Over the last few years, I have written about the Gospel of the Kingdom and the complete Gospel we should share/preach in the streets when we reach out to the lost.
I shared the reason why we shouldn't lead people into saying the sinner's/salvation prayer after a supernatural encounter.
When a person has an encounter with God, he needs to follow through the encounter with truth. This has always been the model in the Bible in the early church.
Without sharing the truth of the Gospel of the Kingdom to the lost, it is ignorant to think that they are born again just because they pray that sinner's/salvation prayer. I was guilty of doing that countless of times years ago.
There are so many Scriptures that talk about remission of sins resulting in repentance and faith in Christ alone. I have listed them in my past writings.
The goodness of God leads men to repentance (Romans 2:4). Yes. God's goodness, when preached and demonstrated, leads people to repentance.
But the point is... There is repentance and faith in Christ. Apart from that, you cannot be born again.
Read all over again what Jesus preached. Read all over again what Peter preached. Read all over again what Paul preached. It is always repentance and faith. Not ONCE did any of them lead anyone to pray the sinner's prayer. Not ONCE did anyone invite Jesus into their hearts.
If Jesus is truly Lord and King, you don't invite Him. You surrender and give your life to Him.
Just as Charles Finney 'manipulated' salvations through the use of 'anxious bench' in altar calls, salvations can be 'manipulated' through a prayer.
Note: I'm not saying that all are false conversions. But it's presumptuous to think that the salvation is genuine by praying a prayer, especially in the streets where we couldn't follow up with them after that one encounter.
The book of Hebrews shows us what the foundation of salvation is.
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God... - Heb 6:1
It's the same theme ---- Repentance and Faith.
One gets born again when he responds to the remission of sins (Good News) with repentance and faith (in Christ alone).
Romans 10:9 says that '...Jesus is Lord...' There is more to just saying it, and we will cover this.
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