Is the "altar call" Biblical?

I know this wasn't directed at me, but thanks for saying this. We let God do the work, and stay out of His business when He is dealing with a sinner's heart!! I want to see sinners saved as much, if not more than, the next CHRISTian, but I want people to leave them in God's hands, and not theirs!!

 

Well, Brother, I can't speak for others, but this is how it was with me. When God began drawing me, I had a desire to go to church, to be with His people, to hear the old songs of Zion, to hear the preaching, the shouting that went on when God moved amongst His children, etc. I knew they had something I didn't, and that if God would bless the preaching, I knew they would tell me what I must do to be saved!! I knew I couldn't save myself, but that through the Holy Ghost, the preachers could tell me what I must do in order to be saved. When I turned it all over to Him, He came in, bound up the strong man, cast him out, and spoiled his goods!! I haven't been the same since!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

Didn't say that, no did I ever imply this. The church is for the sheep, but also a place for the lambs that may be bleating around the fold!! The church is a place to worship our Creator and Saviour, but it is also a "light house" for the wayward ships that may be looking for the "safe haven" on the shore.

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

Well, Brother, I don't think I am tossing the baby out with the dirty bath water, but this is how the "altar calls" get carried out in our neck of the woods. The problem is this; men want to take the glory from God, instead of placing it where it belongs, to Him above!! I have heard many say, "We saved 25 people during our revival", or "I used this verse as I led them to the Lord", etc. YECK!!! If man leads you anywhere, it would be to hell. The best we can do is give them the words whereby they can be saved, but the saving, the leading, all belongs in God's hands and not in ours. We have never saved one soul, we have never led one soul to God etc. This is plain sickening how man wants to take credit in this. I pray that God will draw people to Him, and leave it at that. I will not mingle in His business. Just step back, and let Him do His business!! He knows how to save!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

No, but we all celebrate when someone finds salvation, and I know they celebrate in Heaven too.

I have never heard ANYONE say "we saved" or "I led" - it has always been "25 people got saved" or "this verse was used as they came forward to seek the answers"

Because the Holy Spirit does it all, we only obey if we are part of it, NONE of it is our doing.

Debbie Mc

 

I had a CD of a preacher, Pastor David Crowe, and the title of that sermon was "I'm tired of being a molehill christian". In this sermon, he stated that he had a Gideon pocket bible, that he used Romans 10:9-10 as "he led them to the Lord!!" YECK!!! I have heard people state this, and that we saved "X" amount of people at our revival, etc.....this stuff is just plain sickening!!

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

Certainly man does not take credit for saving a soul, but don't you believe that we labor together with God? You seem to be disregarding the benefits of planting seeds and in that light (just stepping back) it does sound like throwing out the baby. For one to take joy in planting a seed does not equate into denying that God gave the increase.

1Co 3:5-9
(5) Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
(6) I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
(7) So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
(8) Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
(9) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

 

Yes, we plant, but GOD GIVES THE INCREASE for sure. Nobody gets saved through what I am or do...but if I pray and God gives me the right things to say, maybe, just maybe......!!! :applause:

 

I agree Bro. Benjamin that we labor together with God. But, look closely @ verse (7) in the passage you used here. Those who plant and water are nothing, but God gives the increase. Sure, we are God's mouthpiece that proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but before we can proclaim it, we have to been "touched" from on high by God!! So, sure He uses us to preach His word, but He preaches through the preacher. We work with God, but He ultimately is the One who saves. Maybe its not like this in your areas, Bro. Benjamin and Sis. Debbie, but men around here seem to seek praise of man when someone gets saved.

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

Wow.

Willis'd really get the willies reading James 5.

Or I Timothy 4.

 

James 5
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

 

Jam. 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Look, I know that we are God's instruments He uses to draw people to Him; I am not denying it. But unless God is drawing the one we are talking to, it goes in one ear and out the other. Salvation is solely left to Him, and not man. We can only do so much in the salvation process, and that is "give them the words whereby they must be saved."

i am I AM's!!

Willis

 

Amen:thumbs::thumbs:

 

Except that the unregenerate are neither sheep nor lambs.

Where does the Bible tell us that we're supposed to accomodate the unsaved in our worship services?

 

We are all sheep gone astray......

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God....

 

salvation is of the Lord not man

Amen Willis! Not to make what you said any better I just want to add a few more scriptures in support. Yes the preacher man is under obligation to preach the Gospel and be an instrument of the Lord but he better not glory in it:

(1Co 9:16) For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!


(Eze 34:2) Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?


Salvation is of the Lord not man

(Jon 2:9) But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

(Psa 3:8) Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

(Psa 37:39) But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

(Psa 37:40) And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Man should never take credit for God's work.

Peace and prayers

Jeff

 

I don't fully agree.

 

No, it says we are all like sheep gone astray. The Bible never describes the unregenerate as sheep. It describes them as goats.

Great verse, but completely irrelevant to the question I asked you. Where does the Bible ever say that church is for the unsaved?