Why do people hate easy believism?

[BibleBeliever1611]

The gift of salvation is given freely. But it costs us everything.

What an obscure statement. It didn't even make logical sense. By saying illogical things like that you just make the doctrine of salvation really murky and cause a lot of confusion.

 

[Aussie Pete]

Well, no, that's not what it means. Believing means trusting. If you just believe that Jesus exists and the gospel exists, that's not the same thing as believing in Jesus as your personal savior (trusting Jesus). Those are two very different things.

Here's a good illustration that I have heard some people use. Imagine that you get on an airplane. Then you decide to have faith in the pilot; that the pilot will land the plane safely. But is that just "mental acceptance of facts"? Not at all. There could be another person on the plane who accepts the fact that the pilot exists, but he might be panicking and worrying that the pilot will crash the plane. Or he might even be a crazy suicidal person who doesn't care what the pilot is doing. That would be a person who has "mental knowledge" about the pilot, but doesn't have faith in the pilot. Can you see the difference?

I think that your definition of "easy believism" is not what people like Paul Washer condemn. Me neither. There are plenty of preachers who preach a "gospel" that is palatable to unbelievers. That is the opposite of the true gospel. It's nothing new. I went to a meeting with my younger brother before I was saved. That was over 50 years ago. It was if you were supposed to absorb Christ through your skin, just by being in the meeting. Modern music, very friendly, nice people, but they were not about to upset anyone. No one got saved. "Invite Jesus into your heart" is easy believism. No conviction of sin, no repentance and therefore no reality.

 

[Aussie Pete]

Of course I do. I believe you can be saved just by taking the cup of salvation and calling upon the name of the Lord. That's what the Bible teaches.

I know someone who taught their budgie to say "praise the Lord". Is the budgie saved?

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

I know someone who taught their budgie to say "praise the Lord". Is the budgie saved?

"avoid foolish questions" - Titus 3:9

 

[Kenny'sID]

Can you get to heaven by not being/doing good? Yes, in fact no one is good or doing good only God does.

You did no get that answer from the bible, because Jesus says differently, as in:

John 5:28-29
New International Version
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

Also, must we have works to prove our faith, or is just claiming we have faith all we need in order to get to heaven? It is faith alone.

That to is not what the bible says, and I would suggest you start getting your info from the bible and not from men who will twist the scriptures in order to push their own easy false doctrine straight from Satan, the one who.is well aware just what some want...easy salvation.

James 2:14-26
New King James Version

Faith Without Works Is Dead
"14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."


Do you really think you can get to heaven with dead faith?

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Is there someone who actually teaches any of this?

Easy Believism teaches this. The point is that the op doesn't quite understand what "easy believism" is or the theological implications.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Of course I do. I believe you can be saved just by taking the cup of salvation and calling upon the name of the Lord. That's what the Bible teaches.

So why not just go around saving everyone by forcing them to drink from the cup and force them at gun point to call upon the name of the Lord?

 

[Oompa Loompa]

What an obscure statement. It didn't even make logical sense. By saying illogical things like that you just make the doctrine of salvation really murky and cause a lot of confusion.

Yeah...many had the same reaction to Jesus when he said it in Matthew 10. I would suggest reading it.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

"avoid foolish questions" - Titus 3:9

That wasn't a foolish question. It was a question that brings light to your flawed theology.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

"avoid foolish questions" - Titus 3:9

Avoid foolish questions about....

Would you like to finish the passage?

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

So why not just go around saving everyone by forcing them to drink from the cup and force them at gun point to call upon the name of the Lord?

The Bible has a commandment to save people with fear, but it's talking about things that are much scarier than someone pointing a loaded gun at your face. It's talking about eternity in the lake of fire.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Cant you people read context with word of God.

1)Can you get to heaven by not being/doing good? Yes, in fact no one is good or doing good only God does.

2)Also, must we have works to prove our faith, or is just claiming we have faith all we need in order to get to heaven? It is faith alone.

James 2:26

 

[Oompa Loompa]

The Bible has a commandment to save people with fear, but it's talking about things that are much scarier than someone pointing a loaded gun at your face. It's talking about eternity in the lake of fire.

And when fear of Hell doesn't work, why not force them at gun point? That would save them according to your gospel. You can spread your gospel like Islam. Convert or die approach.

By the way, where is this commandment to "save people with fear"?

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

And when fear of Hell doesn't work, why not force them at gun point? That would save them according to your gospel. You can spread your gospel like Islam. Convert or die approach.

If the fear of hell doesn't work then anything doesn't work. There's nothing scarier than hell. It's the scariest thing ever. Threatening people with medieval torture methods would be mild compared to threatening them with the Biblical teaching of hell.

By the way, where is this commandment to "save people with fear"?

"And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." - Jude 23

 

[Oompa Loompa]

If the fear of hell doesn't work then anything doesn't work. There's nothing scarier than hell. It's the scariest thing ever. Threatening people with medieval torture methods would be mild compared to threatening them with the Biblical teaching of hell.



"And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." - Jude 23

Go ask an atheist how much they are afraid of hell. I guarantee they will be more afraid of a gun. Or, instead of a gun, threaten them with literal physical torture until they accept Jesus as their savior?

Just for clarification, I am in no way actually suggesting that you go around threatening people. I stated earlier that "easy believism" has very serious theological implications that you don't seem to understand. My line of questioning reveals those implications. In this case, if forcing people to say a prayer isn't going to save them, then there must be something more to being saved. Thus, your position is false.

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

Go ask an atheist how much they are afraid of hell? I guarantee they will be more afraid of a gun.

The thing is, the Bible has power. Even before I was a Christian, I used to be scared of the Biblical teaching of hell. But I was never scared at all of the hells of all the other religions. When some Muslim would preach about the hell of Islam, I would laugh that off. That wasn't scary at all. But whenever I heard people preaching about hell from the Bible, I would feel a little anxious. That's because the Bible has the power of God in it. No other scripture or religion has it.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

The thing is, the Bible has power. Even before I was a Christian, I used to be scared of the Biblical teaching of hell. But I was never scared at all of the hells of all the other religions. When some Muslim would preach about the hell of Islam, I would laugh that off. That wasn't scary at all. But whenever I heard people preaching about hell from the Bible, I would feel a little anxious. That's because the Bible has the power of God in it. No other scripture or religion has it.

What about the Biblical description of Hell did you find most frightening?

 

[klutedavid]

James 2:26

Do you believe the following verses are true?

Romans 10:9-10
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

 

[Aussie Pete]

"avoid foolish questions" - Titus 3:9

Have you not read how Elijah mocked the priests of Baal?

 

[Oompa Loompa]

Do you believe the following verses are true?

Romans 10:9-10
That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Yes. But:

Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

(1 Corinthians 12:3)