Salvation: More Than Just a Prayer
Jerry Watts
Mark 8:31-35
It still rings in my mind: One of our godly men came in from visitation beaming, ''John just prayed to received Christ.'' Certainly, even the angels in heaven rejoice when a lost soul finds their way to the foot of the cross, repents of their sin, believes in Jesus, and follows Him by faith with their trust and with their life. When I reflect on John, this is what I remember - He never came to worship one time. We made many attempts to encourage him in his faith but He never followed through with baptism, discipleship, and/or demonstrated a change in his life. So, for me, this evokes a question that is an eternal question, ''Did John truly experience salvation?''
Fast forward to more recent days. A pastor friend offered these thoughts in a private conversation, ''There was a man who was as mean as a snake, evil as the day is long, and never demonstrated the love and character of Christ in his life. Yet when he died, his family made a bee-line for me to say, 'He may not have always done things right, but he prayed the prayer.''' In other words, ''He may have been mean as a snake, acted like the devil, and never attended church, but you need to tell us that he is now OK.''
Dear friends, to compare the modern day, Americanize, belief of what it means to be saved to the Biblical description of salvation is to discover that our concept is not truly what is taught in the Holy Word. At this point many people ask me, ''Why are you preaching so much about being saved, isn't this an old topic, do you believe that there are church people who need to be saved?'' With respect and out of a deep concern and conviction, I say, ''YES, there are.''
You see folks, here is what we know - being saved is more than praying the prayer. Certainly, that is the starting point - but that is not all it is. Jesus calls us to follow Him. But instead of 'me' ''making an argument,'' let's look at God's word, for if we don ...
Jerry Watts
Mark 8:31-35
It still rings in my mind: One of our godly men came in from visitation beaming, ''John just prayed to received Christ.'' Certainly, even the angels in heaven rejoice when a lost soul finds their way to the foot of the cross, repents of their sin, believes in Jesus, and follows Him by faith with their trust and with their life. When I reflect on John, this is what I remember - He never came to worship one time. We made many attempts to encourage him in his faith but He never followed through with baptism, discipleship, and/or demonstrated a change in his life. So, for me, this evokes a question that is an eternal question, ''Did John truly experience salvation?''
Fast forward to more recent days. A pastor friend offered these thoughts in a private conversation, ''There was a man who was as mean as a snake, evil as the day is long, and never demonstrated the love and character of Christ in his life. Yet when he died, his family made a bee-line for me to say, 'He may not have always done things right, but he prayed the prayer.''' In other words, ''He may have been mean as a snake, acted like the devil, and never attended church, but you need to tell us that he is now OK.''
Dear friends, to compare the modern day, Americanize, belief of what it means to be saved to the Biblical description of salvation is to discover that our concept is not truly what is taught in the Holy Word. At this point many people ask me, ''Why are you preaching so much about being saved, isn't this an old topic, do you believe that there are church people who need to be saved?'' With respect and out of a deep concern and conviction, I say, ''YES, there are.''
You see folks, here is what we know - being saved is more than praying the prayer. Certainly, that is the starting point - but that is not all it is. Jesus calls us to follow Him. But instead of 'me' ''making an argument,'' let's look at God's word, for if we don ...
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