What is the One Question we never read Jesus Christ Asking?

THAT WAS THE HAPPIEST day of my life,      although you wouldn't think it was by      the way it started . . .    "Hello.   May I speak to Robert or Angie Spindal?"    "Yes, this is Mrs. Spindal," I said, instantly annoyed, as I clamped the phone between my chin and shoulder.   My two hands were already preoccupied with Millie.    "Mrs. Spindal, in this trying and frantic world, pulling us in so many directions, your best friend is the Trying Times Newsletter, with its life saving--"    "What is this about?" I said, my nose crinkling from Millie's diaper.   I couldn't find a baby wipe.    "--The Trying Times Newsletter is read by thousands of people, like you, who are trying to--"    "Please, I don't mean to be rude, but you caught me at a very bad time."   The talcum powder tipped over.    "Would you like to subscribe to the Trying Times Newsletter?"    "I don't know.   Let me think about it; I'll call you back.   Thank you--"    "Wait!   Here's our number.   Do you have a pen handy?"    I sighed.    "Hold on," I said, removing the phone from my shoulder, giving a crying naked baby her rattle, picking the talcum container off the white dusty floor, as I looked for a pen with the one spare eye.    "What's your number?" I finally said.    "Ma'am, if you subscribe right now you won't have to call me back."    "That's it!   I'm hanging up," I said.    "NO, WAIT!   You sure you don't want to--"    Later that afternoon . . .    "I can't believe he was so persistent," Carol said, laughing into the telephone.    "Oh, he was terrible," I said, hoping to change the subject.   We had already talked enough about the silly incident.    "Carol, remember that conversation we had, you know, about the Bible?"

There was silence on the other end.    "Yeah, I guess so," she finally said.    "Did you have a chance to think about it?   Have you arrived at a decision?"    More silence.    "Really, Angie, I guess I really haven't-- "    "But, Carol, do you realize how important this is?   Christ died for you.   He wants to save you."    "You told me all that, but--"    "Well, do you want to get saved?   You can do it right now.   Receive Him into your heart."    She cleared her throat.    "What do you say, Carol?"    "I don't know.   Let me think about it; I'll call you back.   See you--"    "Wait!   You don't have our new number.   Do you have a pen handy?"    She sighed.   Pausing to find a pen.   "Okay, shoot . . . What is it?"    "Carol, you know I've been praying for you--"    "That's sweet.   What's the number?"    "You're my best friend.   We go back to high school."    "I know, I was there.   Are you gonna give me the number?"    "I'd like to think that we'd be spending eternity together."    She paused.   I could hear a sniffle.    "Really, Angie, I wish you wouldn't talk this way."    "Then will you do it, Carol?   Would you like to get saved, right now?"    Carol finally said yes.    I led her in a prayer and she got saved.    I told you it was the happiest day of my life. Praise God! This story emphasizes a certain question often used by modern Christianity.   And yet, it is the one question we never read Jesus Christ asking: "Would you like to get saved?" There's a reason for this . . .

"I don't know.   Let me think about it; I'll call you back."

MY FRIEND, think this through.   During       all the encounters one reads between       Christ and lost souls, when did Christ ever ask someone: "Would you like to get saved?"   When did He ever take one by the hand and say: "Let's kneel down, right now, and pray this prayer"?   Don't you find that odd?   Why do you suppose we never see Christ or His disciples, compelling, coercing, pressuring, rushing, or hastily urging someone to get saved, right then and there?   Should we be following Jesus Christ's example? Modern Christianity does not follow . . . Christ's example.   Too often, people are rushed into making a profession.   We saw this illustrated in the opening story.   Carol hadn't even been thinking about getting saved; it was the furthest thing from her mind.   And yet, she was coerced into calling upon Christ, after being continuously implored: "Would you like to get saved?"   She had no sense of her sinfulness, no resolve to repent, no dire want to get saved but yet, was hastily urged to do so.   Her's, most likely, became a "false-profession," where the person professing doesn't really get saved, yet assumes that they do--a tragic situation. Consider the following example . . . The "soul winning" guide of the 1975 edition of the Open Study Bible, bottom half of page 1198, instructs the reader: "Say something like this: ‘Tom, will you kneel with me in prayer as I ask the Lord to save you, right here and now?’ Don't wait for him to get on his knees.   You lead the way.   If he will not kneel with you, don't force it.   Pray a short prayer that the Lord will convict him of sin and bring him to repentance . . . if he does kneel with you, pray a brief prayer.   Ask the Lord to save him."

My friend, one biblical thing we find in those instructions is: "Don't force it.   Pray a short prayer that the Lord will convict him of sin and bring him to repentance."   (We'll return to repentance later.)   But the rest of the "advice" can potentially result in a false profession . . . Who's the one asking for salvation? In the "advice," we find the soul winner being told to "Ask the Lord to save him now."   Yet, in the Bible, we don't find anyone calling upon Christ on a lost sinner's behalf.   Each person must call upon the Lord him/herself with his own mouth, of his own free will.   (Rom. 10:9- 13).   The Philippian jailer, in Acts 16:30, cried, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"   HE was the one asking to be saved.   He demonstrated a desperate desire to get saved, brought about by God's convicting Spirit. Who draws the sinner? The instruction also says, "Don't wait for him to get on his knees.   You lead the way."   But who does the ultimate leading, God or man?   Some will argue that a depraved sinner needs prompting, since he/she doesn't see his need to get saved.   But the fact is, He's not ready UNTIL he sees his need to get saved!   That recognized need must come from within--the result of GOD'S CONVICTION upon his heart.    Jesus Christ said: "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44).   Referring to the Holy Spirit, Christ also said: "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" John 16:8. It is God that convicts, convinces, and compels the lost sinner.   It is the Spirit of God, convicting men of sin, and convincing them of their need to

Modern Christianity is too hasty.   Often, the sinner being led has not heard enough of God's Word to convince himself of his dire need--the "soul-winner" often tries to talk him into getting saved.

get saved, that ultimately "leads" them to call upon Christ to save them.   The sinner, after hearing God's Word, is drawn from within, not from without; not from some person pressuring them, however lightly, into calling upon God. "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;" 2 Tim. 2:24-25. That's why we don't read Paul asking the jailer, "Would you like to get saved?"   Instead, the jailer asks Paul, "what must I do to be saved?"   God was doing all the drawing--convicting the jailer's heart!   The jailer's question exhibited a heartfelt desire to repent and get saved.   Paul might have planted and even watered the seed, God's Word, but God made it grow, compelling the sinner to repent. "So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."   1 Cor. 3:6-7 God's timing is often ignored . . . Many professions of faith today are done half- heartedly, hastily extracted by the "soul winner."   The person professing does not totally surrender his self-will and make Christ the ONLY Lord of his/her life.   True salvation demands a repentant attitude.   Jesus said: "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."   (Luke 13:3).   Repentance is a change of mind that makes Christ Lord, no matter the personal cost. Jesus Christ warned: "And whosoever doth not

bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.   For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" Luke 14:27-28    Jesus warned about those who do not resolve to surrender everything, including their self-will, to Him: "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."   Luke 9:62     My friend, it is not hard to get     someone to admit they are a     sinner.   But do they see themselves     as a HELL-DESERVING sinner?   Do     they truly see themselves as lost--     (not "lost" in the sense of not     having direction, but LOST: hell-     bound, ALREADY on the way to     Hell)?   It is not hard to get     someone to admit their need of     godly direction, but are they really     willing to let God dictate their     every want and desire?   Do they realize God wants OWNERSHIP of their lives? A tragic ending . . . Too many, today, are making professions of faith without REPENTING; they're not totally surrendering to God.   Jesus warned that many will be shocked on Judgment Day: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?   And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."   Mat. 7:21-23

IF you were to die today, are you 100% SURE you would go to Heaven?   The Bible says YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13). BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you from going to Heaven are your sins, because: "...your iniquities [sins] have separated between you and your God," Isaiah 59:2. In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. SECONDLY, you must realize that there is NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   (Eph. 2:8-9)   Baptism, good deeds, church membership, self-righteousness are all examples of good works that cannot save you, because, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he [Christ] saved us," Titus 3:5. THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through Jesus Christ.   He said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."   (John 14:6)   THAT'S WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."   Romans 5:8-9 THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner and can't save yourself.   And call upon Christ, and Him alone, to save you.   "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."   Romans 10:9 SEND THE LIGHT P.O. Box 815   Fargo, ND 58107

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