Altar Calls

ScottA · May 21, 2016

now faith said:
The call to salvation is unregretable, and is not embarrassing at all,when people become born again there is no worry of what people will think.
It is a time for the grace of God to abound ,in this the sinner knows with overwhelming assurance the need to repent.
The sinner knows they will risk eternal separation from the love of God ,their spirit longs for.
It is a time of great faith for true salvation ,they realize the Christ first loved us enough to die in our place.

Salvation is more than a confession in public, salvation is knowing in your Spirit that you are now a child of God.

Absolutely wonderful for sure. But that approach only addresses the timing of one of many possible phases of the journey - the final phase. But many come to church timid and unsure, not convicted, and not ready. Such a strategy alienates the many, while catering to the few. Many are called, few are ready. It is a service to some, a disservice to others.

twin1954 · May 26, 2016

First there is no alter in the New Testament church but Christ. He is our alter.

Second, the so-called alter call is an abomination and clearly shows the lack of belief that the simple, clear preaching of the Gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus the Lord is the power of God unto salvation to them that believe.

I preach the Gospel and call on all who hear me to believe on Christ but I never ask them to make a move of their bodies. I preach the Gospel and leave it to the Spirit to make it reach the hearts of sinners.

When we seek to get people to do something that they wouldn't normally do we are bound to emotional arguments and reduced to coercive tactics to move people to come forward. No one has ever been argued, as in a logical argument, into the Kingdom of God. If I can argue you in someone else can argue you out.

The Lord Jesus Christ said that He would build His church therefore it isn't up to us to seek to build the church. We are to clearly and simply preach the Gospel (which is the whole council of God found in Christ, His work and His person) and worship Him in Spirit and in truth. The church does not exist to expand itself it exists as a lighthouse of the Gospel and a sheepfold for the sheep.

ScottA · May 26, 2016

twin1954 said:
First there is no alter in the New Testament church but Christ. He is our alter.

Second, the so-called alter call is an abomination and clearly shows the lack of belief that the simple, clear preaching of the Gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus the Lord is the power of God unto salvation to them that believe.

I preach the Gospel and call on all who hear me to believe on Christ but I never ask them to make a move of their bodies. I preach the Gospel and leave it to the Spirit to make it reach the hearts of sinners.

When we seek to get people to do something that they wouldn't normally do we are bound to emotional arguments and reduced to coercive tactics to move people to come forward. No one has ever been argued, as in a logical argument, into the Kingdom of God. If I can argue you in someone else can argue you out.

The Lord Jesus Christ said that He would build His church therefore it isn't up to us to seek to build the church. We are to clearly and simply preach the Gospel (which is the whole council of God found in Christ, His work and His person) and worship Him in Spirit and in truth. The church does not exist to expand itself it exists as a lighthouse of the Gospel and a sheepfold for the sheep.

Amen!

Uncle Tommy · May 26, 2016

twin1954 said:
First there is no alter in the New Testament church but Christ. He is our alter.

Second, the so-called alter call is an abomination and clearly shows the lack of belief that the simple, clear preaching of the Gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus the Lord is the power of God unto salvation to them that believe.

I preach the Gospel and call on all who hear me to believe on Christ but I never ask them to make a move of their bodies. I preach the Gospel and leave it to the Spirit to make it reach the hearts of sinners.

When we seek to get people to do something that they wouldn't normally do we are bound to emotional arguments and reduced to coercive tactics to move people to come forward. No one has ever been argued, as in a logical argument, into the Kingdom of God. If I can argue you in someone else can argue you out.

The Lord Jesus Christ said that He would build His church therefore it isn't up to us to seek to build the church. We are to clearly and simply preach the Gospel (which is the whole council of God found in Christ, His work and His person) and worship Him in Spirit and in truth. The church does not exist to expand itself it exists as a lighthouse of the Gospel and a sheepfold for the sheep.

I have to agree.

JM · May 26, 2016

Amen twin. Spurgeon said something like...the Arminian seeks to move or motivate the sinner, the Calvinists seeks to destroy the sinners and make them rely on Christ alone....

The following scripture just popped into my mind, "Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep on rebelling? The whole head is hurt, and the whole heart is sick." The Arminian wants to whip you into action by playing emotional games.

Goodbook · May 27, 2016

its interesting that John the baptist turned away those who wouldn't repent. He was baptising and wouldn't baptise anyone who didn't show fruits of repentance.

The way 'alter calls' are done in some churches today is to my mind manipulative. Plus they don't baptise them straight away either. Its nothing like what John the Baptist was doing...

If you want to do it properly, call people by the river and wash them clean. i.e get baptising!

Sovereign Grace · May 28, 2016

twin1954 said:
First there is no alter in the New Testament church but Christ. He is our alter.

Second, the so-called alter call is an abomination and clearly shows the lack of belief that the simple, clear preaching of the Gospel of the free and sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus the Lord is the power of God unto salvation to them that believe.

I preach the Gospel and call on all who hear me to believe on Christ but I never ask them to make a move of their bodies. I preach the Gospel and leave it to the Spirit to make it reach the hearts of sinners.

When we seek to get people to do something that they wouldn't normally do we are bound to emotional arguments and reduced to coercive tactics to move people to come forward. No one has ever been argued, as in a logical argument, into the Kingdom of God. If I can argue you in someone else can argue you out.

The Lord Jesus Christ said that He would build His church therefore it isn't up to us to seek to build the church. We are to clearly and simply preach the Gospel (which is the whole council of God found in Christ, His work and His person) and worship Him in Spirit and in truth. The church does not exist to expand itself it exists as a lighthouse of the Gospel and a sheepfold for the sheep.

This needs 1,000,000,000,100 likes...I'd do it if I could....but it really needs 1,000,000,000,097...I am taking off three 'likes' because you wrote 'alter' when it is 'altar'.

Sovereign Grace · May 28, 2016

Well, I had a really bad experience once during an altar(I spelled it right Brother Twin1954

) call and that is why I am against them. I grew up in churches that were anti-altar calls, but they had a horrible belief that you had to suffer over your sins. I guess Christ suffering in our stead wasn't enough. They said the longer you stayed out in sin, the longer it takes you to be saved. I was taught this and believed it. This is why I always caution other preachers to be careful with what you preach to sinners. God had cut me down like He never had before, and I was in true misery. I thought I had to make myself 'saveable' and then He would save me. I'd quit one sin and still be lost. I'd quit another sin and still be lost. I went to a church and before the preaching got started, I asked the church members to pray with me. Bad idea. After I was finished, one of the preachers began dealing with me. He sais, "You asked God to forgive you, correct?" I said "yes". He then said all I had to do was confess Christ and they would baptize me. I then said I still felt the load of sin on me and he said the bible doesn't say anything about feelings. Well, I knew where I stood and it was not in a good place. If I had listened to him, they'd dunked a sinner.

So, it was during an altar call after all(hey, that rhymes). It came to me as I was typing this. But this preacher, who I love dearly, uses altar calls. I wonder how many snakes he has dunked.

twin1954 · May 28, 2016

convicted1 said:
This needs 1,000,000,000,100 likes...I'd do it if I could....but it really needs 1,000,000,000,097...I am taking off three 'likes' because you wrote 'alter' when it is 'altar'.

So sue me! I miss-spelled one word. :doh:

I usually catch things like that when I read over my posts. I reckon I have gotten too used to spell check. I am actually the worst speller in the world. I constantly have to check the dictionary and use a spell checker. :wave:

twin1954 · May 28, 2016

convicted1 said:
Well, I had a really bad experience once during an altar(I spelled it right Brother Twin1954 ) call and that is why I am against them. I grew up in churches that were anti-altar calls, but they had a horrible belief that you had to suffer over your sins. I guess Christ suffering in our stead wasn't enough. They said the longer you stayed out in sin, the longer it takes you to be saved. I was taught this and believed it. This is why I always caution other preachers to be careful with what you preach to sinners. God had cut me down like He never had before, and I was in true misery. I thought I had to make myself 'saveable' and then He would save me. I'd quit one sin and still be lost. I'd quit another sin and still be lost. I went to a church and before the preaching got started, I asked the church members to pray with me. Bad idea. After I was finished, one of the preachers began dealing with me. He sais, "You asked God to forgive you, correct?" I said "yes". He then said all I had to do was confess Christ and they would baptize me. I then said I still felt the load of sin on me and he said the bible doesn't say anything about feelings. Well, I knew where I stood and it was not in a good place. If I had listened to him, they'd dunked a sinner.

So, it was during an altar call after all(hey, that rhymes). It came to me as I was typing this. But this preacher, who I love dearly, uses altar calls. I wonder how many snakes he has dunked.

Its said not sais and savable not saveable. HA HA.

JM · May 31, 2016

The only altar call that alters the soul is a call from God.

Sovereign Grace · Jun 4, 2016

JM said:
The only altar call that alters the soul is a call from God.

Sovereign Grace · Jun 4, 2016

twin1954 said:
Its said not sais and savable not saveable. HA HA.

Sovereign Grace · Jun 4, 2016

twin1954 said:
Its said not sais and savable not saveable. HA HA.

It is it's and not its.

twin1954 · Jun 5, 2016

convicted1 said:
It is it's and not its.

Actually it can be spelled both ways and is acceptable in English.

Altar Calls

Author: Walking Like Einstein

Baptist by the Bible

Author: Walking Like Einstein

Just a Christian

Augsburg Catholic

Reading the Bible

Certified Flunky

Certified Flunky

Baptist by the Bible

Baptist by the Bible

Augsburg Catholic

Certified Flunky

Certified Flunky

Certified Flunky

Baptist by the Bible

Similar threads