Published by What Many Preachers Teach
Many Preachers and Pastors that I have met taught that a man must call upon God through prayer and ask Him to forgive their sins and accept Jesus to be their Savior and Lord to be saved. Those Preachers call it the “sinner’s prayer or prayer of acceptance.” When these Preachers and Pastors share the gospel to someone, before they end up, they will ask the person if he is willing to trust Christ as Savior. If this person answered with a yes, they will lead him to a prayer similar to this one: “Lord, I know that I am sinner bound for eternity in hell. But I thank you that you have died and paid the penalty of my sins. Please forgive me of all my sins. I am trusting you to be my Savior and Lord of my life. Come into my heart and save me.”
What the Bible Teaches
The Bible is very clear when Jesus said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In this passage of Scripture, it didn’t mention that “whosoever prays a sinners prayer or prayer of acceptance” shall have everlasting life. It is the word “believe” that is being used.
Another passage of Scripture is found in Romans 10:13-14 which states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Many pastors and preachers end up in verse 13 without considering the next verse. But if we take some time to look at the next verse, it will tell us a clear picture: “how then shall they call on him on whom they have not believed?” This is very interesting because it reveals the fact that a person can call on the Lord because he believed.
A good example would be found in Acts 8:26-38. This is known as the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch. After Philip preached the gospel to the Eunuch, they came into a body of water where the Eunuch wanted to be baptized. Philip told the Eunuch that he can be baptized if he believe with all his heart. The Eunuch responded in verse 37 with “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
In the New Testament, there is no single passage in the Bible that a person has prayed a sinner’s prayer or prayer of acceptance in order to be saved. If there is one, I would love to read it for myself.
How then Can One be Saved?
It is clear without any doubt that Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast ” and other similar verses including John 3:16 is sufficient to answer the question. A man is saved the moment he believed Jesus Christ in his heart. This settles the matter.
Keep preaching the truth somebody will hear what the Spirit is saying.
Thank you. Have a good day.