofold the children of hell- that was my immediate thought. 10% saved? That's 30 real conversions, hypothetically. 270 only think they're saved and will rest in a false profession for years, possibly never experiencing true repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. 270 will go to their death with a false hope in Christianity. You read it right. Christianity does not save. Baptism does not save. Church membership does not save. Salvation is in a person. His Name is Jesus Christ. Without a personal appropriation of the shed blood of Jesus Christ for my sins, I am as hopeless as a Hindu. One preacher called this "easy prayer-ism." It is the modern equivalent to the Galatians controversy-preaching another Gospel. They are converting souls to Christianity, not to Christ. They are trying to force conversions as a rabid fundamentalists. This is no different than Mohammedanism or Romanism. It is as damning as childhood conversions. How many do you know who made a profession of faith at three-years-old and who cling to that profession all their lives? The testimony usually goes like this:
"I made a profession at 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 , grew up in the church, then I got away from God in my teen years. I lived a wild life until I was 19 or 20 or 30 , then I "re-dedicated" my life to Christ."
Where is that found in the Bible? John the Baptist told those coming to his baptism, "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance." The Pharisees in Jesus day gave tithes and prayed and went to temple. In reference to these hypocrites, Jesus asked His disciples, "What do ye more than others?" I heard of a man that adamantly claims to be a Christian. He makes his claim to Christianity as a result of a profession of faith he made over fifteen years ago. He has a date and time to prove it. He became a Christian and embraced "Christianity." He is cantankerous and mean. He has a bad testimony in the workplace and now his family is laying in ruins. Is this man saved? Maybe he just needs to re-dedicate his life to Jesus? I trow not.
The proof of the Christian life is Christian fruit. Is Christ living in you, producing the fruit only He can bring forth? Does the Spirit of God live in you? Are you sure you are saved? Do you read the Bible daily? Do you have a consistent prayer life? If I asked your wife or husband or mother or father, brother, sister, co-worker, or your boss if they thought you were a Christian, what would they answer? If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Christianity is more than creed and catechism. It is living daily by the Saviour's side. It is Christ living in me and me living for Christ.
We need converts to Christ, not to Christianity.
2 comments:
Amen!! I did a post on my blog today of Religion Or Relationship...Which Do You Have? Abigail told me about your blog and the post you put up today and suggested I come and read it. What a great post!! It saddens my heart so much to get church letters from a IFB church up the road from us that is always stating how many they had saved last month. It is always this high number yet when you drive by their church during service times their parking lot is only half full...and we're not talking a large church either.
My husband is pastor of our church and we are not getting a lot of people coming into the church nor are we getting many people on soul-winning who will admit they are lost. They are "saved" and content sitting at home to "worship" with some so-called preacher on tv. It breaks my heart!! The sad thing is that some other person from some other church probably came and knocked on their door and led them in a sinner's prayer and pronounced them saved and so they "think" they are okay now. I had that happen to me before I got born-again..so I know it happens.
Thank you for your blog. I will be back. I'd like to add you to my list of links if that is alright with you.
God bless you!!
Bro Randy found your blog at Mrs Julies all I can say is Amen Amen Amen to your post. I have recently became a Pastor in Florida, and All through my life I have seen what you are talking about. I still believe in a change life once someone gets saved. I thank God that he rescued me out of Christianity and showed me Christ is who I needed at 17 years old.
Bro Tim
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