The Sinner’s Prayer

You can search the Bible from Genesis through Revelation and never find the idea of a Sinner’s Prayer. Think about the disciples when they were called. Jesus simply said, “Follow Me.” They did not stop and pray. They just followed Him. Where did this idea of a sinner’s prayer come from? As far as I can tell, it originated with Billy Graham. There are a few passages that are close to the idea. Here are a few verses that the idea of a sinner’s prayer might have come from.

Romans 10:9, “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.”

Acts 2:21, “Everyone who callson the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Ananias talking to Saul at his conversion to Paul in Acts 22:14-16 said, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from His mouth. ¹⁵ You will be His witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

“Declare Jesus is Lord.” “Calls on the name of the Lord.” “Calling on His name.” What do we understand those words mean? A better question is what does the responder saying the Sinner’s Prayer think “Lord” means and what do they think they are committing to?

The Oxford Dictionary defines Lord as “someone or something having power, authority, or influence; a master or ruler.”

Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition is “a ruler by hereditary right or preeminence to whom service and obedience are due.”

Both these definitions match Jesus. However, because the word Lord is not used in our culture, I wonder if the person praying the Sinner’s Prayer believe they are talking to their “master or ruler” “to whom service and obedience are due”? Probably not.

I have stated in previous blogs that I believe the biggest problem in communication is definition of terms. My grandson likes spicy food. I do not. If I ask him if something is spicy and he says it is not bad, I know it would be very spicy to me. However, if I did not know his spice tolerance, I would have had a surprise eating what he was eating, and it might have made me mad at him for misleading me.

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a non-believer hearing a message about their choices of life after death, heaven or hell. They clearly do not want to suffer for eternity. They hear the pastor quote Acts 2:21, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” That sounds like a better plan to them, so they repeat the prayer the pastor prays “calling on the name of the Lord” but have no understanding what the Lordship of Jesus means to their life. They have no thought of surrendering their life to Jesus and letting the Spirit guide them.

How many people have walked away from a service believing they are saved when they have no understanding of what the Bible clearly says about salvation, and they have no intention of changing how they live? They might start going to church for a while, but unless the Holy Spirit is in their life drawing them ever closer and they are leaving the world’s thoughts and ways behind, the eternity they prayed for will not be the eternity they end up in.

Why do we try to soften the message about salvation? Why are we afraid to tell people that the abundant life Jesus promised is a life of surrender and submission to God’s will. If the Father has given them “ears to hear,” they will gladly surrender to the Spirit’s promptings. If they do not have “ears to hear,” scripture says God’s truth and ways are foolish to man, and they will walk away until when/ if the day comes when they are drawn by the Father.

If we present the message of following Jesus as “what’s in it for me,” the message is not true, and we are giving people false hope. If we present the message as surrender to the Creator of everything, the One who wants to give you an abundant life by following Him, we will be presenting the Gospel.

Salvation is not a one-time prayer event. Salvation is a life changing event. The old ways will pass away, and new ways begin to take hold. “You will know them by their fruit”, not by an emotional response to a message. We need to encourage people touched by the Spirit after hearing the Gospel to seek council with a pastor or strong Christian they trust, not to just say a prayer. In John 6:44 Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them, and I will raise them up on the last day.” If the Father is drawing them, they will respond.