Sinner's Prayer?

[leonardronaldo]

A Biblical alternative to the Sinner's Prayer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9hd3pV2VxU

 

[robustheologian]

Good stuff. I think this is what David Platt meant when he said there's got to be a better way than the Sinner's Prayer.

 

[iwant2serve]

Actually there is no sinners prayer. To be saved does not even take a prayer, you dont have to ask Jesus to come into your heart. The Bible does not teach that as ffar as I know, it says things like believe on Him (Jesus) that God has raised him from the dead, received Jesus, seek him, answer the knock from him, and confess him Lord,

 

[wattie]

Actually there is no sinners prayer. To be saved does not even take a prayer, you dont have to ask Jesus to come into your heart. The Bible does not teach that as ffar as I know, it says things like believe on Him (Jesus) that God has raised him from the dead, received Jesus, seek him, answer the knock from him, and confess him Lord,

Romans chapter 10?

This is pretty much 'praying to receive Christ'

Believing on Jesus IS praying for Jesus to come into your heart. Why? Because this is exactly what Jesus does at salvation! He comes into the soul of a person at salvation and seals them with the Holy Spirit!

Praying for this eternal salvation is what is happening in Romans 10:

Confession is made unto salvation....

It is as you say in your own post:

believe on Him (Jesus) that God has raised him from the dead, received Jesus, etc..

This IS praying to receive Christ.

It is the same thing.

The exact words aren't the important thing.. but the attitude of the heart.

 

[leonardronaldo]

Good stuff. I think this is what David Platt meant when he said there's got to be a better way than the Sinner's Prayer.

Did he preach on similar topic?

 

[Joidevivre]

Not to forget the human element:

Last time I led someone to Christ, I only asked her to tell Him how she felt, and what she needed. In her own words. And they really weren't so pretty. But they were hers. She actually went into "repentance" by stating how she had failed in so many ways.

Then she told Him that she wanted Him to be the Lord of her life (receiving), and from that point, we discussed what that meant.

So simple. So profound.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

without true and pure repentance and faith in God and what he offers. a sinners prayer is just meaningless words.

It is not the pray which saves you, it is your faith

 

[p_rehbein]

If one must have a "sinner's prayer," they could reference the prayer of the Publican who would not lift up his head to pray to God.............Jesus liked his prayer.........

 

[wattie]

without true and pure repentance and faith in God and what he offers. a sinners prayer is just meaningless words.

It is not the pray which saves you, it is your faith

Is not praying the prayer an act of faith?

Of course you are right if the person praying doesn't mean anything with what they are praying.. it doesn't count.. but again..

Romans chapter 10

This is the same thing as 'the sinners prayer'

Remember praying is just talking to God.. person doesn't have to have their eyes closed.. or use some particular words.. as long as the understand they are asking for forgiveness for their sins, trusting in Jesus.

I really think we should not demean the sinners prayer!

If it is from the heart.. it surely and stedfastly counts!

 

[leonardronaldo]

Is not praying the prayer an act of faith?

Of course you are right if the person praying doesn't mean anything with what they are praying.. it doesn't count.. but again..

Romans chapter 10

This is the same thing as 'the sinners prayer'

Remember praying is just talking to God.. person doesn't have to have their eyes closed.. or use some particular words.. as long as the understand they are asking for forgiveness for their sins, trusting in Jesus.

I really think we should not demean the sinners prayer!

If it is from the heart.. it surely and stedfastly counts!

A prayer is an act of faith, yes, but how can someone knows that their faith is genuine? What are the evidences?

By his/her fruits, regenerated and disciplined by the Holy Spirit in his/her life.

'Whether it is from the heart' cannot be the parameter, since "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?".

 

[tribesman]

It is the work of God which saves poor, miserable and lost sinners. Their faith, prayers and confessions are but a fruit of this quickening work of God's dear Holy Spirit.

[h=3]Eph.1[/h][3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
[4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
[5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
[6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
[7] In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
[8] Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
[9] Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
[10] That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
[11] In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

[h=3]Eph.2[/h][1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, ( by grace ye are saved; )
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
[7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

[alan68]

without true and pure repentance and faith in God and what he offers. a sinners prayer is just meaningless words.

It is not the pray which saves you, it is your faith

So true. I prayed two sinner's prayers in my life. One when I was 6 and one when I was about 10. The first was an official-sounding, carefully worded prayer that was fed to me line-by-line by the Sunday School leader at a VBS. The second I prayed all alone in bed one night when I was seriously worried about my eternity. It was something like "Please God, come into my heart and save me just in case I'm not really saved." Sounds silly, I know.
The first prayer didn't work. The second did. The difference? The second time, I knew what I was asking.

 

[wattie]

A prayer is an act of faith, yes, but how can someone knows that their faith is genuine? What are the evidences?

By his/her fruits, regenerated and disciplined by the Holy Spirit in his/her life.

'Whether it is from the heart' cannot be the parameter, since "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?".

Well I guess the key thing here is the person is convicted by the Holy Spirit of their need for eternal salvation before their prayer.

Without this conviction- there is no meaning.

 

[Budman]

"All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

Pretty straight forward.

If one has faith that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and rose from the dead, it really doesn't matter how they call, as long as they do.

 

[Sirk]

"All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

Pretty straight forward.

If one has faith that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and rose from the dead, it really doesn't matter how they call, as long as they do.

Amen........its a heart condition. Is it not? You'll see that it gets to the splitting of gnat hairs on this site concerning salvation.

 

[Budman]

You'll see that it gets to the splitting of gnat hairs on this site concerning salvation.

That's rather sad. I was hoping to find a site where people didn't simply attack each other all of the time. I have nothing against spirited debate, defending what one believes, but it seems many Christian sites these days are places where believers fight with each other for sport.

 

[Sirk]

That's rather sad. I was hoping to find a site where people didn't simply attack each other all of the time. I have nothing against spirited debate, defending what one believes, but it seems many Christian sites these days are places where believers fight with each other for sport.

You'll find some good places to hang here and good people. As with anything in the online world you'll find the trolls too. They can be fun if your'e one to not take things personally.

 

[psychomom]

It is the work of God which saves poor, miserable and lost sinners. Their faith, prayers and confessions are but a fruit of this quickening work of God's dear Holy Spirit.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:3)

 

[mailmandan]

without true and pure repentance and faith in God and what he offers. a sinners prayer is just meaningless words.

It is not the pray which saves you, it is your faith

Amen! I must have prayed the sinner's prayer with Pat Robertson 20 times while watching the 700 Club when I was young and nothing happened because there was no true repentance and faith. I recited that prayer as if those were magical words that would save me simply by reciting them.