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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : I Hate the Sinners' Prayer

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KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 I Hate the Sinners' Prayer

I’m guilty of blasphemy and heresy. Or at least, that is how it might sound. Why? Because I hate the sinners’ prayer.

For about a century or so, it has been the commonly accepted doctrine and practice in Evangelical Christian circles that part of leading people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and sealing the deal with sinners, is to lead them in the famous “sinners’ prayer.” Though I know of know statistic that says the percentage of Christians that have done this, I would say the vast majority of born-again Christians today at some point were led to “pray that prayer,” and accept Jesus into their heart at a point in time. This was done either in response to an altar call at a Church service, or through the one on one witnessing of a friend.

But did you know that nowhere in the Bible do we find such a doctrine taught, or such a practice practiced? If you were to look for the sinners’ prayer in the Scriptures, you could look from cover to cover, and do in depth word searches with the latest computer software, and still find nothing. Yet in spite of the total absence of teaching on the subject in Scripture, and lack of apostolic precedent, and being only a recent part of Church history, every major book I’ve read on the topic of evangelism today encourages us to lead people into the sinners’ prayer.

Which of course, bothers me greatly.

And truth be told, it’s not the lack of Scriptural, apostolic, or historical precedent that bothers me the most regarding the teaching and practice of the sinners’ prayer. Though, that’s certainly enough to raise a major red flag with me, as it should with any Christian. Rather, the thing that disturbs me the most about the teaching and practice of the sinners’ prayer, that drives me to the point where it causes me to say that I “hate” it, is all the garbage that has become associated with the sinners’ prayer.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I think it is a perfectly appropriate for a newly converted person, as one of the initial steps they take in their Christian journey, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, is to pray. I have no beef with that whatsoever, and in fact, would encourage it. But what I do have a problem with is the exalted significance we as Evangelicals have given to praying that prayer. Indeed, the prayer has become so exalted that we have led people to believe that means by which they came into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and were made right with Him, is because you prayed a prayer.

And in fact, many people base the personal assurance of their salvation on the fact that once upon a time, they said a prayer and invited Jesus into their hearts. And that is why they believe they are going to heaven. All because they prayed a prayer. Biblically speaking, however, that is heresy, and such a person may in fact be in danger of going to hell.

For we as Evangelical Christians believe that one is not saved because one said the sinners’ prayer. Rather, we believe we are made right with God and justified on the basis of faith in Christ alone, and not because of anything we have actually done (Ephesians 2:8-9). I am personally assured of my salvation, not because I prayed a prayer and meant it, but rather, because I actually have faith in Jesus Christ and what He did for me on the cross and in His resurrection.

If my assurance of salvation is based on the belief that I am saved because once upon a time I said the sinners’ prayer, then I am no different than a Judiazer who says they are saved because they were circumcised and keeps the Law of Moses; nor am I any different than the Roman Catholic who says they are saved because they were water baptized as a child; nor am I any different than somebody who says they are saved because they were confirmed when they were thirteen. At the end of the day, all of these things are simply the manifestation of the damnable doctrine of a works-based salvation doctrine, of which the sinners’ prayer has become but a contemporary variation of this ancient theme.

So, what do I propose we do in the absence of a sinners’ prayer in our evangelistic tool-box? I propose instead of making it our goal to lead people to the point that they desire to say the sinners’ prayer, that through the faithful preaching of the word of God and ministry of the Holy Spirit, we try to lead people into an actual saving faith. We need to preach the gospel so faithfully, radically, and compellingly, that a supernatural revelation is made known to our hearer, so that Jesus Christ seizes and arrests them in the preaching of the gospel, and discloses Himself to them. The aim of our preaching is to give our hearer an “aha” moment, whereby they actually come to see the light of the gospel, of who Jesus is, and what He has done, so that having their eyes opened, they would believe.

And once we have done all that, and the person has so responded, then I believe it is okay to pray with them.

http://christthinks.com/2010/10/10/i-hate-the-sinners-prayer/


_________________
Jimmy H

 2010/10/9 22:44Profile









 Re: I Hate the Sinners' Prayer

sinners prayer sucks.

enough said

 2010/10/10 4:05
Renoncer
Member



Joined: 2010/6/26
Posts: 483


 Re: I Hate the Sinners' Prayer

Is it right to recognize that God created us to have fellowship with Him and glorify Him? Yes.
Is it right to recognize that we are separated from God apart from Christ because of sin? Yes.
Is it right to recognize that God sent Jesus to pay the price for our sins on the cross? Yes.
Is it right to renounce sin and turn to Christ? Yes.
Does asking someone to acknowledge these truths make someone saved? Not necessarily.

Especially not if I say, “This is what you need to do to be saved: You need to believe that God created you to have fellowship with Him, but your sin separated you from Him, and He sent His Son to die on your behalf, and now you need to invite Him in your heart.” I’m sorry, but that doesn’t reveal the power of God; it simply reveals an intellectual acknowledgement of certain biblical truths.

The power of God is this: As you are telling people about these truths – that is, the Gospel – the Holy Spirit begins convicting them in such a way that the sin they once loved, they begin to despise, and the Holy God they once ignored or hated, they are now beginning to esteem and love. As you are sharing the Gospel with them, a sanctifying work is being accomplished by the mighty hand of God Almighty, crushing them to pieces and humbling them before their good and loving Creator. And then, out of conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment, they ask, “What must I do to be saved?” All that’s left at this point is to answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. For anyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved.” And if this is really a mighty work of God, there will be rejoicing in heaven for the sinner who truly repents and believes.

But, if we try to apply this formula apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, we are just fooling ourselves. May God have mercy on us, so that we would recognize when His hand is not in this, so that we might not claim things that aren’t true. We can’t force God to save, and we can’t force people into the kingdom (even less so tricking people into the kingdom, that they would say, “Hate my life, die to self, live for Christ, renounce all ambitions; I didn’t know I was signing up for this!”).

Let us remember this: “All those who were appointed for eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). In other words, if they are not appointed for eternal life, quit your gimmicks and submit to God.

 2010/10/10 4:28Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Amen, well said Renouncer.


_________________
Jimmy H

 2010/10/10 9:04Profile









 Re: I Hate the Sinners' Prayer

I love the sinners prayer because it's an introduction to His Holiness Jesus the Christ.

There are millions who have said the sinners prayer and have been saved because it wasn't the words, it was a heart that needed to express itself that it needed God but didn't know what to say. The sinners prayer is a general prayer, it starts the ball rolling for many. There are many who enter in, and there are also many who say it and they are not changed. But that has been going on for centuries, even before the sinners prayer. For the many that received Him follow hunger for more and repentance.

I know many people that have said the sinners prayer and are living flames for Christ and I see the same one's that said the same prayer who have never changed.

If just a hem of truth gets through and someone receives the simple gospel by faith and say a simple prayer on a tract, isn't that worth it?

When you think about it, our Lord has really simplified the whole thing with the thief on the cross. He didn't say, Lord come into my heart, he said, "Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom". Can't a sinner who is reading a tract say, "I know that I am sinner, Lord come into my heart, save me from my sins". That's faith folks. And God will not turn that person away.

Ah, the problem is we want results! We are the older brother looking at the piece of a drift wood brother that strolls in and goes from being a filthy pig to a party pig. After all, we worked all day, we haven't left the confines of God's house, we've laboured and prayed, repented and this other brother shows up and he isn't put to work to repent like we did and it's just not fair.

That's just the way things are. We who labour and go through many trials and tribulations and set in the stocks of life and we see others coming in and it's so easy for them.

Did you know that that is the gospel? It's to be that simple.

We who labour labour because, now this is the reason why we labour in repentance and in seeking His face, there is a reason for it. This is the reason, it's to drive back the enemy, to make the crooked paths straight, to level the valley with the plain and to bring every high mountain down, so that the glory of the Lord will fill His Church so that the prodigal will have no obstacles in the way for his return. And so that the sinner will receive without the stumbling blocks of religious hypocrisies. Sinners need to walk in without labouring through a valley and climbing a mountain, that no flesh shall glory in His presence in saying, "I made it through my own power".

The simple Gospel is to be just that, simple!

 2010/10/10 10:15
sojourner7
Member



Joined: 2007/6/27
Posts: 1573
Omaha, NE

 Re: I Hate the Sinners' Prayer

The publican who would not raise
his eyes to heaven because he knew
the wretchedness of his sin cried
out for mercy. The thief on the
cross recognized the Man hanging
beside him was just and had done
no wrong; and that he deserved
death; said "LORD, remember me
when you come into Your kingdom."
Both prayers were heard and
answered!! What matters is a
broken and contrite heart!


_________________
Martin G. Smith

 2010/10/10 11:06Profile









 Re: I Hate the Sinners' Prayer

Jimmy, what i write, i write not in rancor, and my "voice" is low key, gentle, my spirit meek towards you.

you feel me on that?

personally i bless God for every burdened soul who is brought to a saving knowledge of Messiah Jesus, and God the Holy Ghost works in a myriad of ways.

speaking for myself, i would be very very cautious in attaching such words as "heresy" to any Move of God for fear of committing the unpardonable sin of blasphemeing the Holy Ghost.....or the word "heretic".. but that's just how i'm led.

briefly, my own personal testimony of my apprehension of Messiah Jesus is that no man spoke into my heart. no sermon, no open air preacher, no churched pastor, but God the Holy Ghost turned me, inside a lonely house trailer, high on a mountain horse ranch.

i had a major crisis..major, and i was brought to an end of myself, my self will, my way of 'controlling my life" was exposed as pure folly. Groping about in the darkness of my soul, i saw two options, either "eat" a pistol, or get on the phone to procure enough drugs to go on a little "holiday", totally inebriated to just forget everything.

i was leaning towards the latter plan, a drug soaked bacchanal, but i first had to make a call to my son's mother, to 'clear the decks' on any child rearing responsibilities, as daddy wanted to get as pink floyd describes as "Comfortably Numb" (which by the way, off topic, is a great song/poetry, in that describes with absolute clarity the state of a lost sinner, hurt helpless and harrassed)

i described my state to the dear woman, "walls closing in, blackness surrounding me, fear gripping me, etc"...i was leading up to the "daddy holiday" bit....and she said to me,"neily, when you get scared, just ask God, "please God stay with me"....then, she's a tough Irish girl, she said, "now go take our son to karate". Obviously, my evil lil plan of a drug soaked holiday was off, you have to know the woman, God love her, she doesnt take prisoners.

But for a week, that fear would come and come, and each time i found myself LEANING on that simple prayer, "Please God, stay with me"....and a miracolous Thing would happen, the fear would scatter and flee, replaced by the Shalom of God.....and i can only attribute my next longing to the Holy Spirit speaking into my heart, which was i KNEW i had to find a Church, it was an urge so clear, so powerful, but i'm a Jew, and i didnt know nothing from nothing. i was raised in the synagogue,(joyfully) as a youth, and a young man, i knew that Jesus wasnt welcome there, and i wanted, needed Jesus in my life, my heart, my soul.

so i asked my boys mother if she knew of a Church that would be appropriate. She was seeking on her own too, in that period, had been to many Churches, and she knew my "make-up", and brought me into an Assemblies of God church......left that service, went back to the ranch, an thru that week, i just KNEW i had business to transact with God...next Sunday, BEFORE the service, i urgently went up to the pastor, and said , 'pastor, i wanna get saved...now!' He smiled, said, 'why don't you listen to my message first, and if you still feel the same way after, we'll pray at the altar together'.

He delivered a Gospel message, i SPRUNG up from my pew, went to him, and we prayed together, i dont know if it was the 'sinners prayer' or not, coz we were up there quite a while, as i was asking Jesus, to please please come into my life, please forgive me of my sins, and i passed from death into Life, it was glorious.

no one had to tell me, 'read the Word now'...i wanted to! pen in hand, journal in hand, everyday since May 2002, over and over, lovingly, cheerfully, eating of the Bread of Life, talking with the Lord as i read. walking out the Faith, the Lord blessing me with a quiet homeless ministry in my small ville, blessing me with a "burrito ministry" to Latino day laborer's, blessing me with 5 other saints to have a Thursday evening intercessory prayer house meeting, as our lil rural/exurban community was terribly wicked, as its known for its new agey, satanic, pagan bent. (Charly Manson and family camped out there for a couple years, before his devilish murders)....and man o man, was the devil stirred to a rage, it was glorious!

in conclusion, i remember during this period, i was making Christmas meals for this small group of transient white men in their late 50's/early 60's, an there was one irasiable character by the name of Trace, a terrible alcoholic, and this one Christmas, it was raining cats an dogs, Trace was huddled up under an eave, i had packaged each meal, crouched with him, handed him this meal, he smiled, he was wet and cold, we sat quiet, and Trace said outta nowhere,' you're my friend, neil'.....i smiled back, said, 'i like you too Trace...know what? this meal is from Jesus, His Spirit in my hands, you know that right?'

he said, "i do...i sure do".

we were quiet a spell...i mean how miserable can a fella be? wet, homeless, alone, no food, no kin, on Christmas day.....but Jesus was there. (i say this not to boast , but to testify)

then i said, 'Trace, you know, you want to ask Jesus into your heart, don't you?'

an this hardened sinner looked at me, tears in his eyes and nodded, to which i said, "then just ask Him in, open the doors to your heart, let Him in, and say Yes to Jesus".

complete silence, just the pounding rain, then a woman, who was living in a minivan, pulled up, honked her horn, and bid Trace to come with her, He stood, smiled at me, and entered the van.

Two months later, Trace lay dying in a hospital, liver failure from a lifetime of booze an drugs, yellow green as can be, renal failure turns one a weird shade of green....i visited him, and asked him if he remembered Christmas with Jesus, he did. i then asked if i could pray over him, 'sure' he said. i won't detail that prayer, but though some may disagree, i believe that Trace is with the Lord. He lived his life in sin and confusion, a hellish existence on earth, but all Praise to the God of Mercy and Grace, which extends His Hand, always, to a burdened sinner.

Point being, Jimmy......dont despise the small things. Sure the 'sinners prayer' might be 'pro forma', but if it opens the Way for a poor lost soul entrance to drink of the Living Waters, we Praise God. We praise God for any person, any circumstances that opens the Way for a sinner to apprehend Messiah Jesus, and partake of so Great a Salvation.

just my take, neil

 2010/10/10 11:20
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Great thoughts Neil. I have no problem with what you described. It actually made me feel pretty good :-)


_________________
Jimmy H

 2010/10/10 12:02Profile
MrBillPro
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 3422
Texas

 Re:

Awesome Neil! Mr. Bill can relate to all you wrote, and has almost lived out your whole story, but my Brother would be the "Trace" in my story.

Neil wrote:
briefly, my own personal testimony of my apprehension of Messiah Jesus is that no man spoke into my heart. no sermon, no open air preacher, no churched pastor, but God the Holy Ghost turned me, inside a lonely house trailer, high on a mountain horse ranch.

Neil, I am going through this same thing as I write, except I am on a little piece of property that belongs to my Mom, sort of out in a "country" area of Houston. I am picking up the pieces, and dusting myself off after a divorce of 37 years, my X was on many "prescription" drugs, that just took away her mental capacity, as she listen to her recently divorced friend, tell her how good the single life is, so she filed for divorce. Thank God I did get permanent custody my 16 year old son, at the first temporary hearing. This experience sure has made me a lot stronger person, before the divorce, I used tell folks I had impeccable faith, only to find out I had none or little faith. Things are starting to look a lot better now, as my relationship with the Lord, is now a "real" relationship, and not just fake one, I used to have in my own mind.


_________________
Bill

 2010/10/10 12:28Profile









 Re:

Quote:
just my take, Neil

And a glorious one at that.

 2010/10/10 12:42





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