866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
Late in his ministry, D.L. Moody expressed regret for his shallow dealings with sinners and for not being more careful to look for a true work of God in conversion.
Consider the following candid statement:
“When a man is not deeply convicted of sin, it is a pretty sure sign that he has not truly repented. Experience has taught me that men who have very slight conviction of sin, sooner or later lapse back into their old life. FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE BEEN A GOOD DEAL MORE ANXIOUS FOR A DEEP AND TRUE WORK IN PROFESSING CONVERTS THAN I HAVE FOR GREAT NUMBERS. If a man professes to be converted without realizing the heinousness of his sins, he is likely to be one of those stony ground hearers who don’t amount to anything. ... I BELIEVE WE ARE MAKING A WOEFUL MISTAKE IN TAKING SO MANY PEOPLE INTO THE CHURCH WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN TRULY CONVICTED OF SIN. Sin is just as black in a man’s heart today as it ever was” (Moody, “Results of True Repentance,” from The Overcoming Life and Other Sermons, 1896).
This warning from America’s most prominent evangelist of the last 200 years needs to be heeded by every pastor, preacher, and evangelist of our day. A major reason why churches are floundering, mixed multitudes of saved and lost is because of a failure to preach repentance after the fashion of Paul, and the failure to look for and require the fruits of repentance after the fashion of Paul. He preached that sinners “should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (Ac. 26:20). This was John the Baptist’s demand of Israel, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Mt. 3:9). Some fundamental Baptists say that doing works meet for repentance is works salvation, but Paul preached salvation by grace alone without works, and he also preached repentance with works meet for it. Doing works “meet for” repentance is not salvation by works, it is works as evidence of salvation. Biblical repentance is not works; it is not a change of life; it is a radical change of mind that results in a change of life. The failure to understand these simple Bible truths on the part of so many is the product of heresy, man-centeredness, ignorance, and carnality.
- Receive these reports by email
- www.wayoflife.org
______________________
Sharing Policy: Much of our material is available for free, such as the hundreds of articles at the Way of Life web site. Other items we sell to help fund our expensive literature and foreign church planting ministries. Way of Life's content falls into two categories: sharable and non-sharable. Things that we encourage you to share include the audio sermons, O Timothy magazine, FBIS articles, and the free eVideos and free eBooks. You are welcome to make copies of these at your own expense and share them with friends and family. You may also post parts of reports and/or entire reports to websites, blogs, etc as long as you give proper credit (citation). A link to the original report is very much appreciated as the reports are frequently updated and/or expanded. Things we do not want copied and distributed are "Store" items like the Fundamental Baptist Digital Library, print editions of our books, electronic editions of the books that we sell, the videos that we sell, etc. The items have taken years to produce at enormous expense in time and money, and we use the income from sales to help fund the ministry. We trust that your Christian honesty will preserve the integrity of this policy. "For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward" (1 Timothy 5:18). Questions? support@wayoflife.org
Goal:Distributed by Way of Life Literature Inc., the Fundamental Baptist Information Service is an e-mail posting for Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. Our primary goal with the FBIS is to provide material to assist preachers in the edification and protection of the churches.
Offering: Offerings are welcome if you care to make one. If you have been helped and/or blessed by our material offerings can be mailed or made online with with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Paypal. For information see: www.wayoflife.org/about/makeanoffering.html.
