THE SINNER'S PRAYER
(By Emerson Blythe)
Topic: The Sinner's Prayer.
Not a Bible Topic:
At least, I am unable to find where the Bible speake of the Sinner's Prayer. If you can, please help me find it!Many preachers, like Billy Graham, and scores of others, tell the sinner he is saved by faith alone and ask him to accept Jesus and be saved by praying the Sinner's Prayer.
The Sinner's Prayer goes something like this:
"God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!"
The sinner is told that upon believing and praying this or a similar "sinner's Prayer" he is saved.
Some of you may have been taught this all your life, and believe this is the way to receive Jesus and be saved. You may feel distrubed and upset that I would even question it.
It is not my desire to judge anyone. That is God's department. It is my desire to simply point out to you that God's way of being saved, as pointed out in the New Testament, is not by faith only, and by praying the sinner's prayer."
The term "faith only" is found only one time in the regular KING JAMES Bible. It is in (James 2:24 KJV) and says: "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
Many people do not understand why we cannot fellowship our religious neighbors who believe and teach this way. It is not because we are conceited, or think they are inferior. It is just that people are trying to get to Heaven, and we see them as giving "bad directions."
No. 1
Where did the idea of being saved by praying the sinner's prayer come from?You probably expect me to say that someone just dreamed up the idea. But not quite. The idea of Praying the Sinner's Prayer came as an un sought out response to the passages which speak of "calling on the name of the Lord" for salvation.
By way of prophecy, from the Old Testament: (Joel 2:32 KJV) "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."
Quoted by the apostle Peter when the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost and accused of being drunk, on the first Pentecost after Jesus' ascension, and said to be fulfilled: (Acts 2:15-21 KJV) "For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. {16} But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; {17} And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: {18} And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: {19} And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: {20} The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: {21} And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
On face value, it has been concluded that "calling on the name of the Lord" for salvation means Praying the Sinner's Prayer.
No. 2:
What is wrong with this conclusion?A. Not one Apostle, evangelist or teacher in the New Testament ever called on the sinner to just trust Christ and pray the sinner's prayer to be saved!
B. There is not one account of any person becoming a Christian in New Testament times by just trusting Jesus and praying the sinner's prayer!
C. The Bible clearly teaches that calling on the name of the Lord for salvation involves MORE than just praying the sinner's prayer! Note carefully:
Saul of Tarsus, a big persecutor of Christians, had come to believe in Christ after being confronted by the bright light on the road to Damascus. He wanted to be saved. When he "saw the Light," "...he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Acts 9:6 KJV)
Upon going to Damascus, Saul was there three days, PRAYING AND FASTING. But he still was not saved. The Lord appeared to a Christian at Damascus by the name of Ananias: (Acts 9:11 KJV) "And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth." (Acts 9:18 says) "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized."
So, understand that Saul, after coming to believe in Jesus, was at Damascus for three days, fasting and praying, and was still not saved. When Ananias got there, he received his sight, and was baptized.
What did Ananias tell him? In relating the event, Saul tells us. (Acts 22:13-16 He says Ananias:) "Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. {14} And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. {15} For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. {16} And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
(Acts 22:16 NRSV) "And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.'" (Acts 22:16 NASB) "'And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'" (Acts 22:16 NIV) "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'"
AND THUS, CLEARLY, CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD FOR SALVATION WAS MORE THAN PRAYING THE SINNER'S PRAYER: IT INVOLVED BEING BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF CHRIST!
Most people who "Pray the Sinner's Prayer" are baptized afterward. But they are not baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), to get into Christ (Rom. 6:3,4), for they think they are already saved. The confession they make at baptism is not that they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:37) but that they believe God for Christ's sake has pardoned their sins--a confession that is foreign to the teaching of the Bible. And thus, the sinner's prayer affects the whole chain of events.
No. 3
Another passage used to justify the use of the sinner's prayer is from Romans 10:(Rom 10:9-13 KJV) "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. {10} For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. {11} For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. {12} For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. {13} For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
They needed to Pray the Sinner's Prayer, right? Not quite. (Rom 10:16 KJV) "But they have not all obeyed the gospel..." They were to call on the name of the Lord for salvation just like Saul did: by obeying the gospel and being baptized in the name of the Lord.
The Lord does not promise to save by faith only. He promises to save those who believe and obey. (Heb 5:8-9 Speaking of Jesus: ) "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; {9} And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." Jesus said, (Mark 16:16 KJV) "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." How did the people become Christians in New Testament times: (Acts 18:8 KJV) "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."
Read the book of Acts. BAPTISM is mentioned in all the cases of conversion in the book of Acts.
The account of the Philippian Jailor in Acts 16 is often cited as an example of a person being saved by faith only. But they just stop reading a couple of verses too soon: (Acts 16:29-34 KJV) "Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, {30} And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? {31} And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. {32} And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. {33} And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. {34} And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house."
In Acts 10 we read about Cornelius and his household. He was a good man, but he still needed salvation; he still needed Jesus. (Acts 10:1-6 KJV) "There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, {2} A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. {3} He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. {4} And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. {5} And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: {6} He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." Or, "words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved," (as Acts 11:14 puts it.)
What did Peter tell him to do? He first told him about Jesus. Then, in conclusion, (Acts 10:47-48 he said) "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? {48} And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days."
The Bible talks about obeying the gospel. Rom. 10:16, "But they have not all obeyed the gospel."
(1 Pet 4:17 KJV) "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
(2 Th 1:7-8 KJV) "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {8} In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"
No. 4
What does Jesus say about it?(Mat 7:21-23 KJV) "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. {22} Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? {23} And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
No. 5
Why do people find it so hard to accept this?Because the Bible states that salvation is not of works, and they consider baptism a "work"; obedience is a "work." (Eph 2:8-9 KJV) "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."
Again: (Titus 3:5 KJV) "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
BUT WHAT THEY FAIL TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THESE AND SIMILAR PASSAGES ARE SPEAKING OF WORKS OF MERIT, WORKS OF ACHIEVEMENT, WHEREBY WE WOULD BE TRYING TO LIFT OURSELVES BY OUR OWN BOOT-STRAPS!
From what the apostle Paul said about justification by faith, many consider him to be a proponent of justification by "faith only." BUT HE WAS NOT!
In the beginning of the book of Romans, (Rom 1:5 KJV) "By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name."
(Rom 16:26 the end of the book) "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith."
In writing to the Galatians: (Gal 5:6 KJV) "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."
As Luke tells us: (Acts 6:7 KJV) "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith."
I don't want to discourage anyone from praying. But what about the "Sinner's Prayer"? It is not in the Bible.
Is there any saving power in water? NO. Is there any saving power in being immersed in water? NO. Is there any saving power in prayer? NO. Is there any saving power in faith? NO. It is only an avenue through which we reach the grace of God and the blood of Jesus. "by grace are ye saved through faith," (Eph.2:8). Not by it, but through it.
We are also saved through obedience, and through baptism. In this sense, Peter said, (1 Pet 3:21 KJV) "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"
Paul said, (Gal 3:26-27 KJV) "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. {27} For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
(Col 2:12-13 KJV) "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. {13} And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses."
No. 6
A couple of verses used in an effort to support the doctrine of the sinner's prayer are those pertaining to the prayer of the Publican who prayed, "God be merciful to me, a sinner," Lk. 18:13; and the one where the disciples in the ship caught in the tempest cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save us: we perish," Mat. 8:25. But neither of these are instances of a sinner praying the sinner's prayer in the church age!When a person examines the scriptures, he is jolted by the fact that NOBODY in the Bible asked Jesus to come into his heart. NO unbeliever in the Bible asked God to save him for Christ's sake. NO soul-winner instructed a sinner in the New Testament to pray in order to become a Christian.
Do you want to be saved in the Bible way? If we are going to be right with God, we must do it God's way!
Believe the gospel. Place your faith and trust in Jesus. Realize that you are lost, and that He died in your place, paying the price for your salvation. Repent of your sin; resolve to live for Him from now on, rather than for the devil. Confess your faith before man, and be baptized into Christ for the remission of sins.
[Back to Preacher's Desk]