Easy salvation?
Graham at Leaving Munster reminds us that salvation isn’t just a matter of praying the “sinner’s prayer”. No approach to evangelism can be correct whose aim is simply getting people to pray a prayer. The prayer is a good start, a small first step – no more than that.
How is it that so many people miss the implications of the question of the crowds, in Acts 2? When they ask, “What must we do to be saved?”, Peter doesn’t say, “Do? What must you do? Goodness, you don’t do anything. You just pray a quick prayer and receive.” Instead, he tells them what to do: change the direction of your life, expressing this through the Jewish practice of a ceremony to wash away your sins and implant your in the community, and you will receive the gift of the Spirit that Jesus promised to all those disciples that he was sending out. This is true for yourselves, your children and even the Gentiles that God is calling.
Graham’s discussing an article from Christianity Today, which goes on to say:
Anyone can, and most Americans do, “believe” in Jesus rather than some alternative savior. Anyone can, and many Americans sometimes do, say a prayer asking Jesus to save them. But not many embark on a life fully devoted to the love of God, the love of neighbor, the moral practice of God’s will, and radical, costly discipleship.
If it comes down to a choice between our habitual, ingrained ways of talking about salvation and what Jesus himself said when asked the question, I know what I must choose.
pax et bonum
Follow comments using Co.mments.com
Add to your del.icio.us bookmarks
