Chapter 8 False Evangelism
"Ye shall not surely die ... ye shall be as gods." (Gen. 3:4,5) These words that Satan uttered must be viewed as the beginning of the devil's movement toward the fulfillment of the mystery of iniquity (H Thes. 2:7), Satan's master plan to counterfeit and overthrow God's mystery of godliness (I Tim. 3:16).
Satan's aspirations are shown in Isa. 14:14: "I will be like the most High." His plan of operation basically contains two elements: the relegation of God, and the deification of man. Satan's elevation of man is but a means to his desired end. Understanding man's desire for self-exaltation, we can rec ognize the genius behind this method. The flesh is a true ally in Satan's war against God.
Satan has never changed his basic tactics. The heresies and problems that have dogged the Church and the individual Christian all have the same basic root. First, some portion or portions of the Word of God are denied. This then begins man's elevation and can only result in a relegation of God to less than Deity even though a lip service to His Deity can be maintained.
It is easy to understand how unregenerate man would be in league with Satan in his master plan. However, it is unprecedented that even redeemed man would constantly fall for Satan's devices, for the devil's tactics are so blatant and unchanging. It is indeed a painful task to uncover the cancers of our Christian society, practices that so tragically undermine the person and work of our God. Yet, it is hoped and prayed that an honest look at these will cause some to align their lives in a more practical obedience to God's plain commands.
It would seem needless to start with the truths surrounding salvation, for those who are saved by grace should utterly despise any inkling that salvation was earned or merited. However, both by catering to the innate desire of the flesh to reserve only a very small part of salvation as their own doing, and in rank compromise with counterfeit systems of salvation, many of the Lord's people are prostituting His truth and harboring satanic philosophies in their theology of salvation.
At times, terms and expressions are used which, when truly analyzed, dishonor God even though their use is not intended to malign Him. Sometimes, we feel that certain expressions must be used to make the message understandable to children. This can start a child with an ill-conceived thought of God and may be of one reason why child conversions that are not a product of the Christian home often do not remain after parental disapproval has been exercised. Rather than hide behind pious platitudes and kidding ourselves by saying that all the children who "made decisions" in our meetings will eventually come out for the Lord, let us rather face the facts. The number of sticking child conversions is in direct ratio to the number we can get into Bible believing churches. If all the children who responded to our invitation were truly saved, they would be saved not if their parents cooperated, or if we followed them up diligently. They would be saved by the power of God.
Perhaps we would do well to examine some of the portrayals we make concerning salvation and honestly see if they fit into the scriptural pattern.
It must be understood that the salvation which the Son of God purchased for us with His precious blood is an infinite salvation. To begin with less of a foundation is to portray a "christ" who is not God, and therefore who cannot save. The outstanding quality of infinity is that nothing can be added to it; so, even the slightest hint of human contribution is repugnant to the true understanding of salvation. If even a small human work could possibly be added, the work of Christ would not be infinite. Any concept of human cooperation as an ingredient of salvation destroys the truth of an Infinite Christ. Biblical phraseology that defines human responsibility can only be understood as a response to God's message of salvation, not "the only thing man has to do to be saved."
Children are often told to "give your heart to Jesus." This is doubly worthless; in the first place, there is no ability in the human framework to do anything to effect salvation; we are incapable of performing the work that secures our salvation. The second problem is that people, no matter how young they are, should never be taught that there is anything in their heart that would please Him. My heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, and I could not think of a more wretched gift to give to the Lord of Glory.
" Let Jesus come into your heart" may sound a bit better, but it is no wonder that folks schooled in this idiom seldom come to a full realization of the Lordship of Christ. Their very salvation was, in their mind, effected because they condescendingly allowed Jesus Christ, the Creator of the Universe, to act in His sovereign Saviourhood.
One popular concept is to "make a commitment to Christ." This suggests that we are making a pledge to Him. I can scarcely think of a less safe ground for salvation. My salvation is secure because of His pledge to me.
It is sometimes heard that someone didn't become a Christian because he was "unwilling to pay the price." The Bible teaches that the price has been paid in full by the Lord Jesus Christ. (Peter 1: 1 8,19)
One big problem is that some Bible students have rebelled against the propagation of a "do-it- yourself' salvation with any contribution being made by man toward salvation by espousing a hyper- Calvinistic position that gives them no responsibility to preach the glorious Gospel message to all, as they believe God can save whom He will. God, however, has plainly willed that salvation should come in response to the preaching of the Gospel, and He has always given man opportunity to respond. First, God calls.
Then man respond (see Genesis 3:9,10). Man's response to the wooing of the Holy Spirit is not a work, for, when He convicts and testifies of Jesus, a response is mandated. God Himself gave man the capacity to respond, and now He is forcing that response. He, in his Sovereignty, also gave man a free will which means that man can respond for or against. But by believing in human responsibility and human response, we do not for one moment trespass upon the Divine premise, as ably stated by "St." Patrick, "Salvation is of Christ the Lord."
While belief, faith, and trust are scriptural concepts, their only validity comes from their object not their subject. We must be careful that, in order to make our message seem understandable, we do not sacrifice scriptural concepts regarding the completeness of His work for us by allowing ideas of human worth or participation to be infiltrated into His plan of salvation.