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Originally Posted by Blueridge reformer  I believe my motives were good. I really wanted to see people be saved. However, with the over emphasis on free will, I was leading a bunch of people to a false profession, albeit in ignorance.
I would pray and witness, lead sinnners in "the sinners prayer", and later become distressed about the lack of faithfulness of the converts. When it finally dawned on me, by God's free grace, that my responsibiblity was to present the Gospel and the rest was ALL GOD, a great weight came off me. The Scripture says "has newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word". Looking back, I had a lot of stillbirths.
Still I admire those in the IFB movement who pour thier heart into witnessing to sinners. It's just sad that thier is so much error in thier theology. |
I'm sure there are good things what we can learn from them and their zeal. Experience tells us at the same time we need to be careful what we learn. I'll relate this negative experience, then try and reprogram my thinking positively. A good number of years ago, we had an evangelist come through and visited our church. He came out with us on Saturday visitation, and I had the opportunity to go to some doors with him to learn how to be better at witnessing for Christ. I felt bad for the young man that came to the door. I kid you not, within 2 or 3 minutes the evangelist had the guy bowing his head to say the sinner's prayer. It was so methodical, and the questions asked were such that there was only one way for the conversation to go. The young man was polite, so he didn't resist at all. When it was all done, the evangelist closed by getting assurance that, since the guy was now saved, we'd see him in church in the morning.
...I can't tell you what a blessing it was Sunday morning to see that young guy walk through the front door of the church so he could join his fellow brethren...(NOT!).