is the Sinner's Prayer some kind of magic words like "Open Sesame"?
2007-11-06 04:49:26 · 20 answers · asked by Ťango 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well, that's part of it, but there is more you must do.
After you have recited the Sinner's Prayer, you must judge everyone who is different than you and damn them to hell. You also must devote your life to bashing and slandering the Catholic Church as much as you possibly can.
As long as you do these things along with misinterpreting the Bible and following man-made traditions, you are 100% guaranteed a place in Heaven.
2007-11-06 05:11:14 · answer #1 · answered by The Raven † 5 · 6⤊ 2⤋
If you examine the teaching of churches that emphasize the "sinner's prayer" concept, what you will find is a distortion of the Catholic tradition of Baptism of Desire.
Baptism of Desire (though Protestants do not actually use the term) was first formalized in Protestantism in the Lutheran Confessions, where it is described as the Holy Spirit working in a person's heart through the preaching of the Word of God. In summary, the Law of the Old Testament brings a person to despair over his sinfulness and his hopeless condition, and the Gospel offers him hope in the redemptive work of Christ; and by God's grace these things work together to produce the desire for salvation.
The Baptists and other radical reformers sought to downplay the role of the Church in our salvation, and so they distorted and downplayed the concept of Baptism of Desire by declaring that this inward baptism is not a true baptism at all until it is completed by the recipient himself through his acceptance. Hence, a willful act was needed to demonstrate such acceptance.
Baptists could not use Water Baptism for this purpose, because this would make Water Baptism an actual sacrament, which once again makes the Church an agent in salvation. And so the sinner's prayer, and variations on it such as the "public confession of faith" and so on, were developed for the purpose of acting in response to the Holy Spirit's calling.
This is the most strangely ironic twist in all of the Reformation, for what these people have done is introduced a *work* as an intervening factor in salvation. Luther must be spinning in his grave....
2007-11-07 09:21:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous Lutheran 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
anyone can say the "sinner's prayer". If you consider it a free ticket to heaven - it is not. Granted the only way to gain heaven, is through the shed blood of Cross - so in that respect salvation is a free gift- however it is not cheap- it cost Jesus His life- so if a person only prays so they will escape hell, and never lives to please God I do not think they are truly saved- however God is the one that truly knows our hearts. Jesus said, say "some will say Lord, Lord and never be in heaven. Salvation is free, however it does not give us freedom to sin.
2007-11-06 13:03:50 · answer #3 · answered by AdoreHim 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. However, a sincere prayer of repentance--which means turning away from sin and making restitution like Zacchaeus--is the beginning of salvation.
Other salvation requirements include include baptism (Mark 16:16; John 3:5), believing Christ and putting faith in him (e.g., Luke 7:50, 8:12), self-renunciation (e.g., Matt 5:3, 10), obedience to God, doing what is right and just (e.g., Luke 10:25-28; John 12:50), adopting the humility of a child (Matt 18:3-4; 19:14), eating the bread of life (John 6:51, 53-54), and endurance to the end (Matt 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13, Luke 21:16-18).
I'm continually amazed by fundamentalists who insist that good works are "filthy rags." That is completely contrary to the teaching of Christ. Jesus taught that we would be judged by our acts of charity--feeding the hungry, bringing drinks to the thirsty, clothing those in "filthy rags," tending to the sick, helping prisoners--see Matthew 25 for details.
Cheers
Bruce
2007-11-06 13:15:15 · answer #4 · answered by Bruce 7 · 6⤊ 2⤋
No you cannot. Salvation requires repentance and faith. You must turn toward God, away from sin, and trust the one who dies for you. Then you will be saved. No this does not mean that you can go sin however you like afterward. You must turn from sin, it is a complete 180 degree turn. Yes you will sin and stumble on the way, but God will put you back on the path.
Edit: Raven, don't you do essentially the same thing that you accuse Protestants of? How about some rational discourse? I don't recall ever seeing you accurately represent the position you are trying to discredit, so maybe you should do a little homework.
2007-11-07 08:27:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Absolutely not. Your place in or out of heaven is not for sale. The way you live your life and the way you treat people will determine where your soul ends up. That's what I think.
2007-11-06 12:56:48 · answer #6 · answered by Lady B 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Absoulty Not! The only way to get to heaven is to trust
in Jesus Christ as your savior, which means you are reliing
on his work on the cross is suffient to get you to heaven.
Nothing else. NOT your works. The bible says that our "rightousness are like fithly rags."
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotton son, that whosoever believes is him shall not parish, but have eternal life forever.
2007-11-06 13:00:40 · answer #7 · answered by Tim J 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Its not the preyer that saves people its the belief in the prayer. But if you are on your dying bed and have not believed in god and recite this prayer truley knowing that you are talking to god you will be saved.Its not how you live while your here its how you live when you leave here.
2007-11-06 12:55:41 · answer #8 · answered by Grim Reaper 3 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Pastor Billy says: it does seem this is a "work" the so-called real "bible believers" are always talking against doesn't it hmmmm, nice one ;)
2007-11-07 10:21:05 · answer #9 · answered by Pastor Billy 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No! Your mind, heart and emotion must be present when you come to Jesus for forgiveness. When you ask Jesus to save you there must be a sense of needing a Savior and you must believe in who He says He is and that He can save you from your sins, death and hell.
2007-11-06 12:53:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋