The Hitching Post – Thoughts on the Gospel
An old gospel story about Whiskey Pete was told in cowboy church circles. Back in the day ss of the Old West, a cowboy named Whiskey Pete used to ride into town on Sunday mornings and tie his horse to the hitching post in front of the saloon, where he spent most of his day. One Sunday, he rode into town and tied his horse to the hitching post in front of the church down the street.
The saloon owner noticed and hollered at him, “Hey Pete! What gives? You make a mistake or something?”
Pete hollered back, “Nope. Last night, I went to a revival meeting and changed hitching posts.”
Of course, that’s just a story, but many similar but true gospel tories could have been told. It illustrates a point I want to make very well.
In our day of easy-believism, we see many people respond to altar calls one day but return to their old ways the next with no apparent change. That is due to a variety of reasons.
Their “conversion” the night before was a result of emotional manipulation rather than the Holy Spirit. Often, people running crusades will fill some of the seats with believers who come forward on cue in response to the altar call. This is known as “priming the pump.” The theory is that people will be more likely to respond if they see others do so. That may well be true, but too often, they respond for the wrong reason.
Many evangelists can whip up an emotional frenzy that produces an emotional “gospel response.” However, the conversion is not real without the Holy Spirit changing the heart.
Others respond out of intellectual knowledge. They hear the truth and “accept” it in their intellect, but it never gets as far as the heart—another false conversion.
Responding to Jesus is as simple as believing and professing. It is by faith alone, through grace alone, in Christ alone.
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:1-13 ESV
The problem is that we can over-emphasize the “confess with your mouth part,” especially the so-called sinner’s prayer. We forget it is a twofold process: We must believe with our hearts.
That is more than intellectual assent or an emotional response. It is a deep-down spiritual recognition of our unworthiness before a holy and righteous God. It is a profound act of throwing ourselves into His mercy, knowing it is our only hope.
Our words are empty without the Holy Spirit moving us to that point. Our churches are full of people who think they are saved because they have said a prayer but are deceived because they have never believed.
Can a person become a Christian one night and go back to the bar the next? Yes. Only God knows the heart, but if there is no change in your heart and your life, you must take some time to self-examine. Have you truly surrendered to Christ? Do you really believe it? Or are you riding on the coattails of some emotional/intellectual experience?
Now, I know not everyone will agree with this following statement … once you have truly been saved, you can never be lost. However, I believe that with every fiber of my being, that is what Scripture teaches.
The problem is that many think they have been saved but have not. Some will fall away from their supposed faith in short order; others will take a while but then drift. Still, others are in for a rude awakening at the pearly gates.
How can we know? We look for changed lives and spiritual fruit. True conversion will produce evidence. It might be slow, but if nothing changes, we need to look closely at our hearts.
Until next time, look at your heart and the truth of the Scriptures. Have you indeed hitched your heart, mind, soul, and strength to Jesus? Are you indeed converted? Born again, a new Creation in Christ?
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin