When a Christian invitation fails to be what it is claimed!

We get a number of different invitations or calls to become a disciple of our Lord in the pages of scriptures such as: 'come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest....' (Mat. 11:28); or  'who ever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.... ' (Luke 14: 27); or even 'if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink....' (Jn. 7:38). Now these are all powerful invitations; and have several common realities about what it is putting forth which we will come to in a moment. 

In a recent issue of  heart (a Christian News outlet); they had this little add which was supposed to be evangelistic in nature-- but in reality did not give the gospel at all. It only was presented as such. but failed in its operation. Let consider three areas which need to be considered with some depth right now.

A not so defined position 

I ask a simple question: how would you describe what it means to be a Christian? Obviously there are multiple correct answers such a "a Son, a disciple, a student, a theologian, a servant, one of the elect, a regenerate person," and the list could go on. However, in its infinite wisdom this New Paper printed the following description:

Being a Christian is about a relationship with Jesus Christ, the only Son of the living God, who died in our place, to pay the price for our sin. 

Now do you notice the issue? Well, let me spell it out because it could easily go unnoticed because of some true statements. It is the very first words "being a Christian is about a relationship..."  Our problem is with this undefined term: relationship. What kind of relationship are we being introduced too here? Perhaps it is an unkempt one such as a romance; or could it be that of a judge; or perhaps it is based on a law or government. For all these are various kinds of relationships. 

Even Satan and unbelievers have relationship to God and Christ as creator and judge. So this idea is not helpful. And here is why this is the case? The bible does not speak of an undefined relationship but a very specific one which can be seen under several terms: Saviour; Redeemer; Messiah. But there is one which is spoken in far more contexts and that is of Master and Slave. Let us see just one:

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. (Romans 6:15-22)

Hopefully it has become even more clear: the Christ relationship is one of Master (Christ) and slave (the Christian). And it is as we read literally hundreds of times; the apostle call themselves slaves; they call us slaves as well as we saw last week on this blog under the title "The Lordship of Christ; and the submission of His slaves."  And what will Christ say to us on the last day: "well done, good and faithful servant"  no-- it is slave (duolos).  That is right! well done, good and faithful slave (Matt 25: 21; 23)

 A misdirected Caricature

Now let us come to the single most deadly statement-- one which has been at the heart most evangelist campaigns for many years. And it is something which has been stated in other forms such as the one you find the "purpose Driven Life." But here it is in its most basic form. We read the following:

I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal saviour.

What could wrong with such a statement? Well, for the first thing it has no biblical warrant.  You do not invite Him into your heart and life in any way; shape or form. He is the one who accepts you because of a great and glorious work in your heart and soul called regeneration; and because He came into the world and give up his life in order that you would set from your slavery to sin. And for another thing what we are dealing with a twisting of scriptures-- there is one place where this kind of statement can be seen but not in these exact words. In Revelation 3 we are told: 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me (vs. 20; read from 14-22)

Do you see the issue? We are not dealing with a method for evangelism; but rather, what we are dealing with is a judgement text. The message is a simple one: these people are already believers who have got to the lukewarm position concerning their faith; they once were full of passion but it has now start to dwindle. In other words, these are burnouts. Now why is Christ knocking on the door? It is a simply thing:  they are now in the position where lack Christ presence in their church; and are being judged for it. 

 An unbeliever saying these words will only result in further rejection because his heart is not redeemed and He is not right with God. His or her heart is dead in sin; and needs to be made a new. I would recommend that the following words from Paul to the Ephesians be read and thought through:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (vs. 4-7)

 It is not the sinner who does this in His own stead; but it is God who alone brings the sinner under conviction and then works in his heart and soul in order for him to turn from His sin and turn to Christ in Faith.

 A prayer that is no prayer

It is important that we take note of this "prayer" that is offered as something that non-Christian can pray for themselves.  It needs to be said that it can and does take different forms but the essential thrust happens to be identical. Let us consider the form, in which this New Paper, takes for a moment-- below that is a picture of it:

There are a number of problems that need to be raised from this picture:

First,  the whole prayer is designed to produce a response from anyone who steps forward; and it may not be the true or even correct response because it has been manipulated. Think for a moment: you go to a church were there less and ideal preaching being put out; and on the basis of that they do what is called alter-calls which asking people who have been effected to step forward in faith. And yet, there is no clear message of what they need to know about the faith; or what they must do. 

Second, we have the undefined terms such as "sinner" and "forgiveness" which tells us that they do not have a full grasp on the issue that are concerned. What makes one a sinner? Why does one need to be forgiven?   Next, to this we have this statement: "I am willing to turn away from my sin."   Why is this necessary? Where is it twin element? Biblically speaking we are dealing with the act of repentance; and of course, it is not merely turn away from it. It involve an on going hatred of sin.

Third, while this may not be an immediate thing to be raised; it nonetheless, hold an important place in this matter: why is there nothing about the role of the Spirit in this action? It is only because he has convicted a person of their sin that they would immediately seek sanctuary from it in Christ Jesus. But on top of this fact, is that the Spirits work includes the penetrating and searching reality of God's truth (the scriptures). It is strange that this is not recognised in this Prayer and yet it is in almost every prayer that has been uttered. 

Fourth, we have much unappreciated reality of the work of salvation: One only comes to Christ because God has first chosen; called; regenerated such an individual. Yet this is somehow an absentee from this prayer.