DOES the sinners prayer make you BORN AGAIN ???

[FredSmith]

No, praying the "Sinner's Prayer" cannot save you. If it could, then the Bible would say "repeat this prayer and you'll be saved".

The Bible says that the only way we're saved is by repentance and faith in Christ and His atonement on our behalf.

No canned prayer, no baptism, no eucharist, no good works or rituals will save you.

Only repentant and faith in Christ and His atonement.

(Staff Edit)

 

[FredSmith]

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

That it gets you wet. If Christ thought that baptism could save you, then he would have said so.

If Baptism can save you, then how do you explain all of the people who are "baptised" as babies (and this is assuming that sprinkling some water on a baby's head is the same as baptism), and yet, go their entire lives and don't show any evidence of being born again?

 

[Optimax]

It does, but only if you do what Rom 10:9-10 says.

That is if you believe it in "heart" and confess it with you mouth.

The "it" is the prayer.

 

[Alpine]

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

Jesus didn't even baptize. His disciples did.

John 4

1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.

 

[SinclairJ]

If we were faithful here, there
would be a lot less of the false and the unprofitable that finds its way into the Christian church. I believe and speak without apology that perhaps eighty-five percent of those that are in the Pentecostal church are tares. That is, they have not really, truly, been born of God. There is nothing I have sought more than the reason why there is so much of this spurious religion, why there are so many in the church that are only kept there by the gimmicks of religion. I know why they do not want to come. It is because that is not their nature. They have not been born again. They came to an altar, they appeared to have gone through some kind of a religious experience, yet were not born again. We have to preach what sin is, a transgression of the law of God, to bring people to a place where their opinion regarding sin is changed. The sinner sees sin as wonderful and he cannot understand why God hates it. When we preach the law of God, and man is made to see sin as God sees sin, the opinion about sin is changed. Before there can ever be corresponding feelings, the opinion of sin has to come in line with God. The heart never goes out to God in true repentance without a change of opinion first. This is the reason that most of the people in the church have never been born again. This is the reason why ninety something percent of the people who have come into our altars to be saved were not born again. There has been a change of opinion without repentance. There can never be a true repentance until that person is brought to the place that the opinion about sin is changed. A soul can be brought to the place where he sees sin as God sees sin, yet not repent. There can be a change of opinion without there being repentance.

 

[enoch son]

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 ???

What a joke! I can see Jesus now saying bow your heads on the mount of olives. OH WAIT HE SAID THE LORD'S PRAY DIDN"T HERE. It's just another form of works.

 

[nephilimiyr]

Only baptism can do that.

Now lets all go eat Christmas candy.

Really, so it's all about ritual and nothing to do with the condition of the heart?

 

[nephilimiyr]

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

In short, baptism is what takes place when the person in his heart decides to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, professes this faith, confesses himself as a sinner and repents. This happens instantly when the person does this, no ritual is necessary for this to take place.

 

[nephilimiyr]

It does, but only if you do what Rom 10:9-10 says.

That is if you believe it in "heart" and confess it with you mouth.

The "it" is the prayer.

Not really, the "it" is your belief in Jesus Christ. The prayer, or prayers, was designed to help the person express their new belief in Jesus Christ and bring about repentence.

 

[JimB]

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 ???

Repeating the “sinner’s prayer” no more makes you a Christian than reciting the “Preamble to the Constitution” makes you a patriot.

I am ashamed to admit it now, but I used to be so critical of preachers who did not give an “invitation to the lost” or have them say “the sinner’s prayer” after every sermon. But I have come to see salvation more as a process than an event. People are on a journey to God because the Holy Spirit leads them that way, but sometimes they get stalled on the road or take a detour or may even head down the one way the wrong way. But, wherever they are on that journey, it is my place to meet them and help them along the right direction. There are times when they actually come to faith in Christ. It may be an altar call or it may be on their way to the mall or by their bedside or in a movie theater. And sometimes I am privileged to be there when it happens.

My job is to simply sow seed or water seed all day, every day; let my light shine; be the salt of the earth. Somewhere along the way, God gives the increase. I am now more responsive to peoples’ situations, where they are on their journey, than proactive in getting them down to the altar ... and it’s working better for me than my previous tactic.

~N. D. Structable

Contentment is not found in having what you want, but in wanting what you have​

 

[New_Wineskin]

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

Yep .

 

[New_Wineskin]

Jesus didn't even baptize. His disciples did.

Exactly . He baptizes with the Holy Spirit .

 

[ralangley]

Repeating the “sinner’s prayer” no more makes you a Christian than reciting the “Preamble to the Constitution” makes you a patriot.

I am ashamed to admit it now, but I used to be so critical of preachers who did not give an “invitation to the lost” or have them say “the sinner’s prayer” after every sermon. But I have come to see salvation more as a process than an event. People are on a journey to God because the Holy Spirit leads them that way, but sometimes they get stalled on the road or take a detour or may even head down the one way the wrong way. But, wherever they are on that journey, it is my place to meet them and help them along the right direction. There are times when they actually come to faith in Christ. It may be an altar call or it may be on their way to the mall or by their bedside or in a movie theater. And sometimes I am privileged to be there when it happens.

My job is to simply sow seed or water seed all day, every day; let my light shine; be the salt of the earth. Somewhere along the way, God gives the increase. I am now more responsive to peoples’ situations, where they are on their journey, than proactive in getting them down to the altar ... and it’s working better for me than my previous tactic.

~N. D. Structable

Contentment is not found in having what you want, but in wanting what you have​

Hmmm....I'm wondering if salvation could be both a process and a specific event. The process is the reading of our minds to submit fully to the Lord, the event is that day that we truly make Jesus Lord of our lives.

It seems that a lot of Christians who profess to be "born again" are merely repentant sinners who haven't yet made Jesus Lord. They continue to sin because they haven't yet fully submitted themselves and thus, are habitually disobedient. They haven't been "born again" in the truest sense - they're still carrying around their same old sorry selves. I think the day that we decide that Jesus is going to be Lord over our lives, that we will obey Him, follow Him, and allow Him to correct and discipline us is the day we are born again. Some people do it all in one day. They move from being a non-believer, to a believer and are willing to be fully submitted. They will need to be sanctified of course, but the attitude of their heart is one of complete surrender. Others are sorry for their sins because they believe enough in hell to be concerned, but aren't yet ready or willing to die to themselves. They have one foot in being a Christian, and another foot in the world. I think being a Christian means we are fully committed despite all costs, to follow and embody Christ. That to me, is being born again. For some people it seems, it takes longer to get there than the repetition of a single prayer.

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

it's not a formula. you've either met Him or you haven't. salvation, the new birth, these bes not some pedestrian 12-step behavioral modification program but the products of a relationship. the complex interactive dynamics of a real relationship cannot be reduced to a step-by-step instruction manual. for crying out loud.

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

p.s. going from prodigal to snotty elder brother doesn't cut it either, sorry!

 

[JimB]

Hmmm....I'm wondering if salvation could be both a process and a specific event.

*****

It is both. Life begins, most/many Christians believe, at conception. So does the new birth. Life (new life) begins when the truth is planted in the individual’s heart. But there is a time (about nine months in natural birth) when the seed gestates and grows. But the time comes when the seed is fully grown and ready to be birthed. It is a nine-month process followed by an event.

Now, the question is: at what point did life begin? At conception? Gestation? Birth? At what point in our spiritual development, our journey, does new life begin—when we receive the truth or when we answer an altar call?

I’ll leave that one for God to decide.

~N. D. Structable

Contentment is not found in having what you want, but in wanting what you have​

 

[mrhappy3]

It is both. Life begins, most/many Christians believe, at conception. So does the new birth. Life (new life) begins when the truth is planted in the individual’s heart. But there is a time (about nine months in natural birth) when the seed gestates and grows. But the time comes when the seed is fully grown and ready to be birthed. It is a nine-month process followed by an event.

Now, the question is: at what point did life begin? At conception? Gestation? Birth? At what point in our spiritual development, our journey, does new life begin—when we receive the truth or when we answer an altar call?

I’ll leave that one for God to decide.

~N. D. Structable

Contentment is not found in having what you want, but in wanting what you have​

Isn't it amazing how people see this so differently.

Maybe it was meant to be just so....thats God - you can't box him

 

[Moriah_Conquering_Wind]

Isn't it amazing how people see this so differently.

Maybe it was meant to be just so....thats God - you can't box him

Wouldn't rule out cases of self-deception either.... after all, 1+1 will never = 3 no matter who wants to say it does.

It does not say this to point fingers at anyone here in particular (so if anyone claims that, they LIE), but because ...."not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord!' shall enter the kingdom of Heaven ..." (sorry can't find verse reference at the moment). Interesting that sometimes ppls make a big deal over "making JC LORD of your life not just saviour" when He referred to His own, rather, as not Servants but Friends.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

It is both. Life begins, most/many Christians believe, at conception. So does the new birth. Life (new life) begins when the truth is planted in the individual’s heart. But there is a time (about nine months in natural birth) when the seed gestates and grows. But the time comes when the seed is fully grown and ready to be birthed. It is a nine-month process followed by an event.

Now, the question is: at what point did life begin? At conception? Gestation? Birth? At what point in our spiritual development, our journey, does new life begin—when we receive the truth or when we answer an altar call?

I’ll leave that one for God to decide.

~N. D. Structable

Contentment is not found in having what you want, but in wanting what you have​

By receive the truth I'm thinking "change of heart". I don't see an "alter call with a pray this prayer after me" anywhere in scripture. I do see changes of heart though. Changed heart, turning from old life, new man in Christ.

 

[JimB]

By receive the truth I'm thinking "change of heart". I don't see an "alter call with a pray this prayer after me" anywhere in scripture. I do see changes of heart though. Changed heart, turning from old life, new man in Christ.

For years I saw my duty as a pastor was to evangelize people and I geared our Sunday services to reeling in the lost. But as I began to see salvation as a process, a journey, I settled down to simply teach the Word (which is, as I understand it, evangelism in its purest form) and leave the salving to the Holy Spirit. What I have seen in the years I have practiced a no-altar-call (sans sinner’s prayer) approach to doing church is that over time I see people change. They may come to us hardened or worldly or injured but in time they are “sanctified” (as unbelieving husbands are sanctified by believing wives) in a more stable manner than they used to be when we called them to the altar and they exhibited sorrow (thanks to a heart-rending story from the pulpit or a tear-jerking song from the organist) but often without repentance.

I think this is one of the reasons why church revival campaigns (you know, those events complete with professional evangelists and song leaders, ballyhoo and publicity) do not produce lasting results. There is a lot of motion—people come weeping to altars, crowds fill the pews, excitement is in the air—but little progress. Personally, I have seen very little lasting results for all the effort and money I have thrown at revival meetings over the past four decades of ministry. I am sitting here trying to think of one single person who was added to any church I pastored as the fruit of a “revival” and can’t recall a single one. I am sure there is, but I cannot recall one.

On the other hand, I know of several active members of our present church who came to us in the past three or four years who were very rough around the edges, some bitter and hurt, whose lives have remarkably changed for no other reason than they have received life through the body of Christ, almost by osmosis.

Churches that may not appear “evangelistic” because they do not sponsor evangelistic campaigns or have altar calls every Sunday may still be evangelistic because lives change in a more subtle manner than the more overtly evangelistic ones. The Holy Spirit does not need the sinner's prayer or an altar call to save people. IMO.

~N. D. Structable

Contentment is not found in having what you want, but in wanting what you have​