Catherine was an active member...
Illustration
Catherine was an active member of her church. She was baptized as a child, confirmed as a teenager, and believed in Jesus Christ as her Savior.
Her best friend asked her to attend a series of revival services with her in a denomination different from her own. At the end of every service, the preacher invited the congregation to come to the altar and give their lives to Christ. He issued a warning with the call, indicating that if they weren't willing to do that, they would not be saved.
Catherine believed that she had already committed her life to Christ when she took the vows of church membership and promised before God and the congregation to live a Christian life. She had been faithful to the vows she took. The warning upset her, but she didn't go to the altar. She felt that she had "been there and done that," and had moved forward in her discipleship.
However, in the days following the revival services, the thought nagged at her. Finally, she made an appointment with her pastor. Her pastor assured her with Paul's words in Romans, chapter 10, that she had confessed her faith, believing that Christ had died for her sins and rose from the dead. According to the scripture, she was saved! Then her pastor told her, "If you would like to recommit your life to the living Christ this Sunday, I will give you and others an opportunity to do that at the end of the service."
She agreed. "I would love to do that!"
Her best friend asked her to attend a series of revival services with her in a denomination different from her own. At the end of every service, the preacher invited the congregation to come to the altar and give their lives to Christ. He issued a warning with the call, indicating that if they weren't willing to do that, they would not be saved.
Catherine believed that she had already committed her life to Christ when she took the vows of church membership and promised before God and the congregation to live a Christian life. She had been faithful to the vows she took. The warning upset her, but she didn't go to the altar. She felt that she had "been there and done that," and had moved forward in her discipleship.
However, in the days following the revival services, the thought nagged at her. Finally, she made an appointment with her pastor. Her pastor assured her with Paul's words in Romans, chapter 10, that she had confessed her faith, believing that Christ had died for her sins and rose from the dead. According to the scripture, she was saved! Then her pastor told her, "If you would like to recommit your life to the living Christ this Sunday, I will give you and others an opportunity to do that at the end of the service."
She agreed. "I would love to do that!"
