Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers

I believe one of the most intimidating things for some Christians to do is to share their faith with someone. Not just share their faith, but to be able to explain to an unsaved person how to be saved. The Bible gives us clear instructions on this.

1 Peter 3:15 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear."


There are two types of people who are the most difficult to reach for salvation.... those that think they are too far gone to be saved and those who think they are so good that they don't need to be saved. The latter group is far more prevalent and far more difficult to convert due to pride.

The first group is easy to deal with. Jesus died for the sins of the entire world. Romans 10:13 states

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Whosoever means anybody at any time. No one can slip so far down that Jesus will not save them. A person may slip so far down that they will be at such a hard-hearted state that they will not seek the Lord, but Jesus rejects no one who comes to Him. This one simple verse settles the argument that anyone is beyond salvation.

The tough nuts to crack are the self proclaimed "Good People". The problem is that there are no "Good People" apart from the saving grace of God. The Bible says in Romans 3:10 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."

The reason is that the only way we can obtain righteousness is to have it imputed to us. Impute simply means to assign to someone or put it on their account. The NIV uses the word "credited". The next time you are shopping, don't say charge it, say impute it. (or better yet pay with cash).

We can not earn this righteousness by anything we could do ourselves. This goes all the way back to Abraham. He was called Abram at the time.

"Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

The Bible clearly teaches that belief (complete trust and confidence in God) is the only path to righteousness. Paul addresses this in Romans 10:3

"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

Jesus addresses similar people in Matthew 7:22-23

"22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

These people casted out devils, prophesied or preached in Jesus' name and did many wonderful works all in the name of Jesus. However, they did not trust what Jesus did on the cross for them. This is why Jesus said "I NEVER knew you". He did not say, I once knew you but now I lost you, for that would be impossible. These people were trusting in their own brand of righteousness instead of trusting on the righteousness which is imputed based on faith in Jesus. In fact, Jesus called their righteousness as iniquity.

Many people will end up in Hell with a laundry list of good works to their name, but they will be lacking the one thing that could save them... that being trust in Jesus Christ alone.

There is no "step by step" plan, per se, to lead someone to Christ. However, every point on this checklist (with the scripture verses to back it up) needs to be included in your discussion with a lost person. (or a "good" person who doesn't think he or she is lost, but really is.... sadly, this could and does include many church members)


I. STEPS IN LEADING A SOUL TO CHRIST

A. Establish the fact that all men are sinners.
(Romans 3:10; 3:23; Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9; James 2:10)

B. Establish the fact that the penalty of sin is death.
(Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:20)

C. Establish the fact that you must be perfect to enter heaven.
(Revelation 21:27; Habakkuk 1:13; Psalm 5:4)

D. Establish the fact that a person can do nothing of themselves to obtain this perfection.
(Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16; Romans 4:5)

E. Show how God provided a sin-bearer (Jesus) & credits to man His righteousness.
(II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9; Isaiah 53:6; I Peter 3:18)

F. Establish the fact that man needs only belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior for salvation.
(John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10; John 1:12; Acts 16:31)

G. Establish the fact that man can be certain of his salvation now, and that his salvation cannot be lost because eternal life is eternal.
(John 6:37-39; 10:28; I Peter 1:5; Hebrews 10:10-14; I John 5:13)


Everyone will have their own style of explaining the salvation process to a lost person but these are great guidelines to use. For a Reader's Digest version just think of it like this:


1) We are sinners and our sin has separated us from God
2) The penalty for this sin and separation is eternal damnation in hell
3) In order to enter Heaven, we must be perfect
4) We can not achieve this perfection by any form of good works of our own
5) Jesus (by his death, burial and resurrection) has made a way for us to exchange our sin for His righteousness so that in the eyes of God we are perfect
6) The way we obtain this righteousness is by trusting in Jesus' work on the cross alone and not by trusting in any works of our own
7) Once we have trusted Christ, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit as a child of God forever and we can never lose this relationship. We can lose fellowship with God and the joy of our salvation (see David's words in Psalm 51 about restoring the "joy of his salvation, not restoring his salvation"), but not our salvation itself because it is not based on our actions, but by our belief.

Judas "Not A" Priest

I was in the public library today perusing through the "Christian" book section and was appalled at what I found. As hard as it is for me to believe, I actually found 3 books on the subject of "The Gospel Of Judas". Really???? One of the books even had the sub title of "The Story of the Misunderstood Disciple and His Lost Gospel". (Emphasis mine) Judas was not "misunderstood", he was evil, plain and simple. Any good work he did was for his own gain and notoriety.

Let's look at why Judas could never have written a "Gospel". I am not saying he didn't write "something", it just wasn't God inspired. First of all, a Gospel would be scripture. As the Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is inspired by God (more specifically the Holy Spirit) so that would disqualify Judas' so called Gospel right there. The Bible is also called "perfect" (James 1:25). The Biblical definition for perfect is "complete". Thus, if what Judas wrote was really a "Gospel" then it would have been canonized in the Bible or else the Bible would not be complete as written. We know Judas did not have the Holy Spirit in him because Jesus said that He knew from the beginning who it was who did not believe (John 6:64). We know from the Bible that the only way the Holy Spirit comes to someone is after they have believed. (Acts 10:44)

We need to be very careful of falling into the curiosity trap of wanting to read pieces of literary crap like these Judas books. Paul said in Galatians 1:8&9 that if anyone preaches another Gospel other than what he preached, they were to be accursed. And what was the Gospel that Paul preached but the TRUE Gospel found in 1 Cor 15:3-4. But we should not be surprised that many people want to read these type of books. The Bible speaks about this in 2 Timothy 4:2-5 that in the latter days people will not care for the sound doctrine of the Bible but with itchy ears gladly listen to what interests them and their imagination.

2 Timothy 4:2-4
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

Sadly, many in the modern churches fall into the itching ears category and believe whatever some preacher tells them. I don't want anyone to believe what I write in this blog because I write it. I want people to verify what I say is based on the Bible and then believe it because the Bible said it.

I would also caution anyone about reading (and believing) these books about people who claim to have been to Heaven or Hell and back. I assure you based on the Word of God, NO ONE who has gone to Hell (or Hades) has ever come back. Just look at the account of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man found no escape once he got there. He was not even able to warn his family. Many have called this a "parable" but Jesus never did. This was an historical event, not a parable. For one thing, Jesus always used the word parable when he told one and for another thing, Jesus never mentioned anyone specific by name in His parables, yet He mentions Lazarus by name. So take it to the bank, this was an actual historical event. (See Luke 16:19-31)

As for Heaven, the Apostle Paul was actually given a thorn in the flesh to humble him so he would not reveal what he saw when received an out of body glimpse of Heaven. In fact, Paul even said he heard things that it is unlawful to be repeated. (See 2 Cor 12:2-9) God made sure he wouldn't utter them by giving him that thorn in the flesh. No one is quite sure what this actually was... speculation is an eye disease but that is only speculation.

We should just keep things simple. Whether it is our personal reading or a small group study, the BEST book to use as the topic of study is The Bible. (what a novel approach that would be).

Invite Jesus Into Your Heart..... Really???????

This morning as I was getting ready for work, this phrase was running through my mind and the more it did, the more it bothered me. In fact, I got so worked up about it, I was going to use this Blog page to blast this false message. However, in perusing the Internet, I found someone who did as good of a job, if not better, of discussing this than I could have (but I will add my 2 cents in first).

Before you think I am off of my rocker and think I have turned Anti-Christian, continue reading for an explanation and hopefully you will see why I am so worked up about this. I hear it over and over again said by ministers (many of them well meaning) that all you have to do is "ask Jesus into your heart". There is a major problem with that, it is not found in the Bible. Salvation comes from obeying or believing The Gospel. And what is the Gospel? For that, we need only turn to 1 Cor 15 verses 3&4.

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."

That's it. That is the Gospel. Nothing more, nothing less. My eyes play tricks on me sometime but I do not see any mention of "asking Jesus into my heart" in these verses.
Any other presentation of the Gospel that does not include this is false. Those who preach a different Gospel are to be accursed according to Galatians 1:6-9. Let's look at this closer.

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."

Paul was so adamant about it, he repeated himself in verses 8&9 to make sure everyone got the point.

Lets read on. The Philippian jailor asked the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts 16:29-31

"Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... how come Paul didn't tell the jailer to invite Jesus into his heart? Isn't that what we are supposed to do?

************NEWSFLASH*********

Jesus is not in my heart, your heart or anyone else's heart. He is at the right hand of God the Father until His enemies are made His footstool. If you are saved (a BIG if) then it is the Holy Spirit that en dwells you (lives in your heart if you will)

John 14:16 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever."


Here is the article I was referring to earlier written by Carol Brooks. I don't think she would mind me copying it here. The web site is www.inplainsite.org and I encourage everyone to check it out. There are lots of good articles and resources there.


Why NOT To Ask Jesus Into Your Heart

Carol Brooks.



Also See Is The Sinner’s Prayer Effective?

The most fundamental, vital question that anyone can ask is what must I do to be saved?...the answer to which is perhaps the most crucial point of the whole New Testament. Yet there are no end of well meaning Christians who, in answer to that life and death question, will inform you that You have to ask Jesus into your heart. In fact you will find this phrase liberally sprinkled through the Christian world... it is found in Christian tracts, preached from pulpits and taught by evangelists. While it is undoubtedly well meaning and well intended, the questions to be asked are… Is it Biblically accurate or just a confusing cliché? Is it (like the prayer of salvation) a magic key into the kingdom or meaningless jargon that is based on emotions with little understanding of what is really involved in salvation. Is someone who has simply asked Jesus into their heart saved? Or does the whole issue boil down to a matter of mere semantics?

Here are some of the reasons never to use this man-made phrase.


It Is Very Confusing
Although the expression is common enough, I am still unsure of what it is supposed to mean even after close to twenty years of being a Christian. If I am still puzzled by this cliché, I can only imagine the effect it has on a non-Christian adult, leave alone a child… any child.

can only imagine what a non believer must think when exhorted to ask Jesus into their hearts?.. How does it work? Is it literal or is this some kind of metaphysical/ supernatural experience? Is it symbolic? If so.. What is it supposed to mean and what is it supposed to do? The confusion is completely understandable considering no good clarification of this phrase actually exists. Is it any wonder that so often presented with completely meaningless phrases that communicate nothing intelligible, much of the world dismisses us as a credulous superstitious bunch?

The confusion can only be intensified with children who think in very literal terms and who probably imagine a literal Jesus literally living inside their hearts. Lower ventricle anyone?

Bob Wilkin testifies of the far reaching implications this inaccuracy can have ..

"Years later I was teaching an evangelism course at a Bible College in East Texas. I had my students write out their testimonies after I had explained what I have recounted above. I found that quite a few of the students went through years of confusion because someone told them as children that if they asked Jesus into their hearts they would be saved. They wondered if they had done it right. They wondered if they had been sincere enough. So they asked Him in over and over again for years. They couldn’t gain assurance. Finally someone shared with them that to be saved they had to trust in Christ alone. Only then, by their own testimony, did they come to faith in Christ. Years of inviting Him into their lives had only confused and frustrated them."
[Bob Wilkin. Don't Ask]

But worse…


It is NOT found anywhere in the Bible.
If you had never read a Christian book or tract, talked to another Christian or ever attended a Christian service or evangelistic crusade, but had simply read the Bible from cover to cover half a dozen times, you would never have known that you had to ask Jesus into your heart to be saved.

Why?

Because it simply isn’t there.

The book of Acts tells us of the spread of the very early church and exactly how and what people did to be saved and become Christians. Yet there is not one single instance of anyone asking Jesus into their heart. Jesus never said it, the apostles never said it. In fact, nowhere in the Scriptures is there even one example of any individuals ever asking Jesus into their heart. So if it is never found in the Bible, why use it? Especially when the Bible is very clear about how to be saved.


It Is Not How One Is Saved.
When the Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas the million dollar question, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?", note that they did not tell him to Ask Jesus into his heart.. Nor did they tell him to recite the sinners prayer, read the Four Spiritual Laws nor any of the other contrivances we have since invented. Their answer was simple and concise… "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house." (Acts 16:30-31)

Here are a few examples of what the Bible unambiguously teaches [All Emphasis Added]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. (John 8:24)


It Bypasses A True Understanding Of The Gospel.
The biggest problem is not that we may phrase something a little differently, but that this ill-defined cliché, whatever it may mean, misses the point entirely. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done to save lost sinners from the just penalty of their sins. That God releases us from the demands of eternal justice on the basis that someone else paid our fine.

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ [Romans 5:1]

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of god: not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

God has also instructed believers to proclaim the Gospel to others…

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.[Mark 16:15]

and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [Luke 24:47]

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. [2 Corinthians 5:19]

…and obscuring the primary issue is not how to do so. Anyone one, young or old, can ask Jesus into their hearts without the faintest idea that salvation is by God’s grace, based solely on Christ’s death on the cross and that it is received through faith in Christ alone. They could ask Jesus into their hearts without any knowledge of the person, work, and accomplishment of the Lord Jesus Christ, or the need to trust in and follow Him.

How exactly then can this popular phrase be construed as the Gospel? When speaking to a non believer the only issue is sin and the need for forgiveness… “Repent” and “believe” are the Biblical instructions given to any non converted person.

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, " Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [Matthew 4:17]

and saying, " The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." [Mark 1:15]

"I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. [Luke 13:3]

"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." [Luke 5:32]

[Perhaps the best way to realize someone’s understanding of the Gospel message is by asking them the simple question.. "If you were to die tonight and God were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' What would you say?". The answer to that question will tell you whether they are on track or not]


It Puts The Results Of Salvation Ahead of Salvation Itself.

The Bible tells us that on the day of Pentecost, Peter told the crowd to…

"Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [Acts 2:38]

Note that the Holy Sprit came to those who had already repented. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the result of repenting and believing.

Other verses reiterate the message ..[All Emphasis Added]

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." [John 1:12]

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. [Galatians 4:6]

Therefore according to the Bible the Spirit of Jesus comes into your heart because you are already a son through repentance and belief. Telling an unconverted person to ask Jesus into their hearts is not only putting the cart before the horse, but is little more than an empty platitude.

Furthermore the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit indwells and seals every believer at the point of salvation, when they believed… an automatic process that follows on the heels of repentance and faith.

In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise [Ephesians 1:13-14]


It Could Create a False Assurance of Salvation
It is to be again emphasized that there is NO instance of anyone in Scripture being saved by asking Jesus into their hearts. It is not possible for anyone to be saved by this fallacy.

However it is completely plausible that someone may fully understand the Gospel and trust Jesus as their Saviour when they ask Him into their hearts, in which case there is little doubt that they are saved in spite of this confusing cliché. But they are saved because they have been reconciled to God through their faith in Christ, not by asking Jesus into their heart. However there is still no excuse for Biblical inaccuracy.

But the other side of the coin is very worrisome.. that someone may NOT have a clear view of the Gospel and may not be trusting Jesus’ work on the cross for their salvation. That they may not know Christ died for them, but are relying on an ambiguous, imprecise instruction to save them for all eternity.

"In inviting men and women to come to Christ, we must invite them to do what the Scriptures ask them to do trust Christ to get them to heaven. We must make that clear. And to be clear, we must avoid misleading and confusing phrases. Invitations such as… "give your life to Jesus," "pray to receive Christ," and "invite Jesus into your heart," are not only not used in Scripture but can result in a person's trusting in a prayer or depending on something he or she did instead of trusting Jesus Christ and what He did” [Larry Moyer, Free and Clear. p. 42].

While asking Jesus into your heart may be an expression of the Biblical repentance and faith, it certainly is not synonymous with faith in Christ. The two may go hand in hand but are not interchangeable.


THE OBJECTIONS

It Can Not Be That Bad If So Many People Use It
If the accuracy of what we believe is determined by sheer numbers we would all be Catholics or Muslims. The issue is not how many people or even which people believe a certain thing, but whether it Biblical or not. And in this case the burning question is whether this phrase accurately communicates the truth of Scripture.


Don’t Romans 10:9 And Revelation 3:20 Support Asking Jesus Into Ones Heart?

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. (Romans 10:9)

Behold , I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Revelation 3:20: Read the verse again and tell me where you find ask, Jesus, and your heart in it? In fact Revelation 3:20 does not even deal with personal salvation. The context is a letter from Jesus to the church of Laodicea, within the larger context of the seven letters written to seven real churches that existed at the time. The church of Laodicea was a particularly well to do church, but their material prosperity had somehow caused them to believe that they were spiritually rich as well. Jesus was warning them that He was still ‘outside’ of their church.

Using Revelation 3:20 to support this cliché is superimposing a meaning on the text that simply does not exist.

Incidentally Revelation was the last book of the Bible to be written and was not available to any of the earliest Christians. Apparently they did quite well without the benefit of sharing this verse.

Romans 10:9 Unlike Revelation 3:20, at least the context of this verse does deal with personal salvation and is addressed primarily to the Jews who believed in God, but who fell short of believing that God raised Jesus from the dead, which is the cornerstone of salvation..

“believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead”

simply says that if a person sincerely and truly believe this, so that the external profession of faith corresponds with the real, internal feelings.. the person shall be saved.


Isn't This All Simply A Matter Of Semantics?"
The single most consequential decision a person will make is to determine where they will spend eternity..

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

Yet, when it comes to pointing a person towards eternal salvation we tolerate biblical inaccuracy and doctrinal fuzziness, yet in matter of considerably less importance we demand extreme accuracy and exact wording.

As has been shown above… trusting in Jesus Christ alone and asking Jesus into your heart are not necessarily saying the same thing.

Even believers in other religion may be willing to ask Jesus into their hearts as many of them believe that He was a very wise man and a great teacher. However trusting in Jesus alone for your salvation involves a basic understanding of the Gospel and that Jesus died for your sins. It involves believing He is the only way to salvation and forsaking all other ‘gods’ and following Him come what may.

Those who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible ought especially to be concerned with accuracy in communicating the truth. Words are the means God chose to tell us the good news, and words are the means we employ to explain the Gospel to others. Therefore “a correct choice of words is important, even essential, in stating the Gospel well." [Charles Ryrie. So Great Salvation. p. 24]

Is Gospel clarity really that big of a deal? Yes, it certainly is according to Paul …

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Gal. 1:8-9)

There is an interesting verse in 1 Corinthians, which, although directly referring to the interpretation of tongues, is perfectly illustrative of the principle…

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? (1 Corinthians 14:8)

The battle is on for the souls of men and if the trumpet sound is garbled and not understood by the army, the soldiers cannot know what is required of them.

Do you?