Category Archives: Preaching

Ten Reasons To Not Ask Jesus Into Your Heart

18 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by in Forgiveness, Grace, Preaching, Theology

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repent with shadow xmmi 300x216 Ten Reasons To Not Ask Jesus Into Your HeartI received this via a tweet a few days ago. Todd Friel of Wretched Radio and Wretched TV has graciously granted permission to post this article. The original can be found here. I listen to Wretched Radio daily, you should too.

Ten Reasons To Not Ask Jesus Into Your Heart

by Todd Friel

The music weeps, the preacher pleads, “Give your heart to Jesus. You have a God shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it.” Dozens, hundreds or thousands of people who want to get their spiritual life on track make their way to the altar. They ask Jesus into their heart.

Cut to three months later. Nobody has seen our new convert in church. The follow up committee calls him and encourages him to attend a Bible study, but to no avail. We label him a backslider and get ready for the next outreach event.

Our beloved child lies in her snuggly warm bed and says, “Yes, Daddy. I want to ask Jesus into my heart.” You lead her in “the prayer” and hope that it sticks. You spend the next ten years questioning if she really, really meant it. Puberty hits and the answer reveals itself. She backslides. We spend the next ten years praying that she will come to her senses.

Telling someone to ask Jesus into their hearts has a very typical result, backsliding. the Bible says that a person who is soundly saved puts his hand to the plow and does not look back because he is fit for service. In other words, a true convert cannot backslide. If a person backslides, he never slid forward in the first place. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (II Cor.5) No backsliding there.

Brace yourself for this one: with very few if any exceptions, anyone who asked Jesus into their hearts to be saved…is not. If you asked Jesus into your heart because you were told that is what you have to do to become a Christian, you were mis-informed.

If you have ever told someone to ask Jesus into their heart (like I have), you produced a false convert. Here is why.

1. It is not in the Bible.

There is not a single verse that even hints we should say a prayer inviting Jesus into our hearts. Some use Rev. 3:20. To tell us that Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts begging to come in.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” There are two reasons that interpretation is wrong. The context tells us that the door Jesus is knocking on is the door of the church, not the human heart. Jesus is not knocking to enter someone’s heart but to have fellowship with His church.

Even if the context didn’t tell us this, we would be forcing a meaning into the text (eisegesis). How do we know it is our heart he is knocking at? Why not our car door? How do we know he isn’t knocking on our foot? To suggest that he is knocking on the door of our heart is superimposing a meaning on the text that simply does not exist.

The Bible does not instruct us to ask Jesus into our heart. This alone should resolve the issue, nevertheless, here are nine more reasons.

2. Asking Jesus into your heart is a saying that makes no sense.

What does it mean to ask Jesus into your heart? If I say the right incantation will He somehow enter my heart? Is it literal? Does He reside in the upper or lower ventricle? Is this a metaphysical experience? Is it figurative? If it is, what exactly does it mean? While I am certain that most adults cannot articulate its meaning, I am certain that no child can explain it. Pastor Dennis Rokser reminds us that little children think literally and can easily be confused (or frightened) at the prospect of asking Jesus into their heart.

3. In order to be saved, a man must repent (Acts 2:38).

Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of repentance.

4. In order to be saved, a man must trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).

Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of faith.

5. The person who wrongly believes they are saved will have a false sense of security.

Millions of people who sincerely, but wrongly, asked Jesus into their hearts think they are saved but struggle to feel secure. They live in doubt and fear because they do not have the Holy Spirit giving them assurance of salvation.

6. The person who asks Jesus into his heart will likely end up inoculated, bitter and backslidden.

Because he did not get saved by reciting a formulaic prayer, he will grow disillusioned with Jesus, the Bible, church and fellow believers. His latter end will be worse than the first.

7. It presents God as a beggar just hoping you will let Him into your busy life.

This presentation of God robs Him of His sovereignty.

8. The cause of Christ is ridiculed.

Visit an atheist web-site and read the pagans who scoff, “How dare those Christians tell us how to live when they get divorced more than we do? Who are they to say homosexuals shouldn’t adopt kids when tens of thousands of orphans don’t get adopted by Christians?” Born again believers adopt kids and don’t get divorced. People who ask Jesus into their hearts do. Jesus gets mocked when false converts give Him a bad name.

9. The cause of evangelism is hindered.

While it is certainly easier to get church members by telling them to ask Jesus into their hearts, try pleading with someone to make today the day of their salvation. Get ready for a painful response. “Why should I become a Christian when I have seen so called Christians act worse than a pagan?” People who ask Jesus into their hearts give pagans an excuse for not repenting.

10. Here is the scary one.

People who ask Jesus into their hearts are not saved and they will perish on the Day of Judgment. How tragic that millions of people think they are right with God when they are not. How many people who will cry out, “Lord, Lord” on judgment day will be “Christians” who asked Jesus into their hearts?

So, what must one do to be saved? Repent and trust. (Heb.6:1) The Bible makes it clear that all men must repent and place their trust in Jesus Christ. Every man does have a “God shaped hole in their hearts,” but that hole is not contentment, fulfillment and peace. Every man’s heart problem is righteousness. Instead of preaching that Jesus fulfills, we must preach that God judges and Jesus satisfies God’s judgment…if a man will repent and place his trust in Him.

If you are reading this and you asked Jesus into your heart, chances are good you had a spiritual buzz for a while, but now you struggle to read your Bible, tithe, attend church and pray. Perhaps you were told you would have contentment, purpose and a better life if you just ask Jesus into your heart. I am sorry, that was a lie.

I hope this has been helpful. If you asked Jesus into your heart rather than repenting and believing, look at God’s commandments, see your sin, then look to Christ, who died to pay the penalty that you deserve, repent and believe the Good News.

Hopefully this too will be helpful to you:

Finding a Biblical Church – Resolved 2012

27 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Ecclesiology, Preaching

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This was preached at Resolved 2012 this week. Resolved is a conference for college students.

Steve Lawson talks about finding a good church. This is very important and helpful, not only for college students.

Unfortunately, embedding has since been disabled for this video. The link below still works.

[Link to video]

Pastors standing in the way?

19 Tuesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Church, Ecclesiology, Grace, Law, Personal, Preaching

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THIRTY-FIFTH EVENING LECTURE
September 18, 1885

Jesus says regarding Himself in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Peter confirms this statement in Acts 4:12 when he declares before the Jewish Sanhedrin, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Paul adds his testimony by telling his Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Truly, then, it is a great and awful sin not to draw any soul that has been entrusted to us for instruction to Jesus and not to tell that soul again and again what a treasure it has in the Lord Jesus, its Savior. To keep someone from believing in Christ is such an awful sin that words cannot express it. A preacher who restrains a soul from confidently laying hold of Christ, whether he does it consciously or unconsciously, purposely or from blindness, through malice or as the result of a perverted zeal for the salvation of souls, deprives that soul, as far as he is concerned, of everlasting life. Instead of being a shepherd to that soul, he becomes a ravening wolf to it. Instead of being its physician, he becomes its murderer. Instead of being an angel of God, he becomes a devil to that person. Alas, so many preachers have not realized until their dying day how many souls they have kept away from Christ by their unevangelical preaching and by their own fault have caused the souls entrusted to them to die of spiritual starvation. The result was that these unhappy preachers shortly before their death have had a severe soul battle to fight with self-accusations and despair, and not a few of them have departed this life without consolation, in anguish, misery, and despair.

The worst offenders in this respect are the so-called Rationalistic preachers, who with devilish audacity mount Christian pulpits and instead of preaching Christ, the Savior, to all sinners, recite their miserable moral precepts for a virtuous life and fill the ears of the people with their empty blather. To these Rationalistic mercenaries, “Whose God is their belly” as it says in Philippians 3:19, the terrible woe is addressed, even in our day, which the Lord denounced in Matthew 23:13 saying, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” What terror shall seize these preachers who used to call themselves friends and adorers of Jesus Christ when they must appear before His judgement seat and hear Him address them in words of flaming anger, “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:23

- C. F. W. Walther

In two paragraphs Walther explains why I left my church. If a pastor isn’t preaching the Gospel, but instead replaces it with life tips for living well, how to have a better sex life, how to make every day a Friday, etc., he is leading people to hell rather than leading them to Christ who is offering far better than any of these things. Not only is this pastor a distraction, but he is a hindrance, opposing people who would look to Christ.

Twitter Rant: Use the Law

21 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Funny, Preaching

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I went on a short Twitter rant while listening to a sermon last night. The pastor was preaching about how we all need to come to Christ for forgiveness, but he didn’t seem to explain why.

I posted the captions below the tweets in case for some reason someone can’t see the images. (click the image to be taken to the tweet for your replying or retweeting pleasure)

tweet1 Twitter Rant: Use the Law

Telling me I can be forgiven doesn't do anything if I don't know what I need to be forgiven from or why I should care. #usethelaw #wrath

tweet2 Twitter Rant: Use the Law

Telling me that I need to be forgiven does nothing on its own. What do I need to be forgiven of, pastor?

tweet3 Twitter Rant: Use the Law

Speak to me about the goodness of God and of His expectations of man, and how I've failed to meet them. Then tell me what I deserve.

tweet4 Twitter Rant: Use the Law

Only then can the conscience be pricked and my need for a Savior be made clear. And even then, only by the Holy Spirit's work in my heart.

That was the end of the rant. However, I posted a funny I heard on yesterday’s Wretched Radio that was guest hosted by Mike Abendroth of No Compromise Radio. Both are great shows that I would highly recommend.

tweet5 Twitter Rant: Use the Law

What's the difference between Benny Hinn and a dog? A dog can heel. - Mike Abendroth, info@nocompromiseradio.com.

Does your pastor use the law in his preaching? Does he use it to prepare the heart for grace, or does he use it to put a heavy yoke of works around your neck? What do you do in your personal evangelism?

If you aren’t sure that you are saved email saved@closetcalvinist.com. If you want to submit ideas for a post email idea@closetcalvinist.com.

But, your lives are never changed!

11 Sunday Sep 2011

Posted by in Preaching

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You come here every week but your lives are never changed.

“That’s because you don’t preach the Gospel!”

This week’s sermon, for 9/11 I might add, was about worship. But, the pastor never mentioned any reason why we should worship. Yes, our hearts are inclined, in their natural state, to worship something. Unfortunately, in our unregenerate state we will choose whatever appeals to us most to worship.

The human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols. – John Calvin

And, no one says to themselves, “I think I’ll worship Jesus!” (Romans 3:10) For, they don’t know of their reason to worship Him. Instead, their natural state is to hate Him, even to deny His existance. (Romans 1:29-30, 1:18-20)

Yes, we most assuredly should worship Jesus. But, without the life giving message of the Gospel there is no reason for us to know why we should worship Him, or even to truly believe that we should. (Romans 10:14)

The pastor’s sermon was all about work. The commands to worship Jesus, to call out to our Creator, to love Him, and to love one another. He even added to attend the discipleship based Sunday schools. Along with this was a lot about 9/11 and forgiveness. But, again, no explanation as to why we should forgive, just that we are commanded to. Maybe, just maybe, if I had been told that in Christ all of my sins are forgiven, if I repent and believe on Him (Romans 10:9), then I might think there was a reason to forgive those who have hurt me (or my nation, which is another sore spot…).

Pastor, preach the Gospel. Without it you are putting more burden on a congregation that has no capability of doing what you are asking of them. Dead men don’t worship Christ, only those who have responded to the preaching of the Gospel by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit are capable of worship in spirit and in truth. If you aren’t preaching the Gospel hundreds will remain dead in their sin, and no “lives will be changed.”

The pastor got a standing ovation today. My thoughts are that it was due to him spending half of the sermon talking about 9/11. But, to me at least, the sermon deserved a recall and apology rather than applause. I was so disgusted that I couldn’t even say “Amen” to the prayer he ended it with. The sermon was defective pastor, take it back.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  – Romans 10:14

I alluded to a few passages above. Should I link to those, or not?