Question on Reformed Evangelization

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Hey ya'll.

I don't mean this to be disparaging at all. I, as a Lutheran, also believe in total depravity and unconditional election, and reject preveniant grace (and lean toward irresistable grace). And I know, of course, that the doctrine of unconditional election doesn't preclude evangelization, as many Arminian heretics claim.

However, I'm confused about one thing:

How do you evangelize?

I grew up in a evangelical nondenominational church and its hard for me to think of sharing the gospel in any way other than beckoning people to choose.

So how, then? 'God may have chosen you from the foundation of the world. Do you sense faith already growing inside you?'

Thanks ya'll.

 

[McWilliams]

We proclaim the gospel of Christ! We tell of our creator God, His majesty, sovereignty, omnipotence and of a fallen race and that all men are forever lost without a Savior to save them from their sinfulness!

Have you ever considered your sinfulness? That you have need of a Savior? When this awareness settles in the heart one becomes aware of their own depravity and desire for a Savior God who came to earth to die for sinners who would place their faith in Him, trust Him as their Savior and with great gratitude bow humbly thanking Him for salvation which He with great mercy bestowed, causing them to hunger for more and more knowledge of Him and a desire to please Him in all of life!

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

Hey ya'll.

I don't mean this to be disparaging at all. I, as a Lutheran, also believe in total depravity and unconditional election, and reject preveniant grace (and lean toward irresistable grace). And I know, of course, that the doctrine of unconditional election doesn't preclude evangelization, as many Arminian heretics claim.

However, I'm confused about one thing:

How do you evangelize?

I grew up in a evangelical nondenominational church and its hard for me to think of sharing the gospel in any way other than beckoning people to choose.

So how, then? 'God may have chosen you from the foundation of the world. Do you sense faith already growing inside you?'

Thanks ya'll.

We call people to turn to Christ. We call them to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. THe Doctrine of predestination is something to disciple believers into. It is not a tool of evangelism.

Remember the great 19th century missionary movement was strongly Calvinistic, as was the Great Awakening in the Americas and much of the Reformation movements in Europe.

In Christ,
Kenith

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Remember the great 19th century missionary movement was strongly Calvinistic, as was the Great Awakening in the Americas and much of the Reformation movements in Europe.

Oh absolutely. I often find myself defending this historical fact to my Arminian parents time and time again.

We call people to turn to Christ.

And see this is where I am confused. How can we call me to turn to Christ when, in essence, their turning is nothing but a passage reaction to what Christ has already effected within them?

And thanks McWilliams. "Settles in" is a great way to describe what actually happens. Thanks.

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

And see this is where I am confused. How can we call me to turn to Christ when, in essence, their turning is nothing but a passage reaction to what Christ has already effected within them?

GOd is a God of means. HE gave us Baptism and the Lord's Supper as means of His Grace.

In the Scriptures The Prophets of the Old Covenant including John, and the Preachers/Apostles of the New Covenant always call all men to repentence. What GOd does with that call is his business.

HE has commanded us to Preach the Gospel to the World. We are to be faithful to do that. We never see John the Baptiser or anyone else preach and say "Repent if you are predestined." No, We see "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." No mention of predestination here.

Predestination is God's work. It is something taught to believers as they are discipled in the fatih. It is not a tool of evangelism.

I hope that helps,
Kenith

 

[Iosias]

How do you evangelize?

This is a controversial issue within Calvinist circles as is evident if you read some previous threads on this very issue (http://www.christianforums.com/t4458058-gospel-invitations.html and http://www.christianforums.com/t4299616-the-well-meant-offer-of-the-gospel.html). Whilst all Calvinists agree that the gospel is to be preached to all in submission with Christ's commandment we do not all agree on precisely how that is to be done. What do we say? How do we say it?

I believe that all men are to be told what their condition is before God and so we preach the law for by the law comes the knowledge of sin. Yet this must be accompanied by the internal work of the Holy Ghost convicting of sin.Then to these and these alone, who have been made sensible of their standing before God, we invite them to come to Chirst. Some have misunderstood this and labelled it preparationism or hyper-Calvinism but I believe that they are wrong to do so.

Somehelpful reading are:
1. http://www.prca.org/pamphlets/pamphlet_66.html
2. http://www.pbministries.org/books/gill/Doctrinal_Divinity/Book_4/book4_07.htm
3. http://www.gospelstandard.org/item.asp?itemid=141&categoryid=4

 

[5SolasinKY]

We never really know what God will use to turn someone to Him. Sometimes its messages they have heard at various other times in their lives, and the one that God uses finally may not even be 'evangelistic' but may only bring something from the past to mind. That is how it was with me. Don't you see the sovereignty of God in that?

I would never withhold the message of Christ's atonement for when I determine someone is made sensible of their sin. It may be hidden where I can't see it. (Only God sees the heart) It may come later, after they have studied it alone for a time. I was that way. I did not consider everything until I was alone with God.

 

[cubanito]

I prefer a more direct approach. I offer them $10 to admit they are sinful and ask God to save them from their sins. After a quick prayer, I tell them they are saved and can go on sinning just like before.



Nah, just you.

Ignore the bipolar man...

JR

 

[Cajun Huguenot]

I prefer a more direct approach. I offer them $10 to admit they are sinful and ask God to save them from their sins. After a quick prayer, I tell them they are saved and can go on sinning just like before.



Nah, just you.

Ignore the bipolar man...

JR

That was funny. I just about fell on the floor.

What's sad is it is not to far from the truth for some folks these days.

Coram Deo,
KEnith

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

I prefer a more direct approach. I offer them $10 to admit they are sinful and ask God to save them from their sins. After a quick prayer, I tell them they are saved and can go on sinning just like before.



Nah, just you.

Hahaha. Sounds like the incentive given by megachurches (known among my circle of friends as Christianity, Inc.)

 

[mlqurgw]

When I preach I always call upon sinners to believe in Christ. I declare without apology the sovereignty of God in salvation. I proclaim that Christ has accomplished redemption and saved His elect by His life and death. I describe those whom He came to save as the Scriptures do, ungodly, sinners, spiritually dead and depraved. I tell them sin is not as much what we do as what we are; that sin is a problem of the heart not the hands. And I point them to Christ. I declare Him as the only hope of sinners and seek to show them the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. I tell them salvation isn't a matter of moving your feet or reciting a prayer it is a matter of coming to Christ in faith, looking to Him for all your acceptance with God. I them simply tell them that if they can to look to Him. I don't ask them if they will I ask them if they can. I usually pray that God will give them grace to trust His Son. I then leave it to God to work in their heart.

 

[kimlva]

I posted this on another board last summer. This thread made me think of it.

I am reading a little book to my girls called "Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers." It is part of a series of books about, obviously, different hymn writers. It is set in a little fiction story though, about a couple of American kids visiting England for the summer. They meet this old man who spends lots of time with them doing different things and telling them all about the lives of different hymn writers. Of course at first the kids think it is all gonna be boring stuff and old dead music, because they are from a big American city and like modern music and go to a big mega church with modern music.

The books includes one or two hymns by each writer.

Anyhow, yesterday's chapter was about John Newton. After Mr. Pipes tells the kids his story, and they all play and sing a couple of his hymns, the little girl in the story tells him, " I want what Mr. Newton had - what all these hymn writers had. I want what you have, Mr. Pipes." I found his answer to be really awesome in light of the way most people try to get a hurried decision from people today when they are witnessing. He said, "Ah, my dear, it is only for sinners - wretches - like Mr. Newton...and like old Mr. Pipes."

The more I thought about that, the more I liked it. If you do not consider yourself a sinner, then the gospel and salvation is not for you. No matter how much you want what another Christian has. No matter how much you want heaven, or the love of God. People MUST know that they are sinners before they can receive salvation. Jesus said He came for the sick, not the well.

(By the way, I am not in any way saying that it is up to us to judge whether someone thinks they are a sinner or not.)

 

[McWilliams]

You're so right Kimlva, a heart is only changed when one becomes aware of their great sinfulness and need of a Savior!
Thanks for sharing that special story! One becomes aware of their own sinfulness by seeing themself in the light of God and His purity, aware of how far short they are in comparison and desiring to be like Him. It comes from the inside of one, placed there by the Holy Spirit.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

Great posts. Thanks all.