Asking Jesus Into Your Heart: The Mystical Catholic Way To Unite All Religions (Pt.1)

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
-Acts 16:30

The answer to Acts 16:30 from the coming new pagan, Evangelical, Catholic Bible Version will probably read like this: "Pray a prayer and invite Jesus into your heart and commit your life to Him right now. Of course, you must really mean it. You must not trust in just mere intellectual assent. It must be from your heart, not your head".

What a clever answer! What a perfect plan. What a way to not only bridge the gap between Catholics and Evangelicals; but all the religions of the world as well. In this system of salvation, one can actually have Catholic priests help with the altar calls. Not only that, but "new-age" eastern mystics would also probably help if they were invited. There is nothing about "believing" a truth. There is nothing about understanding any facts. There is nothing mentioned about the fact that works cannot be the source or means of this salvation.

Notice how different this common answer is to the one given by Paul and Silas in the first century:

Acts 16:
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

"Believe". It did not say "pray". Nor did it say "invite". Nor did it say "ask". Nor did it say "work". The above systems and traditions of man destroy absolute salvation assurance. What if one did not pray right? What if one did not ask Christ with the right words? Not only that, but what exactly is this glob of mush called the "heart"? How does one know if Christ came into it? And if one is to "really mean it", but it can't be of the "head", then how does one know if one really meant it? To Hell quickly with such lies. It is obvious what will take place next. The deceived prospective convert will soon wonder if he did it right. He will most likely be told that he will "know" Jesus came in, when he sees himself being good and bringing forth fruit. He will be warned not to trust in his "prayer" for salvation, but to look to the fruit and see if he really meant the prayer.

Nothing has happened to the man who responds to such a confused "invitation" but a belly dance; a stylish wiggling around of his feelings. He has been emotionally affected before he starts his long road to working for salvation assurance.

Notice Paul and Silas said to "believe". What does that mean? Is it something other than "mere intellectual assent" of the head? Those that say it is, need to go back to Azuza street and put their "heads" in shoe-boxes and blank out their minds like they did then. Frank Bartleman describes the way some "experiences" manifested themselves in Los Angelos in the early 1900's:

"My mind, the last fortress of men to yield was truly taken possession of by the Spirit.."

Another agrees: "If I might add a word of caution from experience, it would be to use the greatest care to keep one's head out of the way. It is not by way of one's head so much as by way of one's heart that the Holy Ghost loves to enter".
- Confidence, Dec.1908
(quoted by Lang, The Earlier Years of the Modern Tongues Movement, Schoettle)

Such a practice of occultism no doubt will cause great feelings. Signs and wonders will manifest:

"The mind is the great enemy.."
- Aleister Crowley, Magick, p.29

"The formalized beginning and end of the (satanic) ceremony acts as a dogmatic, anti-intellectual device..."
- The Satanic Bible

"The no-mind not thinks no-thoughts about nothings."
- Buddha, Fuzzy Thinking, p.268

Wise Christians such as Joseph Butler, powerfully cut out the "heart" of Deism in the 18th century. In that "Age of Reason", many had the idea that "reason" could fully function alone, unaided by the Bible. However, Butler responded by teaching in principle that men who's eyes could not see where it was dark, needed a flashlight. Yet, modern Christians under Satanic mystical delusion, started teaching that since man could not see in some areas; that such therefore proved man did not need eyes at all! Man should walk by the sense of touch! The subtle Serpent was no doubt behind this costly mistake. Notice Butler's argument in his famous Analogy:

"I express myself with caution, lest I should be mistaken to vilify reason, which is indeed the only faculty we have wherewith to judge concerning anything, even revelation itself..." (p.161)

"..but it is urged, as I hope it will be understood, with great caution of not vilifying the faculty of reason, which is the 'candle of the Lord within us', though it can afford no light where it does not shine: nor judge, where it has no principles to judge upon." (p. 252)

Therefore, man is not called to forsake his mind, or intellect. Man is called to understand, that without God's Revelation, man cannot "see" in many areas at all. Man is called to reason properly, upon true evidence; instead of making judgments upon presumptive passion and emotional prejudice. God does not tell man to get his "head" out of the way and walk by his "heart". In fact, "heart" simply refers to the inside. (Mtt.12:40) It therefore sometimes refers to many things that are found "inside" man. It could refer to the will, the intellect, or the feelings. However, if one is told to get his "head" out of the way; such leaves nothing but the "body" or "belly"! God never tells man to get his "head" out of the way. Yet, He does mean for man to get his "belly" out of the way, as far as it being the authority for the will. In other words, we are not to make judgments based upon feelings:

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

2 Thessalonians 3:2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Psalm 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

It is obvious in Jude 1:10, that the Holy Spirit is contrasting a "brute" knowledge, with the intellectual kind."Brute" means "unreasonable". Therefore, Jude teaches that in the last days many would walk by "instinct", "appetites" and "passions", ungoverned by the rational mind enlightened by the written Word.

It is obvious that God does not desire that a man forsake his mind. God desires that a man let God enlighten his mind and strengthen it. The problem with man is not that he walks by reason, but that he is not reasonable enough! Even in this "eastern mystical" 20th century, some Christians have seen the light:

"The spirit is the seat of the intellectual being... Here the spirit of man is shown to be the seat of intelligence. It is by the spirit, man knows; it is the spirit that reasons. It is the spirit that receives instruction from God. The soul is the lower part... It is the seat of man's emotional nature. The natural man is therefore the soulish man."
- H.A. Ironside, Death and Afterwards (early part of this century)

"But they are natural men, physical, soul led men,...in whom the instinctive, appetitive soul is not governed by the Spirit... But then, this is connected also with the spirit of man, being once more in its proper place as the intelligent governor of emotions, affections, and appetites."
- F.W. Grant: (1902)

In returning to the response an unsaved man is to make to the Gospel, can it truly be said that it is possible for a person to have only a "head" knowledge? Can it be said that one has only "intellectually assented"? Such is absurdity to the fullest! If a person "assents" to a truth, it means that the person has fully believed the fact with his will. He has "heard" the evidence. He has "judged" upon it. And with the "will", he has come to his belief of the declaration, as being true or false:

Acts 24:9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

If a man believes that Jesus Christ, according to the Scriptures, is the Saviour for his sins, the man is saved. "Belief" is of the intellectual mind, accepting with the will, the truth of a proposition. One is not called to believe with one's foot or belly button:

John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

One is called to "believe" a "that". The "that" is a "fact". If one believes the fact, one is saved and given life.

But do not the devils "believe and tremble"? (Jms.2:19) The point in that Scripture is that belief alone will not save a Christian at the Judgment Seat! James is not talking about salvation into eternity, which is free by faith alone.(Jn.3:16, Tit.3:5) James is talking about how a Christian may stand approved at the Judgment Seat of Christ; which is through faith and patience. (Heb.6:12, Jms.1:4, 2:24) It is insane to teach that James is telling "professing" Christians that "mental assent" is not a true, saving "belief".

Therefore, when Scripture tells the unsaved to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for their sins; it means exactly that. However, Peter , like James, tells those already saved to add to their faith, obedience. If true "belief" was some kind of works or "commitment to obey", Peter would not have to say to add these extra things to it for reward. (2 Pet.1:5-7)

But do not many "professing" Christians have only a "head" knowledge? What does one want them to have, an "elbow" knowledge? Does one want them to speak in strange babble, laugh for no reason, or perhaps bark like dogs? (Azuza, and Toronto)

Imagine a man attempting with his "head" to argue that "head" knowledge is evil! (It would be like a country threatening to lose a war on purpose if the other side did not let them win.)

If what one means is that many that believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, do not appear to be "fired up" in obedience to the New Testament commands, the fault must largely lie in the watered-down doctrine of reward taught by most modern preachers. Obedience after belief, is for reward. If one who has believed the Gospel, appears to be living in sloth, it only shows that the person is in much danger at Christ's Second Coming. (2Cor.5:9-11)

In an effort to bring in this "eastern mystical", Catholic seduction, many are recklessly lumping many different things into the same pot. Many who are labeled by modern apostates as having only a "mere intellectual assent", actually do not possess any assurance of salvation in eternity. Many of these still hope to merit salvation by being "good" according to their own definition of "goodness". Many of these have never even heard the true Gospel, much less, understood it as being true. The right facts must be truly believed. Believing there is a God, is not the same as believing the fact that Jesus gave His life for one's sins. Therefore it is not by asking, feeling, praying, working, or hoping. It is by believing the fact of John.3:16. Many respond by saying: "I think a person who is intellectually believing in facts, should examine himself to see if he is really saved. True Biblical belief is not just believing a set of facts". Really? Actually the people advocating such dung from the belly of Buddha, ought to examine themselves according to John 3:16 to see what exactly they "believed" when they supposedly were saved. If "belief" is not believing with the rational mind, there is nothing left but "feelings". It sounds like these people made a deal with God to be good and work for salvation assurance by being committed to obedience like good Catholics. "No, we are saying that belief is of the mind, but it isn't just mere intellectual assent to a set of facts". What facts? You mean believing that the Bible is the Word of God, and that God became a man to die for the guilt of sins, and that one may live in eternity by this free gift to the world? It's not by believing those facts?

Intellectual:
- Ideal; perceived by the intellect, not the senses. (Johnson's Dictionary 1755)
-Relating to the intellect or understanding, belonging to the mind. (Webster's 1956)

Assent:
-To concede; to yield to, or agree to:
"And the Jews also assented, saying, that these things were so." Bible, Acts, xxiv. 9 (Johnson's Dictionary 1755)
- The act of the mind in admitting, or agreeing to, the truth of a proposition.
"Faith is the assent to any proposition, on the credit of the proposer." Locke. (Webster's 1828)


Mere:
- This or that only; distinct from anything else. Absolute, entire. (Webster's 1828)

On the authority of the Word of God and the English language, Salvation is by the love and grace of God given in Jesus Christ's life and death to man, through mere intellectual assent of the truth of it. (Jn.3:16, 20:31)

But doesn't one have to also "invite" Jesus in? Doesn't one have to "ask" Him? Doesn't one have to "pray" a "hearty" prayer? Not according to any real Bible anyone has ever read or studied. There is not even a hint that a person comes to salvation through inviting, asking, or praying. What Scripture gives these mystics the authority for preaching such confusion? Those that believe such lies have been seduced by tradition to Satan's approval.

Many have been confused because they know that the "will" must be involved in accepting the Gospel. Yet, such have obviously been deceived by liberal, humanistic, modern philosophy which teaches that a person can "believe" something without the will being involved. (For an excellent discussion of this see Rationalism, Empiricism and Idealism, J.A. Passmore, p.23, Claredon Press, Oxford) Therefore, to compensate for the lack of the will in their humanistic definition of "belief", such have added an "invite", "ask" or "pray" to the call of the Gospel. Those Scriptures that speak of asking, are spoken to people already saved in eternity! And such refer to something other than this eternal salvation. (Mtt.6:8, 7:7-11, 18:19, 21:22, Jn.14:14, 15:7, 1Jn.3:22)

Click Here for Part 2 of This Article

*Article appearing with permission by Pastor Joey Faust of Refuge Baptist Church
http://www.refugebaptist.org