Sinner's Prayer?

[Job_38]

I am doing a study through Romans and Paul is talking of circumsision. Now, this is not a big thing in our culture, but the "Sinners Prayer" is. Paul makes it clear that being circumsised is good, but if it is not geniuines, might as wellk not be.

 

[dignitized]

Any act that must be done to RECEIVE salvation is an act of Salvation by works. A sinners prayer can be a sign of salvation perhaps a public confession of an inward transformation - but to say that I must pray some prayer - and more often than not churches set up their rote formula of words that they repeat and call the sinners prayer - is to say I must do a WORK to receive my salvation.

I have and I'm sure all catholic and protestant all can agree that there is nothing wrong with praying any HEARTFELT and conscientious prayer. Let us not however forget that many who say Lord, Lord will not be saved. The sinners prayer is no magic formula or a guarantee of salvation. I know of many, as I have said who prayed the sinners prayer who have NO relationship with Christ what ever - unless you believe that Larry flynn is saved . . . .

 

[OLDoMiNiON]

yes Br.Max, precisely!

I think the problem here is that I've met people who believe there's a specific set of words that you *MUST* pray to be saved.

But thats mans doctrine, not Gods, isn't it?!

 

[Blindfaith]

Tell me: What is humility?

That's a good question Job.  How about starting a new thread?  It should get some good discussion

 

[Blindfaith]

"My" Sinner's Prayer was bawling like an out-of-control-baby at the base of my rocking chair willingly and desperately giving everything to Jesus, and proclaiming Him Lord of my life.

I repented of all of the sins I could name/remember, and repented of the ones that I couldn't.  I acknowledged that I am a sinner, in need of a Savior, and that I can never have eternal life without Him and His saving grace.  Admitting that He is Lord of my life, not me. 

It wasn't a set of specific words, but it was the cry of my heart to Him to Save me, and to Thank Him, and a promise to Love Him.  He was there, holding me, and loving me while the angels celebrated in Heaven, as they have for all of you here when you also were saved.

That's my definition of the Sinner's prayer.  I still go back to that "place" with Him, to get back to ground zero and submit what and who I am to Him. 

~Peace in Christ,

BF

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 04:35 PM chelcb said this in Post #38

So God's invitation to be saved is what saves?

No.  It was never an invitation.  We are born from above.  If you can, try to imagine how much cooperation you provided for your physical birth.  You did things, to be sure.  But, what you did was the natural result of what was done to you.  It wasn't like your parents "invited" you to be born.  It wasn't like they consulted you to see if you were interested in being born.  It wasn't like you had a choice.  You were born because your parents, with the grace of God, did something to bring that about.  You were the one it was done to, not the one it was done with.

Our physical birth is a parallel to our spiritual birth.

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 04:28 PM Terri said this in Post #35

So, don't leave me hanging. 

Do you approve of my definition or do you have a better one?

I would define a work as anything we do.  Anything.  Regardless of what it accomplishes, if we do it, it's a work.

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 04:33 PM Job_38 said this in Post #36

 

 But it was God who gave me the ability to do this. My salvation came before my vocal action.

Amen!!  Short, simple and true.

Blessings to you my brother!!

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 05:00 PM chelcb said this in Post #44

So what's all that other stuff that is written in the bible there for?

The Bible serves three main purposes.  First, as a model for law and government.  Second, to tell us what we should do.  Third, to tell us what we shouldn't do.

The Bible is a story about God setting a people aside for His Son, redeeming them, and conforming them to the image of His Son's righteousness.

Salvation was something done to us, not with us.

Sanctification, however, is a different story.

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 05:06 PM Br. Max said this in Post #45

Nothing I can or will do will ever be good enough for my salvation and to say that you must do this ACT (prayer the "sinners" prayer) to be saved is salvation by your efforts and thus salvation by works.

Don't Franciscan's believe that you must be baptized in water to enter the Kingdom of God?

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 05:17 PM sklippstein said this in Post #46

um.....so i don't have to have a repentative heart, i can just call upon the Lord and i'm saved?

Having a repentant heart is a sign of being saved, not a means to be saved.  No one genuinely calls on the Lord for forgiveness that is not already saved by God's divine intervention.

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 05:23 PM sklippstein said this in Post #49

 

Reform, I know u believe in predestination.......so i'm curious as to ur believe on how we are saved?

How are we saved?  God, according to the counsel of His own Will, saves you.  It's something done to us, not with our cooperation.

IF only those predestinated can be saved, what's the point?

What's the point in what, evangelism?

OH.....and BTW......hee hee i edited the "bro" out of ur post

Thanks!

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 05:24 PM Terri said this in Post #50

All you have to do is call upon Him and he will guide you into everything you need to know.

All you have to do for what?  Are you saying that you "have to" call upon the Lord to be saved?

God bless




 

 

[Reformationist]

Yesterday at 10:20 PM Lotar said this in Post #58

I'm non-denominational, we have altercalls, from time to time. I've never been down to one, but there is no one at my church that would say I wasn't saved. We don't do this because this is what you have to do to be saved, we don't believe that. We just believe in giving people as many opportunities as possible to make that descition. Is there something wrong with that?

So you're saved because you made the right decision?

 

[chelcb]

REF-

Salvation was something done to us, not with us.

You don't think for us?

Sanctification, however, is a different story.

Do you think you can have one with out the other?

 

[chelcb]

How are we saved? God, according to the counsel of His own Will, saves you. It's something done to us, not with our cooperation.

Is that in the bible?

Can God give us all the grace that would make us all capable of choosing him?

 

[chelcb]

Today at 10:26 AM Reformationist said this in Post #66

No.  It was never an invitation.  We are born from above.  If you can, try to imagine how much cooperation you provided for your physical birth.  You did things, to be sure.  But, what you did was the natural result of what was done to you.  It wasn't like your parents "invited" you to be born.  It wasn't like they consulted you to see if you were interested in being born.  It wasn't like you had a choice.  You were born because your parents, with the grace of God, did something to bring that about.  You were the one it was done to, not the one it was done with.

Our physical birth is a parallel to our spiritual birth.

God bless

Would I be able to find this in scripture?

 

[Reformationist]

Today at 08:45 AM chelcb said this in Post #75

REF-

You don't think for us?

Yes chelcb, for us. 

Do you think you can have one with out the other?

No.  I'm just saying that God divinely regenerates us.  He brings us back to life.  Prior to that we were dead and unable to remedy that by "calling out," saying a prayer, going down for an altar call, getting baptized, etc.  Our sanctification is the process of God purging our sinfulness from us.  This involves us being involved in life and the trials that accompany life.

God bless

 

[Reformationist]

Today at 08:47 AM chelcb said this in Post #76

Is that in the bible?

No chelcb, I made it up.  

Can God give us all the grace that would make us all capable of choosing him?

Choosing Him for what?

 

[Reformationist]

Today at 08:49 AM chelcb said this in Post #77

Would I be able to find this in scripture?

Sure.  Try anywhere between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21.

God bless