So, You Want A Revival? A Second Biblical look at the Evangelical ‘Back to God’ Movement

So, you want a revival?    Many evangelicals today are hoping that revival occurs during their lifetime.   And recent efforts to get ‘Back to God’, by such organizations as the Christian Coalition, Promise Keepers and others, is adding fuel to that hope.   A recent evangelical publication even stated that: "Hope is rising, and men are praying, for a river of revival in America.   And believers from all streams of the church are responding."    In His Word, God reveals to us the conditions that set the stage for a revival, some of them are found in the following verse: "If my people, which are CALLED BY MY NAME, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chr. 7:14).   Notice the required humbleness and seeking of God's face, through prayer.   But notice, in particular, the command to: "turn from their wicked ways."   This is a call to repent!   And if evangelicals want a revival, they're going to have to. . . . . . Start practicing a TRUE REPENTANT ATTITUDE!    To truly repent means: to change your mind about sin and your obligation to the will of God.   For the sake of our discussion, we'll look at four things that should accompany a GENUINE change of mind. 1.   CONFESSION OF SIN should accompany genuine repentance because you can't really say you changed your mind about sin if you never admitted you're a guilty sinner before God.   When King David repented, he said to God: "For I ACKNOWLEDGE MY TRANSGRESSIONS: and my sin is ever before me.   AGAINST THEE, thee only, HAVE I SINNED, and done this evil in thy sight" (Psa. 51:3-40).   When a person truly repents, they confess their sin and admit that they're a Hell deserving sinner. 2.   REMORSE OVER SIN should accompany genuine repentance because you can't be joyful when you see yourself as a lost, hell-bound sinner who has offended God.   When King David showed a repentant attitude, he said: "neither is there any rest in my bones BECAUSE OF MY SIN.   For MINE INIQUITIES [sins] ARE GONE OVER MINE HEAD: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me" (Psa. 38:3-4). 3.   SORROW OVER SIN should accompany genuine repentance, because you should hate the sin you are sorry for, and be sorry for the sin you hate.   Once again, when King David repented, he said: "For I will declare mine iniquity; I WILL BE SORRY FOR MY SIN" (Psa. 38:18).   The Bible says: "For GODLY SORROW WORKETH REPENTANCE to salvation NOT TO BE REPENTED OF" (2 Cor. 7:9-10).    At salvation, these first three aspects of repentance are sometimes expressed emotionally and many, if not all, evangelicals will claim to have experienced them to one degree or another.   Attend an average evangelical crusade and you will see crying and guilt-ridden faces as people respond to the invitation. However, when their emotional outbrake has subsided, this next aspect is often missing from their lives: 4.   A TOTAL SUBMISSION TO GOD'S WILL should accompany genuine repentance because you never truly changed your mind if it didn't result in obedience to Him.   Some people will abstain from smoking, drinking alcohol, fornication, lying, cussing, stealing, pornography, etc. and assume they have repented. But God says: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: AND let him RETURN UNTO THE LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isa. 55:7).   This means the truly repentant sinner not only forsakes their sin but ALSO submits to God.   Salvation requires: "REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, and FAITH toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21). TRUE REPENTANCE RESULTS IN A CHANGE OF DIRECTION, FROM DOING WHAT YOU WANT, TO DOING WHAT GOD SAYS.

Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him DENY HIMSELF, and take up his cross, AND FOLLOW ME" (Matt. 16:24).   Self-denial coupled with a resolve to follow God's Word is sorely missing from the life of many evangelicals.   They want to ‘have their cake and eat it too.’   They want what God has to offer without having to forsake what the world has already given them.   But Jesus said: "NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS...YE CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON" (Mat. 6:24).   Throughout the ‘Back to God’ movement we find many blatant violations of God's Word as most evangelicals try to justify reaching the lost using the world's method and not God's. Consider the following example. . .    New Man magazine (Oct 1996), an evangelical publication, has a news item announcing that a "Swinging nightclub becomes a refuge of hope."   The article begins by saying: "It's Saturday night and a nightclub on a rural outskirts of Tampa, Fla., is hopping. . . . a line of denim-clad dancers stomps and slides across the oak floor to the sounds of the country hit ‘God Bless Texas’. . . . call it a ‘holy honky- tonk.’   Welcome to the Tidal Wave Christian Light Club-a nightclub that's a ministry. . . .a converted country bar started by a converted Tampa nightclub manager."   The story goes on to explain that "This is a place with a purpose-to lift up Jesus and introduce Him to folks who don't know Him."   Now let's compare this seemingly ‘good idea’ with what God says. q   First of all, God says: "Abstain from ALL appearance of evil" (1 Th. 5:22).   But as you began to read the article, what popped into your mind?   Drinking, carousing, men picking up chicks?   Did you realize that it was describing a Christ-centered ministry?   Did it have the appearance of evil?    The violation of this simple commandment is rampant among evangelicals.   Go into the music section of a modern ‘Christian’ bookstore and see if you can tell the difference between a secular rock band and a ‘Christian rock band.’   We know the secular one is evil, so why would a professing Christian want to APPEAR like them?   In fact, by displaying these rock groups, the bookstore itself has the appearance of evil!   So go up to the store manager (who claims to be saved) and show him that God says: "Abstain from ALL appearance of evil."   Will he repent, do as God says, and remove the items?   (Come on!   You know better than that.) q   The article also states that: "Each Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, Christians and non- Christians come to the Club to mingle, to dance, shoot pool, listen to music and relax in a non- alcoholic, smoke-free atmosphere."   Yet God says: "Be ye not UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS: for what FELLOWSHIP HATH RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH UNRIGHTEOUSNESS? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Cor. 6:14)   Think about it, conversation wise, what could the saved have in common with the unsaved?    Could they talk about the latest movies, when a Christian's attitude should be: "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes" (Psa. 101:3).   Could they defiantly complain about government when God says: "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake" (1 Pet. 2:13).   Could they gossip, when God says: "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth" (Eph. 4:29).   Let's face it, a Christian can only witness to the unsaved for so long before they change the subject, and then what do they talk about?    Yet many evangelicals will try to justify this violation of God's Word by saying: "If you want to reach the lost you have to ‘hang out’ with them and show them that you are not a fanatic."   That sounds good but, God says: "Wherefore COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, and BE YE SEPARATE" (2 Cor. 6:17).   A true repentant attitude is not going to try to rationalize away what God commands.   Besides, Christ "Gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and PURIFY unto himself a PECULIAR PEOPLE" (Titus 2:14).

Therefore, non-Christians are not going to want to socialize with real Christians anyway.   Jesus said: "Blessed are ye, when MEN SHALL HATE YOU, and when they shall SEPARATE YOU FROM THEIR COMPANY, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, FOR THE SON OF MAN'S SAKE" (Luke 6:22).   If a Christian is living according to God's will, the Bible warns, "MARVEL NOT, my brethren, if the world hate you" (1 John 3:13).    Now go show Ralph Reed, of the Christian Coalition (to use one example), the verses we just looked at. Show him that God says: "Be ye not UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH UNBELIEVERS."   How would he react?   Will he stop hob-knobbing and cutting deals with unsaved politicians, and start witnessing to them instead?   When the one he calls ‘Lord’ commands him to: "COME OUT from among them, and BE YE SEPARATE," will he obey and resign his position?   Will he pack up, leave Washington, humble himself, pray and seek God's face, and turn from his wicked ways; because God says that: "THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will HEAL THEIR LAND" (2 Chr. 7:14)?   (Come on!   You know better than that.) q   Finally, the article quotes one of the co-managers as saying: "This is common ground where unchurched people and unsaved people can come and feel comfortable. . . . I don't know if they'd feel comfortable walking into a church, but they feel comfortable walking in here."   But if it's comfortable for the unsaved, then how are they convicted about their sin?   And without conviction, there can be no true salvation because the Bible says: "For GODLY SORROW WORKETH REPENTANCE TO SALVATION not to be repented of" (2 Cor. 7:10).   But, once again, evangelicals do what they feel is right and NOT what God says to do.   Nowhere in the Bible does God say: preach it positive and don't offend or create discomfort.   On the contrary, He commands preachers to: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; REPROVE, REBUKE, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Tim. 4:2).   Notice that two-thirds of that command is NEGATIVE!   It has to be.   Sin takes people to Hell, and they must see their lost, hell-bound condition before a thrice Holy God.   The Bible says: "The heart is DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9)   And if you cut that wicked heart any slack by teaching a comfortable message, it will deceive someone right into Hell!    In ending, I realize that many evangelicals reading this tract will claim that the verses used against the        article were used in a very pointed way, making God out to be too straight and narrow.   Their assumption being that God is not THAT strict when it comes to repentance.   However, Jesus Himself said: "Enter ye in at the STRAIT gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because STRAIT IS THE GATE, AND NARROW IS THE WAY, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it" (Mat. 7:13- 14).    And how narrow is narrow?   The answer is: So narrow, that Jesus warned: "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).    Friend, read this last verse again and consider what it says.   Those poor souls standing before Christ that day will assume they were doing God's will all along.   Yet, Christ tells them "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mat. 7:21-23).   No doubt there will be some who thought God wasn't that strict when it came to repentance.   Where do you stand?   Are you destined to be among them?   As you read God's commands did YOU try to rationalize them away?   Have YOU truly repented?   Or should Jesus be asking you: "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) Please read the plan of salvation located on the back [below]. If you have any questions, contact the address indicated..

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," Isa. 59:2. In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Rom. 3:23. And Jesus, referring to sinners, said that He: "shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity [sinners]; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."   Mat. 13:41-42 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." (Rom. 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."   Rom. 10:9 SEND THE LIGHT P.O. Box 815   Fargo, ND 58107

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