Lifeway Tract on Salvation--right or wrong?

Maybe it's a cultural thing--different strokes for different people. Sometimes (or centuries) it's appropriate, other times not.

Who in Mr. Dod's version of church history was getting the job done for all those centuries prior to the Great Awakening? Does (did) he recommend their methods?

Post-apostolic church history is a multi-edged sword. Who believed in eternal security before the Reformation? Who was the first one to interpret the water in John 3 as something other than baptism? Who taught congregationalism? Other than Tertullian (and that for suspect reasons), who opposed infant baptism?

I'm a fan of neither Finney nor of the altar call, but I cannot totally agree with the opinion that the altar call is a methodological heresy based on a theological heresy. Some of the greatest conversions happened just that way.

Obviously it could be abused.

 

A prayer is an imperative of entreaty. A whole lot different than a 1,2,3 pray after me and you are in heaven nonsense.

Some have actually prayed the prayer many times. Did they get saved many times too.

Jesus never prayed to his disciples when he told them, "Come follow me."

When people came to Jesus requesting what they needed to do to be saved, when did he ever tell them to pray a prayer? </font>[/QUOTE]I don't think you are understanding me. If you have read this whole thread you know that I do not believe that a prayer saves anyone. What I believe the Bible teaches is that a prayer can show faith.

When I deal with a soul about salvation I sometimes do not have them pray. When I do have them pray, I make sure they understand that it is not a prayer that saves, but the faith of the heart.

As for people coming to Jesus asking what to do to be saved, my very point is that the request for information in itself is a prayer. Then we have the pleas to Jesus to be saved, such as the "Remember me" of the thief on the cross or the humble tax collector who prayed, "God be merciful to me a sinner." Do you really think God said, "Nope, these guys don't have it right. They are praying for salvation. Can't save 'em!" Granted, the prayer must be what the sinner trusts in for salvation. But I think it very strange to say the lost sinner must never pray to the Lord asking for salvation.

The Apostle Peter did not take it that way on the day of Pentecost when he quoted Joel and said that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21). It is perfectly all right to call upon God for salvation. The call itself does not save, but it is a prayer He will answer.

 

This has nothing to do with the subject at hand. We pray to God, not man, as we all know. Jesus is God, so when the disciples asked Him for things they were praying. The disciples were mere men, so no one on the BB thinks Jesus prayed to them.

As for myself, I see people praying to the souls of men all the time here in Japan because of their ancestor worship. I would be the last on the BB to say that Jesus requesting something from his disciples is prayer.

 

check out the rest of the tract at http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/etc/printer-friendly.asp?ID=509

what say ye?

blessings,
Ken </font>[/QUOTE]Perhaps this should be for a new thread, since it is a different subject than the OP?

 

actually, it seemed to me to fit right in... it {the other tract) deals with the idea of decisional regeneration, saying the "sinner's prayer", signing a card, walking down an aisle etc

blessings,
Ken

 

But the quote given from the tract is about the "altar call," which is not a tract thing.

 

But the quote given from the tract is about the "altar call," which is not a tract thing. </font>[/QUOTE]lol... the tract is named "Decisional Regeneration", thus it is not about altar calls alone, but about the whole modern phenomenon of "praying the sinners prayer", "walking the aisle" under emotional duress, psychological manipulation etc the article I am referring to says

overall, I'd say that the article/tract deals fairly closely with the OP's subject....

blessings,
Ken