Why do baptists think salvation is so easily attained?

[JM]

Founders Ministries | Charles Finney's Assault Upon Biblical Preaching

The rationale for all that Finney did during revival services was the gaining of converts. The numerical success of his methods was his vindication. As he stated in his Memoirs, "Show me the fruits of your ministry and if they so far exceed mine as to give me evidence that you have found a more excellent way, I will adopt your views."[4] This reasoning prompted Perry Miller to write, "Finney perfected, in his Memoirs, the all-powerful answer to such objections...the results justify my methods."[5]

This factor helped lead later generations of evangelists to adopt Finney's success theme as the barometer of God's blessing. Billy Sunday stated, "theory has got to go into the scrap heap when it comes to experience."[6] In effect, this statement meant that the historic doctrines of grace could be ignored if not altogether rejected by the evangelist. Indeed, D.L. Moody picked up on this reasoning when he said, "It makes no difference how you get a man to God, provided you get him there."[7]


Until his conversion, Finney claims to have only heard that type of preaching where the pastor would blandly read his sermon, telling the congregation that they should sit and wait upon God to save them. These memories greatly affected the young convert. He took this style and content of preaching to be the practical outworking of Calvinism. In his view, the passivity of man in salvation brought deadness into the pews. Therefore, his preaching and his methods were designed to catch the sinner's attention, and once caught, to create an emotional outpouring that would result in conviction, which would then result in conversion. Among the "new measures" that Finney employed to do this work were protracted prayers and meetings, the anxious or inquirer's meeting, the anxious bench, public prayers for know sinners, coarse and irreverent language, and women praying in mixed gatherings.


Was this judgment of the Calvinistic pulpit methodology a fair one? After all, had not Jonathan Edwards "blandly" read his sermons? And yet, his ministry was blessed in the First Great Awakening. The key to this question is not found in methodology, but in theology. The deadness that Finney perceived, was not due to the methods (or lack thereof) which were used in the pulpit, but to the type of response required of the congregation.

 

[JM]

We are seeing the same arguments being made in this thread as mentioned above. Because Finney's 'methods' have been perceived as 'working' his bad theology, lies and bad taste are being ignored. His methods are a direct reflections on his theology which is nothing more then Pelagianism.

 

[98cwitr]

Can someone please explain this to me.

because it does not depend on man's desires or efforts, but on God's Mercy (Romans 9).

 

[lismore]

Can someone please explain this to me.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5

The price was high, but we did not pay it. The LORD did.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Whisper865. If you want to be Saved, " Repent," show God that you truly want to change and become a follower of Christ. In Matthew 22: 35-40:
Jesus tells a Lawyer: "The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it:Love thy neighbour as thyself." Then Jesus states this great fact: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God wants our Love, freely given and No conditions made. How do we do this? We start by treating all we know and all we meet, as we would love to be treated: with kindness and
always friendly words, with good advice and a helping hand, if needed. God will see our sincere efforts, and God will Bless us.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Jesus told us to: " ask and ye will receive," then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. We keep asking God and thanking God, and sharing all Love and Joy with all around us.
Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us: JESUS IS THE WAY, and Jesus will be with us, we are sincere followers of Christ and we will be saved: we Love
God our Heavenly Father, and the world will notice and treat us the the same.
Accept Jesus and become one of God`s children/sons or daughters. I say this with love, Whisper. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[AndrewK9]

Define what you mean by salvation being "easily attained". If you mean just "ask Jesus into your heart" and think you are saved because of something you did or said after some kind of 'altar call', then that's one thing.
Spurgeon's "All of Grace" is a great book which explains how someone can be saved. Straight forward.

All of Grace

 

[FredVB]

Can someone please explain this to me.

Yahweh God is not willing that any should perish but that all come to everlasting life through repentance in response to his grace through faith in Christ, Lord and savior. And Jesus Christ said that his burden is easy and his yoke is light. For any not hardened coming to salvation is easy, but having been saved will involve some hard things.

The real important thing for us, being in Christ, is to be focused on Christ. We may or may not have the goal to be free of sin. But it is the goal of Yahweh God, to put an end to sin. In this world, for true Christian believers, it is just with completely giving self to Christ, and it is with obedience to what we are commanded. It is not a matter of obedience to manmade traditions.

 

[Bella Vita]

Because it is the gospel message is very easy to understand it is elementary. We as humans naturally like to complicate everything more than it needs to be. But the gospel was made easy so that it would be easy to spread.

Finding salvation and redemption from sin is easy. It's maintaining and building the relationship with God, and keeping the lifestyle that is the hard part. We all will fail at this from time to time as we are human. But we have to keep getting back up and still have full faith that God loves us and is forgiving even when we screw up.

If you can read and understand John 3:16 you can have salvation with Christ it is just that simple.

 

[FredVB]

Because it is the gospel message is very easy to understand it is elementary. We as humans naturally like to complicate everything more than it needs to be. But the gospel was made easy so that it would be easy to spread.

Finding salvation and redemption from sin is easy. It's maintaining and building the relationship with God, and keeping the lifestyle that is the hard part. We all will fail at this from time to time as we are human. But we have to keep getting back up and still have full faith that God loves us and is forgiving even when we screw up.

If you can read and understand John 3:16 you can have salvation with Christ it is just that simple.

Yes, with truly meaning to live for Christ, as him being Lord and savior and trusting him, for all he did, salvation and redemption from sin is easy, and it will be manifested with evidence of change, but sticking with doing things for him is hard, but he is with us for that, and sin does not have power over that, so it is possible.

 

[MWood]

What saith the Scripture?

Romans 10
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
How easy is that?
Where is the "alter call"?
You don't need the Church, the Members, the Alter, or anything else. Your salvation is between you and God. So talk to Him where ever you are. He hears you, He knows your heart, He will respond.
Two hunderd years ago there were pioneers in this country that had moved 500 miles or more from any town that had a church. They had heard the word of God while they were in town but ignored it. But now they were far from any church and they couldn't ignor God any more. Could they get Salvation out there? Did they have to wait until they could get back to a church before they could get Salvation? I think not!

Praying for the forgiving of your sins.
Jesus shed His Blood for the forgiving of your sins for all time. ALL THE SINS OF THE WORLD. A one time thing, never to be done again. THE ONLY WAY TO GET FORGIVENESS OF YOUR SINS IS BY THE SHEDING OF BLOOD. When you Pray to God to forgive you of your sins, you are telling Him that you don't believe that the Blood of Jesus was enough for the foregiving of your sins. Was the Blood enough or not? Do you believe it was or not?

What saith the Scripture?

 

[Setyoufree]

Can someone please explain this to me.

Believers are once saved always saved as long as their faith remains in Christ.

However, if a believer hardens his heart (mind) against Christ and lets go of his faith in Christ then that believer is forever lost.

When I say this I'm not writing about backsliding...I'm writing about premeditated apostasy. Can I prove what I'm stating? Yes:

First, the good news: Heb 10:9 then He (Christ) said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By this will (i.e., by Christ's doing & dying) we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. "

So in the body or humanity of Christ we have been set apart. We are perfect in Him and by faith we are blameless.

Now go to Col 1: 21-23

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him (God) holy and blameless and beyond reproach"

So in Christ you are holy & blameless. That's your position in Christ though faith. Now a warning in verse 23:

"if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister."

So in Christ through faith you stand perfectly holy & blameless, but only IF you "continue in the faith".

Now go to Hebrews 6:4

"It is impossible" (what's impossible?) for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit (i.e., a born again believer), 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away (apostatize), to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."

You see if your faith begins to turn its back on Christ your conscience will burn within you. It won't be an easy thing to turn your back on Christ, but if you persist in hardening your heart through unbelief you can give up Christ.

If you do then there's no coming back because the Holy Spirit cannot reach your dead and seared conscience. Hence, in this case, you're forever lost.

So we are once saved always saved as long as our faith remains in Christ Jesus.

 

[Setyoufree]

Hebrews 6:4

"It is impossible" (what's impossible?) for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit (i.e., a born again believer), 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away (apostatize), to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.".

So what's impossible? Since the answer might be lost in this long sentence, I've simplified it:

"It is impossible ... if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance...."

 

[Setyoufree]

So it's easy to be saved, but its very, very hard to be saved if you are self-righteous. You see I've know many people who haven't accepted Christ because they view themselves by what they do. They say "I'm good to my kids - I don't cheat on my wife - I pay my taxes, etc." But the law of God says, "There is none righteous, no, not even one."

Everyone who rejects Christ is self-righteous. I'll go another step: They are legalistic! They think that they are so good that they can merit heaven.

 

[SeventhValley]

The Baptist Faith & Message

V. God's Purpose of Grace

Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.

All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.

 

[Hentenza]

So what's impossible? Since the answer might be lost in this long sentence, I've simplified it:

"It is impossible ... if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance...."

Who is this verse referring to?

 

[Setyoufree]

Who is this verse referring to?

A born again believer. Note the red lettering....

Here's the NKJV: Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

 

[Setyoufree]

All true believers endure to the end.

Who are we to say someone wasn't a believer because he or she abandoned Christ? That's judging. You can be a believer yet succumb to unbelief. If not, why the warnings?

Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end.

Again, that's not true..you are ignoring clear scriptural references:

Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

That's true because that's backsliding. I'm speaking of apostasy.

 

[Setyoufree]

The righteousness which saves us is in Who? It is in Christ. Where is Christ? In heaven, where no thief can go. So the righteousness which saves you is guaranteed, nobody can destroy it. But the faith that makes that righteousness effective is in us. That "faith" Satan can touch. And the moment you accept Christ, Satan will do everything to destroy your faith. And you need to be on your guard.


Faith, folks, is a fight, you have to hold on to it at all costs. And briefly, there are three things that Satan will use to destroy your faith.

1. By perverting the truth he can destroy your faith.
   He tried that with the Galatians and nearly succeeded. Thanks to Paul’s letter to the Galatians he stopped them. What do I mean by perverting the truth? Taking your eyes from Christ to yourself. Looking at your performance, and judging each other, whether you have made the grade or not. That’s one way.
2. By dangling the trinkets of the world before you.
   And Paul tells Timothy that Demas has left (Demas was an evangelist with Paul), “He has left me and gone back to the world.” And so the devil will dangle trinkets, you know, materialism. And he will say, “Look, as a Christian, life is miserable; see what I will give you.” And he’ll pull you out of Christ.
3. By persecution.
   And persecution can by physical, it can be social, it can be mental.

 

[Setyoufree]

Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. .

What is sin's deceitfulness? Read 1 John 1:8

"If we claim not to have sin, we are deceiving ourselves...."

You see as believers we still retain our sinful natures and that nature is full of pride. That nature will tempt our mind/heart that we can be our own savior through our good works. So your nature can deceive you into rejecting Christ through rejecting the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

The gospel is not I, but Christ. I am saved through Christ alone outside any good works that God does in me. There's nothing I have to present to God that will merit me salvation. Salvation is a free-gift period! The moment you add works to the salvation equation that moment you are perverting the gospel of Christ and are in danger of apostasy.

 

[FredVB]

God is never fooled, this is the bottom line to why eternal life that was given is not lost. "If" is used for very hypothetical cases, and with a Hebrews reference it is for Jews trusting their laws for salvation rather than just Christ being the savior. Sharing and partaking, in view of the passages for the security of true believers, who do not haven hardened hearts and endure in faith, applies to those who have come to the Christian experience with understanding, but do not make a commitment to Christ as Lord with truly trusting him alone for salvation, to deliver them from sin.