# Free Offer Quote Quiz (Goldilocks Style)



## brandonadams (Jan 28, 2009)

Hopefully the title grabbed someone's attention. 

There has been significant discussion in the last month or so regarding the free offer of the gospel. The real concern for me comes down to the practical proclamation of the gospel. In that vein, I have compiled a list of anonymous quotes from various people. Some were originally delivered in sermons, others in writing.

Please read through the quotes (please no google cheating) and then say whether you believe the statement is 1) too hot 2) too cold 3) just right. Or rather, 1) hypo-calvinist 2) hyper-calvinist 3) biblical... or 4) not enough context/info.

After I get enough responses I'll post who the quotes are from and give you the context.



> 1. Why not believe in him for yourself? Why not trust his precious blood for yourself, and why not tonight? Why not tonight, my friend? God is ready, God is ready to save you now if you believe on him. The blood has been shed, the sacrifice has been offered, the atonement has been made, the feast has been spread. The call goes out to you tonight. 'Come, for all things are now ready.
> 
> 2. the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire. Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed."
> 
> ...


----------



## Jimmy the Greek (Jan 29, 2009)

I disagree with the wording of #3. Sounds hypo
I question some of the wording in #10 and #11. Could be hypo.
I find the rest satisfactory. Sounds biblical to me

. . . Noting that short quotes out of context may be misconstrued.


----------



## brandonadams (Jan 29, 2009)

Thanks Jim. I know the limited context can make it hard.

Perhaps it would be beneficial for people to also note, as a reference, if they agree with John Murray's free offer when giving their opinion of these quotes.


----------



## Skyler (Jan 29, 2009)

> 1. Why not believe in him for yourself? Why not trust his precious blood for yourself, and why not tonight? Why not tonight, my friend? God is ready, God is ready to save you now if you believe on him. The blood has been shed, the sacrifice has been offered, the atonement has been made, the feast has been spread. The call goes out to you tonight. 'Come, for all things are now ready.



Just right. Except it's missing a closing apostrophe at the end.



> 2. the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire. Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed."



Fire & brimstone... I like it. 



> 3. I don't know who you are or what you are, but you want to give your life to Christ on this opening Sunday afternoon. I'm going to ask you to do a hard thing, because coming to Christ is not easy. So many people have made it too easy. Jesus went to the cross and died in your place. Certainly, you can say, "I need God; I need Christ. I want to be forgiven of my sins. I want a new life, and I want to start a new direction today."



How does he know they want to?

A little hypo, I think.



> 4. And now, sinner, while the subject is before you, will you yield! To keep yourself away from under the motives of the Gospel, by neglecting church, and neglecting your Bible, will prove fatal to your soul. And to be careless when you do attend, or to hear with attention and refuse to make up your mind and yield, will be equally fatal. And now, "I beseech you, by the mercies of God, that you at this time render your body and soul, a living sacrifice to God, which is your reasonable service." Let the truth take hold upon your conscience -- throw down your rebellious weapons -- give up your refuges of lies -- fix your mind steadfastly upon the world of considerations that should instantly decide you to close in with the offer of reconciliation while it now lies before you. Another moment's delay, and it may be too late for ever. The Spirit of God may depart from you -- the offer of life may be made no more, and this one more slighted offer of mercy may close up your account, and seal you over to all the horrors of eternal death.



Sounds like Wesley or someone. I think it has an Arminian flavor, but technically it's sound. I could be wrong.



> 5. O come, come! Now, since it is brought into the world by Christ, so in the name, in the strength, and by the assistance of the great God, I bring it now to the pulpit; I now offer this righteousness, this free, this imputed, this everlasting righteousness to all poor sinners that will accept of it. For God's sake accept it this night: you do not know but ye may die before tomorrow.



Just right.



> 6. It is plain, then that we must come to Him, to Jesus, Who is the resurrection and the life. Outside of Him, there is nothing but death; in Him there is life out of death. It is evident that, in order to be saved, we must have contact, a living contact with Him, in order that the power of His glorious life may destroy the dominion of death in us, and we may be translated from death into life. For, as the Lord said to Martha, when He was about to recall Lazarus from the grave: "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die." We must come, therefore to Him, in order that out of Him we may draw life for ever. And "whosoever will may come." O, yes, there is no exception to this. If you come to Christ as the resurrection and the life, you shall never be put to shame. No one ever came to Him, nor shall anyone ever come to Him, that did not receive righteousness and life!



Just right.



> 7. Come, come unto him. If your souls were not immortal, and you in danger of losing them, I would not thus speak unto you; but the love of your souls constrains me to speak: methinks this would constrain me to speak unto you forever. Come then by faith, and lay hold of the Lord Jesus; though he be in heaven, he now calleth thee. Come, all ye drunkards, swearers, Sabbath-breakers, adulterers, fornicators; come, all ye scoffers, harlots, thieves, and murderers, and Jesus Christ will save you; he will give you rest, if you are weary of your sins. O come lay hold upon him. Had I less love for your souls, I might speak less; but that love of God, which is shed abroad in my heart, will not permit me to leave you, till I see whether you will come to Christ or no. O for your life receive him, for fear he may never call you any more.



"till I see whether you will come to Christ or no"--Hmm. Sounds Biblical enough. 



> 8. Do you will to come to Christ? Is it your desire to come to Him as the Fount of living water, that you may drink? Do you long to come to Him as the Bread of life that you may eat? Do not hesitate, then! Do not stand afar off, discovering a thousand reasons in yourselves, why you could not possibly be received. For "whosoever will" may surely come and take of the water of life freely, because "whosoever will" is already drawn by the Father! You may hear the word of Christ: "All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me; and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out !"



That sounds Biblical to me.



> 9. God is at work right now lifting the veil of the mind and softening hearts. My plea to you is: don't harden your heart. Don't stiffen your neck. Yield to the to the word of the Lord this morning. Believe on Jesus and you shall not perish but have eternal life.



Sounds a little soft, but OK otherwise.



> 10. But what shall I say to those among you who have neither part nor lot in the matter of salvation?…My heart is ready to break for you, when I think that, after all the solemn warnings you have received, and after all the pressing offers of Jesus that have been made to you in the name of God, you still remain in a state of heart ungodliness, or of open sin…Oh! Dear fellow-sinner, it is high time for you to awake out of sleep!" Arise and come to Jesus now. He is crying, Come unto me, I will in no wise cast you out. The Father is ready to receive you into his family. The Spirit is striving with you, did you not resist him and grieve him away. Halt no longer between two opinions… Yield yourself then, to the Lord as a lost sinner, and he will not cast you out. You have seen individuals around you, perhaps some of your own friends or companions, fleeing to Jesus: why did not follow them? Are you resolved to be left behind in Sodom and to perish in the flames?



A bit too Arminian, I think.



> 11. Seeing therefore that it is so evident, that you refuse to accept of Christ as your Saviour, why is Christ to be blamed that he does not save you? Christ has offered himself to be your Saviour in time past, and he continues offering himself still, and you continue to reject him, and yet complain that he does not save you. - So strangely unreasonable, and inconsistent with themselves are gospel sinners!…That so glorious a person should be thus treated, and that when he comes on so gracious an errand! That he should stand so long offering himself and calling and inviting. As he has done to many of you, and all to no purpose, but all the while be set at nought. Surely you might be justly cast into hell without one more offer of a Saviour! yea and thrust down into the lowest hell! Herein you have exceeded the very devils; for they never rejected the offers of such glorious mercy; no, nor of any mercy at all.



He has a good point. I'm not sure but I'd tentatively say "just right".



> 12. Should you say, Have I a warrant for such a trust? I reply, You have the best of warrants, our Lord's express permission, 'Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.' It is not said, this or that person only, but whosoever, including you and me, excluding no individual man or woman. It is not said whosoever is worthy, but whosoever is willing. Wilt thou be made whole? was our Lord's question to the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda. Wilt thou, all terms and conditions apart, inherit grace and glory? is his most benevolent address to sinful men in all ages…Do you still question whether these inestimable blessings are free for you? Remember, brethren, they are free for sinners. Is that your character? Then they are as free for you as for any person in the world…



A little bit of universal [in scope] atonement, I think.



> 13. And this doom will be still worse in the next world! You know that Jerusalem was utterly destroyed - not one stone was left upon another - and this is what is to happen to you if you refuse your Savior! You will be destroyed. You will be an eternal ruin. No Temple of God, but an everlasting ruin. Destroyed - that is the punishment for you. Destroyed from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of His power and so, living forever with no indwelling God, no hope, no comfort! How terrible will be your doom unless you repent!



More fire & brimstone. 

I don't know who John Murray is, but I agree with God's free offer, in that he commands all men everywhere to repent.


----------

