Is praying Jesus into your heart Biblical?

Question

I'm confused as to why this belief is so widespread.

If you check out Acts 9 and 22 Paul, for instance, obeyed Jesus, fasted, repented, and even prayed. But he still wasn't forgiven because Ananias then said "Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.' " (Acts 22:16).

I'm not trying to say that we are forgiven BECAUSE we are baptized but based on the examples from the Bible it certainly seems that baptism is the time in which God chooses to forgive our sins which is when we're saved.

So am I missing something? Are there scriptures supporting this? And how do you deal with the fact that the idea of being able to pray for forgiveness and be saved is a relatively modern idea?

Thanks.

Answer 1

f you accept Jesus as your savior, you are saved. Sometimes, people cannot believe it is that simple. Then again, to accept Jesus as your savior is anything but simple.

Do you think God wants to see you suffer? Of course not. Life is easier when you follow Christianity.

I would recommend to get into a good Bible-based Church, and understand the depths of our faith.

Answer 2

No.

Nowhere does the Bible use the phrase "ask Jesus into your heart."

Nowhere is there an example of somebody "praying for forgiveness." In fact, Acts 22 shows somebody who saw the risen Jesus, believed in Him, and fasted because of his pentience. What was he told? To get up and stop praying.

Nowhere does the Bible say that baptism is "an outward expression of an inward grace." That comes from the Anglican/Episcopalian Book of Common Prayer.

Nowhere is there any example of somebody (once the New Testament took effect, after the death of Jesus) being saved before baptism.

Nowhere does the Bible say that we are saved by faith only; in fact, it explicitly says the opposite (James 2:24).

While we are saved by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13; Revelation 1:5), it happens at the time of baptism (Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21).

Answer 3

No. There is no where in the Bible that says you can pray Jesus into your heart. What does that even mean anyway? I grew up going to churches that taught this as the way to make it to heaven and receive forgiveness. It wasn't until later on in life that I decidded to actually read the Bible for myself to figure out the answer. In Matthew 28 it talks about Jesus's final words, which was the great commission. Jesus said "..go unto all the nations baptizing them in the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Teach these NEW disciples to obey all the commands I have given you..." According to this scripture it means you have to be made into a disciple and then get baptized. It's just cool how clear the Bible is. I would never have figured this out unless I got in personal Bible studies and they really did teach me and still are teaching me everything that Jesus commanded. I don't know where you are located, but I'm a part of an international church that really teaches the Bible. I will gladly give you the website to help you find the church closest to you!

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

The way to get saved is to ask God to forgive you and ask Jesus to come into your life and save you. You ask for forgiveness and you are saved. But it doesn't give you the right to go and sin just because you are saved. You have to always ask for forgiveness.
Being baptized is a public profession of faith that you are saved. It washes away your sin in a since that you are reborn. You don't have to be baptized in order for your sins to be washed away. Jesus just has to live in your heart and every time you sin you ask forgiveness and your sins are wiped away.

Answer 5

Alot of what we do in our faith relationship with God really stems from Sacred Tradition. Even Sacred Scripture stems from Sacred Tradition. It is a common understanding that first the message was taught by Jesus and then by His Apostles. When they past on, God gave us The Scriptures as a source of those teachings.

That being said, the teaching of praying Jesus into our hearts comes from His teaching of dwelling within us. There are lots of different passages I could mention. One, "Come to me all who thirst for living water and you will never be thirsty." Two, after the resurection he said he would be with us unto the end of time. Three, His prayer to the Father that we would be one with Him as he is one with the Father [Undivided Unity]. All these and more talk about Gods ability to be one with his creation.

The part you might want to consider in the story of St. Paul is the gift Jesus gave us in the Holy Spirit. In a trinitarian faith that is a crutial element. The Father creates, the Son saves, and the Holy Spirit Santifies.

As far as why we need to pray Jesus into our hearts... We are human... we are flawed... we have free will. Putting all these together means that we do things that are not really good for us. Seek and you will find, ask and you shall receive, knock and the door will be opened. We believe that Jesus is in our heart. It is something that took place when God created our souls at the moment of conception. We need to conform our will to God and accept this Truth. Our free will and the choices we make tend to lead us away from this [sin]. Prayer for Jesus to be in our heart is to ask God to always help me apply my free will like a person who is Trully a Son of God, if only through adoption.

As far as sin, that was take away through the Cross. Everything after that is our recognizing our falwed nature and owning up to it. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can do this. And that happends through the Sacrament of Reconcilliation. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are molded to answer the call to Holiness. To be Holy as the Father is Holy

Answer 6

You should think of God as a loving parent.
In the olden day people scarified animals to ask God for forgiveness. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. This is why you pray to God, and ask in Jesus' name.
God doesn't want burnt offerings he wants our love. (Hosea 6:6).
John 14:12-15. Ask in Jesus' name.
Jesus was baptized so should you.

I hope this helps..

Answer 7

You are right there is no scripture saying that you have to "pray Jesus into your heart". It is a misunderstanding from Revelation 3 in the message to the church at Laodicea where John wrote that Jesus said "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." People interpret this as Jesus standing at the door of your heart. One church interpret this as Jesus standing at the door of the church knocking to get it. People can take a bible passage and interpret it to mean anything that suits their fancy. Hence, your confusion. Sorry, but that's how the bible is.

Answer 8

It is very true and very biblical. Let me give you a few examples from the bible:
"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." -Acts 2:21
"They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household.'" -Acts 16:31
"for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" -Romans 10:13
You must believe that Jesus died for your sins and ask him to come into your heart. That is what these verses are saying.

Answer 9

ok, finding out on your question aside: Is accepting Jesus into your heart Biblical? - no longer somewhat. we do not tell God what to do. Our hearts are clearly clouded with sin besides. Can all people teach me contained in the Bible the position someone popular Jesus into their heart? - some human beings infer this from verses right here and there, and also you're proper, it would not extra healthful with God's sovereignty. If we do not discover human beings accepting Jesus into their heart for salvation, then why do somewhat human beings do it? - because evidently strong on paper, that's why. If i'm brilliant, Paul became writing to a kept church in Romans 10:9. Why would he tell kept human beings a thanks to get kept? - precisely. also, if you're saying baptism isn't area of salvation and is "works", then are you able to describe how keeping a prayer and accepting Jesus into your heart isn't a "artwork". - less costly grace. "All you're able to do" salvation. Yup, I agree. we may be able to flow even extra with this. Why would Jesus (in John 3:5) communicate over with water as area of the recent delivery, yet or not that is symbolic? - No kidding. It could be a covenant, after all. this can advise our Lord became refering to the Spirit as literal, yet be refering to water as symbolic. that's senseless. - no longer certain what you have become at, yet baptism could also element to a pouring (get it?) out of the Holy Spirit. The Jews were familier with water as area of previous testomony salvation. in the adventure that they did not wash with water contained in the temple they'd be killed. - Baptism's waters element to cleansing of sins by the propitiation of Jesus. So sure, you've a level contained in the seriousness of it. Nicodemus became for sure familier with Jewish customs, so he might want to understand Jesus referance to water to be literal, no longer symbolic. Acts 2:38 backs up John 3:5 - what's the present of the Holy Spirit? Glossalalia? Or a clean existence in Him? i'd flow for the bigger image.

Answer 10

I think you need to understand something. I know we all feel comfortable asking questions on this Yahoo Answers thingy. But you need to understand that certain questions can only be asked and answered in certain environments in order for u to get the correct resposes. If You are indeed a Child of God and you believe in Jesus Christ , you have to know that its more than just a religion. I would advise you ask these questions to leaders and persons who believe in the faith not in forums like these where the Word od God can be criticized. Your question is causing persons that don't believe in God bring damnation to them,selves by Judging the Bible. Please I understand that you need answers to your questions but With Love I say to you seek your answers from your Pastor or Leaders of your church. i would attempt to answer the question here.Love in Christ