How do I witness to a...

[Blazin4Christ]

How do I witness to a Prebyterian? she says she was saved from birth and I know thats not in the Bible, and at the top of my head I don't have any specific ideas for it, anyone got any suggestions? I posted this in the Baptist thread so people can answer, and I don't mean to offend anyone at all

 

[theseed]

How do I witness to a Prebyterian? she says she was saved from birth and I know thats not in the Bible, and at the top of my head I don't have any specific ideas for it, anyone got any suggestions? I posted this in the Baptist thread so people can answer, and I don't mean to offend anyone at all

Well, arguing with her will probably not help. It is possible for someone to be saved from birth, like John the Baptist was.

So there is nothing you can argue with that. But I would ask her how she knows that she is saved. What does she do for the Kingdom of God, and how much trust does she have in Christ. Ask her about her faith too.

 

[Blazin4Christ]

Well, arguing with her will probably not help. It is possible for someone to be saved from birth, like John the Baptist was.

So there is nothing you can argue with that. But I would ask her how she knows that she is saved. What does she do for the Kingdom of God, and how much trust does she have in Christ. Ask her about her faith too.

ok, i'll try that

 

[Crazy Liz]

You might ask what she means by "saved from birth." There are many of us who can't remember a time when we didn't love and trust God. This is a difficult concept for some Baptists, who tend to point to a specific time they made their commitment to Christ.

When I think of this, I tend to look less at exactly when someone becomes "saved," but rather look at the direction they are heading in their life. (I examine myself this way, too.) If one is moving toward Christ and continues in that direction, one either is moving toward salvation or can be confident in their salvation. It may not always matter whether one is able to identify the specific occasion when one has passed from death unto life. If one can, great. If not, it doesn't mean one isn't saved.

 

[seebs]

My advice would be not to worry about whether her theories about doctrine are all correct, but whether she actually walks a Christian walk. If she does, there's not much witnessing to be done.

 

[Frankie]

How do I witness to a Prebyterian? she says she was saved from birth and I know thats not in the Bible, and at the top of my head I don't have any specific ideas for it, anyone got any suggestions? I posted this in the Baptist thread so people can answer, and I don't mean to offend anyone at all

Blazin, just because she is Presbyterian, does not mean that she is not saved. If Jesus is Lord of her life and her trust is in HIm and Him alone to save her, she is saved. If she is Presbyterian, she most likely already has the right Jesus sense Presbs believe in the triune God of the Bible. I have to question why you are wittnessing to a fellow Christian when there are so many non-Christians out there that could benefit from your wittness of Jesus.

Frankie

 

[CMmom]

Hope no one minds if I post an answer here. I go to a non-denom church with a lot of Baptist leanings.
Anyhow, I (like your friend) was raised Presbyterian and was taught that I was saved because of my infant baptism. I know where your friend is coming from because I always prayed and believed myself to be a Christian. However, I really didn't fully turn my life over to Christ until I was 19. It was then that I saw Jesus for the first time. Now, almost 20 years later, I again have deepened my relationship and walk with Christ. So, does your friend need saving? Probably not, because she already has a belief in the risen Lord. However, she may not be living or experiencing an authentic Christian life. Is that why you are feeling the need to evangelize?

 

[theseed]

Blazin, just because she is Presbyterian, does not mean that she is not saved. If Jesus is Lord of her life and her trust is in HIm and Him alone to save her, she is saved. If she is Presbyterian, she most likely already has the right Jesus sense Presbs believe in the triune God of the Bible. I have to question why you are wittnessing to a fellow Christian when there are so many non-Christians out there that could benefit from your wittness of Jesus.

Frankie

You completely missed the part about being saved from birth.

 

[theseed]

Blazin, ask her if she means that she means that God elected her to be saved before she was born, when she says, "I was saved from birth". But most of all, push to see how and what ways she is living for God, and ask her about her faith in Christ too--as so many have suggested.

 

[Frankie]

You completely missed the part about being saved from birth.

No, I didn't miss that. I saw it. My point was that if this person has a true relationship with Jesus and has been born again of His Spirit, she is saved, regardless of when she got "baptized".

Frankie

 

[theseed]

No, I didn't miss that. I saw it. My point was that if this person has a true relationship with Jesus and has been born again of His Spirit, she is saved, regardless of when she got "baptized".

Frankie

Frankie, you miss understand the OP. Presbyterians don't beleive that baptism has anything to do with salvation, and that it is only a symbol. Presbyterians are Calvinists. So you are incorrect when you accused Blazin of discounting the denominaiton . So the main point is that she claims to be saved from birth, which rules out any "sinners" prayer.

But you are right in that he simply needs to look at her faith and works--her Christian walk.

 

[kayanne]

You do miss the point, because Presbyterians believe that baptism is only a symbol. They're Calvnists. Her claim of being saved from birth as nothing to do with baptism. So Blazin's concerns are legitimate, and your criticism of him about her denomination remains unfounded.

For what it's worth, I'm as confused about your comments as Frankie seems to be. Just not quite sure what you're saying.

 

[theseed]

For what it's worth, I'm as confused about your comments as Frankie seems to be. Just not quite sure what you're saying.

1. Frankie misses the red flag of the OP, that his friend believes she is saved from birth

2. Frankie said that Blazin was concerned with his denomination, that is not in the OP

3. Frankie seems to think Blazin4Christ is talking about baptism, which he is not.

 

[Frankie]

Frankie, you miss understand the OP. Presbyterians don't beleive that baptism has anything to do with salvation, and that it is only a symbol. Presbyterians are Calvinists. So you are incorrect when you accused Blazin of discounting the denominaiton . So the main point is that she claims to be saved from birth, which rules out any "sinners" prayer.

But you are right in that he simply needs to look at her faith and works--her Christian walk.

Well now I am wondering what exactly Presb's believe because while I only have 2 Presbyterian friends, neither one of them are Calvinists.

Frankie

 

[theseed]

Well now I am wondering what exactly Presb's believe because while I only have 2 Presbyterian friends, neither one of them are Calvinists.

Frankie

Most of the people in the Semper Reformda forum are Presbyterians.

Some Presbyterians, like the USA church (I think) believe that all people will be saved, they believe in universal salvation.

 

[seebs]

The Presybyterians I know are not full universalists, but are pseudo-universalists.

 

[theseed]

The Presybyterians I know are not full universalists, but are pseudo-universalists.

What's a pseudo-universalists? Universalist means that all people are going to be saved, without exception right?

 

[Crazy Liz]

Some Presbyterians, like the USA church (I think) believe that all people will be saved, they believe in universal salvation.

Universalism is not a doctrine of the PCUSA, but if you want to talk any more about the doctirne of a particular denomination, why not go to the appropriate denominational forum and ask there or post a message there asking for input.

Getting back to the OP, ISTM Blazin thinks his friend, who is Presbyterian, needs to be saved and he wants to witness to her. He replied to one post, acknowledging that he needs to ask her some questions, since he may misunderstand what she actually believes and her actual spiritual state.

We all have certain misconceptions about other denominations. We all have misconceptions derived from our own denominational backgrounds. We all have "blind spots," many of which can be remedied by learning how other Christians view the same questions.

Let's not jump to conclusions about exactly what's wrong with Blazin's friend's beliefs, and whether they have anything whatsoever to do with her being Presbyterian. Blazin needs to ask her to clarify and stop speculating about what she believes. The rest of us have no business speculating even further and criticizing (perhaps unfairly) other denominations.

End of rant.

 

[seebs]

What's a pseudo-universalists? Universalist means that all people are going to be saved, without exception right?

Well, for instance, some people might believe that "most" people would be saved, or reject the full formal exclusivism many Christian churches teach. The belief that there could exist saved Buddhists is pseudo-universalism; it's not real universalism (because it's not excluding the possibility of unsaved people), but it extends the possibility of salvation outside the bounds many Christians think it is constrained to.

 

[Frankie]

Most of the people in the Semper Reformda forum are Presbyterians.

Some Presbyterians, like the USA church (I think) believe that all people will be saved, they believe in universal salvation.

I have never heard this before. This sounds more like and LDS teaching. I have never even the heard presbyterian preachers say anthing like this on the radio.

God Bless,
Frankie