The Sinners Prayer

[Winman]

The word of God is the only way a person can be saved.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

John 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

1 Cor 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

The Calvinists claim God imposes faith on some and others not. But the Bible shows that men hear and believe the gospel through preaching. Any man who has ears can hear and choose to believe God if he so chooses. Calvinists make faith itself a supernatural entity. I do not believe it is. I believe it a very normal abilitly that all men have. When a man hears God and believes on Christ, then the Holy Spirit enters the man and regenerates him. This is a supernatural work (it is the Spirit that quickeneth)

Once again, Rev 3:20 shows a picture of salvation

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Jesus through the Holy Spirit knocks at the door of a man's heart, and calls to him (God's word), bidding entry. Any man who will sincerely listen (hear my voice) and open the door to Jesus, then Jesus promises to come in.

This shows the Holy Spirit is outside the man to begin with. Only when a man invites Jesus in of his own free will does the Holy Spirit enter the man.

 

[Darrenss1]

The word of God is the only way a person can be saved.

The word of God is the only way a sinner can know whom the Lord Jesus (life, death, resurrection, ascension) is and how they can be saved through believing on His name. All other revelation (creation, general revelation) and truth (there is only 1 God) points to Christ as the only "truth" through what the scriptures say. God draws all men (the Holy Spirit convicts the world) to the Word of God that they may be saved; some believe some don't, yet they have the ability to respond. God does not indiscriminately, willy-nilly draw 1 to save him but chose not to draw others that they have no chance to believe because God didn't draw them and thus they have no right to come to Christ, or rather God does NOT want them to come to Christ.

:godisgood:

Darren

 

[Carico]

WOW...it's been a long time since I visited here and I'm sure my views have changed since then on some things as well, but on the fundamentals of Salvation my mind has never waivered.

Not sure if this is a subject is touched much or not on here but just wanted to jump in and maybe talk about it a little bit.

I believe that Faith alone in Jesus saves, but also that faith with out works is dead! I believe that Faith modivates us to obey the Word and to experience the New Birth!

Do you consider the Sinners prayer the "New Birth? If someone acknowledges in their heart "The Sinners Prayer" but never says it does that constitute as Salvation? Or what if someone says the "Sinners Prayer" but never allows Christ to work in their life, is that person saved?

Thanks! Look forward to a good discussion!

No. Anyone can mouth words with his lips but not believe or understand them in his heart just as someone can recite the "Star Spangled banner." What saves is receiving the indwelling Holy Spirit so that we become a new creation in Christ.

 

[Tom Butler]

Are there any of you posters or lurkers who claim Christ as Lord and Savior who have never said the sinner's prayer?

I'm raising my hand.

Are we in trouble?

 

[Darrenss1]

Are there any of you posters or lurkers who claim Christ as Lord and Savior who have never said the sinner's prayer?

I'm raising my hand.

Are we in trouble?

I'm raising my hand too. I was saved in my room all on my lonesome. I didn't even know what a sinners prayer was, I just prayed and poured out my heart to the Lord. I had enough knowledge of the bible and God to know who I was praying to, looking back having a better bible understanding I know that was the time the Lord saved me without a doubt.

For interest sake I was invited to a AOG church by a friend in 1993 and they called all the visiters up for the invitation and made us all pray a sinner prayer. Then we all filled out new convert cards and everyone was excited over us "getting saved". I hadn't the slightest clue what they were on about; and thought it was a pretty strange thing when I was asked how it felt being saved. If I knew what saved meant I could have given an honest answer instead I just said it feel good.... lol

Darren

 

[Tom Butler]

I am less concerned about the use of the Sinner's Prayer in witnessing than I am by its abuse.

I have no doubt that a repentant sinner who cries out to God for mercy will be saved. But for too many, the Sinner's Prayer has become some magic words to repeat, and you're really, really, really sincere, you're saved, and don't let anybody try to tell you differently.

I have come to the point where I believe that if you feel it necessary to tell someone what to pray, "say these words," "pray a prayer something like this," or, Heaven forbid, "repeat after me," then you have done an inadequate job of witnessing.

I have seen this done. Actually, I've done it myself, because that's how I was trained. We were taught to say, "now you prayed the prayer, didn't you? Were you sincere? Did you mean it? Then, on the authority of God's word, I declare you saved. Welcome to the family of God...."

We have too often reduced "call out to God for mercy" to "say these words."

It's part and parcel with corrupting the Roman Road into a sales pitch, and the Sinner's Prayer, no longer "drawing the net," but closing the sale.

I know of someone whose sole testimony of salvation is "I prayed the prayer." God help us.

 

[Tom Butler]

I'm raising my hand too. I was saved in my room all on my lonesome. I didn't even know what a sinners prayer was, I just prayed and poured out my heart to the Lord. I had enough knowledge of the bible and God to know who I was praying to, looking back having a better bible understanding I know that was the time the Lord saved me without a doubt.

Darren

I was nine years old. During an invitation, the Holy Spirit confronted me with my sin. It scared the living daylights out of me. I had heard sermon after sermon, invitation after invitation, and none of it applied to me until that moment. It was almost as if the Holy Spirit kicked me out of my seat and down the aisle to my pastor.

As I remember it (this was 62 years ago), my pastor asked me, "Do you understand that you are a sinner?" Yesssss (through tears).

"Do you understand the penalty of your sin?" Yessss.
"Do you repent of your sins?" Yessss.
"Do you trust Christ for your salvation?" Yesss.

"Okay, sit down right over there."

No Roman Road, no prayer, no "inviting Christ into your heart," no asking God to save me, just questions and answers.

 

[Darrenss1]

It's part and parcel with corrupting the Roman Road into a sales pitch, and the Sinner's Prayer, no longer "drawing the net," but closing the sale.

Oh yeah!! That can't be stressed enough. My former pastor (Pentacostal) called our 15 years old neice out to the front of the church to give her a word of knowledge and he basically told her that God told him that she may have a tragic accident and die very soon that she needs to get saved right now. He practically forced her to pray a sinners prayer even though she refused 3 times, she gave in anyway because she was feeling traumatized.

In my short experience since 2001 I think I've seen enough to know what not to do.

Darren

 

[Darrenss1]

I was nine years old. During an invitation, the Holy Spirit confronted me with my sin. It scared the living daylights out of me. I had heard sermon after sermon, invitation after invitation, and none of it applied to me until that moment. It was almost as if the Holy Spirit kicked me out of my seat and down the aisle to my pastor.

As I remember it (this was 62 years ago), my pastor asked me, "Do you understand that you are a sinner?" Yesssss (through tears).

"Do you understand the penalty of your sin?" Yessss.
"Do you repent of your sins?" Yessss.
"Do you trust Christ for your salvation?" Yesss.

"Okay, sit down right over there."

No Roman Road, no prayer, no "inviting Christ into your heart," no asking God to save me, just questions and answers.

So were you saved then or after? I wonder about kids under 13 allowing them to think they are saved because they know all the answers from the parents. When they get older they ought not to assume they are saved because of their experiences as kids. I would rather be cautious than presumptuous. I think that way too when I see kids as young as 5 get baptised.

Darren

 

[Matt Black]

I am less concerned about the use of the Sinner's Prayer in witnessing than I am by its abuse.

I have no doubt that a repentant sinner who cries out to God for mercy will be saved. But for too many, the Sinner's Prayer has become some magic words to repeat, and you're really, really, really sincere, you're saved, and don't let anybody try to tell you differently.

I have come to the point where I believe that if you feel it necessary to tell someone what to pray, "say these words," "pray a prayer something like this," or, Heaven forbid, "repeat after me," then you have done an inadequate job of witnessing.

I have seen this done. Actually, I've done it myself, because that's how I was trained. We were taught to say, "now you prayed the prayer, didn't you? Were you sincere? Did you mean it? Then, on the authority of God's word, I declare you saved. Welcome to the family of God...."

We have too often reduced "call out to God for mercy" to "say these words."

It's part and parcel with corrupting the Roman Road into a sales pitch, and the Sinner's Prayer, no longer "drawing the net," but closing the sale.

I know of someone whose sole testimony of salvation is "I prayed the prayer." God help us.

That's my problem with it likewise.

 

[Agnus_Dei]

As a former Baptist, I was saved by the "Sinner's Prayer". I was around 8 and the question in Sunday School was "what are we afraid of the most". Well, I said I was afraid to die....We'll I had to be saved at once, but at the time I was confused and didn't really understand, b/c what I was afraid of was the pain that was associated with death, that's what I was afraid of...I was afraid to die a slow painful death...

But anyway...

In XC
-

 

[Thinkingstuff]

It seems that there is little agreement on what the "sinners prayer" is. Is it a formated prayer that like "magic" you say the word and are saved or is it the reaction a sinner has when they know they are in need of God? The sinner may call out "Dear God save me!" in responce to their repentant heart is that sufficient for a sinners prayer? If it is then is there any here who have a problem with it? Certainly, througout the christian life there will be repreated request for forgiveness.

 

[Tom Butler]

So were you saved then or after? I wonder about kids under 13 allowing them to think they are saved because they know all the answers from the parents. When they get older they ought not to assume they are saved because of their experiences as kids. I would rather be cautious than presumptuous. I think that way too when I see kids as young as 5 get baptised.

Darren

Oh, right then. BTW, I got no answers from my parents. My father was unsaved, my mother inactive. Looking back at it, it was the work of the HS to apply all those sermons to me, and open my eyes to the truth.

I'm with you on caution. That's why I don't favor baptizing a young convert until the pastor can have further conversations with him. I give my pastor credit for being quite perceptive about children and their public professions.

 

[Tom Butler]

As a former Baptist, I was saved by the "Sinner's Prayer". I was around 8 and the question in Sunday School was "what are we afraid of the most". Well, I said I was afraid to die....We'll I had to be saved at once, but at the time I was confused and didn't really understand, b/c what I was afraid of was the pain that was associated with death, that's what I was afraid of...I was afraid to die a slow painful death...

But anyway...

In XC
-

I fear that we make those kids so afraid of burning in hell that they'll say and do anything you tell them to do to avoid it. Now, conviction of sin and judgment is certainly biblical--but manipulation of young minds is not.

 

[Tom Butler]

It seems that there is little agreement on what the "sinners prayer" is. Is it a formated prayer that like "magic" you say the word and are saved or is it the reaction a sinner has when they know they are in need of God? The sinner may call out "Dear God save me!" in responce to their repentant heart is that sufficient for a sinners prayer? If it is then is there any here who have a problem with it? Certainly, througout the christian life there will be repreated request for forgiveness.

If a sinner, horrified by his sinfulness, cut off from any avenue of escape outside of the Lord Jesus, cries out "Dear God save me," I believe God hears and answers. That is a sinner's prayer.

As opposed to a Sinner's Prayer, which lost people are urged to pray (but here are the words to say).

On another tack, I remember reading a missionary's story of preaching to an Indian tribe in South America. In the midst of his message, a man stood up and said, "I've heard enough. I believe!"

I ask, is that sufficient? I answer, yes.

 

[RAdam]

Once again, Rev 3:20 shows a picture of salvation

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Jesus through the Holy Spirit knocks at the door of a man's heart, and calls to him (God's word), bidding entry. Any man who will sincerely listen (hear my voice) and open the door to Jesus, then Jesus promises to come in.

This shows the Holy Spirit is outside the man to begin with. Only when a man invites Jesus in of his own free will does the Holy Spirit enter the man.

This is one of the most commonly misunderstood, misapplied, and abused scriptures in history. What is the context? Jesus is telling John to write to the seven churches of Asia. In this particular passage Jesus is knocking on the door of the Laodicean church, a church that has become lukewarm to Him. He is not knocking on the heart of an unregenerate sinner begging him to be saved, He is knocking on the door of a church filled with regenerate children of God who are lukewarm.

Then you have the problem of having the Holy Spirit outside of man until he invites Him in. First of all, this is God dishonoring. God doesn't need man to invite Him in. Secondly, this violates scripture. Paul says that we are not in the flesh (unregenerate) but in the Spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwells in us. He also says that the natural man (unregenerate) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned. You have a problem here. How can the natural man, who has not the Spirit within him, receive and know the things of the Spirit of God in order to "invite" Him in? He can't. God must first put His Spirit within that man, regenerating him, in order for that man to understand and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ and believe on His name.

 

[Thinkingstuff]

If a sinner, horrified by his sinfulness, cut off from any avenue of escape outside of the Lord Jesus, cries out "Dear God save me," I believe God hears and answers. That is a sinner's prayer.

As opposed to a Sinner's Prayer, which lost people are urged to pray (but here are the words to say).

On another tack, I remember reading a missionary's story of preaching to an Indian tribe in South America. In the midst of his message, a man stood up and said, "I've heard enough. I believe!"

I ask, is that sufficient? I answer, yes.

That works for me.

 

[grainofwheat]

Romans 10 provides the model for receiving salvation. [10 : 9-13 ]

 

[TCGreek]

Romans 10 provides the model for receiving salvation. [10 : 9-13 ]

Not all the way.

 

[Darrenss1]

Romans 10 provides the model for receiving salvation. [10 : 9-13 ]

That's a good place to start and cross reference with other verses on the subject (eph 2:8) but don't forget also, that those whom were saved in the book of Acts provided a good illustration. There was no sinner's prayer, many simply gladly received/believed the gospel and then were baptised and added to the church.

Darren