The Sinner's Prayer

[PaladinGirl]

Hi everyone. :wave: From what I understand, most Baptists believe that all that is required to gain salvation is to have faith in Jesus and to say the Sinner's Prayer. Is this true? :confused: If so, how is it Biblical? :confused:

[ian17]

Do they? I go to a Baptist Union Church in the UK. this is something we don't teach.

Recently my pastor did an "accept Jesus as your Saviour" moment, without making anyone say anything. In fact he decided to use bread to signify a personal response. (It worked really well, I would recommend it. Its a way for people to respond without being too on-the-spot, but its not "close your eyes, raise your hand" which I really hate)

Well, I don't know, maybe Baptists over here are less legalistic

[Hisbygrace]

In Romans 10:9-10 the apostle Paul tells us...
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

God hates sin and He wants us to feel the same. To hate sin, but love the sinner. God says that we are all sinners and seperated from Him. Confessing by mouth that we are sinners and that we believe in our heart that Jesus died for us and asking His forgiveness for our sins and believing in our hearts that Christ Jesus was crucified and raised again from the dead on the third day by God the Father, brings us back into fellowship with God.

Also in Matthew 10: 32-33 Jesus is speaking and this is what He says..
32 "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
33 "But whoever denies Me before men, I will deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

I can understand that there are many people who are shy and it is very difficult for them to draw attention to themselves, because I too was once like them. But, think of it as you would your first boyfriend or girlfriend you cannot wait to tell someone about them. The gospels tell us that Jesus the Christ should be our first love and if He is then we will want to know all about Him and share our believeth in Him with others.

[divalishous]

Well it is not JUST the sinner's pray.
It's a belief, heart felt, thought out decision
Believe in Jesus, that He lives, was crucified, died and rose on the third day.
Confess your sins, Repent from them, and (BIG ONE) ask Jesus to be Lord of your life.

Most Pastor's or Evangelists then encourage the born again individual to find a church to attend in order to be an active member of the body of Christ
to read God's word, so that they will be strengthened and renewed as well as be able to hear from God
and to pray (including how to pray effectively)

[TimRout]

People are saved by grace through faith, not prayer. Prayer is simply one effective way to express your new found faith to God. The "sinner's prayer" is not necessary for salvation. Indeed, I repented of my sins and surrendered my life to Christ some seventeen years ago, and I never prayed the sinner's prayer. That night, I simply threw up my arms and declared "I give up!"

God knows the heart. If a person prays some sort of "come to Jesus" prayer without authentic, repentant faith in Christ, the prayer is worthless.

On the other hand, if a person can't find the words to express his heartfelt saving faith, it makes no difference. Nevertheless, our friend is correct in noting that "...if you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord!' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.'" [Romans 10:9] All genuine believers will testify to their faith openly, and all genuine believers acknowledge the bodily resurrection of Christ.

[dead2self]

The sinners preayer is sadly deficient and I see it as heresy to teach that Jesus definately will come in if you pray it. You can pray it and be saved, but only if it is accompanied by fiath and repentance.

[HolyRevolution]

I think the sinners prayer is fine and people can use it if they want to.

[PaladinGirl]

The sinners preayer is sadly deficient and I see it as heresy to teach that Jesus definately will come in if you pray it. You can pray it and be saved, but only if it is accompanied by fiath and repentance.

I agree that the Sinner's Prayer is useless without faith and repentance. However, I wouldn't see it as promoting heresy to promote the Sinner's Prayer because faith and repentance are implied in the Sinner's Prayer.