Evangelicals, for the most part, have known and presented the Gospel since the time of the Reformation. In recent times, however, there has been a great falling away. What I had experienced about thirty years ago is even more prevalent today. Many modern Evangelicals give what they call "the Gospel" in such words as, "Accept Jesus into your heart." "Give Jesus control of your life to be saved" and "Give your life to Jesus to be saved." This is quite similar to Catholicism in so much as it looks for salvation in the human heart, and is brought about by man's own decision. It is necessary, therefore, to examine these messages of modern Evangelicals.
"Accept Jesus into your heart"
It is unscriptural to think that salvation begins by Christ first coming into the sinful heart of a man. The dead and ungodly person can be made acceptable to God only as he is "in Christ", as the New Testament makes so clear. According to the biblical concept, salvation is being made accepted in Christ. The whole theme of Ephesians chapters one and two is summarized by verse 6 of Chapter one, "to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved." Compared to this, the terminology "accept Jesus into your heart" is literally backward. It assumes that the human heart is a fitting place for Christ to dwell and it takes for granted that the human person initiates salvation. Often we will hear such as the following, "Accept Jesus into your heart, as He Himself asks you in His Word, 'behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.'" |
