SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : Ask Jesus into your heart?

Print Thread (PDF)

Goto page ( Previous Page 1 | 2 | 3 )
PosterThread
Lovefirst
Member



Joined: 2011/4/2
Posts: 103
Lake Charles, LA

 Re:

Quote:
What they are over complicating it



Indeed

Quote:
“God help me to change as I am fed up being like this”



In this statement to God, you have a revelation that He is the one to change you.

Maybe it is true, one can say anything? while the Spirit of God is on them however the chances are they will say something which makes sense of the encounter with the Holy Spirit?


_________________
Bryan Reed

 2012/5/5 9:21Profile
pilgrim777
Member



Joined: 2011/9/30
Posts: 1211


 Re:

Approved and Colin, hit it on the nail.

Krispy says before Christ, we are dead. Yes, that is true. We are dead spiritually, but not volitionally. And thought our mind is darkened, we still think and choose and receive.
We make choices everyday when we are without Christ. And we choose to receive what we understand, everyday, and many times what we don't understand (powers of darkness suggesting to our mind).

Now, it is the Spirit of God that illuminates our understanding and those of you who were dead in your sins, received some kind of understanding from the Lord and you CHOSE to RECEIVE Him.

And the scriptures are true which Approved gave.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

God's Word ignites faith.

How will they hear, if someone does not tell them. Paul is talking to men.

And it is a simple thing (Colin explained by his testimony) to receive Jesus once you are confronted with the truth about your condition and who your Savior is. Those of us not raised in Church did not know anything about Christ except we needed Him and He was the answer to our lostness. But, we did not have to take a class for several weeks, because God illuminated our mind just enough to help us make a decision. With this knowledge, we were able to CHOOSE and RECEIVE Him. He drew us to Himself, and He does this in countless ways.

Pilgrim

 2012/5/5 10:08Profile
RobertW
Member



Joined: 2004/2/12
Posts: 4636
St. Joseph, Missouri

 Re:

Although I do not agree with the formula practice, the scriptural basis for asking Jesus into the heart, etc. is found in a couple places:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev. 3:20)

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (Luke 12;36)

A.T. Robertson has this note: "I will come in to him" (eiseleusomai). Future middle of eiserchomai. See Mark 15:43; Acts 11:3 for eiserchomai pros, to go into a man’s house. Cf. John 14:23. Will sup (deipnēsō). Future active of deipneō, old verb, from deipnon (supper), as in Luke 17:8. Fellowship in the Messianic kingdom (Luke 22:30; Mark 14:25; Matt. 26:29). Purely metaphorical, as is plain from 1 Cor. 6:13.

The basis for 'receiving Jesus Christ' is found simply in John 1:11-13:

He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Marvin Vincent has this comment: received (ἔλαβον). The simple verb of the compound παρέλαβον in ver. 11. The meaning of the two verbs is substantially the same (so Alford, De Wette, and apparently Meyer), though some recognize a difference, as Milligan and Moulton, who render παρέλαβον accepted, and ἔλαβον received, and say that “the former lays emphasis upon the will that consented (or refused) to receive, while the latter brings before us the possession gained: so that the full meaning is, As many as by accepting Him, received Him.” For the use of the simple verb, see 5:43; 13:20; 19:6. (end of note)

The practice of calling folks to 'receive Christ', 'accept Christ'. or 'ask Jesus into the Heart', is the outworking of Finney's new measures as I described in my earlier post in the link. Those that have followed in this pattern over the last 180 years usually do not know that this is a relatively new practice. It is what they were taught or in many cases how they came to Christ. Finney forced a decision because He believed that a person could outwardly respond to God's call to repent. The idea of a public response is what is back of the Billy Graham crusades walk to the front during the altar call (as it were). Bro. Graham has stated many times that everyone Jesus ever called he called them publically. This is the rationale for it.

Moreover it is my experience that some people simply do not know what to pray at all. They have to be taken step by step through repentance and faith. I am not 100% sure why this is. It's easy to say that there has not been enough preaching on hell and repentance, etc., but that is not always the case. The people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, but had no instructions. Apparently they believed in such a way that they figured it out on their own. But this is an example of repentance only, and is only part of coming to faith in Jesus Christ.

In Acts 19 we find that knowledge is very much in play when it comes to full salvation. Some had repented and believed (to the extent they were able), but had not been baptized in water according to the baptism of Jesus, nor had they received the Holy Spirit. Why? They had not as much as heard that there be any Holy Spirit. So we see then, that knowledge is very important. They were very sincere, but could only go as far as the light they possessed. This was true of Apollas and the Ephesian disciples. My point is, sometimes we have to see where people are and take them from there. That someplace may be no knowledge of God and it may be a fair knowledge of God. In our times there is a lot of misinformation, etc.

So the matter is quite complicated and will take God to straighten it out ultimately. We just have to be prepared to allow God to deal with us as He straightens these things out. It is the Bride of Christ and He is building the Church. In the mean time we need to make room for those that may not have a full understanding of these things and not be quick to relegate them to some lesser status as believers. We have to be very careful.


_________________
Robert Wurtz II

 2012/5/5 10:17Profile
pilgrim777
Member



Joined: 2011/9/30
Posts: 1211


 Re:

Repentance is more action (conduct) than words. I know people that had very "quiet" conversions but spiritually there was a profound change in them as demonstrated by their conduct (including speech) afterwards.

We are taught in the Scriptures that words alone are only lip-service.

"Wherefore the Lord said, "forasmuch this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men". (Isa 29:13)

Pilgrim

 2012/5/5 12:06Profile
learjet
Member



Joined: 2010/4/19
Posts: 447


 Re:

Quote:
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~Romans 10:13



CALL ON HIM!

Quote:
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ~John 1:11-12



Receive him :-), He's wonderful!

Bless His name!!

 2012/5/5 12:49Profile





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy