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NASB | Matthew 13:20 "The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 13:20 "The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy; |
Subject: Joyfully accepting Jesus but not saved? |
Bible Note: Greetings Piper: It was not my intention be be confusing in my post. It is also not my intention to be critical of preachers of the gospel. When we preach the gospel of Christ as presented by Paul in 1 Cor.15:3-4 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" In Romans 3 we see a picture of all natural humans without God. Paul quotes Psalm 14 "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God" Rom.3:11 In our natural state without the work of the Spirit of God we would not have any desire to seek God, nor would we be able to understand. Nevertheless, Jesus promised that after he left the Holy Spirit would come into the world and would "repove (convict) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8) We can rejoice that there is power in the gospel message Paul writes "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth..." Romans 1:16) Those who preach the gospel sow the message, but it is God who gives the increase. I believe we have to see the gospel from two perspectives to undertand. First, from the lost sinner's view. The gospel is preached to the whosoever will. Sinners are quoted the words of Jesus "Strive to enter in at the straight gate". "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give your rest" From God's view: By his Spirit God speaks to the heart of the unbeliever, he strives with them, he draws them to Christ, he speaks to their hearts of their own sinful and helpless condition, At the point we will allow our will to be broken and acknowledge our need of a Savior, it is at this point that God reveals to us the work of Christ on the cross for our sins. With our will broken we simply rest by faith on the work which Christ has already done and by God's Spirit we are born from above. It is not so much that I accept Christ, but that Christ accepts me just as I am in all my need and sin. Although we may think that we are coming to Christ, the reality we are drawn to him by his Spirit. You mention "To accept Christ into their lives" Christ wants to enter our heart and change our lives. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17) Christ does not want to be part of our old way of life, he wants to change our hearts and give us a new life in him. I have said to many, "be thankful if God is speaking to your heart and is showing you that you have the need of a savior. "Just as I am without one plea But that thy blood was shed for me And that thou bidst me come to thee O Lamb of God I come, I come. In this song we have the picture of a lost helpless sinner who has been shown the truth that Christ died for his/her sins. God by his Spirit is inviting them to come and rest in this truth. By faith they come and rest their all upon Christ for salvation. My dad was saved at 35 years of age. When he heard the gospel he was convicted of his condition and his need to be forgiven and changed. He listened to the gospel and tried believing, but was not saved. Indeed after a few weeks he decided within himself that he had left it too long and that he was too great a sinner to be forgiven. He thought to himself "I am lost". God did not leave him alone and in the early hours of the day sitting in his room, getting no sleep or rest, he read in the Bible these words " For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" Rom 5:6 As these words entered his soul he realized that God described his condition in that verse and at that moment as God by his Spirit revealed to him "Christ died for the ungodly" he took this truth personally and rested on Christ. He was a new creature in Christ and lived to prove it until God took him home. My humble opinion is that when we present the gospel we need to use wisdom and avoid trying to make deals with God. We can force a person to make a decision (especially children) by quotting a prayer or signing a card without the work of God by his Spirit. We need to present the good news clearly and invite people to come. Nevertheless, we must remember it is God who does the work. Robert |