HARD TO SWALLOW TRUTH FOR MANY - COMMENTARY BY GORDON KING

Commentary By:  Gordon King

What is the truth, is there an absolute truth or does it include options?  What one man considers the truth another man claims is a lie.  What one man believes is the only way, another man believes that there are many ways.  And then there are those who believe that everyone is right, that we will all one day get to heaven whatever we believe!

What am I talking about and why does it even matter?  I am talking about eternal life and the only way to obtain it.

The following is one of the main reasons why Christians are looked at with a negative attitude, why we are labeled as intolerant and haters, because of our insistence that there is only one way to heaven and that way is through Jesus Christ only!

Many people in this world believe that there are many ways to heaven, that we all worship the same god.  Then there are those who believe that there are many gods, in fact millions of gods, and that by worshiping any one of them that they will in fact get to heaven also!  I guess with millions of gods if one of them doesn’t work out then you can switch to another, an endless supply!  Or perhaps you could worship several and build up an army of gods, thus increasing your chances of eternal life.  The problem with this is that a god by definition is supreme over all others, if this is the case then there would be a huge problem with over 300 millions gods, they would all be at odds with each other!

If in fact we all worship the same god, but do it in many different ways, then how could they all possibly be the same god?!  Each religion has its own unique set of principles that guide them along their path.  Each has their own way of worshiping, and each has their own beliefs on just what they must do in order to get to heaven.  If this is so, and it is, then how could we all be worshiping the same god?  They all say that a person must do certain things in order to get to heaven, and if this is true then they could not all be right.  And if the Islamic Quran says to kill Christians and that Jesus was merely a prophet and not God, then how could we worship the same god when Christians worship Jesus Christ as God?!

There are those who do not believe in either heaven or hell, but believe that after this physical life it’s all over, and there are those who believe that we will just live on in some other plane of existence, no heaven, no hell.  And some believe that we will just keep coming back, being reincarnated to become better and better.  The problem with this belief is that if it were true then you would think the world would be getting much better not worse as it is!  And just because a person does not believe in the existence of heaven or hell does not mean that they don’t exist!

Heaven and hell are real, more real than this physical life!

There is only one religion that tells people that they can get to heaven only by believing, not by anything that they do.  Only one religion where God actually came to earth as a man and claimed to be God!  Only one religion which forgives men for all of their sins merely by believing and trusting in God, Christianity!

Jesus Christ came to earth as a man and God, He came for a specific purpose, to offer salvation for the world.  He sacrificed Himself upon the cross as a propitiation for our sins, as a way for us to be accepted into heaven as pure and righteous just as He is.

Jesus said the He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that there is only one way to heaven, by believing that He is God and by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior, no other way!  He didn’t say that He was one way, but the only way!

If we really want to know the truth, then we must know Jesus.  He is the truth!  If we want to have eternal life and get to heaven then we must follow the path which gets there, He is the way and that path.

Jesus Christ is the path leading to heaven and eternal life, He is the door to heaven.  There are many paths in life, but they all don’t lead to the same place.  Only one path leads to eternal life, Jesus Christ!

Jesus said that He is the life, and if we want to have life then we must also have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, there is no other way!  Jesus is God, the only true God of the universe, and God is life.  If we do not have God as our life, then our spirit is dead, and if our spirit is dead then it cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven!  Only life can be in heaven, no death, sin cannot enter into heaven nor can it be in God’s presence in heaven.

For a man to say that he will get to heaven any other way is a lie!  By saying that he can is saying that he will get there by his works and by being a good person.  No one is good enough to get to heaven, nor can they do enough to earn their way there!  Our good works are as filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord.

If Jesus said that He is the only way, and He did, then we could not possibly all worship the same god!  It is a lie and straight from the pit of hell my friends, to believe that we do all worship the same god, and that some way, some how, all of us will eventually get to heaven!  Do not be deceived by the doctrines of demons, do not be led astray by anyone who tells you other wise, whether or not they are Christian pastors or so-called fellow believers.

The sad truth is that I believe there are many believers who think that there is more than one way to heaven.  They have bought into the world view that there are many ways to heaven or even possibly that all ways lead to heaven! 

Even Satan will appear as an angel of light, lets not forget that.  Many will come wearing sheep’s clothing and will deceive many.  False prophets and false teachers will arise leading many into destruction.  Auto antifreeze looks good and it tastes sweet from what I am told, that’s why animals like to drink it, yet it is a poison and it kills!  The last days will be full of deception, full of people teaching what they claim to be righteous and holy but is infested with lies and untruths!  Just enough to sound good to the ears, just enough to taste good, but also just enough to bring many to damnation and eternal death!

The wages of sin is death to those committing sin, and we all have.  There is only one way to pay that sin debt, one way to overcome the wages of sin, by believing in and accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior!  It’s not merely enough to believe that Jesus Christ is God, that He came to give us eternal life, even the demons know that and they shudder yet they are not saved!  You must repent of your sins and believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God is actually God Himself, that He died on the cross and shed His blood to pay for our sins, that He was buried in a tomb for three days then arose from the dead and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.  You must do this and accept Him as your Lord and Savior!  Satan and the demons believe, yet they do not accept Him.  It’s about accepting Christ as your Lord, not just believing that He is God!

We must not be deceived, for the truth is the truth, and just because you don’t believe it the truth shall always remain the truth!  You can believe lies, you can believe whatever it is that you want to believe, but if you do not believe the truth then you will be deceived!

When it comes to eternal life there are no options, there is only one way, Jesus, He created all life and He holds it all together.  One day He will destroy the first heaven and earth, dissolving all of the heavenly bodies, creating a new heaven and a new earth!

2 Peter 3:10

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.“

This is what it’s all really about, not our worldly existence here on earth, but the existence as God originally intended for it to be in the Garden of Eden!  Living with God, communing with God daily, no more death, no more pain, no more suffering, no more crying.

Revelation 21:1-4

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.“

God bless my friends!  Maranatha!

The True Way to Eternal Life is Trust and Belief that Jesus Christ...

Died For You; Was Buried; and Resurrected = SALVATION

No Sinner's Prayer Will Save You!

Only Believe that Jesus Christ is Your Personal Savior in Your Heart, not Mind

As Your Mind is an Enmity to God!  Satan's GREATEST Weapon is the Mind!  Put on the Armor of God!

First Corinthians 15:1-4

Romans 3:23

John 3:16-17

Romans 6:23

Ephesians 2:8-9

God Bless You and Amen!  Chose Christ Jesus Today!

DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO HEAVEN? THE TRUE GOSPEL OF CHRIST JESUS - TRUST IN HIM ALONE FOR SALVATION

Written by End Times Prophecy Report - Click Here to Visit Their Website to Read Other Articles

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
—Romans 1:16

THE GOSPEL

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
-—1 Corinthians 1:18-19

Do you know if you’re going to heaven?

You can!

DO YOU WANT ETERNAL LIFE?

GOD’S CLEAR PROMISE:

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…” (1st John 5:13).

1 John 5:13 informs us that the entire Book of 1 John was written so that we can know that we possess eternal life in Christ. Do you know for an absolute certainty that, if you were to die tonight, you would go to Heaven?

You can.

It is very simple to be saved and takes only a minute to explain. Please let me show you how to get to Heaven from the Bible, God’s Word.

1 The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

When Scripture says that man must believe to be saved, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ which must be believed.

Accursed wolves will offer other gospels which sound good (ABCs of Salvation, sinner’s prayers, altar calls, etc.), but which are not the power of God unto salvation.

Do you believe the gospel of Jesus Christ?  IF you believe with all your heart, Scripture says you have eternal life.

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
—John 11:25

2 Man is a sinner and there is a price for sin–eternal death in Hell.

>God is Holy, i.e., moral perfection.  God’s holiness and righteousness demand justice.  On the other hand, this is what the Bible says about humanity:

“There is NONE righteous, no not one,” (Romans 3:10).

“There is NONE that doeth good, no not one,” (Romans 3:12).

“For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23).

“For we are ALL as an unclean thing and all of our righteousness (good works) are as filthy rags,” (Isaiah 64:6).

It does not matter how good you THINK your are.  The best person reading this article is nothing more than a sinner like the rest of us; and the person reading this who has done many good works, those works are nothing more than filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6).

NO ONE measures up to God’s standard of holiness on his own because no one is perfect.

Very few preach about sin today.  In fact, many people are completely confused about sin.

Just watch TV and you’ll see sin glorified.  God has never laughed at sin and never will.  God sent His only begotten Son to pay for our sins with His shed blood (John 3:16; 1st Peter 1:18-19).  That is serious.

The Bible says, “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23).

ALL of us are sinners and will pay the wages.  Beyond physical death, the Scriptures teach, “The SOUL that sins, it shall die,” (Ezekiel 18:4,20).

God’s Word teaches that death has two parts: physical death and eternal separation from God in a lake of fire.

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire“ (Revelation 20:14-15).

3 JESUS PAID THE PENALTY FOR US

Knowing that we were sinners, lost, hopeless and totally incapable of saving ourselves, JESUS DIED FOR OUR SINS!  He paid our death penalty in full.  He was your substitute!  You should have hung on the cross!

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (1st Peter 3:18).

Christ’s suffering was ONCE for all!  Why?  That He might bring us to God the Father.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

God loves you! (1st John 3:16).  If God never does another thing for you as long as you live, He has already proved that He loves you by sending His son to die in your place (for your sins) on the cross.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”(John 3:16). 

When was the last time someone died for you???  That is love.

Salvation is NOT found in a religion, or a church or somebody else praying for you or some TV preacher or your good works, but in a Person… The LORD JESUS CHRIST!

John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

1st Corinthians 3:11, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

5 Salvation is a FREE GIFT from God–But We Have to ACCEPT it.

Saving Faith is trusting in Jesus Christ, and Him alone, for your Salvation.

If you think you need to do anything for Salvation except trust in Jesus work on the cross, you are guilty of violating Ephesians 2:8-9 and Isaiah 53:6b. Most cults and false Christian religions err at this point; they add things that are “necessary” for Salvation, or they offer a counterfeit way to Heaven, i.e., Salvation by Baptism.

Do you want this Gift of Eternal Life that Jesus left Heaven and died on a cross to give you? If your answer is, ‘Yes’, you can immediately have Eternal Life.

Let me clarify exactly what this involves. First, you are going to transfer your trust, your hope of eternal life from what you have been doing to what Jesus Christ has already done for you on the cross. Jesus will take your sin and transfer TO YOU His right standing with God the Father, what we call His righteousness .

This means that though we have failed repeatedly to keep God’s commandments, Christ perfectly obeyed all the laws of God. He lived the perfect life, so He could be the perfect, innocent substitutionary sacrifice that God would accept for your sins, and the sin of the entire world, for all who will believe.

Are you willing to repent (change your direction/mind) right now, and become a responsible member of God’s forever family, following Him and serving Him as a member of His forever family, following Him and serving Him as a member of His body, the Church? If your heartfelt answer is, “Yes”, then we can go to Him now in prayer, and we can tell Him that you want to cease trusting in anything else for Eternal Salvation, especially in what you can do for yourself.

You can place your trust in Him and Him alone for salvation.

Before we pray this simple prayer, I need to point our that the Lord Jesus Christ is looking at your heart more than His is listening to your lips. As He promised, “Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when [after] ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13).

If this is what you mean, then the Lord will hear your prayer and grant you eternal life, right now, in the privacy of your home.

Jesus Christ is with you right now. You are not talking to anyone now, but to Him. If you really want to be Born Again, into the Eternal Family of God through Jesus Christ, pray this prayer, from your heart.

“Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. I have been trusting in myself and my own good works, and in other things. But, now I place my trust in you. I want You as my own personal Savior. I believe You died for me. I receive You as Lord and Master of my life. Help me to turn from my sins and follow You. I thank you for Your offer of the FREE gift of eternal life. I am not worthy of it, but I thank You for it. Amen.”

You have just prayed the most important prayer you have ever prayed in your life. If you were sincere in this prayer, I want you to see what Jesus says about what you have just done.

In John 6:47, Jesus says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me has everlasting life.”

In your prayer, you didn’t hear any angel choirs or see any visions; however, by a simple act of faith, you have placed your trust for your eternal salvation in Jesus Christ.

Please understand that we are not saved because we pray a prayer; but because we believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is certainly appropriate to ask the Lord in prayer to forgive and save us; but it is our faith which prompts us to pray. You could just as easily believe in your heart upon the Lord to be saved, and not pray at all. Salvation is of the heart, as we read in Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness…”

It’s not what you’re doing that gets you to Heaven, it’s where you’re looking. Look to Jesus!

THE GOSPEL

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
-—1 Corinthians 1:18-19

Our faith in Jesus as the only salvation is COUNTED for righteousness! There is NO self-righteousness involved in salvation. It is the gift of God. You see, we have no righteousness of our own to offer God. No amount of good can undo the bad we’ve done. Thus, Jesus paid a debt that He did not owe, because we owed a debt that we could not pay. Salvation is receiving, not giving. We are Sinners and Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is precious!

Unbelief is the only sin which can keep you out of Heaven: Unbelief in the saving power of Jesus Christ as the only way to Heaven.

Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God’s simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple!” Yes, it’s that simple. It is scriptural; it is God’s plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.

If you’re not saved, then now is the time to believe upon the name of Jesus, the Christ, that your sins will be blotted out forever and you can know that your name is written in Heaven.

Christ died for your sins. You are a sinner by nature and by choice. Jesus took your sins and charged them to His own record. He went to the cross and paid the penalty for your sins. He says if you’re willing to receive Him in faith; He will transfer His payment to your debt, and His righteousness to your sins. He will impute to you His goodness, and impute to His own record your sin; if you in faith will trust Him as your Savior.

God wrote the Bible so every person on earth could read it and find out what He requires for us to have eternal life.  We can know for sure that we are going to Heaven!  It is mental torment to have to go through life wondering if we are going to make it to Heaven, or if we will end up in Hell.  God does not want us to be mentally tormented and live in fear and uncertainty all of our days.  We are not hostages to some unknown demands of God.

HIS DEMANDS ARE KNOWN.

God wants all of us to go to Heaven.

If you will do what God says you must do to go to Heaven, you will be saved and KNOW IT!  John 6:40 states, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ.

“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.

“For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
–Romans 10:9-10

(Reading this article and believing on Jesus Christ as my personal savior  is exactly the way I got saved over four years ago! Hallelujah!

Believing on the Lord Jesus has changed my life, ALL for the better.  It was not anything I did myself.  It was done for me.  It was the work of the Holy Spirit who comes to reside in all believers at the moment of salvation.

My prayer is for all to come to know the peace, love and joy that comes from knowing you have eternal salvation through belief and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Glory to God!}

If anyone finds that this has helped them as it helped me, please leave a note in the comments. If you have any questions about your new walk or new life in Christ, leave a comment and we’ll point you toward some answers.  Praise God!]

NOTE: If you have been taught that becoming a Christian is a ticket to health, wealth and an easy life, you have been deceived.  The Bible very clearly states that believers will suffer for the name of Jesus.  We see it every day around the world.  We see it more and more in America.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
—2 Timothy 3:12

Becoming a Christian grants the believer eternal life!  Hallelujah!  That’s the greatest gift of all!  Money, power, status, health and material things of this present world pale in comparison.

Now, this doesn’t mean that our heavenly Father doesn’t bless us in this present life. He blesses us “exceedingly abundantly above!” But His blessings are what we need, not what we think we ought to have.

Praise God!

MORE:  Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

by Jeremiah J. Jameson

Salvation is by Belief and Trust In Christ Jesus's Work on the Cross

It is not by your works and deeds, tithes, being a "good" person!  It is finished on Calvary

GRACE ALONE WON ON CALVARY!

First Corinthians 15:1-4

IS THE "SINNER'S PRAYER" BIBLICAL? BY CARM

by Tony Miano and Matt Slick

Is the sinner's prayer biblical?  Yes and no.  It is biblical for a sinner to pray to Jesus to forgive him of his sins.  It is not biblical to say someone is saved "because of reciting the Sinner's Prayer".  It is biblical to confess one's sins and ask for forgiveness and put trust, hope, and faith in Christ and his sacrifice on the cross. But, again, it is not biblical to give someone assurance of salvation based on reciting a prayer - on simply saying the words. Salvation is the work of God and the manifestation of that work is sometimes seen in people publicly confessing, even publicly praying to receive Christ as Savior.

So, we want to be clear that elements of the sinners prayer are biblical. However, we also want to be very clear that a person is not saved "because he prayed a prayer". Faith, assurance, and hope should never be placed in the prayer. Instead, faith, assurance, and hope should be placed in Christ via the proper presentation of the saving message which consists of presenting the Law (that we are sinners before God and deserve judgment) and the gospel (that only through faith and trust in what Christ has done on the cross where he bore our sins and died with them can we be saved from God's righteous judgment).  People must repent of their sins and believe the gospel.  That is what the Bible says. 

• Mark 1:15, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
• Acts 16:30, "and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household."

What we are not saying about the Sinner’s Prayer

Many Christians have a prayer of repentance and faith as part of their conversion testimony. We know there are genuine, Christ-loving, born-again followers of Jesus Christ who will forever testify that someone shared the gospel with them and asked them to repeat a prayer, which they did, and they were saved. This article should in no way be interpreted or construed as an effort to bring into question one’s salvation because he “prayed a prayer.”

That being said, no one is saved because they “prayed a prayer.”  It is not reciting a phrase or the words of a prayer that saves anyone.   We are against formula salvation.  Those whom God sovereignly chooses to save (1 Peter 1:3; 2 Thess. 2:13) and draw to Himself (John 6:44) may pray a prayer - on their own or at someone else’s urging - as part of the first fruits of their salvation.

While there are many Christians who will testify, to the glory of God, that they prayed a “Sinner’s Prayer” the day God saved them.  But there are also people in the world who, as a result of being led in a false “Sinner’s Prayer,” are now apostate, they were false converts (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31). They have turned their back on Christ and have left the faith they thought they had, because they had never really come to genuine repentance and faith in Christ. They are and were false converts because they put their hope of salvation in "saying words", in "reciting a prayer", in "doing the christian prayer thing", instead of truly trusting Christ to forgive them of their sins against God. 

The purpose of this article is not to discourage genuine Christians or cause them to question the authenticity of their faith because their conversion story includes a “Sinner’s Prayer.” Many people have truly been saved along with saying the Sinner's Prayer.  Rather, the purpose of this article is to warn Christians, to plead with Christians to preach the gosple biblically and if/when a person wants to trust in Christ and receive him as Savior, that it is done properly.

A Familiar Story: Sinner’s Prayer Evangelism

• "So, do you understand what I've shared with you?"
• "Yes."
• "Is there any reason why you wouldn't want to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, right now?"
• "Umm. No. I guess not."
• "Great. Then just pray this prayer after me. There's nothing magical about the words. What matters is the condition of your heart."
• "Out loud?"
• "Yes. Jesus said if you confess me before men I will confess you before my Father."
• "Right here? Right now?"
• "Well, it's up to you, of course. But what could be more important than making sure you're right with God. After all, tomorrow isn't promised to anyone."
• "Okay."
• "Great! Just pray this prayer after me. Lord Jesus..."
• "Lord Jesus..."
• "I know I'm a sinner..."
• "I know I'm a sinner..."
• "I want my sins forgiven..."
• "I want my sins forgiven..."
• "I don't want to spend eternity in Hell..."
• "I don't want to spend eternity in Hell..."
• "I want to be in Heaven with you..."
• "I want to be in Heaven with you..."
• "Please forgive me..."
• "Please forgive me..."
• "Come into my life..."
• "Come into my life..."
• "Save me..."
• "Save me..."
• "Make me a new creature..."
• "Make me a new creature..."
• "Be my Lord and Savior..."
• "Be my Lord and Savior..."
• "In Jesus' name, I pray..."
• "In Jesus' name, I pray..."
• "Amen."
• "Amen."
• "Praise God! Welcome to the family, brother!"
• "Thanks."
• "Now, it's real important you start reading your Bible and praying every day. And you've got to start going to church. You need to be around other believers. You need to be discipled. You need to begin the life-long process of growing in your faith. And I'm here to help in any way I can."
• "Okay."

Please not that we have underlined those parts of the prayer that are biblical. So, there are biblical elements to the sinners prayer but it is not the sinners prayer itself it saves and again, it must be made clear that it is not reciting the prayer that saves anyone.

It happens thousands of times every day around the world. It happens in one-to-one conversations between friends, relatives, and even strangers. It happens in pastors' offices. It happens via email. It happens in online chat rooms. A well-intentioned Christian shares the gospel with someone (hopefully a gospel that is consistent with the Word of God). The listener seems to understand and even seems emotionally moved by the conversation. The Christian, with eagerness and sincerity, asks the person if he wants to know Jesus as his personal Savior. If the other person responds favorably, then the Christian leads him in a "Sinner's Prayer."

The Sinner's Prayer, False Conversion, and Tradition 

This is important.  Many Christians make the cataclysmic and unbiblical mistake of giving the other person a false sense of assurance of salvation, by asserting the person is saved because he prayed a prayer. So, many people walk away from such a conversation still dead in their sins, but believing what they've been told. "I believed what my friend told me, and I prayed a prayer. So, now I'm a Christian!"

It is unbiblical confidence in the "Sinner's Prayer" (instead of repentance and trust in Christ) that often leaves me thinking American Evangelicalism is much closer to Rome than she realizes. The reason is that like the apostate Roman Catholic Church, which holds up church tradition as equal or superior to the Word of God, American Evangelicalism sometimes does the same with her own traditions. The "Sinner's Prayer" is a case in point.

My presupposition regarding it is an easy one to articulate. Simply put...

There is not a single verse or passage in Scripture, whether in a narrative account or in prescriptive or descriptive texts, regarding the use of a “Sinner’s Prayer” in evangelism. Not one.

However, proponents of the use of the "Sinner's Prayer" will cite several verses/passages of Scripture in a failed attempt to support the unbiblical practice. Here are several:

• Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you."
• Luke 18:10-14, " “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. 11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
• Romans 10:9-10, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
• 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
• Revelation 3:20, "‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me."

A brief exposition of each of the above texts will show they should not be used to support the practice of the "Sinner's Prayer."

Does Matthew 7:7 support the Sinner’s Prayer?

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you," (Matthew 7:7).

When trying to interpret Scripture, especially if one is seeking to establish or support a belief or practice as biblical, never simply read a verse. Read many verses. Read passages. Read chapters. Read books. Allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Let's look at the verse in its near context.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him," (Matthew 7:7-11).

The first step in biblical interpretation (hermeneutics) is observation. In this step the student asks three basic questions of any given verse or passage: What does the verse say? What doesn't the verse say? What questions come to mind as I read this verse?

Matthew 7:7 says nothing about evangelism. It says nothing about the conversion of the lost. It says nothing about what, if anything, the unsaved person should or could do to be saved.

In order to rightly understand the verse we must not only look at the surrounding verses, but we must go all the way back to the beginning of the "Sermon on the Mount"-- back to Matthew 5:1.

"Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him,” (Matthew 5:1)

Jesus' primary audience during the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) was His disciples. His extended audience was the crowd that followed Him (Matthew 4:25). Jesus began His sermon with the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes served as Jesus' description of the Christian life. The Beatitudes were not instructions for becoming a Christian. Jesus' primary audience remained the same in Matthew 7:7, His disciples, believers. This truth is further evidenced by what Jesus said in Matthew 7:11.

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11).

"Your Father who is in heaven..." Unsaved people have no Father in Heaven. They have a Judge in Heaven. Jesus' words about "asking" in Matthew 7:7 are words of instruction and encouragement to believers, not the lost. Therefore, to suggest Matthew 7:7 supports unbelievers asking Jesus into their heart or to save them is utterly contrary to what the verse actually says and means.

Does Luke 18:10-14 Teach the Sinner’s Prayer?

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14).

This is another passage, with specific emphasis placed on Luke 18:13, that many Christians use to justify the implementation of the "Sinner's Prayer" in an evangelism strategy. After all, the tax-collector cried out to God in prayer.

Again, context is critical to understanding this beautiful and important parable.

Who was Jesus' audience when he shared the above parable? Yes, it was His disciples. But there were others present, so we must go back to Luke 17:20-21 to discover who else was there.

"Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:20-21).

If one looks closely at the parable, the prayer is not the primary focus. Jesus' point is to emphasize the self-righteousness and sinful arrogance of the Pharisees. The parable was an indictment against the Pharisees, not a treatise on how one should pray to enter the Kingdom of God.

Look closely at the parable. Why was the tax collector justified? Was it because he prayed? No! It was his humility that exemplified the justification He had received from God (cf. Romans 8:30). "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted," (Luke 18:14).

God opposes the proud (the Pharisees), but He gives grace to the humble (the tax-collector). ( See James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5.) It is far better and far more accurate to use this tremendous parable as an encouragement to call unbelievers to humble themselves before God than to errantly convince unbelievers they can be reconciled to God if they pray a prayer.  Again, it is not simply the prayer that saves anyone.

Does Romans 10:9-10 Teach the Sinner’s Prayer?

"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation," (Roman 10:9-10).

Who is Paul's audience? Believers or unbelievers? He is writing to believers, the Church, in Rome. The recipients of his letter would have never taken from this text that Paul was instructing unbelievers to pray a prayer in order to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Nor would his readers have received Paul's teaching here as a suggestion, much less a mandate, to lead the unsaved in a "sinner's prayer."

I could not find one legitimate Bible scholar who suggests that Paul's words in Romans 10:9-10is an example of either a "sinner's prayer" or a suggestion that believers are to lead unbelievers in such a prayer, or to "ask Jesus into their heart."  In fact, there is no place in the Bible where it says we "ask Jesus into our hearts".

It is also interesting to note how Paul switches the ideas of confession and believing, from verse 9 to verse 10. Paul makes it clear that justification by faith (Romans 1:17) comes beforeconfession. Justification does not come as a result of confession.

Both verbs in Romans 10:10, "believes" and "confesses," are in the present-passive-indicative in the Greek text. This means that those who are truly born again will continue to believe by faith and they will continue to confess Jesus as Lord. The wording in Romans 10:10 in no way whatsoever supports the notion of praying a one-time prayer as a means of receiving salvation and the gift of eternal life.

Romans 10:10 ends with these words: "...and with the mouth he confesses and is saved."

I appreciate what John Gill wrote about this phrase.

"This is to be understood not of confession of sin, though that is proper and requisite to be made, both with respect to the participation, and enjoyment of salvation, particularly pardoning grace and mercy, and to an admission to Gospel ordinances; but of confession of Christ, as appears from the preceding verse, which lies in a frank and open acknowledgment of what Christ is in himself, as that he is truly and properly God, the Son of God, the true Messiah, the Mediator between God and man, and the only Saviour of lost sinners, and of our faith in him, with respect to ourselves, to our pardon, justification, acceptance and salvation in him and through him; in ascribing the whole of our salvation to him, and giving him the glory of it; in declaring to the churches of Christ what he has done for our souls, and in subjecting ourselves to his ordinances. This confession must be made both by words and facts, must be open, visible, and before men; and also real, hearty, and sincere, the words of the mouth agreeing with the experience of the heart; and such a good profession made before God, angels, and men, highly becomes all that believe with the heart. This was the practice of the primitive saints; yea, all nations own, acknowledge, and profess the God they worship; and should not we confess our God, Saviour and Redeemer? 1

Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the pattern of the born-again follower of Christ. Those who are saved, those who will forever be saved, are those who confess Jesus as Lord -- not as a means of salvation, but as evidence that the salvation to which they cling has been wrought by God and secured in heaven by Him for all eternity (1 Peter 1:3-9). Those who claim to be Christians but do not confess Jesus as Lord as a regular course and pattern of their lives should examine themselves to see if they are even in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Does 1 John 1:9 Teach the Sinner’s Prayer?

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness," (1 John 1:9).

Who are the "we" in this verse? The "we" is John's audience. John is writing to Christians in the Church of Ephesus as well as believers in the region. Unbelievers are not included in the "we," as indicated by Paul's warning to the brethren about false teachers (1 John 2:18-27).

God is faithful and righteous to forgive the sins of His adopted children (Romans 8:12-17). Until God causes the unregenerate person to be born-again (1 Peter 1:3), their prayers are an abomination to Him (Isaiah 1:15). Christians should call unbelievers to repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:15; Luke 13:1-5), not to pray a prayer of confession and trust in it as the means by which they are then saved.  Instead, people need to trust Jesus and what he did on the cross.

Does Revelation 3:20 Teach the Sinner’s Prayer?

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me," (Revelation 3:20).

We prayerfully long for the day when pastors, evangelists, and Christians in general will stop proclaiming a man-centered gospel by misusing Revelation 3:20 and drawing an emotional and often-times false response from the hearer.

Jesus is not standing at the locked door of any sin-corroded human heart, longing to be let in. Jesus doesn't need the acceptance of anyone. Everyone needs His.  Jesus isn't the blonde haired, blue eyed, surfer standing at the door of your heart waiting for you to let him in.  He's God.  He is soverieng.  Not you.

The context of the before-mentioned verse finds Jesus not speaking to the unsaved, but to a disobedient church. It is not an evangelistic verse, nor should it be used as such.  It is a call to repentance to the church.

Jesus never asked people to let Him come into their hearts. Jesus is not lonely without the unrepentant sinner. Jesus is not chasing after people, hoping He will one day catch them and save them. Jesus needs nothing from His creation. He demands everything from His creation.

Jesus commanded people to repent and believe the gospel. He is not looking for acceptance. He is demanding obedience. And those who obey the commands of Christ, those who repent and believe the gospel--by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone--will be saved.

Conclusion

Walking an aisle in response to the emotional and caring invitation of a pastor does not save anyone. Asking Jesus into one's heart does not save anyone. Writing the date in the back of one's Bible to commemorate the day a decision was made to follow Jesus does not save anyone. And praying a prayer does not save anyone.

But can God use even the sinner's prayer in his soeverign work of salvation?  Of course. But we need to be very careful and not urge someone to recite a prayer and have them put their hope in that, so as to be saved.  In that sense, the "Sinner's Prayer" has done a great disservice to Christ and the untold millions of people who, as a result of praying a prayer but never being converted, will one day hear Jesus say, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness," (Matthew 7:21-23).

What's Next? 

If you have read this article and are asking yourself, "how should I end a discussion with someone, if not with the sinner's prayer," please read: "Closing the Deal: An Unbiblical Element of Modern Evangelism"