Get Rid of the Repeat After Me Evangelism!

Here's one of hte problems today in the ministry.  Sometimes I'm already thinking, "Are you sure that they were saved?"  I remembered the time I once prayed the sinner's prayer but guess what, I wasn't saved until I finally realized, I was lost and I came to Christ in my own words, my own realization I was a sinner and I was saved... it began a long and painful journey from the world to the cross.  Now let's think about the two examples that are frequently used and abused for "easy evangelism" such as the publican and the thief on the cross... or the jailer in Acts 16.  But we must take things INTO CONTEXT to realize that it was not repeat after me evangelism!

First let's talk about the publican and the Pharisee.  Now what was the real context?  Why did the publican cry out unto God, "God be merciful to me a sinner?"  Now we see the Pharisee who exalts himself above the publican, he thinks he's better than everyone else.  But wait, the publican can only see himself as a sinner.  Look, he did NOT repeat after me the "God be merciful to me a sinner."  He understood this... he was a sinner, he needed salvation, repentance of sin happened... as you see salvation changes the life.  The Pharisee here was self-righteous, how can he even savingly believe if he is so absorbed by his sin of self-righteousness?  The Pharisee is also a picture of the lost sinner who loves sin and doesn't think anything is wrong with them.  The publican is repentant sinner.

Second, let us see the case for the thief on the cross.  Hours ago, he was mocking Jesus but later, he found himself.  The words say, "We are justly condemned but this man is innocent."  Then we have, "Lord Jesus remember me when you come into Your Kingdom."  Remember what led the thief on the cross to ask Jesus to remember him?  First, he saw himself as a sinner.  Second, the thief repented and he knew only Jesus can save him.  There were some good works that were manifested as evidence.  He rebuked the crowd, he rebuked his companion who he previously joined with.  

Third, let us examine the jailer who met Paul and Silas.  Now let us think what was going on.  First, the jailer finally sees this... he is a sinner.  You realize that, he is trembling.  He saw himself as a sinner and that's why he said, "Sirs what must I do to be saved?"  Notice the Apostle Paul did not say, "Well just repeat after me." but rather he said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."  What does it mean to believe?  Let's take a look at what happens after Paul says that they spake unto the jailer about the Gospel.  As you see, it's not a repeat after me evangelism, they preached the Gospel.  Then you see the evidence that after salvation, he amended his mistakes.  See the difference?

What is reality then?  Look a real sinner's prayer there is NOT a repeat after me, but rather repentance that comes from the heart.  As I love to say, a man who loves sin will reject the Savior.  For one, an experience can be this, lead them to the sinner's prayer but one thing is certain, the man was NEVER converted - no continued fellowship, no real change in life.  Did he lose his salvation?  Not at all... as 1 John 2:19 warns such people were never truly converted.  If you have eternal security, you are not just merely saved, you are saved from sin.  True converts will choose martyrdom over renouncing Jesus, false ones will be Judas Iscariots, just there today, gone someday.  Just think so many times you think the person was saved but... someone I knew after praying the sinner's prayer in a repeat after me evangelism first went to a Baptist church but later, joined the Ang Dating Daan which is a heretical, self-righteous salvation by works camp.  As said, either you are truly saved or still lost!