New guy in our church and he likes to do evangelism and wants to go with me. I do not like his tracts and think that the Bridge Tract and any from that ministry lead people to easy believism. He also uses the sinners prayer and is no Calvinist. Can I work with him? As long as we both can respect one another yes. I could also work with Jordan if he respected my bible translation and Calvinism.
How should I go about this? I bought him some million dollar bills and a Comfort book and will encourage him to read. Comfort is zealous for souls but not dogmatic for Calvinism but he is one.
No Lordship Salvation, and REPENTANCE and the Holiness of God are not emphasized well. So yes a tract without Lordship salvation is "easy-believism." I am not saying the tract is heresy as I have used it a few times, but I would not buy this tract.
1. "Lordship Salvation" is not salvation at all. It is erroneous and a false view of what salvation is.
2. Paul said "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."
--He did not emphasize repentance. Often those that emphasize repentance either: believe in the error of Lordship Salvation, or the other extreme of easy believism.
Repentance, as in "repent of all your sins" would be a "works salvation," not salvation by grace through faith. Over-emphasis on repentance is a dangerous road to go.
evangelist, I probably shouldn't ask this. But seriously,why on earth do you always seem to needlessly making your life more complicated than it needs to be? :laugh:
I read the tract and really liked it. I thought it was one of the best tracts I've ever seen. I do like Ray Comfort as well. I've used both methods (with a different tract other than the Bridge tract) I've never heard Comfort discuss Calvinist leanings. I'd like to read what he says about it.
Gotta love how you don't mention any scripture to back up your claims, but rather, point people to another person's books. Let me point you to some books that prove the perpetual virginity of Mary, the book says its true, so it must be.
So you really don't respect his beliefs and materials. So don't partner with him. If you can only partner with those who believe what you believe or defer to your beliefs, you do both of you a disservice to start any type of partnership.
You realize that not everyone agrees with the theology of "Lordship Salvation," especially the notion of Lordship Salvation espoused by MacArthur. I've done some study of it, and it appears to swing very nearly to salvation by works. Paul, writing in Romans, acknowledges that faith can exist separate from works. James states that while faith can exist without works, it is more easily shown through works, which tells me works are an offshoot of faith.
MacArthur's notion of Lordship Salvation seems to make the way we live essential to our condition as either saved or lost. He even wrote "Submission to the will of God, to Christ’s lordship, and to the guiding of the Spirit is an essential, not an optional, part of saving faith." That is, from the best I can tell, an admission by MacArthur that he holds to salvation by works, but I will admit that even his position on LS is not free of contradictory statements.
That is, at least, "submission to the will of God, to Christ's Lordship, and to the guiding of the Spirit."
I don't completely agree with the whole Lordship salvation concept, but if the only choices were the "salvation without evidence of a change in one's life" position (the so-called "grace" position) or the Lordship position described by MacArthur, I'd say MacArthur is more correct.
But salvation is not something that we possess, eternal life and transformation into the character of Jesus is something that happens as a result of discipleship - of giving one's life over to Christ and following Him. There is no salvation outside of discipleship to Christ.
Jesus does not let go of those who entrust themselves to Him.
I will work this evangelist as long as we both can respect each other. I do not think his tracts are heresy I just in general will not use them. The bridge is good for one on one chats with souls as long as I modify it a little to emphasize repentance and submission to lordship. Luke 13:3.