Sermon responses-how much will you do and why?

[Luke2427]

I voted nothing, but I didn't mean it. It was the only way I could see the results of the poll.

I concur with whoever said that no church should have altars. The cross was the final altar upon which the last sacrifice of all time should be made.

But having a time for prayer and response to the message is not a bad thing. It is certainly, by no means necessary and the church plugged right along for about 1800 years without it- but it is not something that we can condemn.

I also believe in the regulative principle- but that's what it is- a principle- not a precept. Choir and clergy robes are not in the NT- but it is perfectly fine if a church wishes to employ them.
Responsive reading is not in the NT. I know reading of the Scripture is most assuredly there- but not responsive reading. But it is perfectly ok to utilize responsive reading in worship.

Invitations where people are invited to come up front and pray at the close of the sermon- this iis not in the Bible- but that does not mean that no one should ever do it.

But I will say this- I'd rather see the whole practice go away than for our culture to continue to do it the way it does it now.

 

[David Lamb]

I voted nothing, but I didn't mean it. It was the only way I could see the results of the poll.

You could have seen the poll results without voting yourself, Luke. You obviously know where the "Vote Now" button is on BB polls; to the right of this, there is a link (not a button): "View Poll Results".

Not criticising you - just passing this on for your info.

 

[Luke2427]

You could have seen the poll results without voting yourself, Luke. You obviously know where the "Vote Now" button is on BB polls; to the right of this, there is a link (not a button): "View Poll Results".

Not criticising you - just passing this on for your info.

Thanks. I am not a very observant person- Sherlock Holmes- yea, that;s the opposite of me.

 

[psalms109:31]

We should really know the meaning of the altar call. To bring the Lamb of God to the altar that He provided for our sacrifice, place our sin on Him and what the precious blood of Christ done for us and make it public. To be buried with Him, and raised up to begin our new life in Him.

Has anything changed from the beginning. He became not only our sacrifice, but the Lamb who takes away our sin.

 

[David Lamb]

We should really know the meaning of the altar call. To bring the Lamb of God to the altar that He provided for our sacrifice, place our sin on Him and what the precious blood of Christ done for us and make it public. To be buried with Him, and raised up to begin our new life in Him.

Has anything changed from the beginning. He became not only our sacrifice, but the Lamb who takes away our sin.

How can we "bring the Lamb of God to the altar"? He has already been there, once and for ever. Hebrews 10.12:

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.
​

We cannot bring Him to the altar again, whether by means of the so-called "altar call", or anything else.

As for making it public, being buried and raised with Him, that sounds remarkably like believer's baptism.

 

[psalms109:31]

When people brought their sacrifice to the altar before the cross, they were not actually bringing Christ to the altar, but is a representation of the one to come. To be our sacrifice and to take our sin.

The same as today we are bringing our sacrifice of the one who has already come to acknowledge what He has done.

I should of said already provided.

It doesn't matter if it is before the cross looking for the one to come or looking back to the one who has already come, we are bringing a sacrifice that God has already provided. It is the one sacrifice, that has already been made.

I still believe we do what has been done before to bring the sacrifice and to lay our sin on the one to take away our sin, but we are bringing what has already been done at the cross.

I believe in the altar call as an acknowledgement of what God has done, and a Godly sorrow that brings repentance that leads to salvation.

Hosea 6:6

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

 

[David Lamb]

When people brought their sacrifice to the altar before the cross, they were not actually bringing Christ to the altar, but is a representation of the one to come. To be our sacrifice and to take our sin.

The same as today we are bringing our sacrifice of the one who has already come to acknowledge what He has done.

But the OT saints were commanded by God to offer the animal and other sacrifices as "a representation of the One to come". It seems you are saying that people today are commanded by God to "go to the front" in a church service in response to an "altar call", as "a representation of the One Who has come". If I have understood you correctly, please provide some scriptural examples of such a practice.

I should of said already provided.
It doesn't matter if it is before the cross looking for the one to come or looking back to the one who has already come, we are bringing a sacrifice that God has already provided. It is the one sacrifice, that has already been made.

I still believe we do what has been done before to bring the sacrifice and to lay our sin on the one to take away our sin, but we are bringing what has already been done at the cross.

Sorry, I cannot agree. We must trust in (or believe on, or rely on) that one true sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be saved, but we cannot "bring" that sacrifice, whether by walking to the front of a church building in response to an appeal from the preacher, or by any other method.

I believe in the altar call as an acknowledgement of what God has done, and a Godly sorrow that brings repentance that leads to salvation.

Hosea 6:6

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

But we must look at the context of bible verses. The words you quoted about Godly sorrow are nothing to do with this matter of "altar calls". 2 Corinthians 7.8-11:

8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
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Nothing there about going to the front of a church building in response to pleding from a preacher.

Hosea 6.4-7:

4 "O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away. 5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth. 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7 But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me."
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Nothing there either about altar calls!

I am sorry, Psalms 109:31, but you have not convinced me that "altar calls" are biblical.

 

[psalms109:31]

I just know nothing has changed from the beginning to bring a sacrifice the best we can bring to the Altar and God has already provided the best the one suitable to take our place for our sin Jesus Christ.

It is my conviction nothing has changed from the beginning this is why God made the perfect sacrifice. Only a sinner needs one to take his place.

Maybe it is just me, but when I was called I did run to the altar, if I am a sinner for doing that, that is O.K., because I am.

I am not trying to convince you of anything. I am showing you why it is for me. You have come to Jesus the way God called you, but this is the way God called me to Jesus by the altar of His sacrifice. That is where Jesus called me to , I will never regret that day for coming that way. Through the words of the Gospel I seen Jesus on the cross of that church who died for me and ran to the altar that was close to Him in tears. That I made acknowledgement of what God did for me publicly. That I did not deny Him before men, but acknowledged Him before man and it did bring me to a Godly sorrow that brings repentance that lead to salvation praise Jesus

I praise Jesus for that day and His call to His altar.

 

[psalms109:31]

If I was in Spurgeon day listen to the word of God from him the Gospel of my salvation. I was told "Go to your God at once, even where you are now!" he would insist. "Cast yourself on Christ, now, at once, ere you stir an inch!"

If I did this I would be praising God too for my salvation, just as I would the one who came to Jesus by an Altar call.

To do nothing isn't what Spurgeon did or the people who came to Jesus just where they were, are or be, is it?

 

[David Lamb]

If I was in Spurgeon day listen to the word of God from him the Gospel of my salvation. I was told "Go to your God at once, even where you are now!" he would insist. "Cast yourself on Christ, now, at once, ere you stir an inch!"

If I did this I would be praising God too for my salvation, just as I would the one who came to Jesus by an Altar call.

To do nothing isn't what Spurgeon did or the people who came to Jesus just where they were, are or be, is it?

You know that I don't have the same beliefs about "altar calls" as you do, but please let me assure you that I fully agree with Spurgeon and with you that it cannot be right to do nothing on hearing the gospel. Because Christ's completed work is all that is acceptable with God the Father, all we can do is to come to Christ and cast ourselves on Him. But I don't see what that has to do with coming to the front of a church building.

 

[psalms109:31]

You know that I don't have the same beliefs about "altar calls" as you do, but please let me assure you that I fully agree with Spurgeon and with you that it cannot be right to do nothing on hearing the gospel. Because Christ's completed work is all that is acceptable with God the Father, all we can do is to come to Christ and cast ourselves on Him. But I don't see what that has to do with coming to the front of a church building.

I think we can come to agreement, as long as their a sort of decision card before them that if so lead to ask questions or if the want to talk to someone about it. That just because I was lead to Jesus a certain way, doesn't mean He can't lead them to Him right were they are.

To do nothing is why i brought up what lead me and why I think it is right.