DOES the sinners prayer make you BORN AGAIN ???

[mrhappy3]

I hear Joel Osteen say to people repeat this prayer after me......and afterwards announce you are now BORN AGAIN.

I thought only God could regenerate people, or does that act of faith start the ball rolling with no guarantee if you are or not (regenerated that is).

Is the sinners prayer, the believe in your heart and confess with thine mouth stuff- really biblical to re-enact in its context- when asked "how do I get saved" the jailer was told "Believe".

But not told HOW TO. I often wonder when I see the masses streaming forward how many are genuine and what it takes for God to breathe the breath of life into them. I'm sure he's watching taking notes. He's does say he knows them that are his. Maybe I'm just complicating matters !

any thoughts ???

 

[the.Sheepdog]

you know, I may just be looking crosseyed right now, and forgive me please if I am, but why do you ask?

You were saved in 1991 you said on your profile and went to a bible school. You know what it is to be born again. How did it happen for you?

Some people need to be lead to the cross. I repeated a prayer from a TV pastor and it came at the absolute right time for me. I believed in my heart that I was dead in sin and needed a savior. I was asking for forgiveness and help. and I accepted His salvation.

The prayer doesnt save you- Jesus saves you.

 

[mrhappy3]

you know, I may just be looking crosseyed right now, and forgive me please if I am, but why do you ask?

You were saved in 1991 you said on your profile and went to a bible school. You know what it is to be born again. How did it happen for you?

Some people need to be lead to the cross. I repeated a prayer from a TV pastor and it came at the absolute right time for me. I believed in my heart that I was dead in sin and needed a savior. I was asking for forgiveness and help. and I accepted His salvation.

The prayer doesnt save you- Jesus saves you.

All valid points mate - LOL !

Bless you.

I have read a book by some Baptist fellow who said many who professed, never stayed the course. It got me thinking, I have had many "shifts" since bible school days !

FYI mine was on my knees in a hotel room in Florida - long story !

 

[MaxP]

Only baptism can do that.

Now lets all go eat Christmas candy.

 

[mrhappy3]

Only baptism can do that.

Now lets all go eat Christmas candy.

WOW - huge spanner comes in !

 

[the.Sheepdog]

"only" baptism? The only thing "only" baptism gets you is wet!

 

[70x7]

Saying the prayer is an outward sign of obidience and a needing for Jesus since He is the ONLY way into heaven.
Your soul needs to be willing and your heart needs to be opened. Sometimes people say that prayer but nothing really changes in thier lives. My response to when people say that Jesus didnt work for them, I ask if they were REALLY looking for Him?

 

[Justaman0000]

You need to be sincere, and then repent. A lot of people say the prayer and are sincere, but they get up and just say, "what now?". They never really persue the Lord and never turn from thier ways. And when you recieve the Holy spirit, you'll know you have been saved and that the Lord is in you and you in him.

 

[GrapeGirl]

No it doesn't.

 

[whatfor]

After attending church for 5 months (yes I was slow to commit to something I wasn't sure of) I finally put my hand up and prayed the prayer.

Something definately changed inside me.

 

[Faulty]

No it doesn't.

... but it can. If you are indeed responding to a call by God and submitting to Him as your Savior, then yea, the sinners prayer can be the way you end up doing that.

But being a matter of the heart, and not just of the mouth alone, saying it to not stand out in the crowd, or to gain some kind of fire insurance is thereby providing a form of lip service only, will not lead to salvation.

In fact, it could actually lead one into deception. A nonbeliever cannot process spiritual things (see Matt 13:13-16, Isaiah 6:8-9, 1 Corinth 2:12-14). Saying such a prayer blindly, then being declared born-again by one in a percieved spiritual authority position, could actually work to make them think the actually received something that day, and there is no need to do that part again...ever.

 

[mrhappy3]

Good answers - just what I was looking for

 

[Elijah2]

Mark 16:16 says that to be SAVED, that is, BORN AGAIN, you need to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and be baptised.

 

[MaxP]

"only" baptism? The only thing "only" baptism gets you is wet!

Really? And what do you think Christ thought about Baptism?

 

[New_Wineskin]

I hear Joel Osteen say to people repeat this prayer after me......and afterwards announce you are now BORN AGAIN.

I thought only God could regenerate people, or does that act of faith start the ball rolling with no guarantee if you are or not (regenerated that is).

Is the sinners prayer, the believe in your heart and confess with thine mouth stuff- really biblical to re-enact in its context- when asked "how do I get saved" the jailer was told "Believe".

But not told HOW TO. I often wonder when I see the masses streaming forward how many are genuine and what it takes for God to breathe the breath of life into them. I'm sure he's watching taking notes. He's does say he knows them that are his. Maybe I'm just complicating matters !

any thoughts ???

Just as the Scriptures alone without the Spirit are less than worthless , so is a prayer of this type without faith . However , as long as there is faith , yes , a prayer like this will prove that the person is reborn . Since faith only results from the Lord speaking , such a faith is from the Lord .

 

[EternalSummer]

Only God can regenerate a person dead in trespasses and sins. A particular prayer may or may not be involved in the process but no specific certain set of words is necessary in and of itself. I believe if someone experiences the real regenerating power of God there will be no guesswork involved; they will know it. No one will need to tell them to "claim it" because it will be real and apparent. And before someone goes down the same tiresome, tedious argument path, NO I am NOT talking about mere "emotions" here.

 

[Elijah2]

As we know that the most important decision that any person can make in their life is to make a sincere commitment to follow our Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, King and Lord of their life.

Our Lord Jesus Christ stood before us with His arms open wide saying: “Trust Me. Believe in Me. I love you and want to have a personal relationship with you!”

Our Lord Jesus Christ is not only our defender, but He died for us on HIS “Cross” to make a new and exciting life possible for us. The dark world of Satan may have held a certain appeal to us in our past life, but that was only temporary, as HE offered us much more, in a satisfying and purposeful relationship with HIM.

Before we could experience this we had to choose to follow our Lord Jesus Christ.

We found our freedom from the power of darkness when we surrendered our life continuously to our Lord Jesus Christ.

In John 14:6, our Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

On that statement, we wanted to establish the most important relationship of our life by opening our heart to our Lord Jesus Christ, and most of us had take the following steps:

1. We admitted that we were a sinner, and have a need for a relationship with our Heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

2. We were willing to confess and repent by turning away from our sin and started to live a life depending on our Almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ.

“That if confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9).

3. We believed that our Lord Jesus Christ died for us on the cross and after three days rose from the grave.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

4. By our simple act of faith, through prayer, we invited our Lord Jesus Christ to come in and control our life through the Holy Spirit.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev. 3:20).

We then began our “Steps of Freedom” from the power of darkness by praying the following prayer aloud, with another believer.

Heavenly Father, I come to You through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I admit that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness.

I believe that Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ died for my sins and I want to turn away from my sins and start following Him.

I now invite You, our Lord Jesus Christ to come into my heart and life.

I want to trust You as my King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Saviour and the Master of my life and there is no other master in my life but YOU, our Lord Jesus Christ.

I acknowledge that our Lord Jesus Christ who is our Almight God; was born of a virgin; came to earth in the flesh; died on the cross; arose from the grave three days later; and now sits at the right hand of His Father, our Heavenly Father.

I now confirm that You, our Lord Jesus Christ that You are my King, Lord, Saviour, Master and my Almighty God.


I pray this in Jesus’ Name. (AMEN)

 

[zaksmummy]

Mark 1 v 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Thats all it takes - repent and believe, however that is done by repeating a prayer or making your own up, it is the attitude of the heart that determines the outcome.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Really? And what do you think Christ thought about Baptism?

Baptism is important but it does not take anyone's sins away. It's a symbolism of a change in status...one's sins being taken away by their repentance and turning away from sin. We are saved by grace not works.

 

[cyberlizard]

How did Jesus say a person could be forgiven.... "repentance for the forgiveness of sins". (Luke 24v47).

you want to be forgiven - repent - repent is a doing word and it does not simply mean being sorry, it denotes a change of heart and lifestyle. If you have wronged God make amends - seek His mercy. God forgives you of sins against Him.... If you have wronged another human, make amends. Only after you have made amends can either that person or God forgive you, hence Jesus teaching about 'leaving your sacrifice at the altar'.

To call on the Name of the Lord is to repent... deal with the euphemisms.


Steve