The modern church and the "Sinners Prayer"- True or false teaching?

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May 20, 2018
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#21
A person is not saved because they gave a canned prayer, a 'repeat after me', &c., but because a sovereign God chose them from before the foundation of the world, gave their sins unto His Christ, who redeemed them when He shed His blood for them.

Now, when you see someone truly repenting of their sins before the Lord, you see someone who God has already wrought grace into their heart, which is what truly makes them call out to Him in the same manner the tax collector did when he said ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’[Luke 18:13b]
That is truth. Confessing Christ with the mouth is not merely a statement but a confession by which you are claiming through the power of the Spirit of truth, which if you possess, you are saved by grace already. Most won't admit that it is the Spirit of God within us that we are able to have true saving faith, understanding of the truth, God's righteousness, and spiritual fruits, etc. The sovereignty of God is shunned to fit what most want to conform him to coincide with what they want Him to be. My salvation comes from the same God who commanded Israel to attack, kill all including children, and take the city. When you thwart the character of God you end up worshipping a false God to an image of your acceptance. Too many professing Christians I believe are truly not convinced of the things that that the Spirit would convince them of, especially the truth.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
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#22
There are many things I might address here, but for now I will only say this: the "sinner's prayer" is nothing more than the first step of a long journey. True repentance results in a changed life, a desire for growth, an openness to the Spirit's nudging and conviction, good fruit, and a growing Christlikeness. If these things are absent, one may rightly question the validity of that initial prayer.

The Church's role in the new believers's life is to train them up in the way they should go, and to model godliness and extend fellowship. A congregation that fails to do that might need a nudge or some conviction.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,555
13,320
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#23
That is truth. Confessing Christ with the mouth is not merely a statement but a confession by which you are claiming through the power of the Spirit of truth, which if you possess, you are saved by grace already. Most won't admit that it is the Spirit of God within us that we are able to have true saving faith, understanding of the truth, God's righteousness, and spiritual fruits, etc. The sovereignty of God is shunned to fit what most want to conform him to coincide with what they want Him to be. My salvation comes from the same God who commanded Israel to attack, kill all including children, and take the city. When you thwart the character of God you end up worshipping a false God to an image of your acceptance. Too many professing Christians I believe are truly not convinced of the things that that the Spirit would convince them of, especially the truth.
Let me encourage you to leave off the broad-brush criticisms, "for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
 
May 20, 2018
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#24
Let me encourage you to leave off the broad-brush criticisms, "for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
You overlooked the two words "I believe ". I'm sorry if any offense was taken. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it's probably not a turtle.
 
May 20, 2018
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Ohio
#25
You overlooked the two words "I believe ". I'm sorry if any offense was taken. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it's probably not a turtle.
Do you disagree with the statement, or is it my personal judgement?
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#26
But unless you came to Christ with genuine faith and repentance, it would mean nothing. So you must also have prayed the sinner's prayer. At the very least "God be merciful to me a sinner".
Or forget all humility and lower yourself to the ground in tears longing to be saved confessing that you know you are a sinner and humble choose to accept him,everyone has their own "preference".
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#27
You overlooked the two words "I believe ". I'm sorry if any offense was taken. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it's probably not a turtle.
You sound like sovvy...uh oh lol!
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#28
A person is not saved because they gave a canned prayer, a 'repeat after me', &c., but because a sovereign God chose them from before the foundation of the world, gave their sins unto His Christ, who redeemed them when He shed His blood for them.

Now, when you see someone truly repenting of their sins before the Lord, you see someone who God has already wrought grace into their heart, which is what truly makes them call out to Him in the same manner the tax collector did when he said ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’[Luke 18:13b]
How true,you keep telling it sovvy!
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
24,555
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#29
You overlooked the two words "I believe ". I'm sorry if any offense was taken. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it's probably not a turtle.
Do you disagree with the statement, or is it my personal judgement?
I've heard of talking to oneself... but asking oneself a question on a thread is new to me.
 
Dec 28, 2016
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#30
I've heard of talking to oneself... but asking oneself a question on a thread is new to me.
I didn't take it that way. I think he was quoting it and asking what their thought about it was.
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#31
I've heard of talking to oneself... but asking oneself a question on a thread is new to me.
Dino what are you are talking about?
I have talked to and answered myself before in threads just ask laish he interrupted me in a hypothetical date in "how to ruin a date in 4 words" and told me that talking to myself could ruin a date,nothing new under the sun,hahaha hahaha hahaha!
 
J

joefizz

Guest
#32
Hi me who is random?
 

Chester

Senior Member
May 23, 2016
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#34
Let me encourage you to leave off the broad-brush criticisms, "for with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Some of the best advice dI have seen given on CC. If all of us followed it, there would be much less bickering here and more sharpening one another.
 

DJ2

Senior Member
Apr 15, 2017
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#35
From my understanding God (who is not bound to time or space) knew my salvation was sealed.
God knows the fate of us all. Regardless of how someone will interpret "sealed" to mean.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#36
I feel the sinners prayer is misused alot. A person can say the prayer, but if they have not repented or come to true faith in christ, then it is just that a prayer.

I prayed the sinners prayer many nights in my room, But I know my salvation was not until I was sat down, and explained what it meant, that I actually just did what romans said, and what the tax collector did, and called out to be saved, and I know at that moment my salvation was complete.


now, How someone can be saved apart from calling out in faith? I do not see how.. does a repeated prayer need to happen? No.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
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#37
I only wonder how many of you guys have ever led a soul to Christ? What would you have them to do? The sinners prayer may be overly simple but it is a starting place. I believe that the sinner should pray what ever is on their heart but sometimes something like the sinners prayer gets them started.

Seems that some of you give the impression that when you got saved you just allowed God to receive you. Pre-appointed to salvation.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
 
Nov 12, 2015
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#38
50C1AL0N3;3585310 The modern church all over the globe is falsifying doctrine that has extreme detrimental effects. They are portraying and confirming the false teaching that one may obtain God's saving grace through a prayer and repentance. [/QUOTE said:
I think you might want to rethink and reword this. Whatever else may be disturbing you, (like that some men are not sincere), you can't change that "what must i do to be saved" is answered by repent and be saved. This doesn't change because some men are not sincere.
 

Chester

Senior Member
May 23, 2016
4,273
1,410
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#39
I only wonder how many of you guys have ever led a soul to Christ? What would you have them to do? The sinners prayer may be overly simple but it is a starting place. I believe that the sinner should pray what ever is on their heart but sometimes something like the sinners prayer gets them started.

Seems that some of you give the impression that when you got saved you just allowed God to receive you. Pre-appointed to salvation.

For the cause of Christ
Roger
Good point, Roger -- All the people I have led to Christ have been using the sinner's prayer in one form or another.

I think the point here is that we dare not think - "I led them in a prayer and thus this proves they are saved! . . . The job is done now!" Instead the focus as we talk and lead others to Christ must be -- Do they see their sin? Can I help them understand lChrist's blood sacrifice? Are they believing and resting on Christ? etc.
 

notuptome

Senior Member
May 17, 2013
15,050
2,538
113
#40
Good point, Roger -- All the people I have led to Christ have been using the sinner's prayer in one form or another.

I think the point here is that we dare not think - "I led them in a prayer and thus this proves they are saved! . . . The job is done now!" Instead the focus as we talk and lead others to Christ must be -- Do they see their sin? Can I help them understand lChrist's blood sacrifice? Are they believing and resting on Christ? etc.
God does the saving and the Holy Spirit ministers in the heart. We cannot expect them to be mature Christians the instant they get saved. Seems we want to make them part of our group before we even disciple them. For some it's all about putting them on the church roster and not helping them to grow in the admonition and nurture of the Lord.

For the cause of Christ
Roger