Biblical Evidence or Verses for the Sinner's Prayer.

JLB777 said:

My whole point is exactly opposite of this erroneous statement you have made here.

I never ever said a person is to turn away from sin.

My whole point says you must turn away from Satan as Lord, by confessing Jesus as Lord.

If Jesus is not your Lord, then Satan is your Lord.

I have stated this over and over and over again, many, many times, only to have to deceitfully misrepresent what I have said.

A person can not turn away from sin, while under the dominion of Satan.

The way a person is forgiven their sins, is to turn away from Satan, by confessing Jesus as Lord.

17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:17-18


....that they may receive forgiveness of sins


The way to receive the forgiveness of sins is to turn from Satan to God, by confessing Jesus as Lord.



JLB

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Well, I asked you before what you meant by the word "turning", and I did not catch a direct reply back. If I missed you reply back it is for a good reason. For when you keep repeating the same verses over and over again it should be no surprise to you that I would glaze over such repeated information like a glazed donut.

Anyways, as I understand it now, your definition of "turning" is to confess Jesus is Lord as a means of changing allegiances. If this is the case, then are you saying that Peter was telling Simon to get his heart right with God by telling him to confess that Jesus is Lord as a solution for his sin in trying to pay for the Spirit? If so, then that doesn't make any sense. Granted, I know you think Simon is a believer and his version of repentance is not the same as others. But that doesn't jive because Simon's heart was not right with God and he was in the bond of iniquity. He was unsaved and needed to be saved (just like someone coming to the faith for the first time). The solution Peter gave Simon was to repent of his wickedness by way of pray to God so that he might be forgiven. For do you not know that God is not a respecter of persons? Sin breaks fellowship with man.


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sdowney717 said:

On the eternal security of the believer who is born of God.
You should then like what John Calvin writes about the evidence shown in the life of those who are born of God.

In his commentary on 1 John 3:8-10 Calvin says,
"John (the apostle) denied that any one belongs to Christ except he who is righteous and shews himself to be such by his works; ... Hence two conclusions are to be drawn, that those in whom sin reigns cannot be reckoned among the members of Christ, and that they can by no means belong to his body ... all who are born of God lead a righteous and a holy life, because the Spirit of God restrains the lusting of sin ... John not only shews how efficaciously God works once in man, but plainly declares that the Spirit continues his grace in us to the last, so that inflexible perseverance is added to newness of life. Let us not, then, imagine with the Sophists that it is some neutral movement, which leaves men free either to follow or to reject; but let us know that our own hearts are so ruled by God's Spirit, that they constantly cleave to righteousness ... John declares that all who do not live righteously are not of God, because all those whom God calls, he regenerates by his Spirit. Hence newness of life is a perpetual evidence of divine adoption." John Calvin

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How about addressing the verses I brought up specifically yourself instead of quoting some guy I do not agree with in regards to his commentary on some other passage.


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JLB777 said:

My whole point is exactly opposite of this erroneous statement you have made here.

I never ever said a person is to turn away from sin.

My whole point says you must turn away from Satan as Lord, by confessing Jesus as Lord.

If Jesus is not your Lord, then Satan is your Lord.

I have stated this over and over and over again, many, many times, only to have to deceitfully misrepresent what I have said.

A person can not turn away from sin, while under the dominion of Satan.

The way a person is forgiven their sins, is to turn away from Satan, by confessing Jesus as Lord.

17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:17-18


....that they may receive forgiveness of sins


The way to receive the forgiveness of sins is to turn from Satan to God, by confessing Jesus as Lord.



JLB

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Okay, so a person has been translated out of darkness and into the Light by God. What then? Does this turning include walking away from sin so as to be saved? Or does being saved merely involve "confessing Jesus is Lord." Or is one saved by God without any choice whatsoever on the part of the man at all? In other words, do you believe God just chooses some to be saved and others to be unsaved? If so, then what is the purpose of the Judgment? Wouldn't such a thing be a farce or a joke if God is ultimately the One who decides to make some people unsaved?


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JLB777 said:

Was Peter preaching the Gospel to Simon?

You have no scripture to post concerning the topic.

The Gospel that was preached to the unsaved for the forgiveness of sins is Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.

Not, repent of your sins, or "ask Jesus in your heart".

Neither of these phrases are in the bible, for salvation.

You know it, because you haven't posted any scriptures to show it.

Simon the Sorceror already believed and was baptized, so obviously this does not qualify as the Gospel message.

You keep dodging the truth.

Repent means turn to God, which means turning away from Satan.

This is how a person receives the forgiveness of sins.


JLB

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So are you saying one does not have the forgiveness of sins until they turn away from their sin? Granted, I am not suggesting one can remain in their sins and be saved. But are you saying that one is not saved yet until they start walking with the Lord and His good ways?

As for Simon the Sorcerer: Again, folks can fall away from the faith by sin or by looking to another gospel. Which means they need to be renewed back to the faith by Jesus Christ.

As for receiving Christ: I have already provided verses in my opening posts on that.


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Actually, I am glad the Sinner's Prayer is not specifically spelled out in such a way to hit someone over the head with it. This is a spiritual issue. If you do not understand it, I suggest that you pray to God so as to understand it. If you can't be bothered than you are only seeing what you want to see that is simply not true.

Again, let me ask: What are fruits worthy of repentance?


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As for Joel chapter 2 (Whereby a passage is quoted in Romans 10):

We have to realize that Joel says this,

"Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil." (Joel 2:12-13).

Why the rending of the heart? Why the weeping? Why the fasting? Why the mourning? Why the turning to the Lord with all your heart? What is the purpose of such things if one is going to merely make a confession? Did people make such a confession that Jesus is Lord in the Old Testament? No. God was telling his people to seek forgiveness with Him by way of prayer. This is tied to Romans 10:13 that says whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

As for confessing Jesus is Lord. This is about a profession of your faith and it is not a repeated mantra so as to stay saved. Romans 10:10 in the NIV says this, "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved" For the word "faith" appears three times in the KJV in Romans 10. So it is the topic of discussion here. For one is declaring Jesus as Lord by the fact that they have allowed Him to be Lord over their life in all they do.

Also, Joel 2 is talking about the future "Day of the Lord" during the End Times where a remnant of Israel will repent and turn to God. So Paul is saying that there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. We all come to the faith by calling upon the name of the Lord to be saved. It is not... confessing the name of the Lord alone to be saved. It is CALLING upon the name of the Lord to be saved.


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Also, you have to be aware that the Bible uses different words to describe the same thing many times. So claiming Acts 2 and Acts 26 is the full proof iron clad case as you are desiring to make it out to be is simply not true. For if we were to go by your reasoning, then we should also conclude that "the Lord" is a different being than "God." Granted, please know I say this not to wound you in any way, but I say this in love so as to show you the illogic nature of your argument here, my friend.


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Romans 4:6-9,



Verse 6 above is a quote from David in the Old Testament (Psalm 32). Let's take a look at what it says,




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In addition, Scripture says,

"Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord.

Say to him:
“Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips"" (Hosea 14:1-2 NIV).


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For when we were a baby we were saved and God knew us. But in time, when we came to know about right and wrong and sinned we fell out of fellowship with Him and we needed to be born again spiritually. We needed to be reconciled back to Him.


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But what is the Sinner's Prayer about besides salvation? What is confessing your sins to God about besides continuing to be forgiven? It is about giving an account to God. For the Scriptures say,

"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12).


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"Therefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble." (James 4:6).

"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:13-14).


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JLB777 said:

There is no such Gospel message that says repent of your sins, to be saved.



A person can not turn away from sin, while under the dominion of Satan.

The way a person is forgiven their sins, is to turn away from Satan, by confessing Jesus as Lord.

17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Acts 26:17-18


....that they may receive forgiveness of sins


The way to receive the forgiveness of sins is to turn from Satan to God, by confessing Jesus as Lord.


JLB

Click to expand...

And you're obvious error is in believing that the receiving of the Lord and the forgiveness of sins is only tied with the word "gospel." Please address the verses I brought up.

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Again, how do you define fruits worthy of repentance?

Also, why do you assume to change the word CALL in Romans 10:13? The passage says whosever shall CALL upon the Lord shall be saved. Yet you assume the word "call" means "confess." But they are not the same words. I have provided many examples in Scripture that shows you that the calling upon the Lord is to seek forgiveness of your sins with Him. Hosea 14:1-2 NIV, Romans 4:6-9, Psalm 32:1-6 NIV are just some of the recent examples in Scripture I provided (Along with the other 7).



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In addition, the Scriptures say, "Confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10). So do you take this to mean that you have to keep saying "Jesus is Lord" so as to be saved? Or is this merely a profession of one's faith in Christ to others?

I also still do not know what you mean by "turn to God and away from Satan." Can this be accomplished in a day or within seconds? Is this a declaration of allegiance by just saying "Jesus is Lord"? Is one saying these words as a mark or way of telling us that they have been saved (if they really meant it)? Is that what you mean by "Turn to God and away from Satan"? Or does the believer have to actually wait until they take action to confirm whether they have been saved or not?


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More examples of confessing sin in the Bible so as to be forgiven of it.

"Then Aaron said to Moses,
"Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned.""
(Numbers 12:11).

"Now David's heart troubled him after he had numbered the people.
So David said to the LORD,
"I have sinned greatly in what I have done But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.""
(2 Samuel 24:10).

"and I said,
"O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.""
(Ezra 9:6).

"And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;"
(Daniel 9:20).

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