The world, Satan and those who do not know better tell a LOT of fables and stories about when they “made a decision for Christ.” (Never mind that God’s Word informs the reader that NO ONE “makes a decision for Christ“–JESUS is the one making the decisions, NOT the one telling the stories.
As Jesus Himself once put it:
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”)
But those who do NOT know any better insist on telling their tales. Probably because so many others–not having any experiences with Jesus–listen to them so attentively.
And these stories ARE most usually DRAMATIC.
They are usually accompanied by crying or some sort of show of emotion to “prove” that the person telling the tale was OVERWHELMED by the whole conversion/coming to Jesus thing.
One other item is usually included for the listener’s pleasure: the EXACT time, date and details of the time the person ‘made a decision for Christ.’a
“I remember it just like it was yesterday! It was 2:05 in the morning and I gave my heart to the Lord! Before that I was nothing but a filthy sinner!”
Some stories include various bits and pieces–ALL dramatic; ALL memorable; some bordering on the spectacular or breathtaking, but ALL very theatrical in nature–about the time that person was swept away by the whole sensational spectacle of it all.
As stated: VERY DRAMATIC in the telling and re-telling.
One might even–if one had a suspicious nature–get the idea that the person telling the story wanted to be the star of this little show.
NOW, to set the reader straight: believing the gospel of Jesus Christ is VERY dramatic–just NOT in the ways related in so many fables one may have heard.
1 The new believer will usually not even KNOW what happened–let alone when it happened (unless something else very memorable also happened at that time).
2 The new believer will usually notice some changes before anyone else does. This includes an almost-complete change of what the new believer NOW considers important and worthy of his time.
3 It may take the new believer a few WEEKS before he realizes he is a follower of Jesus Christ and bound for heaven.
4 Probably one of the MOST DRAMATIC things about becoming a follower of Jesus Christ is the amount of new knowledge the new believer has thrust upon him–and he initially has little idea of where it came from!
Again, as Jesus Himself once put it:
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
–John 16:13-15
The sheer amount of NEW THINGS which are put into the new believer’s mind is hard to wrap one’s head around.
The number of questions about this new information is one thing the new believer has a hard time grasping. Where did this knowledge come from? How do I know it? What’s going on here?
5 If there is any emotion, it happens LATER, when the new believer REALIZES he is heaven-bound.
That is good news!
But what about the VERY dramatic tales which are told of ‘accepting Jesus into my heart’?
IF there is any TRUE drama to be had from listening to the tales-tellers, it comes whenever a tale of “making a decision for Christ” is related to one who has REALLY experienced the new birth.
At that point, things could get VERY dramatic!
HAS the reader listened to any such stories in his past?
WHAT did the reader believe?
It is not YET too late: there is still time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: Making a Choice
- The Gospel of Jesus Christ
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: The Power of God Unto Salvation
- Gospel of Jesus Christ: The End Times Power of God Unleashed
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: March 31, 2021.]
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
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The world has gotten VERY effective at directing scorn, derision and disbelief at ideas which are AT ODDS with its point-of-view.
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