Too easy?
Western, especially Anglosphere, Christianity and gospel messaging can appear rather ‘transactional’. Contained in this mindset is the idea is that at a given point in time a person comes to faith, and – as it were – signs on the dotted line (typically by saying a sinner’s prayer (n.b. not found in the Bible!)). From that point on their eternal destiny is secure and nothing can change that status.
The transactional nature in this thinking is rather reinforced by the focus upon a new covenant, and the associated idea that God, having in some sense failed with His ‘old covenant’, determined to set things aright with a ‘new covenant’. In this new covenant He would interact directly with individual men and women rather than through a Chosen People (Israel) and its associated rules and regulations (called “the Law”). The ‘legal’ basis is perceived to have shifted away from the Law (and therefore from ‘legalism’) to a covenant written on the hearts of men and women, so this idea of a one-point eternal transaction seems, superficially, to be established.
‘Transactional’ thinking can also be encouraged by an emotional based response to a siren message that is sometimes presented as “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”, wherein the decision to follow Jesus is said to lead to the end of all temporal problems and the Convert’s walk with the Lord will then be characterized by living happily and positively. So-called prosperity preaching tends to use this simplistic approach.
The above summary raises far more questions than we intend to deal with here. But I would comment that, as my summary, transactional evangelism is woefully inadequate and fails to deal seriously with the realities of backsliding, post-salvation sin (yes, it does happen), and ongoing witness. It fails to deal with properly counting the cost of discipleship, and rather sidelines the necessity for discipleship.
At its worst, this ‘transactional’ focus of certain types of evangelism / gospel presentation, presents what must be described as a false gospel, where a ‘convert’ has not counted the cost of discipleship, nor turned consciously away from rebellion (sin). Such a ‘convert’ may then be alarmingly subject to disappointment and subsequent loss of faith.
Not too hard!
On ‘the flip side’ we must also avoid the equally false gospel that we can (and must) supplement the finished work of Messiah Jesus with our own good works – in other words the hidden belief or subliminal feeling, that we must in some sense ‘earn’ our salvation and that God will be ‘satisfied’ with our good works to supplement Messiah’s finished work (or is it even an unfinished work?!)
Outreach evangelism in non-Western contexts may by comparison be more realistic insofar as Christians in these contexts almost inevitably face severe hostility to their faith choice (think of Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist societies, think also of active Communist societies) and they will have ‘factored-in’ the high cost of discipleship within their conscious step of faith in Jesus.
Having issued this warning and comment about transactional evangelism, which arguably was popularized in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in USA and from there spread to other western nations, we must also make allowance for the fact that in reality for some (many?) people the active step of faith will indeed be sudden, heartfelt, almost compulsive, and yet will be as real as the faith of someone who has taken years to reach that same point where they make that clear decision to follow Jesus as Saviour and as Lord. Praise God! Never expect small things!
Let’s not have a low expectation of the power of the gospel message. After all, our God is a supernatural God Who works in wonderful (and mysterious) ways. We must likewise avoid making the gospel too hard and therefore forbidding. Holy Spirit balance is required in this matter. Jesus has demonstrated the extent of the Father’s love by giving His own life for us. It is natural, and not shameful, that people should respond to that wonderful news, and that wonderful truth, in an emotional way!
Bible teacher David Pawson spoke usefully on this subject. A five minute video summary is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY-_rhsvduo . David Pawson gives extended teaching on the same subject here (1 hour 20 minutes), free of charge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG-zaJXv5D0 .
There is something helpful in Pawson’s commentary that these three truths need to be held comfortably in tension with each other: I am saved. I am being saved. I will be saved. Three parts of one whole!
Please see Appendix 1 to this book for some further thoughts.
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