“THE SINNER’S PRAYER - IS IT FOR REAL?”
By Dr. Hoyt W. Allen, Jr.
There are many
religious groups
under the umbrella
of Christianity who
promote for a lost
sinner to pray a
prayer normally
called the “Sinner’s
Prayer”. It goes
like this: “Lord
Jesus, I recognize
that I am a sinner
and accept you as my
personal Savior”.
Now that one has
accepted Jesus as
their Savior, they
can rest assured
that they are saved
from the fires of
hell and expect to
go to heaven upon
death. That is all
there is to it -
Praise God! Then one
is normally asked,
“Don’t you FEEL good
about your
decision?”
A main objection to
the sinners prayer
is that many of
those who pray this
prayer possibly
experience a fragile
and shallow
conversion. The
practice is of human
origin (Charles G.
Finney * 1792-1875,
a young lawyer of
upstate New York),
for there is not
anywhere in
scripture where this
is taught. The
unregenerate (lost)
is never told or
encouraged to pray
the sinner’s prayer
as a way to
salvation. It seems
to me that one’s
conversion should
carry more depth
than just praying a
prayer. Possibly it
could be compared to
a wedding ceremony.
There needs to be
more than just the
ceremony, doesn’t
it?
I have attended some
gospel sings where
outstanding
nationally known
singers thrilled our
hearts. However,
there has been a
“let-down” when
hundreds of
attendees at these
sings were told to
pray the sinner’s
prayer and receive
salvation.
The apostles and
early evangelists
never once told
their unsaved
candidates to do
what many modern day
ministers do, that
of praying the
sinner’s prayer. On
the birthday of the
Christian church,
the 3,000 believers
who had expressed
their faith in the
gospel message
presented by the
apostle Peter, were
told, differently.
They were not told
to pray the sinner’s
prayer, but were
told to repent and
be baptized for the
forgiveness of sins
and the gift of the
Holy Spirit (Acts
2:38). This is the
message throughout
the Book of Acts.
Philip the
evangelist, in Acts
8, never taught one
to pray the sinners
prayer?
We will never go
wrong by telling the
unsaved exactly what
they were told 2,000
years ago. To change
the message, or to
water it down, is an
attempt to alter the
Holy Spirits
intervention in the
lives of those who
are seeking
salvation by grace
from the Lord Jesus.
Plainly, don’t get
short changed. Let’s
be ready to meet our
Maker. The Book Of
Acts teaches that to
avoid hell and gain
heaven - one must:
1) Believe In Jesus
As Savior (16:31) 2)
Repent Of Sins
(17:30)
3) Confess Christ
Audibly (8:37) 4) Be
Baptized In Water
(2:38)
5) Live A Christian
Life (14:22) 6) Be
Active In Church
(2:47)
KYOWVA Evangelistic
Association * 1541
S. 7th Street *
Ironton, OH 45638
Web Page:
www.kyowva.com *
Free Bible Course
Upon Request