One erroneous religious activity I’d like to expose are the revival concerts being done by some charismatic groups. When I was a college student, I’ve experienced a revival concert in which a charismatic preacher gave a message. After the message was an altar call. Those who went to the altar were asked to repeat a prayer of repentance being spoken by the speaker. After the “repeat after me” "prayer", the people believe they were already born again. This is an example of quick fix salvation.
Quick fix salvation is dangerous because they just let people listen to a charismatic preacher, invite them to the altar without explaining what repentance really means. In fact, many of the audience actually don’t know what they just did in the altar. Since the speaker is amazing, the listeners get emotional. They’d want to accept Christ in their hearts. Some of the listeners sincerely repent while the rest are just emotionally touched. Thus, they get out of the building thinking they were “born again” yet they still commit sin. They got reformed, not transformed. Reformation is getting rid of your major sins yet you still commit sins you think are minor such as white lies, gluttony and abusive words. Reformation does not entitle a soul the name Christian. Transformation does. Transformation involves a change of heart. The sincerely repentant person receives a new heart in the instantaneous regeneration process. God must change that person’s heart to enable him to love without conditions, obey without murmuring and denounce ALL sins he used to do. Since quick fix salvation is done without explaining what repentance really means, the change of heart doesn’t happen. This explains why so many people nowadays call themselves “born again Christians” but they still willfully do things true Christians never do.
The Bible teaches born again experience. How is it really done? First, you must be made aware of your spiritual condition. Next, you must decide to leave your sinful life. Third, wait for the godly sorrow given by the Holy Spirit. Godly sorrow makes you sad and ashamed of your sins enabling you to swallow your pride and go to the altar of repentance with a contrite heart asking God's forgiveness. Finally, faith. You will trust that you were forgiven because Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins. When this instantaneous process is rightly done, your heart will be changed by God. You will have the power to say NO to sin, ability to love your enemies and desire to imitate Christ.
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