The Biblical Evangelist
A Biblical Evangelist is not seen much these days. Most so-called "Evangelists" preach for numbers and/or money. Their basis is not the Bible - it is money, fame, or generally some other purpose other than pleasing Jesus. (By the way, if you are seeking the magazine, "The Biblical Evangelist", then that website is located at (http://www.biblicalevangelist.org/). Yes, it seems that the Biblical Evangelist is a rare bred indeed these days.
Charles G. Finney ruined "evangelism" as we know it for the most part today. I realize that there are still some men around who do "the work of an evangelist" who have not followed Finney's theology and/or methods. Nevertheless, such men today are few and far between. The majority of Evangelists, including the so-called "Tele-Evangelists", have departed from the Bible, and are now teaching and preaching "another gospel" in their meetings and "evangelistic" crusades. The result will be that millions of people who thought they were saved will one day wake up in the flames of eternal Hell.
Now what is this wicked theology of Finney which has so permeated today's evangelism and Evangelists? Finney was a Pelagius heretic. Finney rejected the finished work of Christ on the Cross, the Biblical doctrine taught and believed by historic Baptists and Protestants. Instead, Finney's theology was basically Roman Catholic; emphasizing the false doctrine of Salvation by Works. Finney thought that Baptists and Protestants were wrong and the Catholics were right. Finney therefore departed from historic Christianity, and was therefore a proponent of the false gospel of Salvation by Works.
Charles G. Finney was behind the "easy believism" taught by so many so-called Evangelists today. His legacy has become the gradual apostasy within much of Evangelical Christendom during these last 100-plus years since Finney's day.
What does the average Evangelist preach today? Well the average Evangelist today comes in and starts preaching. He gives one or more stories. Many then gives one or more jokes to put his audience "at ease". He talks for awhile. Then he asks people to bow their heads and for those who "know you are going to Heaven" to raise their hands. The Evangelist then asks people who did not raise their hands and "want to go to Heaven" to "come forward to receive Christ".
Those who come forward are then "led in a prayer". Then, the total number of those "gloriously saved" who are "eternally secure" are then added to the Evangelist's little book. These statistics are then later used to help him get more preaching engagements, (and to get more money as a result - what a coincidence!)
Now, you might be wondering what is wrong with all of this? Well, were those who came forward under conviction of their great and wicked sins against a Righteous and Holy God? Did those who came forward do it so that Jesus would solve their sin problem?
In almost all cases, those who came forward were just seeking a "ticket to Heaven" rather than repentance and forgiveness for sin by the blood of Jesus on the Cross, ("The Gospel"). All too often sin was not even on the minds of most who came forward. No, all they wanted was a "ticket to Heaven".
Jesus died on a Cross to pay for sin. If people do not have a sin problem, then they will not trust Jesus to save them from such a sin problem. Jesus came into the world to save sinners, not the righteous who are seeking a "ticket to Heaven". Thosee who do not trust Jesus to save them from their sins will still be sinners when then "arrive at the alter". They will still be sinners when they are baptized, and they will still be sinners when they die one day and drop into the flames of Hell to burn there forever.
Jesus saves from sin. Those who are saved will indeed go to Heaven, but only because Jesus has saved them from their sin. Getting a free "ticket to Heaven" will not save you any more than putting money in Tetzel's coffer would save a Roman Catholic back in the Middle Ages. You must be saved from sin by Jesus Himself if you want to go to Heaven.
Let's examine this further. What happens to those who come forward in a typical evangelistic crusade today? In some cases, nothing happens to them spiritually at all. They come forward, and then are declared to be "saved" because they have done this "good work" of coming forward. This is much easier I guess then climbing up the "Holy Stairs" in Rome, but it is "Salvation by Works" just the same, just like the Roman Catholic Church teaches.
Other Evangelists have people "say a prayer". Perhaps such people have said many prayers during their lifetimes. However, this prayer with the Evangelist is a "very special" prayer. This prayer is a "magical prayer" if you will. "Just repeat after me...abra cadabra, hocus pocus...".
But wait! What is the difference? If you "get the words right" and say the "right words" in a "special prayer" at the alter, does this now make you a saved, eternally secure Christian?
Many Roman Catholics pray their "prayers" thinking that they might get to Heaven as a result. Did a prayer ever die on a Cross to pay for sins? Do prayers have nail-pierced hands and feet? No, only Jesus saves. Unless someone actually trusts Jesus to pay for their sins when they pray a prayer, they will be just as lost after they pray as they were before they prayed. No good work can ever save anyone, whether it be the good work of going forward or praying a "sinner's prayer" with an Evangelist. A sinner who trusts his or her prayer will go to Hell one day. Only Jesus saves!
The Biblical Evangelist bases his evangelism efforts on what the Bible says, not on what the heretic Charles G. Finney once said. The popularity of a false doctrine does not make it true. Those Evangelists who preach false doctrines will send people to Hell to burn there forever. And how will they do that? They will do that by "inoculating" people against true conversion.
Why would such false Evangelists do such a thing? Some Evangelists preach for money. As a preacher once said, "if it don't make sense, there's got to be a buck in it." False prophets have been preaching for money since Bible times. We still have some such wicked men today. They are often called "Evangelists".
Now, as I said, there are still some men who preach the truth, some Evangelists who preach against sin, who preach Christ. Some preachers still try to make sure that anxious inquirers actually come to Jesus, not just "get religion". Sadly, nevertheless, there are few such good Evangelists today. I am afraid that most Evangelists today are probably lost themselves, trusting in their own "easy-prayerism" or "easy-believism" or their false "ticket to Heaven", rather than trusting Christ Himself to save them from their sin.
One last note, Jesus is a real person. Trusting Jesus does not mean trusting a Bible doctrine, or trusting something about Jesus. You must actually trust Jesus Himself to be saved. Mental belief is not salvation. The Devils "believe and tremble". Only Jesus saves!
If you have not trusted Jesus -- Jesus Christ Himself -- then you are lost. Even if you are an Evangelist yourself, you will find yourself in Hell one day unless you trust Jesus. Coming forward will not save you. Praying a prayer will not save you. Only Jesus saves!
Therefore, trust Jesus and then get into a good Fundamentalist Baptist church and live for Jesus. Trust Jesus. Do it today.
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