From: Pilgrimpub@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 10:20 PM
To: Mentonebay@aol.com
Subject: BITING THE HAND? [05/29/04]
ANOTHER INSTANCE OF AN ANTI-INVITATION BAPTIST PREACHER
WHO SAYS HE WAS SAVED DURING A PUBLIC INVITATION [05/29/04]

We have noted before how many of those who have adopted the Pedobaptist-influenced "anti-invitationalism" (such as promoted by Iain Murray and those who have borrowed his arguments) were actually saved in the circumstance of the Public Invitation.

In fact, if the truth were know, I suspect that the vast majority of all Baptists who now either promote anti-invitationalism or are affiliated with churches or groups which oppose them, made professions of faith during public invitations.

But now, they seem to be characterized by that old adage, "Biting the hand that fed you." It seems that their semi-Hardshell Baptist theology has led them to adopt the Hardshell and Pedobaptist attitude against public invitations.

Here is the testimony -- appearing on the Internet -- by Michael Spencer, who now is opposed to public invitations. You may read his entire spiel of palabber at the following website:
<http://www.internetmonk.com/invitation.html>

>>
I made my own profession of faith in an invitational context, as did my wife and children. I have preached the Gospel, offered invitations to come forward and seen people make their own professions of faith in Christ in response. Nearly every evangelical Christian I know responded to an altar call somewhere at the outset of their faith journey. People I respect greatly use the invitation today. Many of those who preach to my congregation of students and adults use the invitation. Just two days ago an 83 year-old local pastor offered an old-fashioned gospel invitation in my chapel, and several young people responded. He is as saintly and as sincere a soul-winner as I have ever seen.
>>

I think Michael and all other Christians like him who have adopted anti-invitationalism ought to ashamed of themselves for their contempt for the circumstance which the Holy Spirit used in bringing them to Christ. -- Bob L. Ross

Here is a List of my recent articles on this issue, or related issues, available by email if you missed any of them, or want to read any of them:

ALLEGED DANGERS OF "INVITATIONS" (Erkel rebutted) [04/23/04]

SPURGEON'S DEFENSE OF MOODY & SANKEY [04/24/04]

SPURGEON PRESSED FOR DECISION [04/26/04]

"SURE GUIDE TO HEAVEN"? (Comment on "Alleine's Alarm") [04/28/04]

REPLY TO A "FOUNDERS" ASSOCIATE [04/28/04]

IAIN MURRAY ON THE LACK OF EVANGELISM [04/30/04]

COMMENTS ON FRED ZASPEL'S "ALTAR CALL" ARTICLE [05/01/04]

"ALTAR CALL" ARTICLE BY ZASPEL REBUTTED [05/02/04]

REGENERATION IN RELATION TO FAITH
   IN CALVINIST THEOLOGY -- What is the Confessional View? [05/04/04]

SPURGEON'S ONE NIGHT STAND, 81 DECISIONS [05/05/04]

FAITH AND REGENERATION [05/05/04]

ANOTHER ANTI-INVITATION ARTICLE [Ehrhard rebutted] [05/13/04]

MARTYN LLOYD-JONES' METHOD? (The "Office System") [05/15/04]

EVANGELISM AT CHS' TABERNACLE [05/17/04]

SPURGEON-SPONSORED EVANGELISTS & METHODS [05/18/04]

DID C. H. SPURGEON OPPOSE THE USE
   OF "THE PUBLIC INVITATION SYSTEM" [05/18/04]

NO PREPARATIONS NECESSARY
    FOR A SINNER TO BE SAVED (By Spurgeon) [05/19/04]

WHITHER CALVINISM? CAN IT FIND A PLACE AS AN
    EVANGELISTIC ENTITY IN MODERN TIMES? [05/01/04]

REPLY TO A READER IN REGARD TO IAIN MURRAY'S
    ANTI-PUBLIC INVITATION BOOKLET [05/21/04]

ARE THERE DANGERS WHICH MAY INHERE IN NOT GIVING
    AN INDISCRIMINATE "PUBLIC INVITATION" [05/22/04]

SPURGEON OPPOSED PEDOBAPTIST INVITATIONS [05/23/04]

A REFORMED BAPTIST WRITES [05/24/04]

PASTOR COMMENTS ON "REFORMED BAPTISTS"
    INFLUENCED BY PEDOBAPTIST WRITERS [05/24/04]

RESPONSES TO RECENT ARTICLES? [05/25/04]

REPLY TO A REFORMED PASTOR [05/25/'04]

CRITIQUE OF BROTHER REISINGER'S ARTICLE
    AGAINST THE USE OF A PUBLIC INVITATION [05/26/04]

WHAT RELIGIOUS GROUPS OPPOSE THE USE OF
    "PUBLIC INVITATIONS" AS PRACTICED BY BAPTISTS? [05/26/04]

AN ITEM OF POSSIBLE HISTORICAL INTEREST
    TO BAPTISTS WHO USE THE TERM "REFORMED" [05/26/04]

PUBLIC INVITATIONS -- ARE THEY JUSTIFIED BY THE
    REFORMED "REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE"? [05/28/04]

THE IMPORTANCE OF HYMN SELECTIONS
   IN RELATION TO THE SALVATION OF SOULS (Spurgeon's view) [05/29/04]

ABRAHAM BOOTH VERSUS THE "PRE-FAITH REGENERATION"
    THEORY OF "HYPER" AND "HYBRID CALVINISTS" [04/15/04]

C. H. SPURGEON ON REGENERATION [05/04/04]

DR. JOHN GILL ON THE USE OF "MEANS"
    IN THE NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE [04/09/04]

PURITAN THOMAS WATSON ON MEANS USED IN
    "EFFECTUAL CALLING" [04/04/04]

STEPHEN CHARNOCK ON MEANS USED IN REGENERATION: <http://www.ccel.org/c/charnock/instr_regen/instr_regen.html>

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