Beth-El Baptist Church

01/11/2009

Greg Tomlinson


Are altar calls biblical?


Whether presented at the front of the church or as a part of a revival meeting, the altar call is fairly common practice. It can be presented as a request to show hands with no one looking. It can be presented with a request to come forward. In the revival meetings and in many churches it is associated with the recitation of a specific prayer by those who come forward, the numbers of those coming forward are recorded and associated with “decisions for Christ”.


  1. Are people to be asked to believe?

John 11:25-26 2 Corinthians 5:10-11

Galatians 1:10-12 Jeremiah 31:34

Hebrews 8:10-12


There is a component of the evangelistic message that requires the asking of a commitment. Jesus asked Martha if she believed. Paul claims that his Christian duty is to “persuade men”. What is interesting is the reason he seeks to “persuade men”, “knowing the terror of the Lord”. In other words, the reason to ask people to believe is so that they can escape hell itself. This also means that in order for the persuasion to be biblically effective, they must be persuaded about the terror of the Lord and seek protection from God. Finally, Jeremiah states that there will be a time in which men will no longer have to proclaim “know the LORD”. The strong implication is that people are to be asked to “know the LORD” until the time comes for that message to cease. The important question to ask is not so much do you know the Lord but who is the Lord that you know. This leads to the understanding that the persuasion is to show personal weakness, the need for a savior and the identity of that savior as Jesus Chist.


  1. Are people to be asked to publicly identify themselves with Christ?

Luke 12:1-10 Matthew 10:25-33

Revelation 3:5-6 Romans 6:3-5

Acts 2:41 cmp 2 Samuel 24:1-2, 10-13 Matthew 13:19-23

Daniel 1:8; 6:10


There is a need for people to be publicly recognized as being Christians. The refusal to acknowledge the person of Jesus Christ and one's own relationship with him is what is meant by denying him. Those who refuse to acknowledge a right and true relationship with Jesus Christ will be rejected by God. It can be a dangerous thing to keep track of the numbers of conversions for the real number is only known by God. The desire to see how big and important one is led to judgment by God against David.


  1. Can false proclamations of faith be expressed in these situations?

Acts 8:12-23 Revelation 2:9; 3:9

1 John 2:19 Acts 20:28-30

2 Timothy 3:1-7


False conversions were very popular in Paul's day, how much more now. There were men who would claim to believe but their actions betrayed the condition of their heart. It is not uncommon for people to claim faith in Jesus Christ because it is a locally popular thing to do. Even pornographers claimed faith in Christ in order to be released from jail but they remained in that business and never sought the forgiveness of sins.


  1. What are the marks of a true conversion?

Acts 2:36-38; 8:35-38, 17:31-34 1 John 1:5-10; 5:3

Matthew 8:7-10; 9:20-22; 15:25-28 1 Timothy 4:16

2 Timothy 4:1-4


The marks of a true conversion is an internal drive to seek to please God. Notice that we do not have recorded Peter, Philip or Paul ever asking for anything from those whom they talked with. In every case, the message ended or was interrupted and the people asked for more. They listeners came to the speaker to say that they needed more information. With Philip and the Ethiopian, Philip did not ask the Ethiopian if he wanted to be baptized but the Ethiopian asked Philip to baptize him. No where in scripture is there a bringing forward and a leading in a prayer. The individual is driven to know God and His word. It is the commandments of God that they desire to love and to obey. A lack of interest in doctrine and scripture demonstrates a false conversion not a true conversion. John is very clear that in order for salvation to be present that the individual must be in recognition of the greatness of their own sin and their greater need for the sacrifice of Jesus to provide the fullness for His salvation.


  1. What is needed for a true conversion to take place?

John 6:29, 38-40; 16:7-11 Romans 10:17

Psalm 51:1-5, 17 Acts 16:30-31


True conversion takes place as God works in the heart of an individual with the scriptures in order to clarify the individual's brokenness and depravity before God so that they would cry out to God for forgiveness. There can be no conversion where there is no conviction.



Summary:


There is little to no biblical support for the modern day altar call. The conversions recorded in the scriptures are accomplished through the preaching of the the Word of God, the working of the Holy Spirit upon the listener(s) and an intense desire on the part of the listener to want more. The public acknowledgment of who Jesus is will come about in an appropriate time and way. Perhaps the person will be forced into a position to “make a decision” which may have drastic consequences to lay claim to Jesus Christ. Clear then, the altar calls where people are requested to come forward in order to be saved and then led through a scripted prayer does not find any basis in scripture. The individual in whom God is working will be compelled by the working of the Holy Spirit to cry out to God from the heart to confess sins and to turn from them. The person who is truly saved will be unable to ignore the need to seek forgiveness and receive the transforming power of God.