Might a ‘Come to Jesus’ gospel be pre-evangelism, not evangelism?

This is a challenging article. I pray it inspires fresh vision!

THE ‘JESUS MY HEAVENLY FRIEND’ GOSPEL

Posed with a call to come to Jesus because he loves you, a person responds. They are looking to God to help them with their problems, their hurts and their finances.

“Lord Jesus, I take you as my Heavenly Friend.”

They then sense a touch from the Holy Spirit.

Important questions:

> Is that sense of a touch from the Spirit an evidence of their salvation?

> What if it is instead the loving and guiding hand of our Saviour – because they aren’t actually there yet? What if we are misinterpreting a call to salvation with actual salvation?

A scripture:

In John 15:14 Jesus is recorded as explaining the following. “You are my friends if you do what I command.”

• It’s easy to argue from scripture that there is no actual friendship with Jesus (in terms of friendship that brings salvation) without the obedience of the heart.

In analysis of this:

• Is having Jesus as a heavenly friend, salvation?
• What of the rich man who still loved his wealth – who considered God his friend – yet of whom Jesus still said it was ‘easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven’? His friendship with God was sincere!
• What if some (or many) of our ‘pentecostal’ so-called salvations are actually just people who’ve come to an initial realisation that God is there and loves them – and yet have not comprehended that he must be their Saviour and Lord?

THE ‘JESUS MY SAVIOUR’ GOSPEL

A seeker who (has maybe even responded in an altar call before to a ‘Jesus is my friend’ message) comes to a revelation of their sinfulness and logically resulting separation from God (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit is revealing something new and important to their heart.

Realising their ‘lostness’, and now comprehending that the just consequence of their sin really would be and is eternal damnation, their hearts are raised to God in a new way. They call out to God in prayer, with hope, with faith – and then with great joy.

“Jesus – I now take you as my Saviour, not just my Heavenly Friend! I thank you for my salvation!”

From the Scriptures – What following Jesus actually required:

In  John 6 – as also sits in the general theme of its surrounding chapters – we see how offence was taken at Jesus because of what following him actually required.

• They wanted ‘Saviour Jesus’ – or as they saw it, ‘potential Israeli military leader Jesus’.
• They wanted, ‘Jewish Messiah who comfortably fits our stereo-type’.
• But they didn’t want a Jesus who said ‘come follow me and embrace the gruesome cost of a life lived in my footsteps’!

John 6:60 – “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”

John 6:65 ^{– “}He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

John 6:66 –  ^“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

In analysis of this:

How many believe they know ‘Saviour Jesus’ – who, if the wider scriptures and call of God were being clearly preached or explained, might quickly admit that they don’t yet follow, “Lord Jesus”?

Important questions:

> Is a person following “Saviour Jesus” but not “Lord Jesus” actually saved?

> Is not faith without works dead?

> If they comprehend their sin, but haven’t yet surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus, have they actually decided NOT to submit their lives and hearts to Jesus?

Theologically, the idea here is called ‘repentance’, which is about a turning away from our own sinful ways to follow God’s ways.

THE ‘JESUS MY LORD’ GOSPEL

As the Scriptures are read, the Holy Spirit impresses upon a person their sinfulness – despite forgiveness. They see the needs of the world and comprehend that it is our sin that has messed it all up. Where is true hope for our planet and its people? The idea settles that Jesus cannot be  just a Friend and Saviour. He is our Lord; he is our King; he is God-eternal, our Judge, our Boss, our Master.

Jesus didn’t just die for our sin; he died for our  holiness! Yes, we are made holy in a positional and ‘legal’ sense by Jesus. But in turning to him we are also committing to a path of holiness – to pursue a greater level of devotion to him in all our ways, day by day by day.

It is as in the saying, “If Jesus isn’t Lord of all he isn’t Lord at all.”

Consider Luke 14:31-33. “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

APPLICATION:

So, what kind of gospel are you preaching?

– Is is, “Jesus as a heavenly friend?”

– Is it, “Jesus as my Saviour and Friend?”

– Or is it, “Jesus as my Saviour, Lord and Friend?”

I suggest these are different gospels.

• I suggest all three are needed.
• The caution is that some of us may have been deceived. (Is it possible that you and your church might have been? What do you think?)

What if salvation is true when we surrender fully to Jesus – not only as a heavenly Friend – or only as a Saviour – but also as Lord?

For a very hard question: What if every other ‘gospel’ we preach – even if unintentional – is playing on the edges of being a deception? 

A question and warning: Is it possible some of us, and some of our churches, have been deceived – desiring acceptance from the world – therefore unwittingly preaching a a ‘half gospel’ which that is in danger of being no gospel at all?

It is a warning indeed – and to all of us.

In the process of ‘becoming all things to all people that by all possible means we might save some’ (1 Corinthians 9:22), the danger is that we adapt in our communication so much as to not actually pass on the great news we carry!

• Jesus will not only forgive you if you turn to him (repentance); he can be known; he can be followed; he can lead you as your Heavenly Lord and Master and Boss; your eternity WITH HIM can begin today!

…And in  James 3:1 the warning is put this way: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

So, are you (and am I) preaching the true and whole gospel?

If not, what might need to change in the way we communicate – to now correct this into the future?