Jesus Is Not A Cafeteria Offering

Sloppy presentations of "the gospel" coupled with (intentional or not) manipulative slam-bam-thank-you-ma'am "invitations" result in lost sinners reciting a prayer (found no where in Scripture) and saying "amen" while still being lost sinners...and all too often being told afterward that they are "in".

Or...maybe...once in a while the Spirit of the Lord honors even a shoddy presentation and draws someone to the family of God, but they are somehow under the impression they have their "fire escape" and can now do whatever they wish.

Sort of like proceeding down a buffet or cafeteria line - taking a big helping of "Jesus Savior" while passing on "Jesus Lord."

But I concur with Charles Spurgeon, who wrote:

"I cannot conceive it possible for anyone truly to receive Christ as Savior and yet not to receive him as Lord. A man who is really saved by grace does not need to be told that he is under solemn obligations to serve Christ. The new life within him tells him that. Instead of regarding it as a burden, he gladly surrenders himself – body, soul, and spirit- to the Lord who has redeemed him, reckoning this to be his reasonable service."

 

C.H. Spurgeon