If anything is taught for sure in the Scriptures, I believe it is that genuine salvation is also HEARTFELT SALVATION . It is an experience, and a change, in the heart and not of the head and the mind. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." Romans 10:10. There is a need for real repentance and a God given faith in Jesus Christ and His Word.
A lot of people teach and preach a Christianity that is just a head religion. Their preaching is full of high-sounding logic and arguments, and their invitation is just a Come forward and shake the preacher's hand, and take your stand for Christ. They scornfully ridicule the evangelist who makes an emotional appeal, which is the only kind of appeal that reaches the sinner's heart.
Men's hearts are moved by their emotions; not by appeals to the mind. This is a scientific fact that God is well aware of, seeing that He Himself made man. The true Gospel message is a message of emotional appeal, such as no other.
God is an emotional being. Love is an emotion, and "God is love." The Gospel story is the greatest love story ever known to the world. Jesus said, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13. But His love was far greater, for in Romans 5 and verse 6 we learn that Christ died for the ungodly, and in verse 8 that He died for sinners, and in verse 10 that His death was for His enemies. We remember when He hung in agony upon the cross while His enemies mocked Him there He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Never was there greater love in all the world. And every unrepentant sinner remains an enemy of Christ until he comes in humble surrender to bow before the One who died for him.
In Dickens' "Tale of Two Cities" is the story of a man who died for a friend. A Frenchman and an Englishman, who found themselves to be almost perfect doubles, one for the other, became friends. In the revolution the Frenchman was condemned to die on the guillotine, but on the last night before his execution the English friend came to visit him in his cell where they exchanged clothes. The Frenchman could now escape to England where he would enjoy the wealth and estate of the Englishman, while the true owner died in his place on the guillotine. It is a heart touching story, but it is only the product of man's imagination, not a true story.
However, the true story, the Gospel story, is about God's only begotten Son from heaven, coming into this world of condemned sinners, and willingly, taking the place of mankind upon the cross; there to suffer not only the pain of nails in hands and feet, the slow draining out of His life's blood, but also the darkness of separation from the Father, and an eternal night of curse upon Himself, in our stead. In His name, all we who believe, escape our just condemnation, and clothed in His spotless righteousness, have free access to the Father, and His beautiful eternal home for all eternity. Oh the wondrous love that God has shown to us in Christ Jesus! "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.
I noted these headlines recently in a paper I receive: "Mourners' Bench Not Found in Scripture." This, of course, was by one of these hand shake religionists. The mourners' bench may not be found in the scriptures. Neither is the pulpit and neither are the pews. However, a mourners' bench experience; a heartfelt salvation, is found there. Mourning goes right along with repentance. "For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of." II Corinthians 7:10. And salvation without true repentance is no salvation at all.
I don't know if I have ever seen a special mourners' bench, among our churches of Oregon, but until recent years, all our preachers and churches believed in a mourners' bench experience. In the church, the front bench would do. That is where I found salvation back in 1927, in the little church at Cloverdale, Oregon. Others were there at that bench, too.
I've known some who found a mourners' bench beside a log, out in the woods. Old Brother Alexander, now gone to be with the Lord, told me that he found the Lord beside a plow, out in the middle of the field. Paul met the Lord, down in the dust, in the middle of the highway from Jerusalem to Damascus. Oh, yes, he had had a lot of heart stabbing pricks before that. As you read the story of Dr. J. T. Moore in this paper, you will find that he says, "The burden rolled off my soul, while down on my knees at the old fashioned mourners' bench."
What bothers me most of all, is the harping criticism that has made preachers afraid to give a real altar call. They are actually afraid to exhort sinners to come and be saved. Is it any wonder, that power has gone from the services, and there are little results.
I believe it is time to be bold for our Lord. I believe it is time for us to pray "Lord stand by me, and I will preach the wondrous love of God, without fear. I'll try to reach down into people's hearts with the greatest heart-touching story in the world. I'll not be afraid to exhort sinners, to plead with them to come to Christ for forgiveness, and beg them to come and repent, and be reconciled to God." II Corinthians 5:20
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