'Sinners prayer'

[alban]

Hi all,

Perhaps you've notived me as a new member of the forum, and if you haven't guessed already i would describe myself as high-anglican/anglo-catholic. Anyway, i've been thinking recently about 'sinners prayers'. They are things which repeatedly come under criticism for a variety of reasons, but to be honest i for the life of me don't see the problem with them. We are admit an unusual church to some more Protestant denominations who don't fully appreicate our traditions, but surely we should welcome any individual who commits their life to the work of Our Lord, be it in the form a sinners prayer, other various rites or baptism (though i'm not advocating the use of prayer overwriting the sacrament of baptism:eek: )

My point is, what are peoples problems with the sinners prayer? It offers the life of an indiviual to Christ which when it comes down to it, isn't that the heart of what we are about (and if that's not the case, then what are we about?)

[SeenAndUnseen]

I'm with you on this one; I don't fully understand the reason the "sinner's prayer" comes under fire as often and as powerfully as it does. For some people, the only thing that will do is such an experience, such an instantaneous, emotionally charged moment as when one prays that prayer, admitting he is a sinner in need of redemption, giving himself fully over to Jesus in longing, penitence, and love. It becomes a moment fixed in the chaos of time that stands as a beacon in a dark sea to which the imperfect soul gravitates.
I think the problem some have with this form of "being saved" is the same thing that makes it so powerful -- the high level of emotion. Emotions are limited and limiting. They have beginnings, and they have ends. For one to associate one's salvation with a feeling or a moment of fleeting passion can be dangerous to his faith in the future when the exhilaration has slowed or even ceased.
My personal view is, whatever brings a soul closer to our Lord is good. He finds us in many places, in many ways. If the sinner's prayer is the door through which some of our family pass, let it be a blessed door.

[PaladinValer]

I have no problem with the Sinner's Prayer, so long as it is used judiciously and reverently.

I do tire of folks stating the absurd idea that all you need to do to be saved is to say that prayer and mean it and whamo!, you're saved. They do a great disservice to a great prayer.

[cenimo]

I don't see any problem with it either...and you know, it just might be the only prayer some folks pray. That being the case, would it be better if they didn't pray at all?
I don't think so.

Work out your own salvation, with fear and trembling
Phillipians 2:12

[gtsecc]

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner."

How about that one?

[AveMaria]

First of all, hi and welcome to alban.

Now.. on to the sinner's prayer. (I presume you're not talking about the one gtsecc mentioned, but something like the ones you'll find in the back of religious tracts?)

On the whole, I'm not terribly fond of them. I think some people think, so long as they've said the prayer, they've got their 'Get out of Hell, Free!' card, whether they meant the prayer or not. I'm sure others have said the prayer without understanding any of it. (Notice I'm deliberataly using the word 'said' rather than 'prayed' here? I'm sure there are people who have prayed some form of a sinner's prayer and meant it, and I'm trying to distinguish between the two).

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Salvation is a process, not a one time event?" I tend to agree with this, along with "I have been saved, I am being saved, and I will continue to become saved", so the idea of a one time, instantaneous salvation-event is a bit hard for me to understand.

[Colabomb]

I started my walk with the Lord with a sinner's Prayer. While I don't think it is a fix all, I believe it is a beautiful starting point.

[Zacharias]

Here's one that I like:

I am saved, being joined to Christ in baptism; I am being saved, growing in Christ in the sacramental life of the Church; and I will be saved, by the mercy of God at the last judgement.

:amen:

[Wigglesworth]

Like other religious debates, the one about the sinner's prayer is a word game.

Fundamentalist (and other) churches that encourage a statement of repentence in a "sinner's prayer" mean something different than sacramental churches mean when they say "salvation."

To a Fundamentalist, "salvation" means justification, an instantaneous event that begins the Christian walk. They want people to be "saved" as a first step in the Christian walk.

To an Anglican, "salvation" means justification, sanctification, and glorification, the process by which one becomes like Jesus Christ. I think an Anglican is likely to believe the same thing about justification that a Fundamentalist does, but one calls it "salvation" and the other doesn't.

One who prays as the thief on the cross did receives justification by grace, which will be followed by works of righteousness, and, for those who endure, to sanctification and glorification.

[Papist]

The Sinner's Prayer is essentially the same as the general confession we say each Sunday, nicht wahr?

[ethereal hope]

I think the reason it's such a hotbed topic is because people who support using the Sinner's Prayer tend to believe that Baptism is optional (or even that it's sinful because it's a "work" and shows a lack of faith alone).

I've been approached with it before (a pamphlet that says, "just say this prayer and BE SAVED!"), and when I've responded that I'm a Baptised believer thank you, I've been told I wasn't saved. That sorta sucks.

[PaladinValer]

You should have told him that your's was the historically-backed understanding of salvation and that, if he didn't agree, to study his history of the Christian faith.

And if he still disagreed, you could honestly then disavow him due to his Montanism :)

[ContraMundum]

Every Sunday we say a sinner's prayer.


"ALMIGHTY God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, By thought, word, and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, And are heartily sorry for these our misdoings; The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, Forgive us all that is past; And grant that we may ever hereafter Serve and please thee In newness of life, To the honour and glory of thy Name; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

There is no set verbal formula for repenting of sins, so whether one says it at a Franklin Graham crusade or at church in the liturgy, if it's from a truly penitent heart, God accepts us. Then we begin or continue our Christian life (which includes the sacraments, etc)