How Most People Experience salvation

God wants a marriage that lasts forever - He is not interested in a "one night stand."He is a Gentleman. He does not come into vessels that are not ready or willing to yield to His Spirit. This truth helps us understand why most people who come forward in altar calls are not saved at that moment. Most people are most likely illuminated, and must go through a "struggle of faith" until they are able to understand their sin in the light of The Law, and their conscience. (As Billy Graham said, they are in a stage of gestation). Then, after a period of trying to save themselves, they are sufficiently educated by the Schoolmaster Law, and able to repent of dead works (Hebrews 6:1). There is no set order, and God may save someone without any visible sign. But it is better to err on the side of caution. It is better to tell penitents, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you...?" 2 Cor 13:5

1) The penitent must despair of ever living a good life apart from the salvation God offers. (Romans 3:12) Only Godly sorrow is significant for repentance to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10).

2) The penitent must repent, which can only happen if God provides FAITH, (Ephesians 2:8) whereby he abandons all hope of saving himself and knows without a doubt (this is faith, not presumption or hope) that God will supply whatever he needs to live a holy life (Hebrews 11:6). This is only possible by the atonement, (Jesus is Savior - Romans 5:11) and identification (Jesus is Lord - Romans 6:4) with the perfect sacrifice of Christ. (Some people experience this FAITH without consciously abandoning hope in themselves, but this is rare).

3) The penitent confesses his sin, (1 John 1:9) and utter need of God's salvation (Romans 6:10), and if it is God's sovereign will to come into the person at that time, he experiences the witness of the Holy Spirit ( Romans 8:16) and knows without a doubt, for the first time in his life, he is at peace with God (Romans 5:1).

4) Through baptism in water, the penitent confesses to the world that he is dead to sin and God lives in him to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4, 1 Peter 3:21).

Evangelism Pledge

Whereas

1) I recognize salvation is the sovereign work of God.

2) I recognize that the human heart can be influenced to take steps that may look like repentance, but are merely worldly sorrow.

3) I recognize that true repentance can only take place if God has illuminated the individual with saving faith, by which the penitent knows that God will keep him from the sin he repents of.

4) I recognize that the born again experience is definite and complete, not merely a forensic legal standing, but a holistic salvation with identifiable fruits, including power over sin and the witness of the Holy Spirit.

5) I recognize that water baptism is a necessary confession to the world that the old man is dead and God lives in him unto righteousness (Romans 6:4).

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Therefore

1) I will endeavor to explain to penitents the above truths.

2) I will not lead anyone in a formula "salvation prayer," knowing that the Holy Spirit will illuminate the penitent's understanding for spontaneous prayer.

3) I will not tell penitents they are saved because of something they've done, or tell them "if you did this with a correct heart, you are saved," for penitents without Holy Spirit illumination have no knowledge of salvation.

4) I will only use the "altar call" or after meeting for penitents to examine themselves, and receive prayer and individual instruction.

5) I will explain to penitents the normal signs that accompany salvation, and always defer to the sovereignty of God.

Normal Signs That Accompany Salvation

Witness of the Holy Spirit

" The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" Rom 8:16.

" For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" Rom 8:15.

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" Gal 4:6.

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" Rom 14:17.

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" Rom 15:13.

"... my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost..." Rom 9:1.

Power Over Sin

"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.

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness..." Romans 6:22.

"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance..." Galatians 5:22-23.

" Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin" Rom 6:6-7.

How to Counsel The Insecure

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you...?" 2 Cor 13:5.

"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" 2 Peter 1:10-11.

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