Bait and Switch Salvation
I wonder sometimes if Christians sit in church and listen to a sermon about totally committing one's life to Christ in service or sacrifice and think, "did I sign up for this?"
How many people come to Christ, pray the prayer, and wonder if there was a bait and switch going on?
What am I getting at? I am getting at soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, and more specifically, how we present the salvation experience, or conversion, to people. "Ask Jesus into your heart," "Admit, believe, confess," "Pray this prayer" and you will be saved.
There is, of course, no way that a person before conversion can really understand the full ramifications of their decision, but for it to be a real decision, they need more information than they are usually getting. The Bible does not prescribe any prayers or confessions to become a Christian--it's an individual matter with the core of confession of Jesus as Lord (Romans 10), trust in him to the extent one does and can understand his sacrifice, and a sense of need and sinfulness. But no set of words to say. How many people have struggled with assurance because they didn't say the right words (which don't exist?)
But the Bible does make it clear that the step toward Christ will mean radical change in life and departing from one's sin. New Testament folks understood this clearly, and sometimes walked away.
On the other hand, some preachers put burdens that are too heavy to bear on their listeners for the sake of rhetorical flourish. However, I wonder how many people hear they are supposed to tithe and think "I didn't know this when I walked in the door?"
The solution: better evangelism, better discipleship, better public relations in terms of letting others know what following Christ means, not that it means belonging to a church that has a Starbucks and a playground for the children.
How many people come to Christ, pray the prayer, and wonder if there was a bait and switch going on?
What am I getting at? I am getting at soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, and more specifically, how we present the salvation experience, or conversion, to people. "Ask Jesus into your heart," "Admit, believe, confess," "Pray this prayer" and you will be saved.
There is, of course, no way that a person before conversion can really understand the full ramifications of their decision, but for it to be a real decision, they need more information than they are usually getting. The Bible does not prescribe any prayers or confessions to become a Christian--it's an individual matter with the core of confession of Jesus as Lord (Romans 10), trust in him to the extent one does and can understand his sacrifice, and a sense of need and sinfulness. But no set of words to say. How many people have struggled with assurance because they didn't say the right words (which don't exist?)
But the Bible does make it clear that the step toward Christ will mean radical change in life and departing from one's sin. New Testament folks understood this clearly, and sometimes walked away.
On the other hand, some preachers put burdens that are too heavy to bear on their listeners for the sake of rhetorical flourish. However, I wonder how many people hear they are supposed to tithe and think "I didn't know this when I walked in the door?"
The solution: better evangelism, better discipleship, better public relations in terms of letting others know what following Christ means, not that it means belonging to a church that has a Starbucks and a playground for the children.
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