The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Concerns with the Process of Evangelization

But in the process of evangelizing, can we be certain that it is God who has elected the convert and that he is not simply responding emotionally either as a result of fear or a 'peer' pressure? How can we avoid producing a 'false' convert?

We know that many are falling through the cracks and becoming false converts. Many have been enticed into making professions and altar calls by an 'over easy ' soft gospel message or a 'prosperity 'gospel being preached by some preachers in some churches and on television. Yet by the same token a 'hellfire and damnation' message can result in a response produced by fear. But isn't it likely that either type of message could be used by the Holy Spirit? As I read the biography of Charles Spurgeon the message to which he responded appears to be one of the most inadequate that I can ever imagine. There was actually no gospel content provided. A lay preacher simply shouted Isaiah 45:22,

“Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth! Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothing to do but look and live.”

Obviously, the Holy Spirit engineered the time, the place and the message that was necessary and the calling was Irresistible. We know that God's Word does not return void.

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall. (Isaiah 55:11).

We know that he was fifteen years old at the time . Both his father and grandfather were ministers and that he had no doubt heard a 'general' gospel call many times, although he had never responded to it. It had simply remained dormant until the 'effectual call' at this time. The message in the simple, short form given was 'effectual' in accomplishing God's purpose. It most likely would not have worked with anyone else. But it was just the final nail needed in his case and the Prince of Preachers was born.