Upon visiting the City of Ephesus, the Apostle Paul encountered twelve persons who were professed believers but who had not given evidence of true salvation. Thus Paul asked them a question in order to know their basis for salvation, the question being, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2). Please note that the apostle did not ask them, “Did you believe in Jesus Christ?” or “Have you been baptized?” or “Have you made a public confession of your faith?” or “Have you been attending church?” etc, but he asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit?” These twelve professors answered, “We have not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:3). When Paul heard these words, he knew they had not yet received the Holy Spirit, were not born again and were not saved.
The question Paul asked is extremely relevant and needed among Southern Baptists today. Here is why. One of the issues addressed by the Southern Baptist Convention in its last meeting (June 2008) was the evidence of many unregenerate members on our church rolls. In fact it was pointed out that, while our total membership is 16 million plus, that on a given Sunday only some 6 million Southern Baptists church members attend their churches while some 10 million are absent. I would not dare say that all 10 million are unregenerate. Undoubtedly a considerable number of church members are physically unable to attend churches, and a good number would be hindered for other acceptable reasons. But it is my humble and honest conviction that most of the 10 million, though having professed they believe in Christ and having been baptized by immersion, have never received nor responded to the Holy Spirit and thus have never been born again.
Why so many unregenerate church members? There is not just one cause for such a tragedy, but the primary cause, I believe with all my heart, is the heresy of “Easy Believism,” which has been practiced by many of our pastors, evangelists, and churches. What is “Easy Believism?” The wide spread teaching that all one needs to do to get saved is to believe in his head that Jesus died for his sin, to state this fact in a prayer, confess the same before a congregation, be immersed in water and that makes that person a Christian. In this approach you will note there is no place for real conviction of sin, of being lost, of repenting, of truly trusting Jesus or surrendering our lives to Him.
How sad that many sincere persons have joined our churches by this approach and for a time may have attended their churches with some regularity, but in time fell away because they had no inner life to draw them to the Word, to God’s people – to the church. And God forbid that we would go forth and seek to bring these “unregenerate” persons into the fellowship of church without encouraging them to truly repent and trust Jesus with all their hearts. If that is all we do, we will but perpetuate the problem now existing. Our question to the “unregenerate” should be the same question Paul posed to the 12 professors at Ephesus, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” When we ask this question, from a concerned heart, some will be offended, but many will honestly admit that they have not and will turn to the Lord and be born again. The “Great Awakening” of the 18th and 19th centuries in America consisted primarily in the “awakening” of professed church members to the fact that they were not saved but who then repented, were born of the Holy Spirit, and are now in heaven. The Holy Spirit desires to send such an “awakening” upon Southern Baptists in our day. It must begin with the salvation of lost church members. Will you permit Him to use you to bring this to pass?