An Example Of Lordship Salvation On The Street

Yesterday I had the opportunity to link up with a good friend to assist in his "open air preaching" at the Halifax waterfront. The Buskers are in town and the waterfront is PACKED. As my friend preached his message I took note of the heavy influence that Paul Washer has had on his preaching. I do not want to take away from what my dear friend was doing but he could remember Paul Washer's imagery nearly perfectly but the Scriptures were eluding him. Man had eclipsed the Word.

I love this man. He is a dear Saint who loves the Lord and truly seeks to see people saved. But the story gets worse.

As he finished up I had opportunity to run after a few people to ensure they got tracts. The people with my friend didn't run after anyone. A few people did approach my friend to talk about his message further but the conversations did not last long. Not that they have to, but it seemed strange that the conversations were done before I could give out the few tracts I had in my hands.

I came back to hear how things were going and the group was standing around in a circle talking about... you guessed it.. Paul Washer's sermons. They were excited about his imagery. I began to realize why these had been so fresh in my friend's mind while he was preaching. I stood there silent, listening and praying. All the while hundreds of people were walking by us. The Spirit kept prompting to hand this one or that one a tract. Each time the tract was taken, but I just felt more and more strange. As I listened I realized what was bothering me. These people who had come down to a special city event where there would be thousands of people were standing around holding tracts and talking about a man instead of passing out the tracts or at least talking about Christ.

My friend, who knows me well enough, picked up on my silence and asked me how long I would be staying. It was all I could do to choke back the words I wanted to say. I told him, it looks like you have all the help you need (there were 5 or 7 people with him) and I'd be going in a moment. I'm sure he knew there was more to it. But he was the leader there and that was not the time or place for the discussion that was needed. So I left, saddened.

I want to write for a moment about one thing they were very impressed with because I find it ironic. The conversation included Todd Friel's mocking and rebuttal of some other man's teaching - I honestly can't remember the name of the person.. something to do with a bull horn though. False teachers... false prophets... false converts... these are always high on the list of exciting topics for those who preach Lordship Salvation. The mark of a false teacher or a false prophet - they don't agree with you, and they have illustrations that don't come from the Bible. Wait for it...

So during their praise of all things related to Paul Washer I heard something I never noticed in like conversations ever before. The things they were praising Paul Washer for were the illustrations he makes that are not from the Bible. Here is one that they were particularly excited about. I was not taking notes so it is not an exact quote.

Paul Washer asks do you know how vile man is? Do you have any idea how evil the best person you've ever met is? When God sends that person to Hell all of Heaven will praise Him for it. The last thing that sinner will hear is the shouts and applause of all Heaven in praise that God is ridding the World of that vile being.

Where is this in the Bible?

In fact since those in Heaven will be perfectly sinless ( the Bible says that Christians will be resurrected in the very image of Christ ) there is no chance at all that we will be cheering about something that gives God no joy. Ezekiel 33:11

Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

There were a number of other illustrations they were excited about that I could also ask "where is that in the Bible" and show the Word in contradiction to Paul Washer's sermon but this is enough. While hundreds of people walked by on their way to the horrible eternity that is Hell these people were happy to stand and praise a man for something he made up that doesn't even agree with the Word of God.