IT’S AS SIMPLE AS A, B, C.
By Ken Blue
Some of the brethren, having run out of things to criticize others about, have now resorted to finding fault with how one gives an invitation to salvation or how one leads a soul to accept Christ. This is done with a cute little saying called the “1, 2, 3 repeat after me” method.
All of us are guilty of picking up some little tidbits or scraps thrown out by others and then regurgitating them to the pups when we get back to the den. Cute, may sound pleasing and stroke our pride, but there is a world of difference between cute and accuracy.
Most of us are familiar with a small gospel tract that says salvation is as “simple as A, B, C.” I’ve yet to hear any complaints about its presentation. It goes something like this:
A- All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
B- Believe Jesus died to pay for your sins.
C- Call upon him now and ask Him to save you. The tract continues with a simple prayer for the sinner to repeat. This is called the A B C method.
The 1, 2, 3, method, however is not received with as much grace. We think we know why and will explain later.
This method obviously begins with the number, one.
1. All have sinned and come short of God’s glory.
2. Believe Jesus died to pay for your sins.
3. Call upon Him and ask Him to save you. The sinner is then led in a verbal prayer of salvation.
[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Only the Devil would complicate such a simple method of salvation as A, B, C.[/pullquote]
Now, anyone with an ounce of spiritual discernment can see the vast difference between the two methods. You may have to study them for a while before the dissimilarity becomes evident.
Still having trouble? Here it is. One is A, B, C and the other is 1, 2, 3.
We are not naive. Not every sinner who prays, any sinner’s prayer, is saved. It is not the method or words a man or woman mouths that merits them salvation. Salvation is an absolutely free gift to any man or woman who accepts it by faith. No other conditions are required.
Only the Devil would complicate such a simple method of salvation as A, B, C. Lost Pastors teach you must work to get it, and some saved pastors teach that you must ask a certain way or you don’t get it.
Now what is behind all this cute little saying we hear now and then? The answer is control. Another reason for the criticism is that the critic is not getting sinners saved with any method. He doesn’t have one.
Some pastors and evangelist are so desperate to secure a following that they create one more schism in the body of Christ in order to secure a following. We all enjoy a little comedy now and then, but don’t be too hasty to rush back to the den with those little tidbits to regurgitate them.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.