I've been praying for revival/another true Great Awakening for years. Hubby said it will never happen (he's Christian buy not awake) but our pastor prayers for revival publicly too!! Looking forward to seeing the hand of the Lord move in hearts and save His people!!
But is the concern going to change anything for those whom you are concerned for?
No. And yes - your concern is warranted - but it's also completely out of your hands.
If someone who said they gave their life to Jesus that night, did not mean it in their heart - then - that is between them and God, right?
On the other hand - what can we celebrate? What should we celebrate? What does Heaven celebrate?
Luke 15
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Regarding your statement - "they haven’t been given the Biblical foundation to sustain a true conversion."
Was the Thief on the Cross saved? Did the Thief on the Cross have a Biblical foundation of any sort?
No - he was saved by his Faith, alone.
Yes, absolutely growing in the understanding of the Bible will help us in our walk - 10000% - and I love the Bible.
But how you're saying it, seems to tread on Jesus + X is needed to be saved. Maybe I'm misunderstanding.
I'll also point out that you said "Revival" a few times in your statement. Why? It's a concert. It wasn't labeled a "Revival" in any way - if it were, I would have not gone. Revivals aren't Manufactured.
"Salvation is a very logical process and revivals are entirely emotional."
Did the Thief on the Cross Logically examine everything in order to be saved?
Is it possible that you're inserting your own preferences and comforts into the design of what "must be" in order to be saved?
The more I read - the more I'm finding very close-minded responses.
"Finally, the audacity to accept a Christ after a lifetime of rejection because the music and lighting brought the mood to mystic proportions is legitimately demonic."
Really? Could it be anything other than that? Like seeing the celebration of so many people around you and realizing that this Jesus that they're all excited about, just might be real? Calling out for Jesus to come into your life and saying you want the joy and hope you see on the thousands of people around you - that's not enough to be saved?
Romans 14 - 15:7
"14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master[a] that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess[b] to God.”
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Do Not Cause Another to Stumble
13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.[c] 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.[d]
The Example of Christ
15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Went to this concert a couple of weeks ago - one of the best I've ever been to.
Many people gave their lives to Christ that night - complete celebration with 10,000 other believers.
I had hope - but being there fanned those flames even higher. :)
I've been praying for revival/another true Great Awakening for years. Hubby said it will never happen (he's Christian buy not awake) but our pastor prayers for revival publicly too!! Looking forward to seeing the hand of the Lord move in hearts and save His people!!
I hear your concern Arcane - I get it.
But is the concern going to change anything for those whom you are concerned for?
No. And yes - your concern is warranted - but it's also completely out of your hands.
If someone who said they gave their life to Jesus that night, did not mean it in their heart - then - that is between them and God, right?
On the other hand - what can we celebrate? What should we celebrate? What does Heaven celebrate?
Luke 15
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Regarding your statement - "they haven’t been given the Biblical foundation to sustain a true conversion."
Was the Thief on the Cross saved? Did the Thief on the Cross have a Biblical foundation of any sort?
No - he was saved by his Faith, alone.
Yes, absolutely growing in the understanding of the Bible will help us in our walk - 10000% - and I love the Bible.
But how you're saying it, seems to tread on Jesus + X is needed to be saved. Maybe I'm misunderstanding.
I'll also point out that you said "Revival" a few times in your statement. Why? It's a concert. It wasn't labeled a "Revival" in any way - if it were, I would have not gone. Revivals aren't Manufactured.
"Salvation is a very logical process and revivals are entirely emotional."
Did the Thief on the Cross Logically examine everything in order to be saved?
Is it possible that you're inserting your own preferences and comforts into the design of what "must be" in order to be saved?
The more I read - the more I'm finding very close-minded responses.
"Finally, the audacity to accept a Christ after a lifetime of rejection because the music and lighting brought the mood to mystic proportions is legitimately demonic."
Really? Could it be anything other than that? Like seeing the celebration of so many people around you and realizing that this Jesus that they're all excited about, just might be real? Calling out for Jesus to come into your life and saying you want the joy and hope you see on the thousands of people around you - that's not enough to be saved?
Romans 14 - 15:7
"14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master[a] that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess[b] to God.”
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Do Not Cause Another to Stumble 13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.[c] 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.[d]
The Example of Christ 15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.