Accepting Christ

[da525382]

Hello everyone,

I've certainly gained so much from reading all the posts here. I am fairly new to reformed theology, so I hope you will go slow with me here!!

But, anyway, I was hoping you all might help clarify for me the concept of accepting Christ or the gospel...Is that what we do?

I think I am understanding more about deciding for Christ, that is, making a decision for Christ. I think I have understood that scripture does not speak of us making a decision for Christ.

However, is accepting Christ or the gospel the same as deciding for Christ or the gospel?

Perhaps it depends on how we define the gospel. And it is quite frustrating to find out that when you ask people exactly what the gospel is, you get about as many answers as there are people!!

Thanking you all in advance,

Don

 

[mlqurgw]

Hello everyone,

I've certainly gained so much from reading all the posts here. I am fairly new to reformed theology, so I hope you will go slow with me here!!

Always eager to help anyone who truly seeks to know truth. I think you will find that the only time any here are blunt or short with questions is when they are asked for the purpose of telling us what we ought to believe rather than seeking to find out what we believe. Feel free to ask any questions you want. It isn't only our joy and privilege to help you find answers but our responsibility to do it with patience and love.

But, anyway, I was hoping you all might help clarify for me the concept of accepting Christ or the gospel...Is that what we do?

There are so many cliche' ways in which apostate religion called "Christianity" expresses what it is to come to Christ in faith which are simply unbiblical nonsense. The common thread among them is that they make salvation dependant on man doing something. Others, when properly set up in the preaching of the true Gospel, are not. Accepting Christ is one of those. The problem is that it can be so easily misunderstood. That is why I rarely, if ever, use it. The Scriptures speak of our initial experience of grace as coming to Christ, believing in Him, receiving Him and simply faith. All of them are speaking of the same thing but I think receiving Him is more often than not misused but the most clear expression of what happens. We receive Him in 2 ways: as a glass receives water and as we receive that water when we take the glass and drink it. The glass receives the water passively. It simply is filled and is but a receptacle which does nothing but receive. That is the work of the Spirit when He makes the Gospel reach into our hearts. He sticks His finger of grace into our hearts and pours in grace. Only then is it possible for us to receive Christ as taking the glass and drinking the water. When we take the glass and drink the water the water becomes part of us, it really becomes ours. We receive the water because we are thirsty. He has made us so by causing us to first receive as the glass does. We reach out and take Christ ourselves because He has already set up His throne in our hearts.

I think I am understanding more about deciding for Christ, that is, making a decision for Christ. I think I have understood that scripture does not speak of us making a decision for Christ.

Decisionism and easy-believism are damnable heresies that deceive many souls. All who teach it will answer to God for it.

However, is accepting Christ or the gospel the same as deciding for Christ or the gospel?

That depends on whether you believe you are doing it yourself by your own free-will or as the work of God in you. And that is dependant on the Gospel you hear. If you hear the gospel of a savior who is trying to save but it depends on you then it isn't really accepting the Christ or the Gospel of Scripture. If you hear the Gospel of a Savior who has actually saved and is now making that salvation effectual in the hearts of sinners then ...

Perhaps it depends on how we define the gospel.

Exactly! Any gospel that leaves the sinner in his own hands is not the Gospel. Paul tells us plainly what the Gospel he preached was in 1Cor. 15:1-4. It is not just that Christ died but how that He died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And was raised again the 3rd day according to the Scriptures. The Gospel is according to the Scriptures not according to man's idea of how it ought to be.

And it is quite frustrating to find out that when you ask people exactly what the gospel is, you get about as many answers as there are people!!

There is only one Gospel. Christ came into the world on a mission which He accomplished fully and completely. He actually saved somebody called sinners, the question isn't will you have Him but did He save you?

Thanking you all in advance,

Don

You are very welcome. I hope I haven't confused you more.

 

[UMP]

But, anyway, I was hoping you all might help clarify for me the concept of accepting Christ or the gospel...Is that what we do?

I think if you get down to the meat of the situation, it's Christ "accepting" us, not the other way around. We are all dead in trespasses and in sins. All enemies of God.
1. What has made the difference?
2. Why do we love God?

Answer to question #1:
Ephesians 2:
[4] BUT GOD, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Answer to question #2:
1 John 4:
[19] We love him, because he first loved us.

Look at it this way. We're all on death row ready to hang, all of us, in a matter of moments. It's your turn and you walk up to the gallows, the noose is around your neck and they call for the trap door to drop. In comes the judge and gives you a complete pardon. Apparently a man offered his own life to save yours. This someone was your enemy, whom you have fought against and dishonored your entire life. His name is Jesus Christ. ME deciding for Him? ME accepting Him?

What about the blind man given sight by the defendant, attempting to be used as a pawn to railroad Christ into some contrived guilt by the jews. What was his answer?

John 9:
[25] He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

Very simple answer. He did not know what the jews were trying to do, probably as poor as dirt, unschooled with nothing but a torn shirt on his back. What was his answer? I decied for this man?, I accepted this man?
Nope, "WHERAS I WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE"!!!!
That's our situation, we were blind, BUT NOW WE SEE!!!

To me, it's almost dishonoring to Christ to say that I "decided" for Him, or "accepted" Him.

I would rather say,
"whereas I was blind, now I see!"
All glory to God !

 

[Iosias]

Perhaps it depends on how we define the gospel. And it is quite frustrating to find out that when you ask people exactly what the gospel is, you get about as many answers as there are people!!

I would agree with Hoeksema's argument in The Gospel

 

[da525382]

Thank you all SO MUCH for this time you have given me.
I will be reading and rereading these posts and the article on the gospel. I just love this understanding.
It gives me life.....I think I have been an Arminian all of my life and it is difficult for me sometimes, especially when I talk to my old friends who still think that way.

But the distinctions you all are making to me is so important to just understanding ANYTHING as a Christian. I can't see how there could be much more that could be so critical in our faith than to UNDERSTAND how we were/are saved based on the gospel....

Thank you again and again.....

Don

 

[da525382]

Always eager to help anyone who truly seeks to know truth. I think you will find that the only time any here are blunt or short with questions is when they are asked for the purpose of telling us what we ought to believe rather than seeking to find out what we believe. Feel free to ask any questions you want. It isn't only our joy and privilege to help you find answers but our responsibility to do it with patience and love.

There are so many cliche' ways in which apostate religion called "Christianity" expresses what it is to come to Christ in faith which are simply unbiblical nonsense. The common thread among them is that they make salvation dependant on man doing something. Others, when properly set up in the preaching of the true Gospel, are not. Accepting Christ is one of those. The problem is that it can be so easily misunderstood. That is why I rarely, if ever, use it. The Scriptures speak of our initial experience of grace as coming to Christ, believing in Him, receiving Him and simply faith. All of them are speaking of the same thing but I think receiving Him is more often than not misused but the most clear expression of what happens. We receive Him in 2 ways: as a glass receives water and as we receive that water when we take the glass and drink it. The glass receives the water passively. It simply is filled and is but a receptacle which does nothing but receive. That is the work of the Spirit when He makes the Gospel reach into our hearts. He sticks His finger of grace into our hearts and pours in grace. Only then is it possible for us to receive Christ as taking the glass and drinking the water. When we take the glass and drink the water the water becomes part of us, it really becomes ours. We receive the water because we are thirsty. He has made us so by causing us to first receive as the glass does. We reach out and take Christ ourselves because He has already set up His throne in our hearts.

Decisionism and easy-believism are damnable heresies that deceive many souls. All who teach it will answer to God for it.

That depends on whether you believe you are doing it yourself by your own free-will or as the work of God in you. And that is dependant on the Gospel you hear. If you hear the gospel of a savior who is trying to save but it depends on you then it isn't really accepting the Christ or the Gospel of Scripture. If you hear the Gospel of a Savior who has actually saved and is now making that salvation effectual in the hearts of sinners then ...

Exactly! Any gospel that leaves the sinner in his own hands is not the Gospel. Paul tells us plainly what the Gospel he preached was in 1Cor. 15:1-4. It is not just that Christ died but how that He died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And was raised again the 3rd day according to the Scriptures. The Gospel is according to the Scriptures not according to man's idea of how it ought to be.
There is only one Gospel. Christ came into the world on a mission which He accomplished fully and completely. He actually saved somebody called sinners, the question isn't will you have Him but did He save you?

You are very welcome. I hope I haven't confused you more.

My follow-up question I hope will clarify my confusion. I think what perplexes me a little is: That I know decisionism is not what we rely on, that is, our decision is not what saves us. That the reality is that we receive Christ, and I think I understand the difference between simply believing/receiving Him....that is coming to Him vs coming to our own decision .

However, I think here is my confusion: when we come to Him, when we receive Him....Is that not a decision we have made???? Have we not gone through a process of mentation and concluded that we have decided to come to Him?

Now, as to an altar call, I think I can understand decisionism as follows (please correct me if I am wrong):
That is, if an altar call is given that invites us to make the decision to walk down that aisle and DO something....a sinner's prayer, voice a confession, voice a repentance, voice something....any of that sort of thing revolves around coming to a decision rather than coming to Christ. Does that sound correct?

Okay, now, we may completely eliminate altar calls in this way, I can understand that. However, could we at all contemplate having an altar call that says something like: Please, everyone that hears my voice, I call on you to come to the Christ, to come to Him to receive Him(just doing this in the pew, not coming down the aisle).....And then shortly thereafter to follow that up with something like: Now, for all those who have just believed and come to Him, we invite you to come forward should you so desire or meet us privately (in such and such a room), that we may rejoice with you, that we may pray with you if you so desire, that we may discuss going through a baptismal ceremony with you, that we may be with you as you start your newly regenerated life you have just received, etc......????

 

[mlqurgw]

My follow-up question I hope will clarify my confusion. I think what perplexes me a little is: That I know decisionism is not what we rely on, that is, our decision is not what saves us. That the reality is that we receive Christ, and I think I understand the difference between simply believing/receiving Him....that is coming to Him vs coming to our own decision .

Believers have faith in Christ. The deceived have faith in their faith. They think they are saved because they decided to have faith in Christ. Their faith is what saves them. The true believer simply trusts Christ. They do not look to themselves for anything.

However, I think here is my confusion: when we come to Him, when we receive Him....Is that not a decision we have made???? Have we not gone through a process of mentation and concluded that we have decided to come to Him?

Yes we do come to Christ ourselves. That is the part I was talking about when I said we receive Him as taking the glass and drinking the water. God doesn't believe for us, He gives us the gift of faith by giving us the desire and ability to come to Christ. We willingly believe Him because God has made us willing by giving us a new nature. Faith is a result and fruit of already being born again. I willingly came to Christ in faith because He opened my eyes to what I am and who Christ is and what He did for me. I chose to trust Him because I had no other choice. It was Christ or damnation. I would have never, nor could I ever, done so unless and until God had done a work in me and for me. He worked in me and brought me willingly to the feet of Christ begging mercy.

Now, as to an altar call, I think I can understand decisionism as follows (please correct me if I am wrong):
That is, if an altar call is given that invites us to make the decision to walk down that aisle and DO something....a sinner's prayer, voice a confession, voice a repentance, voice something....any of that sort of thing revolves around coming to a decision rather than coming to Christ. Does that sound correct?

Yes. It would also include most personal evangelism methods practiced today, including Evangelism Explosion which was developed by a "Calvinist". ( Boy am I in trouble now.) Any time you try to wring a profession of faith out of someone it is deception. We want to do the work only God can do. Our job isn't to get people saved, that is God's work, but to preach the Gospel. We are responsible to proclaim the good news that salvation is accomplished in the person and work of Christ in clear unmistakable terms and leave the rest to God. Praying continually that He would make His Word effectual in the hearts of His people.

Okay, now, we may completely eliminate altar calls in this way, I can understand that.

We not only could but we should.

However, could we at all contemplate having an altar call that says something like: Please, everyone that hears my voice, I call on you to come to the Christ, to come to Him to receive Him(just doing this in the pew, not coming down the aisle).....And then shortly thereafter to follow that up with something like: Now, for all those who have just believed and come to Him, we invite you to come forward should you so desire or meet us privately (in such and such a room), that we may rejoice with you, that we may pray with you if you so desire, that we may discuss going through a baptismal ceremony with you, that we may be with you as you start your newly regenerated life you have just received, etc......????

Given the misconception of alter calls and the tendency for people to look to them as their salvation I wouldn't. I can tell you by experience that having no alter calls, no alter either, and no inquiry rooms or any such thing that those whom God gives faith will let you know. They may not do it immediately but they do let you know. And yes I do invite everyone who hears me to come to Christ in faith. I proclaim Him as clearly as God enables me and then always call on folks to believe Him. I just don't ask them to move a muscle while doing it.

 

[da525382]

Believers have faith in Christ. The deceived have faith in their faith. They think they are saved because they decided to have faith in Christ. Their faith is what saves them. The true believer simply trusts Christ. They do not look to themselves for anything.

Yes we do come to Christ ourselves. That is the part I was talking about when I said we receive Him as taking the glass and drinking the water. God doesn't believe for us, He gives us the gift of faith by giving us the desire and ability to come to Christ. We willingly believe Him because God has made us willing by giving us a new nature. Faith is a result and fruit of already being born again. I willingly came to Christ in faith because He opened my eyes to what I am and who Christ is and what He did for me. I chose to trust Him because I had no other choice. It was Christ or damnation. I would have never, nor could I ever, done so unless and until God had done a work in me and for me. He worked in me and brought me willingly to the feet of Christ begging mercy.

Yes. It would also include most personal evangelism methods practiced today, including Evangelism Explosion which was developed by a "Calvinist". ( Boy am I in trouble now.) Any time you try to wring a profession of faith out of someone it is deception. We want to do the work only God can do. Our job isn't to get people saved, that is God's work, but to preach the Gospel. We are responsible to proclaim the good news that salvation is accomplished in the person and work of Christ in clear unmistakable terms and leave the rest to God. Praying continually that He would make His Word effectual in the hearts of His people.

We not only could but we should.
Given the misconception of alter calls and the tendency for people to look to them as their salvation I wouldn't. I can tell you by experience that having no alter calls, no alter either, and no inquiry rooms or any such thing that those whom God gives faith will let you know. They may not do it immediately but they do let you know. And yes I do invite everyone who hears me to come to Christ in faith. I proclaim Him as clearly as God enables me and then always call on folks to believe Him. I just don't ask them to move a muscle while doing it.

Thank you for this great post, the time you spent..It helps me more than you will know.........