sinners prayer ?

[tturt]

Was reading various articles about the sinner's prayer. I never realized some people consider it extremely wrong for others to be lead in a prayer especially a structured prayer.

I've heard people testify that they just cried out one word "Jesus" and He came into their hearts. Act 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

While others say when they're leading someone to the Lord, they encourage them to say in their own words a confession and then express belief that Christ Jesus was raised from the dead - again in their own words. Because of expressing their heart, the individual saying the prayer says they're saved - not anyone else.

While others say a confession means to say specifics of what you've done wrong yet the scripture says to confess Him as your Lord.

Rom 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

It takes faith to be saved (Eph 2:8).

What are your thoughts?

 

[CindyisHis]

It must be a heart issue and a mouth issue. I'm not sure the exact words are important. I believe the Lord is looking to save all who call upon Him, and some may not know the "right" thing to say.

I was saved in a most unusual way. I fall into the less than 1% category of how people come to the Lord. I called upon the Lord after viewing a movie on the life of Jesus. I was raised in a certain denomination and didn't even know I could be saved. After seeing the movie I was so moved by the love I saw in Jesus that I wanted Him. And I was afraid I may not go to heaven when I died. So I prayed with all my heart. I told Him I wanted to know Him and I wanted to go to heaven, but didn't believe I was good enough. I cried as I prayed, for I so longed to know Him. After I couldn't think of anything else to do or say, I turned off my light and got in bed. To my amazement, a light was in my room and a warmth like I had never known. It felt like how it feels when someone hugs you and you know you're loved.

The next morning I knew I was different. I didn't know any terms for what had happened, and I wasn't even sure if it had happened to anyone else, but somehow I thought I wasn't alone in this. I had a desire to read my Bible, so I started in the first chapter of the first book and read on. I asked the Lord to show me who else may have had this happen, or knew God was real. In a matter of a few weeks I found a Bible teaching church through a fellow high school student.

All that said, I have lead people to the Lord by having them repeat after me. I have witnessed to others who were not wanting to receive Jesus then, but I left them with knowing what to do and prayed for them once we parted.

Bottom line, God looks at the heart and will not refuse those who earnestly come to Him. He says, "If you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Me." One can pray the right words and never have a heart change. And one can not know how to pray and yet find Him. Best case scenario, I guess, is to be lead in a scriptural prayer and mean it with all your heart. But what is crucial is involving the heart and the mouth.

 

[tturt]

CindyIsHis - thanks for that awesome testimony! Yes, I agree it's a heart thing no matter whether it's a structured prayer or not - that's one reason I couldn't understand why some people were so upset about it. Anyway, since He's the only one who knows our hearts, He's certainly not limited on how to touch us.

 

[Runner duck]

Was reading various articles about the sinner's prayer. I never realized some people consider it extremely wrong for others to be lead in a prayer especially a structured prayer.

I've heard people testify that they just cried out one word "Jesus" and He came into their hearts. Act 2:21 "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

While others say when they're leading someone to the Lord, they encourage them to say in their own words a confession and then express belief that Christ Jesus was raised from the dead - again in their own words. Because of expressing their heart, the individual saying the prayer says they're saved - not anyone else.

While others say a confession means to say specifics of what you've done wrong yet the scripture says to confess Him as your Lord.

Rom 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."

It takes faith to be saved (Eph 2:8).

What are your thoughts?

Hi tturt, I was an atheist and had asked that god- if your real I do want to know you...... that week I caught the end of one of those Christian shows (700 Club) and some guy was saying..."if you can't believe in God its alright tell Him" so I said, God I can't believe in You.... and then this guy (tv) says now say this prayer and I figured what the hell so I said the prayer...... that was 25 years ago and I still cry everytime I remember His grace and mercy to me an atheist.... I instantly knew this God was Jesus Christ and I was changed.... forever.

I was quite shocked as was my husband......

I know there are many good arguments about not saying the sinner's prayer and telling someone ok - now your saved. But that is exactly what happened to me... and it transformed me

it has been a crazy walk but He has kept me....
be blessed, runner duck

 

[tturt]

Love it! Totally awesome testimony! Thanks for taking the time to share.

 

[Floatingaxe]

We have people come forward to receive Christ every week. Our pastor makes it clear to us that even before a person lifts himself from his chair, faith has been birthed in his heart for salvation, and he is already saved.

The prayer is more of a public confession of salvation, which we are called to do to seal it.