We know from Hebrews 11:6, that “…without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” We also know where this faith that we must have in order to please God must ultimately come from: “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Ro. 10:17). The meaning of this text is quite clear to all. It simply shows that our faith is born, bred, and brought to maturity as we explore, experience, and are exposed to God’s word. It is the seed bed from which our faith is born, or, where our faith comes from.
Consequently, it is also true therefore, that because our God-pleasing faith comes from hearing and doing what we discover within the word of God, that anything that is NOT found within the word of God, CANNOT be said to be done as a part of true, God-pleasing faith. In fact, the bible clearly confirms this timeless and God-taught truth as well in Romans 14:23, wherein it states that, “whatever is not from faith is sin.”
To state it simply then: Faith comes by hearing the word of God. Whatever is not of faith, is sin. Therefore, whatever is not found within the word of God, can never be said to have been done by faith (at least not faith in God), but is actually sin, according to God!
Why is it so eternally and critically important that we point this out to people? Simple. God stated very clearly and concisely, in 8 N. T. passages, exactly the type of music He wanted His N. T. church to offer up to Him in praise and worship. In every single case, it is simply and exclusively singing: vocal, non-instrumental, acappella music (Matt. 26:30; Mk. 14:26; Acts 16:25; Ro. 15:9; I Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Hebs. 2:12; Jms. 5:13). This is what we find in the word of God. Therefore, this can be done by faith. Instrumental music in the N.T. church however, cannot be found anywhere in the bible, not once, ever. The best and brightest proponents of instrumental worship music have sought to find such a verse in the N. T. for hundreds of years… and have all been utterly and abjectly unsuccessful. Therefore, instrumental worship music cannot ever be performed by faith in what God said, simply because God never once said we should use it in the N. T. church! It is therefore instead, nothing more than a vain and useless, man-made tradition (Mk. 7:1-13).
Tragically, the same can be said when it comes to the “Greatest Hoax in the History of Religious Doctrine” as well. Sadly, many millions of good, but biblically uninformed and therefore misled religious people today, wholeheartedly believe and claim to have been saved when they “put their faith in Jesus” and said the so-called “Sinner’s Prayer of Faith.” There’s only one problem with that. One monstrous, heinous and monumental, soul-searing and eternally-damnation-causing problem with that… In all of the thousands of conversions to Christ that we see recorded in the New Testament, that so-called “Sinner’s Prayer of Faith” is never, not once, not ever, seen; it’s never taught, preached, or practiced as even a peripheral element in any New Testament conversion account – ever. It is not in the bible. If it is, then please correct me. Please produce it. Please proudly and promptly supply the lost world with a “book, chapter, and verse” reference in God’s word as to where it’s located so all can see it. Please ask your denominational friends and neighbors to start having it referenced on the back of their denominational salvation tracts for a change – something we’ve never seen.
But they won’t, will they? They can’t can they? And we know why, don’t we? It’s not in there is it? It’s never found anywhere in any conversion account in the word of God. And we therefore know what that means, don’t we? If faith comes by hearing the word of God – and it does; and whatever is not of faith is sin – and it is, which means that whatever is not found in the word cannot be done by faith – which is therefore true… then that means that the so-called “Sinner’s Prayer of Faith,” is far more of the first part of that phrase than the latter; that is to say, that it is far more of a “Sin,” than anything done by “Faith!”
Don’t get me wrong, it may be done by “faith” alright, but it’s faith in the person who told you to say it, and not soul-saving, God-pleasing faith in the Lord Jesus – because He never did. I know. I once did the same. I once said the prayer. And I believed at that point I was “good to go” with God. But then someone loved me enough to show me the truth of God’s word on how to truly be saved “by faith.” How much do you love those you claim to? If you truly love them, then you must tell them.