Wir sind bettler. Hoc est verum.

In contemporary Evangelicalism the Altar Call has become the Third Sacrament, and sometimes the only sacrament as it often replaces both baptism and communion (by making baptism and communion be only human responses and not heavenly blessings). The problem is: no where in Scripture are we given a command to have Altar Calls; they are a creation of man not God. I know this position will inflame many people, and upset others for it seems by stating such, I am attacking the heart of the Christian religion. After all, how can one preach the Gospel and expect it to save anyone unless they give an Altar Call right? In a word: wrong, scripture never has demonstrated nor commanded an Altar Call. Let us define our terms so that we are all on the same page.

When I speak of a Sacrament I am speaking of an ordinance in which God works to confirm heavenly realities, grace, and spiritual blessings. The only two taught us in Scripture (sorry my Catholic friends), are Baptism and Holy Communion. Baptism in the most basic of explanations, confers to us the New Covenant, by making us members, and all the spiritual blessings there-in. As a covenant sign like Circumcision in the Old Testament, baptism is to be given to our children, because they are in the covenant, and thus need the covenant sign applied to them. Now please note it doesn’t save, and it doesn’t confer regeneration, but non-the-less there are real spiritual benefits with-in baptism, and to reject it, is to reject God’s covenant (and thus Salvation). One’s baptism, as a believer, can be one of the greatest anchors in which to assure ourselves of our salvation, not because it demonstrates our commitment to God, but His commitment to us within the Covenant.

Communion is the other Sacrament and it also confers real spiritual blessings and grace toward sanctification. Within it, we are given Christ’s body (I will not discuss the details of this since we do not know for sure what it means) and all the blessings there-in. To the Believer it is literally Jesus saying to him: “take and eat this is my body and blood given to you, feast on me as your Savior”. The grace given to the believer in this doesn’t save him (for hopefully he is already saved), but rather reminds, encourages, and commands him to trust in Christ alone, and to know that Christ Himself is telling him personally in Communion that the real food is for the believer as the Holy Spirit works these realities in the heart and mind of the believer! A wonderful heavenly reality is given to us in common elements because God knew his people would be weak in faith and need tangible means of Grace to strengthen them often (if communion is this wonderful why do it so infrequently?).

Now that we have a better understanding on Baptism and Communion, let us discuss the sacred Altar Call. To my best knowledge there really isn’t any evidence in Church history of there ever being Altar Calls until Charles Finney and his crusades in the 1830s or so. My first thought is: “if the Altar Call is so important to God and the Great Commission, why did God not let anyone discover it until Finney?” Not because new must equal false, and old equals true, but only because if the Church has missed something for 1800 years, perhaps it was never meant to be found. No where in Scripture do we see anything of the likes. In the Great Commission we are simply told to go out, make disciples by baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teaching them all the things Jesus taught (Mark 16, Matt 28). When we see this played out in Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, we see Peter simply telling the crowd to repent and be baptized. No coming forward, no sinners prayer, no raising hands with every eye closed, and no long awkward musical interlude while waiting for people to decide.

I know for many, myself included, the Altar Call has been a huge part of our Christianity growing up, and without it our worship services and Evangelical meetings seem empty and pointless. However, let us forget something that was purposely not discovered for 1800 years, and turn instead to the means of Grace, the Sacraments, given to us from God directly (not some Evangelist in the 1800s). Instead of putting hope in man made means of Grace which bestow upon us no real blessings, and in fact often serve to pervert the true understanding of the Gospel, let us rather hope in Christ and the gifts He gives us in Baptism, and Communion. If 3000 people can be saved in one day (and we have every reason to believe that all 3000 were true converts and didn’t walk away) without an Altar Call, and only an appeal to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Baptism, then perhaps we should also continue to do what the Apostles did in their preaching, and do no more and no less. After all isn’t it what Jesus commanded?