Does the sinner's prayer saves?

No, Jesus is what or shall I say who saves. Saying a prayer on the back of a tract no matter what it's called, as long as it includes sincerity of the heart and confession of the mouth that Jesus is Lord as well as repentance...that person is very much saved.

karen

 

I dealt with the sinner's prayer for some time. Because the inherent evil of it is that the person is lead to think that they have done something to be saved. I have seen it happen too often.

Instead of repeating everything here, I have an essay at my website.
http://www.geocities.com/flyfree432/personalacceptance.html

A better title for the "sinner's prayer" would be: "The prayer of thanks and acceptance for salvation"

UNP
Adam

 

The Hyles, Rice, Gray, Hatch, and Hutson followers believe this. Just find one and go out with them on "soul-winning" night and you'll see the "pray this prayer after me" first-hand.

 

The Ethiopian eunuch comes to mind.

He was reading from Isaiah when Phillip found him; Phillip asked him if he understood what he was reading. He replied, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" And he asked Phillip a question or two, and Phillip answered him; then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

It ain't enough to preach about Jesus for 2 minutes and encourage someone to say a prayer. You gotta preach Jesus, and let the Holy Spirit lead 'em.

 

Don't they also have to be at a point yo where they reconize they are a sinner, & need a saviour? If you don't see yourself as a sinner you would see no need for a saviour.

 

I see the sinners prayer as a very dangerous tool, used by over zealous people who probably had the sinners prayer recited to them. It is one thing to witness to a lost person, but quiet another to try to replace the working of the Holy Spirit in the process of salvation

 

Well said, Doctor Bob

 

Mary had a little lamb? Where did this new theology come from?

 

we don't deal with Him, He deals with us. Through the Holy Spirit. Thats how we reconize our sinfulness.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ventin:
we saw many tracts ending with the sinner's prayer. Does reciting that prayer saves? Does scriptures teach sinner's prayer? If not,why issit there? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ventin,

You hit on a subject that has really become a concern of mine in the last couple of years. Unfortunately, I was led to believe, in the past, that a person needed to pray a prayer to be saved. Frankly the prayer (Rom 10:9,10,13) was the most important step in the “plan of salvation,” for without it the “net was not closed” and the “process” was not finished. No personal worker I knew would ever introduce a person as saved who had not prayed the “sinners prayer.”

We Evangelicals despise the teaching of baptismal regeneration (receiving God's grace through baptism) but may of us turn right around and do the same thing through "prayerismal regeneration" (receiving God's grace through a prayer). Praying a prayer “to be saved” has as much scriptural backing as baptismal regeneration (Zippo).

As some have mentioned already, the matter of a person seeing their lost and helpless condition is crucial. Using the standard “plan of salvation,” it is not hard to get someone to admit that they are a sinner. The problem is that there is a huge difference between a sinner and a helpless sinner. A sinner can realize that they are in danger and try to do something about it (give money, confess sins, take communion, get baptized, attend religious service, or walk an aisle or say a prayer). A helpless sinner on the other hand understands that they are TOTALLY helpless to do anything to get out of God's righteous punishment of sin. A helpless sinner will never find satisfaction in a prayer they pray or any other actions they do. A helpless sinner could only find satisfaction in the WORK that a merciful and loving God has already done for them, through Christ.

 

This is interesting. I can see how some may mistakenly use the "sinner's prayer". But isn't there also a place for it in the proper manner?

I thought most of the tracts I've seen indicate that the sinner must recognize that he is a sinner, totally separated from God with no hope of his own to be saved.

Then the fact that Jesus came and died on the cross, to rise the 3rd day to pay the sin debt of those who will accept him as Lord and Savior.

If the sinner understands these concepts, and wants to repent of his sins, then what is the matter with the "sinner's prayer?" Doesn't the sinner, in praying that prayer, acknowledge his sinfullness, repent of his sins, and promise to follow Christ as Lord and Savior?

We've all seen scripture taken out of context and used incorrectly. This prayer is no exception. But used properly, it's not the words - it's the understanding of his condition, and his desire to repent and follow Christ that's important. The prayer is verbalizing this decision.

Or am I missing a fine line that some of you see in this issue?

 

Every year at the beginning of the new school year, evangelists are called in for a week of meetings at most Bible colleges and churches. (Sometimes this actually happens several times a year.) It seemed like it is their goal to get everyone lost again so that they can rack up their numbers some more. Most of the students who went forward when I was in college were from godly Christian homes and had been saved at early ages. They were there to better learn how to serve the Lord.

I found it very interesting that their new testimonies always included, "I wasn't sure I was saved, because I don't know if I said the right thing, or if I meant it.

If you call any Bible college and ask for the percentages on this, it is very high.

What is also high, is the number of invitations in Baptist Churches, for salvation. Are there some who don't believe? Sure, but why operate on the assumption that everyone is unsaved in your church? Either we believe in eternal security, or we don't. If we are preaching that you must recite a specific prayer or be sorry enough, and then give the same invitation to the same people and expect them to respond the same way every time, we aren't preaching the Word of God. No one gets discipled this way either, but that is just what the devil wants. If folks don't know their doctrine, they won't know any better.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Glory Bound:
The prayer is verbalizing this decision.

Or am I missing a fine line that some of you see in this issue?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You hit the nail on the head there. The prayer does nothing more than verbalize a decision- and there are too many people out there using the sinner's prayer as a means of salvation. And then they turn around and say "I lead John Doe to Christ". In which I say "You what!?! I thought only the Holy Spirit could lead someone to Christ".

I believe that used "properly" the sinner's prayer is okay. Yet, I have yet to see it used properly. I think the best thing we can do is trash the sinner's prayer, and use spontaneous prayer (instead of recited) after a person is saved, so that we know that they do not think it is by any prayer that they are saved.

UNP
Adam

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joy:
What is also high, is the number of invitations in Baptist Churches, for salvation. Are there some who don't believe? Sure, but why operate on the assumption that everyone is unsaved in your church?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hmm. While my church has an invitation after almost all Sunday morning services, I have never gotten any impression anywhere that it was thought that "everyone" was unsaved in the church. The thing is, statistically, with a medium to large church, you know that some are not saved. I've even seen it mentioned that a significant portion of church members are not saved. Then, how about those who want to "rededicate" their lives to God?


<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by flyfree432:
I think the best thing we can do is trash the sinner's prayer, and use spontaneous prayer (instead of recited) after a person is saved, so that we know that they do not think it is by any prayer that they are saved.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know, but my impression of a "sinner's prayer" is not simply recited. If you lead someone in a prayer, and they don't understand the meaning, then what do you have. I guess that's your problem with the whole idea. The way I see it, the sinner needs to understand the concepts behind the prayer before praying it. At least basically.

This concept of explaining the prayer before praying is the same concept that we should then take and mentor the new believer so that they get a good foundation before being sent out on their own.