Featured The Sinners prayer

BINGO!!!

:wavey:

 

I have no problem with helping a lost soul talk to God, but it has to be sincere.

The 'sinner's prayer' is used as a magic spell, and there is no such thing.

John

 

How do you judge sincerity???

 

It's not for me to judge.

It's between the person praying and God.

John

 

So sincerity, not a proper understanding that doesn't need the prompt of another, is the key factor in the acceptance of the gospel?

 

Growing up in an SBC church, i know of many youths that prayed the prayer because their family and sunday school teachers wanted them to.

I have in-laws that asked to be saved because they go to a Word Of Faith (chrasmatic) church and they want to be rich and healthy.

There are all kinds of reasons why a person praying a 'follow after me' prayer would not be sincere....but only God knows thier hearts.

The danger in this is truly believing that they are saved, when no repentence, no change of character, or no fruits are evident, but they live thier whole lives believing they are going to heaven because of reciting one prayer.

One prayer can get us to heaven, but it has to come from the heart and not greed or peer pressure.

John

 

I would say that it takes a proper understnding to reach a point of sincerity.

How can you be sincere without a proper understanding?

You can be whimsical, and go with a trend, but that lacks understanding, and sincerity.

So yes, it takes understanding to be sincere.

John

 

What is wrong with this sinners prayer?

God be merciful to me a sinner.

 

There is nothing wrong with it as long as the person praying truly understands what it means, and is sincere about it. Simply reciting 'after me' with no understanding or sincerity resembles withcraft.

John

 

So why do they need a specific prayer if they "understand what it means"??? True sincerity is best determined by their confession of faith guided by the Holy Spirit not the evangelist or pastor.

 

Jesus Christ thought it was pretty good, in fact excellent. He says:

Luke 18:14, KJV
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

Hey guys, all I am saying is that if a person really wants to be saved then they will be.

But the "sinner's prayer" is not a magic spell that saves everyone just because they recite it.

John

 

Huh? Wnen did Jesus say "repeat after me and you will go to heaven"?

John

 

I believe that only the elect will really want to be saved!

I agree wholeheartedly! I feel the same way about "leading someone" down the Roman road!

 

Problem is not many of us lead someone down 'the Romans Road'.

I prayed 'the sinners prayer' and Jesus saved me and changed my life: Romans 10:13.

The key is that He is drawing, and the result is praying for mercy in belief for salvation.

Leading someone along to recite a 'magical' prayer and telling them they are 'now saved' is a different story.

Within the church great doubt is unfortunately placed upon many (i.e. those others than ourselves or outside of our personal experiences) whether or not their conversion is as 'legit' as ours. That's a huge problem. If 'we' saw it, then it's legit. If we heard about it, then we have huge doubt and attack the scenario and question everything.

Such is life in the church.

:wavey:

 

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

As is so often the case, its a matter of the heart.

If someone says the right words because someone told them that if they say it they will be saved, it will probably be fruitless, and they are still lost.

If they say the prayer sincerely, and the prayer reflects the desire of thier heart..they will be saved.

 

Once more... what is the purpose of the sinner's prayer???

 

I agree, except for the last sentence.

My view is that the prayer reflects what has already taken place in the heart - they are saved already and responding.

Example - thief didn't ask to be saved, but asked to be remembered in paradise. In my opinion, he stated the words because he already had the eternal hope of paradise, while admitting to the other thief completely deserving Hades.