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NASB | John 16:8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 16:8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment: |
Bible Question:
Hello to all I have a friend who haws been to several churches for service and has been called out during altar call or service. My friend has chosen not to listen to the pastors who are telling them to come but later calls and asks me what does this mean. My friend is not saved but we continue to pray that salvation will come one day. Could you all help me explain what is happening to my friend? |
Bible Answer: BLESSED 136 Couple of things here. There are times, as I have seen in other churches than my own, where a preacher feels they are hearing from God that someone needs salvation pariticularly, as if some needed it more than others who also did not respond. In my humble opinion this is a bit sensational and does nothing to actualy prompt the lost to come forward as your friend is showing it does not. The Holy Spirit does all the work, the preacher just gives the call. Singling someone out just embarrasses them and does not help them to believe in Jesus. Why should your friend listen to these preachers? If your friend knows they can't believe yet going forward without believing won't help at all, it might result in a false confession, but not in salvation. When your friend asks what it means that they were singled out, it might be more profitable to explain what the call of salvation is for - to come forward because of seeing that they are a sinner who needs salvation. That is what the altar call is for, to recognize that you are a sinner and go forward to acknowledge that you are ready to ask Jesus for forgivness of sins, or that you did at home, or in the pew - you are answering the call to salvation. Praying with your friend that salvation will come some day? That would be something to do on your own for your friend. Question - why is your friend praying for salvation to come if they don't actualy come to Jesus? Salvation is a choice to make on the part of the sinner who wants to be saved. Either they are sure they don't want to be saved, or they are sure they do want to be saved, there is no such thing as a gray area. You need to ask your friend what is in the way of them taking the free gift. Is it impossible to believe Jesus died and rose again? Is it impossible to believe that Jesus is God? Is it impossible to believe that Jesus forgives sins? Is it impossible to stop arguing with God that the sins they, or someone else committed are realy wrong so they can't ask for forgivness? There has got to be a reason why this friend of yours is not taking the gift, and it has nothing to do with the altar call, and nothing to do with why the preachers keep aksing them to come forward. It has everything to do with them and God and whether or not they can accept God period. What is happening to your friend is that they are either on the fence and believe that Jesus forgives sins and is God and that they are a sinner, but have problems with God and what God will do to unrepentant sinnners, or they do not believe any of it anyway and and either wish they could or will never believe because they want to believe something else. The focus is not on the church, the preacher, or what does or does not happen with those two things, the focus is on your friend and whether or not they believe or not in Jesus, and then whether they are refusing to take salvation because they are fighting with God. The phone calls, the prayers, the going to church, the talking and talking about it all are a diversion from the truth of their true relationship with God. I would pray alone and take them to church and maybe offer to pray with them for Jesus to reveal Himself to them. You don't get saved without a revelation from Christ that He is God, there is no other way. It is not an understanding, it is not a feeling, it is not a conversation, it is very God and them. blessings abound, bowler |
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Questions and/or Subjects for John 16:8 | Author | ||
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Glenn1 | ||
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Julian | ||
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DrumLife | ||
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colbymunshaw | ||
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deakduck2 | ||
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BLESSED136 | ||
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Cody Mac | ||
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bowler | ||
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CDBJ | ||
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MickysMom | ||
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catlover009 |