The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Muslim becomes Christian and so does his wives...

Methinks this is naiveté at best. The profession of some we read of in Scripture should not be taken as a complete record of what transpired. Remember, many (most?) of what we read in the Gospels is a summarization of events. Most who professed Christ had listened to Christ on at least one occasion if not many times before. And Jesus' lectures/sermons were not 15 minute sound bytes which is common today. Further, after Pentecost the disciples taught everywhere; sometimes for days or weeks or even months at a time. The point being, most of those who we read professed to believe in Christ had been taught more than the "Four Spiritual Laws".

Secondly, Joe is correct in that a proper examination will consist of much more than a few questions about doctrine. One should be asked experimental questions as well in order to try and discern the heart and life of the individual and not just what they may have in the way of head knowledge. As you noted, and to which I heartily agree, it is easy for someone to simply parrot learned answers, which most every young person or adult can do and are required to do after going through a Catechism class.

Thirdly, methinks you have embraced a caricature image of how Jonathan Edwards and most of the Puritans conducted themselves in this area. I think you would find that the Puritans had "wide hearts" and their concern for a person's soul was more than genuine. I don't know where you got this idea that the Puritans put every person who desired to become a member of the church through some kind of Gestapo-inspired ordeal. But I have not yet read of anything like that.

And I say, anyone who thinks the majority of people who have "asked Jesus into their heart" is regenerate is a bit foolish. Scripture specifically enjoins us to be "fruit inspectors" as you phrased it:

Matthew 7:15-16 (ASV) "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits ye shall know them. Do [men] gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" . . . 18-20 "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (cf. Jude 1:10-19)

In His grace,