Is the "sinners prayer" and to "ask Jesus into your heart" even Biblical??

Question

Evidence??

I like John 3:5...you must be born again! Water and Spirit....meaning baptism and a whole new person, (changed spirit) is the way in to heaven.

On the other hand, I also think that men try to kkep people OUT of Heaven...G-d tries to get people IN. Probably easier than I think.


Thoughts?? Only those backed up with scripture will be considered for 10 points.

(isnt that a nice change from "dont use the Bible!")

Baruch Habah

Answer 1

Matthew 28:19 says:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

So according to Jesus, we make people into disciples by baptizing them and teaching them.

How interesting: Jesus didn't seem to think we should be inviting people to ask Him into their hearts. So I would say no, that's not Biblical.


Mysoulenchanted, look all you want: You will not find anything about "accepting Jesus." It is a false doctrine. If accepting Jesus got you into heaven, you'd be saving yourself by a simple mental exercise.


h2oandspirit, when Jesus said "I stand at the door and knock," He was speaking to people who were already Christians. Check out the context in Revelation 3--He was talking to the Church at Laodicea.

Answer 2

I think it when you mean by biblical, you mean if the bible talks about it.

I personally believe that you are saved by believing in your heart what the Messiah said that He has done.

Saying the sinner's prayer is just talking to God and acknowledging that we can't save ourselves by our works, deeds, words, whatever. All of us can't which is why we need a Savior. Christ Jesus is that Savior and we believe in our hearts that He can, will and had saved us by taking all our sins on the cross. Like the sacrificial lamb that we exchange our sins for the unblemish nature of the lamb. After this divine exchange. We are a New Creation. Old things has passed away. Behold ALL things have become new.

While there are evidences of baptism in the bible, notice that Jesus is not strict about everyone being water baptized or Holy spirit baptized. The example of the thief on the cross is one. Notice that once a person becomes a Christian (in Christ), the Holy Spirit or the Helper is sealed or resident in us. They say that only the baptism of the Holy Spirit will the Holy Spirit be 'president' in us.

The way, and the only way is by believing onto Christ. God has made it so simple. Let's not add to it and complicate things.

Shalom.

Answer 3

The sinner's prayer is a prayer a person prays to God when they understand that they are a sinner and in need of a Savior. Saying a sinner's prayer will not accomplish anything on its own. A sinner's prayer is only effective if it genuinely represents what a person knows, understands, and believes about their sinfulness and need for salvation.

The first aspect of a sinner's prayer is understanding that we are all sinners. Romans 3:10 proclaims, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." The Bible makes it clear that we have all sinned. We are all sinners in need of mercy and forgiveness from God (Titus 3:5-7). Because of our sin, we deserve eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46). The sinner's prayer is a plea for grace instead of judgment. It is a request for mercy instead of wrath.

The second aspect of a sinner's prayer is knowing what God has done to remedy our lost and sinful condition. God took on flesh and became a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ (John 1:1,14). Jesus taught us the truth about God and lived a perfectly righteous and sinless life (John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus then died on the cross in our place, taking the punishment that we deserve (Romans 5:8). Jesus rose from the dead to prove His victory over sin, death, and hell (Colossians 2:15; 1 Corinthians chapter 15). Because of all of this, we can have our sins forgiven and be promised an eternal home in Heaven - if we will just place our faith in Jesus Christ. All we have to do is believe that He died in our place and rose from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). We can be saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. Ephesians 2:8 declares, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."

Answer 4

John 3 does not mention water baptism ..
born of water= physical birth
born of spirit=spiritual birth

Asking Christ into our lives is how we have a spiritual birth

"For if you confess with your mouth the Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the grave, then you will be saved"

"Jesus stands at the door of your heart and is constantly knocking...if you let him in he'll be with you and you with him"

Answer 5

Romans 10:9
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;

Saved from what? should be the next question.
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
Saved for Hell, or separation from God, or saved form unrighteous living.

The writer of Romans wanted a group of men to find salvation and or the righteousness of God, so he began to pray for them.

We need to believe that God is willing to in part righteousness and then confess that he has made away for that to take place.

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

(A)Nicodemus, a (B)ruler of the Jews; came to Jesus asking

5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of (H)water and the Spirit he cannot enter into (I)the kingdom of God.

So at some point we have to take time to dig a little deeper to see what is being said and to whom and why.

Is it biblical to ask Jesus in to your heart?? I think you should believe in your heart and confess that he is Lord, because He is.

Many, many people say I am sorry, please forgive me., etc. but it the believe part that most people get hung up on.

I guess it could be biblical or non biblical depending out what we mean by sinners prayer or asking Jesus in our hearts.... because JW's Jesus is not the same as the Mormans Jesus, an so on.
So which Jesus are we asking into our hearts... The one who is the Kings of Kings and Lord of Lord, Emmanuel (God with us) OR the Jesus who is only the Son of God, didn't die for our sins or the Jesus who is the spirit brother to Lucifer???

Its hard to say.

I know this didn't answer the question, but sometimes we answer before we've had a change to think about it

Answer 6

You know, I was just thinking about this very question a few hours ago. I can't recall any scriptures about a sinners prayer... Although I'm sure the Bible does mention repentance and accepting Jesus. Here's more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinner%27s_Prayer

Answer 7

First, I never answer in pursuit of the "10 points" so I care not whether or not my answer is considered for that. I won't be using scripture.

Second, God sends messengers to aid those to get back to Heaven. (It isn't sinful, nor disrespectful to use all three letters of G-o-d.)

Third, your request is not a change from "don't use the Bible" it is simply different words for the same meaning.

Fourth ... you sound *remarkably* like David T.

Rock on.

Answer 8

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12,13)

"But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:8-13)

These verses taken together speak of a receiving and confession of Christ which arises out of belief in the heart. I believe these are supportive of what we refer to as the sinners prayer and asking Jesus into your heart.

Answer 9

After Peters great sermon in Acts he said they needed to Repent. Repent means to change your mind. Repent from sins means to change your mind about sinning, turn away from desire to sin and lust to sin, but repent also means to turn away from religious sin. Not many people understand that and that is why many church goers may never be truely Born Again. The sinners prayer does not constitute repentance to me.

Answer 10

i think of human beings get it from: Ephesians 3:17. (NIV) 17 so as that Christ might stay on your hearts by using faith. and that i pray which you, being rooted and standard in love, & revelations 3:20, which in context isn't speaking approximately your heart. Neither of those state that. The formulaic prayer is invented by using guy to make it extra handy. The bible of course says to repent and have faith. It additionally says that as quickly as we are believers, we are a sparkling introduction & works would be a fruit or by using fabricated from of love for God (works don't earn salvation yet are a proof that your heart extremely replaced). inspite of each and everything, the two maximum mandatory commandments are to love God & love human beings. regrettably, because of the fact of misunderstandings of what it ability Christian there are a lot of human beings claiming to be believers that are lost, that haven't shown evidence of exchange & don't prepare love for God or others. No ask your self we've one in all those undesirable call. That's no longer how Jesus acted in any respect. He defied the appropriate and enjoyed on the unloveable.