Brian Thornton of the Voice of the Sheep blog has a three part(so far) series on how to be born again
I would like to add to this fine series with my own contribution
This is your heart
This is your heart after you repeat the sinners prayer
“How to be Born Again” series from Voice of the Sheep
March 20, 2008 by Jesus Saenz
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Hmm.
Interesting.
Though I completely agree that saying the “sinners prayer” doesn’t mean jack if there is no repentance, nor does it give you “fire insurance” or a “get out of hell free card” and I know salvation is the work of the Holy Spirit, I don’t always understand the enjoyment that Calvinists seem to have when poking fun at the brethren. But I guess that’s just my unCalvinist attitude and lower level Christianity at work.
Isn’t this where the “idea” of the “sinners prayer” was derived?
R10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
Am I taking it out of context? Is Paul not saying that if you confess the Lord Jesus as lord and savior and believe in your heart that he was raised from the dead you will be saved?
You say I don’t read your blog…
no one made fun of the brethren.
If you are assuming that by repeating a prayer that one is regenerated than yes, you are taking that out of context. That passage is not dealing specifically with salvation but with justification by the law under the Mosaic administration and the justification of faith under the New Covenant and the unbelieving Jews.
Confessing that Jesus is Lord and that he died and God raised him from the dead is not the same as saying a prayer that becomes the basis for ones salvation. The “saved” used in this passage is not regeneration but is speaking of the eventual salvation unto glorification. It is not a present tense participle but a future tense.
is this what it takes to get you to come out and play? ;-)
I am a Calvinist.
I said the sinner’s prayer.
I was saved. I am now working out my salvation. I will be saved when I die.
There’s a proper and an improper use of a “sinner’s prayer.” One who calls upon the Lord will be saved. It doesn’t hurt to provide them with a prayer to use for clarity of what they’re doing, so long as they recognize that its not the formulaic words of the prayer in and of itself that does anything other than communicate what is genuinely in their heart.
were you saved because the sinners prayer?
I prayed the sinners prayer when about 14 years old.
Nothing whatsoever happened because I did not repent, nor did I know to repent. The “Church” told me that I just needed to ask Jesus in and believe in Him to go to heaven.
Thank God that Jesus Christ made himself real to me when I was older and I repented of my Sin and was born again when I had confessed Him before men.
Glory to God.
Proverbs 17
15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Some of my testimony is here for those who are interested.
http://christ-reigns.blogspot.com/
You weren’t born again when you confessed Him before men. Your confession was proof you already had everlasting life, had been born of God, and had passed from death unto life. John 5:24, I John 5:1