We do not give an
"altar call" at the close of our services, because we are not
idolaters. We do not worship at any material altar. Our only Altar is Jesus
Christ Himself. And we do not invite sinners to come to the front of the church
building to be saved at the close of our services, because we know that
salvation is not to be obtained by walking an aisle.
The preaching of the gospel is itself the invitation.
With plainness of speech, in simple words, I declare what Christ has done for
sinners and persuade you to believe. But I dare not use the trickery of an
emotional appeal at the close of a service to get men to make a religious
decision. Your faith must stand, not in the craftiness of men, but in the power
of God. True faith comes through the preaching of the gospel of Christ, not
through a man pleading with sinners to walk down an aisle.
However, I do want to encourage men to profess faith
in Christ. If the Lord has opened your heart and enabled you to believe on
Christ, we want to rejoice with you. At the close of the service, while we are
singing our closing hymn, you are invited to come and tell us what God has done
for you. You who believe are urged to come and publicly identify yourselves
with the people of God. Come to Christ by faith, and then come to tell us about
it.