I am sometimes perplexed at the words that fall out of the mouths of some of the men of God. I understand that the heat of the moment can leave us a little tongue tied and we are sometimes prone to get our tongues wrapped around our eye teeth so that we can't see to say what we really mean. But let's face facts: sometimes the very words we let fall out are the evidence of our doctrinal stands. Could it be that some would dare believe the following?
In a recent gospel meeting, 2 fairly good sermons had been preached. One was on hell, a very necessary subject all the time. Immediately, it was decided to have an "altar call." I don't agree with such, for Christ is our altar and we, and certainly sinners, must flee only to Christ. But it was not my church. And then in the midst of the begging for someone to come forth, the speaker said, "God is trying to save somebody!" I thought I would fall down. Can it be that a man of God be so ignorant of the sovereignty of God? Or was it a slip of the tongue? Either or, it was an amazing denegration of our God.
God does not "try" to save sinners. Every sinner whom the Father has elected and given to Jesus will be saved! He will move on them with power in time and they will come. Jesus is emphatic in John 6:37: "all that the Father gives me will come to me!" Again in John 17, Christ makes it certain that these that the Father has given Him will be saved and none will be lost. How dare we ever use the word "try" in conjunction with the workings of God in the salvation of His elect. It is a done deal. Could this be the man's doctrine that moved him to make such an awful statement?
Now if it was a slip of the tongue, then certainly the man may have meant that the Father, by the Holy Spirit, was working with sinners. I have no problem with this since I have personally seen conviction upon certain sinners in meetings and in witnessing encounters. But this isn't anything we can provoke or conjure up with long winded invitations. Once the foolishness of preaching has been administered, we can only wait upon the Holy Ghost to regenerate and arrest the sinner's heart. Means were administered. Now leave the Holy Ghost to His work. Don't be so anxious to claim a decision that silly statements are made that reproach the very name of God and turn Him into a poor weak man who needs our help to save sinners.
And does it not cause sinners to see God in a weaker light? It does! They, seeing God has been crippled, will believe they have the power to save themselves or that God must save them if and when they decide. God help us for leaving anyone with these foul notions. The sinner must be made to believe that he has offended God beyond repair and if he is to be saved he must plead with God to allow him to flee to Christ! Salvation is full and free, but it is not cheap! And unless hardened sinners are made to see God as greater than themselves, if they are not made to see that God could pass them by, they will continue on believing that they are greater than God. I'll not have it on my conscience! Christ, indeed, came into the world to save sinners and they will be saved, every last one of them. Sovereign election stands!
I hope the preacher was simply in the moment and made a faux paux. I pray it is not his doctrine. Yet, in either case, the fellow must study the Word and check himself up. We can't ever honor the Father, Son and Holy Ghost if we make them side line players in the most serious work accomplished among men.
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