Faithful or Sinful
At seventeen years of age I said the so-called “Sinner’s Prayer,” or “Prayer of Faith,” as it is sometimes referred to, and supposedly, at that point, had my sins forgiven as I “welcomed Jesus into my heart.” Little did I ever dream as those words left my lips, that despite the sincerity of both myself, as well as that of the religious friend who instructed and then led me in that prayer, the only “faith” involved in that decision was my faith in my religious friend, and his faith in whatever friend or family member had taught him that deceitful and diabolically biblically-contrarian doctrine! Please allow me to explain…
What does the ” Sinner’s Prayer” have to do with salvation?
God’s infallible and all-powerful eternal word (Psalms 19:7-11; 119) quite simply and certainly defines “faith,” as that which comes from hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). When those who heard the word of God (which is what we will all be judged by and nothing else – John 12:48), believed the word of God they’d heard, and then acted upon it as instructed, they were approved of by God, having been said to have acted “by faith” (Please see Hebrews 11).
Additionally, we are told in Romans 14:23, that “whatever is NOT FROM FAITH, is sin” (EMPH. added – DED). In other words, whatever we do, which does NOT come from, or is NOT found in God’s holy word (coming from either a direct command, actual example, or at least a necessary inference – as any one of these three will at least be individually in evidence on various topics and at various times), can not only NOT be done “by faith,” but, taking it a divinely-inspired leap further, is actually SIN according to God! We see inescapable examples of this presumptuous sin and its inevitable consequences in places like Leviticus 10:1-2 and 1 Samuel, chapters 13-15 to name but a few.
Now, as anyone who has ever explored all of the conversion accounts throughout the book of Acts both can and will readily concur, never once, in all of those thousands of examples of sinners’ souls we see saved therein, have they ever seen anyone taught to say the so-called “Sinner’s Prayer,” thus welcoming Jesus into their heart and being saved. Such a prayer simply isn’t there. Nor is it seen anywhere else since the Lord’s new covenant in His blood came into effect, from Acts 2, forward, either (Matthew 26:26-28; Acts 3:37-41; Hebrews 9:17-17). This is why denominational church tracts that do contain this so-called “Sinner’s Prayer,” contain no reference at its conclusion, as to its biblical location: Such a prayer simply does not exist in the word of God. It is no more to be found in the word of God than are the denominations that promote it!
Therefore, because the so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” for salvation cannot be found anywhere in the word of God, then according to God Himself who is the only and ultimate authority, it CANNOT be said by faith (Romans 10:17) – at least not by faith in God because He never said to say it! If He had, we’d have a reference! Furthermore, because it cannot therefore be said or done “by faith” (not being found anywhere in the word of God, either in the form of a direct command, actual example, or at least a necessary inference), this so-called “Prayer of ‘Faith’” is actually, factually, ultimately and scripturally, the “Prayer of SIN” (Romans 14:23)! It was made up by sinful man in the mid-1600’s and is therefore said in vain and will not save anyone (Please see Mark 7:5-13; Matthew 7:15-27)!
So then, how is a person actually, factually, fully and scripturally saved by God’s grace through their faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)? When they hear/read what God said one must do in order to receive that free gift of salvation and then do it (Luke 6:46, 11:27-28; John 10:27-28)! When they hear that they must be baptized in water for the forgiveness of their sins and then obey that teaching by faith (which they then can do – Romans 10:17 – unlike with the “Prayer of Sin” mentioned above), thus calling on the name of the Lord (See/read/hear for yourself in Acts 2:38-41, 22:16; Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:12) and are subsequently saved (1 Peter 3:21) and added to the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47).
And once saved, one must continue to live by that same word-found faith, worshipping in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24); that is, by hearing what is in God’s word, and then doing only what is found therein, in the form of either a direct command, actual example, or by necessary inference. This makes worshipping thereafter in a man man-made denomination never seen or named in Scripture, or with instrumental music which is totally foreign to and never found in New Testament worship either, nothing short of God-defined sin. But we can – and must, in order to assure God’s approval – most assuredly and exclusively sing as we worship in a congregation of the Lord’s one, New Testament church of Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20; Colossians 3:16-17; Romans 16:16).
Only these can be done by faith and hence gain God’s approval, coming straight from a hearing of the “book, chapter, and verse” of the very word of God (Romans 10:17). For anyone to base anything as important as their eternal salvation on anything never found even once in Scripture, such as saying a prayer to be saved and to welcome Jesus into their heart; to attend, work, and worship with a church never named or found even once in Scripture; or to use instruments never even once found in Scripture during New Testament praise and worship, is to sin (Romans 10:17 & 14:23) – and we know the only place where sin will lead (Romans 6:23).
Are you going to live from this moment on, by being faithful and therefore commended by God? Or by being sinful and therefore condemned by God? Faith comes by hearing (and doing) the word/will of God. And whatever does not come from what is found in the word, is sin – impure and simple. It’s your choice. It’s your eternity. Truth… or consequences? Faith… or sin?