I was reminded of this tract today while re-reading George Mish Marsden‘s Fundamentalism and American Culture: The Shaping of Twentieth-Century Evangelicalism: 1870-1925 (2d ed.; New York: Oxford, 2006), p. 100. (It also occurs on p. 100 in the 1980 edition.) I spent a while searching for an image of it and finally found one on Timmy Brister’s blog.
Although no doubt well intentioned, this tract illustrates (1) evangelism that is both eisegetical and manipulative and (2) yet another reason that theology matters.
Oh dear, I didn’t realize that track was from Moody.
But ironically, theology professors at MBI today mock this particular track. Moody is quite a bit more Calvinist these days.
Andy,
Check back later this week. I’ve got more evidence of such eisegesis as it relates to evangelism. I’ll post it either Wednesday or Thursday of this week.
I heard the sermon illustration equivalent of this tract c. 2001 in a Bible college chapel pulpit.
God and Satan are deadlocked? Wow.
And Arminians say Calvinism is an affront to God’s character.
Hopefully, the sinner makes the right choice so that the dark side of the force does not win☹ Regretfully, the tract states in reality what is practiced by some evangelists, though it may not be articulated so boldly. The theological implications of this tract are alarming if the goal is to preserve orthodox Christianity.