The sinner’s prayer is quite popular. Many, many denominational churches use it in their worship assemblies. Church camps use it to convert teenagers. Missionaries use it as they convert unbelievers to Jesus Christ. The sinner’s prayer is remarkably popular despite the fact that there is no Bible verse that uses it, implies it, or exemplifies it.
WHY IS THE SINNER’S PRAYER SO POPULAR?
Gebhards gives us these reasons: 1.) It is doable. Anyone can do it, anytime, anywhere. 2.) It is easily reproducible. You can reproduce a prayer with a handful of words quite easily. It doesn’t take much time or effort to reproduce a prayer. 3.) It is measurable. You can’t actually count the number of people who are converted to Jesus Christ, but you can count the number of people who have publicly identified having said the sinner’s prayer.
So what’s wrong with it?
IT MINIMIZES THE GOSPEL MESSAGE:
Every aspect of the Gospel message is minimized or distorted in some way through the “sinner’s prayer”: 1.) The nature of God; 2.) Sin; 3.) Jesus as the Savior; 4.) man’s response.
THE SINNER’S PRAYER HINDERS THE PROGRESS OF BELIEVERS:
When a person says a prayer to “receive Jesus in his heart”, he thinks he has a relationship with God right then and there. He has not yet yielded his heart to Christ and recognized Him as Lord.
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When someone – sincerely without a doubt – does something taught – sincerely without a doubt – by a preacher who is loved and respected, but that prayer that is taught is simply not from God, then the sinner believes he or she is saved when all they have done is obeyed man, not God.
THE SINNER’S PRAYER IS AN (UNAUTHORIZED) ALTERNATIVE TO THE GREAT COMMISSION:
The fact that baptism is integral to the making of disciples is seen vividly in Mark 16:15-16: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
The people who practice the “sinner’s prayer” rearrange the words of Jesus and make Him say, “Whoever believes will be saved and afterward, should be baptized.” Now, you tell me whether someone can be saved who perverts the teachings of Jesus Christ!?
How can you take baptism out of the plan of salvation and substitute a prayer in its place? Prayer has a place in the life of a Christian; it does not play a role in the plan of salvation.
Let’s go back and teach what Jesus and His apostles taught!
–Paul Holland
