Sinners Prayer in the Bible?

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
I hear people talk about the sinners prayer, but I don't find it anywhere in the Bible.

Is the use of a very recent, canned script prayer, of any value in God's salvation of the body, soul and spirit of a person?
 

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
The prayer itself is not in the Bible. Nor would it mean anything if it doesn't truly reflect what is going on in the heart and mind of the person saying it.
 

Imalive

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,315
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
The prayer itself is not in the Bible. Nor would it mean anything if it doesn't truly reflect what is going on in the heart and mind of the person saying it.

Yes a parrot can repeat after me too. It doesnt get him saved.
 

Imalive

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,315
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Is reformed doing confession in the Bible?
Yes just like the sinner's prayer:

Romans 10:9-10 says that “if you declare 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 profess your faith and are saved.”

1 John 1:9New King James Version (NKJV)

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 

Imalive

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,315
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Millions have come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through church services, friends, and family leading them in a salvation prayer. However it is not words in a prayer that save. Jesus Christ alone has the power to save through faith. J.D Greerer explains it well – “It’s not the prayer that saves; it’s the repentance and faith behind the prayer that lays hold of salvation. My concern is that over-emphasizing the prayer has often (though unintentionally) obscured the primary instruments for laying hold of salvation: repentance and faith.”
 

Imalive

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,315
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Acts 2
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.

Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.


Sinner's Prayer From Scripture – (Psalm 51, King David)
“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are proved right when You speak
and justified when You judge.
Surely I have been a sinner from birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me…
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me and I will be whiter than snow…
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
Then will I teach transgressors Your ways,
and sinners will turn back to You.
 

psalms 91

Well-known member
Moderator
Valued Contributor
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Messages
15,205
Age
75
Location
Pa
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Charismatic
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Is reformed doing confession in the Bible?
Yes just like the sinner's prayer:

Romans 10:9-10 says that “if you declare 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 profess your faith and are saved.”

1 John 1:9New King James Version (NKJV)

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

A couple of my favorite verses, such hope, such love
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
Is reformed doing confession in the Bible?
Yes just like the sinner's prayer:

Romans 10:9-10 says that “if you declare 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 profess your faith and are saved.”

1 John 1:9New King James Version (NKJV)

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
What if the person is mute or mentally disabled?
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
Millions have come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through church services, friends, and family leading them in a salvation prayer. However it is not words in a prayer that save. Jesus Christ alone has the power to save through faith. J.D Greerer explains it well – “It’s not the prayer that saves; it’s the repentance and faith behind the prayer that lays hold of salvation. My concern is that over-emphasizing the prayer has often (though unintentionally) obscured the primary instruments for laying hold of salvation: repentance and faith.”
Must a person repent and have faith before God saves them?
 

Imalive

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,315
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
What if the person is mute or mentally disabled?

You can cry to God from your heart if you can't talk. What about babies? Pronounce it perfectly!!! Mentally disabled, someone worked w those kids and they understood nothing she told em about the stars, but all she taught em about God.
 

Imalive

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 3, 2017
Messages
2,315
Gender
Female
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Single
Must a person repent and have faith before God saves them?

Yes. You're not Lutheran I hope LOL NOOO NOT AGAIN THAT DISCUSSION!!!!
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
You can cry to God from your heart if you can't talk. What about babies? Pronounce it perfectly!!! Mentally disabled, someone worked w those kids and they understood nothing she told em about the stars, but all she taught em about God.
Can a person be saved by God without ever understanding or comprehending the message of the gospel?
For example, young ones, either in the womb or out who die. Do they die in their sins because the didn't say the sinners prayer?

What do you mean by: "pronounce it perfectly"? That phrase makes no sense to me.
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
Yes. You're not Lutheran I hope LOL NOOO NOT AGAIN THAT DISCUSSION!!!!
Where does the Bible say you must repent and you must generate your own faith to be saved?
My affiliation is not Lutheran, but I do respect the Missouri synod.
 

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Where does the Bible say you must repent and you must generate your own faith to be saved?
My affiliation is not Lutheran, but I do respect the Missouri synod.

You haven't said as far as I can tell what your stance is? All your doing is questioning everyone else. This isn't really a debate forum but is suppose to be a discussion. So please share your point of view as well
 

Josiah

simul justus et peccator
Valued Contributor
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Messages
13,647
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
I have nothing against the "Sinner's Prayer" per se ..... only if the person praying it thinks that thereby they've achieved justification.
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
You haven't said as far as I can tell what your stance is? All your doing is questioning everyone else. This isn't really a debate forum but is suppose to be a discussion. So please share your point of view as well
Ephesians 1:4-5,11,14
[4]Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
[5]God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
[11]Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
[14]The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

Ephesians 2:4-9
[4]But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
[5]that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
[6]For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
[7]So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
[8]God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
[9]Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

This is a good place to start. In these verses I do not read a requirement of repentance or my generating faith unto salvation. I read about all the things which God does to grant me salvation solely by his grace.

Another version says "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, which is a gift from God, not from yourself, lest you should boast."

This tells me that faith is not generated by my own will power, but is given to me as a gift from God at the moment he chooses to save me.
 
Last edited:

NewCreation435

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
4,914
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Conservative
Marital Status
Married
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
Ephesians 1:4-5,11,14
[4]Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
[5]God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
[11]Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
[14]The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

Ephesians 2:4-9
[4]But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
[5]that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
[6]For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
[7]So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
[8]God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
[9]Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

This is a good place to start. In these verses I do not read a requirement of repentance or my generating faith unto salvation. I read about all the things which God does to grant me salvation solely by his grace.

Another version says "it is by grace, through faith, which is a gift from God, not from yourself, lest you should boast."

This tells me that faith is not generated by my own will power, but is given to me as a gift from God at the moment he chooses to save me.

okay, however, repentance is a key toward salvation. Jesus said in Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."" NASV. I would agree with you that God is working through the whole experience. Jesus also said in John 6:44 "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up on the last day." This tells me that the Lord is at work drawing the person to himself and it is not something that the person is capable of by their own wisdom or insight. This is a part of the depravity of man. That by our own insight we would not be able to come to Him without His help.
 

MennoSota

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2017
Messages
7,102
Age
53
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Christian
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Married
okay, however, repentance is a key toward salvation. Jesus said in Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."" NASV. I would agree with you that God is working through the whole experience. Jesus also said in John 6:44 "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up on the last day." This tells me that the Lord is at work drawing the person to himself and it is not something that the person is capable of by their own wisdom or insight. This is a part of the depravity of man. That by our own insight we would not be able to come to Him without His help.
The message is one of reconciliation. All humans are in rebellion to God's kingdom. They will never choose to repent on their own. God must bring them to repentance by first saving them out of their rebellion and making them alive in Christ. At that point the former rebel is capable of repenting and saying "I am sorry." S/he has to know how rebellious s/he has been. One cannot know if God has not quickened him/her.

Salvation is all God's work. Repentance is a reaction and response to God's saving work. Faith is a reaction and response to God's saving work.

The Bible says no one seeks God, not even one. Therefore, no one willfully repents by their own will power. To the contrary, they consider salvation utterly foolish.

Romans 3:7-27
[7]“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”
[8]And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.
[9]Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
[10]As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— *** not even one.
[11]No one is truly wise; *** no one is seeking God.
[12]All have turned away; *** all have become useless. No one does good, *** not a single one.”
[13]“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. *** Their tongues are filled with lies.” “Snake venom drips from their lips.” ***
[14]“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
[15]“They rush to commit murder. ***
[16]Destruction and misery always follow them.
[17]They don’t know where to find peace.” ***
[18]“They have no fear of God at all.”
[19]Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
[20]For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
[21]But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
[22]We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
[23]For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
[24]Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
[25]For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,
[26]for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
[27]Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.
 

MoreCoffee

Well-known member
Valued Contributor
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
19,115
Location
Western Australia
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Catholic
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Single
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
The sinner's prayer is an evangelical thing as far as I can tell. Nobody else does it.
 

Confessional Lutheran

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 11, 2017
Messages
867
Age
50
Location
Northern Virginia
Gender
Male
Religious Affiliation
Lutheran
Political Affiliation
Moderate
Marital Status
Divorced
Acceptance of the Trinity & Nicene Creed
Yes
The sinner's prayer is an evangelical thing as far as I can tell. Nobody else does it.

Yep. This. It seems to have come about as a result of the tent revivals of the Great Awakenings in the US early in its history. Others follow more ancient traditions.
 
Top Bottom