History of the Sinner's Prayer

[George]

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

On 5/23/2018 at 5:59 PM, Cletus said:

Very interesting.   I only watched this video in its entirety because Johnathan Edwards sermons have been heavy on my mind lately.  I have always wondered where this prayer came from because its not in the Bible.  I think the biggest eye opener for me was "the gestation period" because I never wanted anything to do with God, and He just showed up in my life one day and saved me.  I was apprehended.  I never said a sinners prayer.  One thing that i don't recall from the video that i would like to say is about the saving faith.  even this saving faith is a gift from God.  there really is no part of salvation or the process of salvation that we can take credit for.  I know this because my gestation period was less than 10 minutes.  I now know of something else to be thankful for.  I didn't have to go thru all that internal struggling and figuring it out for myself, and i never had a clue about gestation periods.  I knew God prepared hearts to receive Him, but never knew it could be such a lengthy process. 

 

 My experience was kind of like yours, Cletus.I never wanted anything to do with God—- in fact, if somebody had asked me if I believed in God, I would have said, “ Who am I to look out among  the stars and declare if God exists or not?” I really believed that.However, in a night of fear I turned to this God , in Whom I though I did not believe in, asking for help.Boy, did he! God took me through EXACTLY what Edwards was talking about.A true night of “ fear and trembling” that now I look back and realize was the most important night of my life.I awoke the next day a new person. Born Again, you could say.I literally know what it means to “see the light” and I  know all about the “ peace beyond understanding”.

Now I am saved and KNOW that I am saved and I couldn’t care less what others say.It is in my bone marrow.And yet I consider myself “ chief of sinners” . It comes with the territory.When I see Paul I will tell him to step aside, there’s a new kid in town.He only “ thought” he was “ chief of sinners”.The closer I get to God ,it only serves to show me how far away I am.The unsaved and the Judaizers will never know what I am talking about.

As said, I did not go looking for God, He came looking for me.Why on Earth He decided to open my eyes is way beyond me.HE made me a Christian. He did every bit of it.I sometimes wonder why my  Christianity should be any different from anybody else’s.Does one have to go through the five steps that Edwards so vividly describe? I can tell that something is missing in the hearts of some of the posters here.Is what Edwards described the missing link? Is the “Night Of Horror” what they need to be truly saved? Does it have nothing to do with anything at all?Jesus said , “ You MUST be born again”. I know that is what happened to me.It’s kinda like having a dividing point in your life like going from B.C to A.D.—— it was that impactful in my life.

The latest Word we have in regard to Salvation came from Paul......we are to simply BELIEVE his gospel given to him personally by Jesus to be saved. I wonder if one will undergo the experience that Edwards describes sometime between their accepting the Gospel and their death.Maybe you must experience it before you really believe the first half of the Gospel—— “ Jesus died for our sins”.That infers that you see yourself as a sinner who can not save himself and needs Jesus death as an atonement .Maybe the 5 steps are not a requirement at all—— all I can say for sure is that it sure worked for me.Any thoughts ? Anybody? George?

personally

m

 

 

Edited December 21, 2018 by Blood Bought 1953

[George]

3 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

Maybe the 5 steps are not a requirement at all—— all I can say for sure is that it sure worked for me.Any thoughts ? Anybody? George?

I don't try to read more into something than what is said.  I do remember clearly the day I was saved and the radical transformation that took place in my life.  Are there steps ... or not ... it was Edwards thoughts and it made sense to me.  But Jesus is the one that does the saving ... and I suppose He can save any way he wishes! 

[Blood Bought 1953]

 

Most definatly......He has payed the price for every sin and God is sovereign, He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants.......that said, His Word says He will save all those that come to Him with a contrite heart, with faith in His Son to save them.Perhaps Edwards was describing the process of having ones heart softened. I don’t know and I don’t want to beat this thing to death.I am just trying to pinpoint exactly what he is trying to depict in his writing —- repentance? The Born Again experience? Contrition? I am just curious as to how participants here view this.Whatever he was depicting, I think it is vital and perhaps lacking in the lives of many.

[other one]

1 hour ago, George said:

I don't try to read more into something than what is said.  I do remember clearly the day I was saved and the radical transformation that took place in my life.  Are there steps ... or not ... it was Edwards thoughts and it made sense to me.  But Jesus is the one that does the saving ... and I suppose He can save any way he wishes! 

I was going to say that we are all different and I think the steps we go through to that moment of salvation are probably as unique as we are.  those of us that are basically raised in church in a godly family don't seem to have such a dramatic change as those not brought up in a Christian environment.

I do remember the night that the Holy Spirit snatched me out of the grasp of some really dark things because of the very foolish thought I should understand the devil and how he works to be able to effectively fight him...…   turned out that the Lord let me get very involved to teach me the lesson that you can't effectively fight the devil on your own...   we have no authority on our own to do that and are helpless to deal with the dark ones ourselves....  it's only the work of the Holy Spirit through us that we can fight with them on their level....

The sinners prayer, to me, is ok if one means by letting Jesus into your heart really means letting the Holy Spirit guide your life every day....   and to do so in the open.....    and when that happens interesting things tend to come your way...

[JTC]

It's about time this coming into the open. Thanks George.

[Firm Foundation]

On 5/23/2018 at 9:28 AM, George said:

 

I just watched it George, and it is interesting and makes sense in many ways.  Do you agree with what they are saying?  I don't mean about history but about what it means to be born again?  This is radically different from faith plus nothing as it is being promoted by some.  It means OSAS for those really born again, but those who never change never came to saving faith.  Is that your belief?  It gives me something to consider.

[Firm Foundation]

I went through something like what is described for 6 months, but here is the issue I have with the faith plus nothing doctrine.  They are preaching no repentance needed and that no change has to occur.  The guy preaching it has been said to teach an easy peasy form of salvation.  We have been told the worst sinners and scoundrels will go to heaven if they just believe, and that is nothing like what is being promoted on the video.

[George]

Just now, Firm Foundation said:

This is radically different from faith plus nothing as it is being promoted by some.  It means OSAS for those really born again, but those who never change never came to saving faith.  Is that your belief?  It gives me something to consider.

Listen ... SAVING FAITH is the only kind of SALVATION there is.   Once you "experience" true salvation, I don't believe you can ever lose it -- because it's been birthed.   It's like saying -- Lord you became a curse for my sin -- Right?  Can he be "uncursed" for your sin?   

It's like what Nicodemeus said, How can a child be born a second time?  How can someone be "unbirthed"?  

So the real question is are you truly saved?  If so, then your life will be RADICALLY changed ... not to EARN salvation, but because OF SALVATION!  Do you see the difference?

Genuine salvation will transform someone radically ... to what degree someone is transformed from the outward appearance is based on the work of sanctification ... not salvation.  

As Jesus said, "you shall know them by their fruit." 

[George]

28 minutes ago, Cletus said:

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The Greek word for falling away is apostastia -- where we get the word -- Apostasy.  It's only used 2 times in Scripture.  This is the other use, and I'll highlight the greek word by bolding it.

Act 21:20  And hearing, they glorified the Lord, and said to him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who believe, and they are all zealous of the Law. 
Act 21:21  And they are informed concerning you, that you teach all the Jews who are among the nations to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, nor to walk after the customs. 
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? At all events a multitude will come together, for they will hear that you have come. 

This is the only 2 places that its used.  The word comes from the idea of rebellion, departure, or a willful rejection of the faith.

We see that the great apostasy, as connected to several other passages and I'll be referring to the term -- "last days or latter times."  For example in 1 Timothy --

1 Ti 4:1  But the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and teachings of demons, 
1Ti 4:2  speaking lies in hypocrisy, being seared in their own conscience, 
1Ti 4:3  forbidding to marry, saying to abstain from foods which God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 
1Ti 4:4  For every creation of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. 
1Ti 4:5  For it is sanctified through the Word of God and prayer. 

2Ti 3:1  But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 
2Ti 3:2  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 
2Ti 3:3  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 
2Ti 3:4  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 
2Ti 3:5  having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 
2Ti 3:6  For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 
2Ti 3:7  always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 
2Ti 3:8  Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 
2Ti 3:9  But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 

If you continue with the 2 Thessalonians passage ... you'll see something ...

2Th 2:10  and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, so that they might be saved. 
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, 
2Th 2:12  so that all those who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness, might be condemned. 

So the "apostasy" is the rebellion of the "truth" as the teaching of faith as Paul taught.

For example at the end 1 Timothy 4, you'll see Paul says this, 1 Timothy 4:16  Hold on to yourself and to the doctrine; continue in them, for doing this you shall both save yourself and those who hear you.

At the end of 2 Timothy when dealing with departure ... he says ... 2 Timothy 3:13-15  But evil men and seducers will go forward to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue in the things that you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from a babe you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 

And the end of 2 Thessalonians 2 Paul says, 2 Thessalonians 2:15  Therefore, my brothers, stand fast and hold the teachings which you have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.

So each of the times that Paul is talking apostasy, it's concerning learning a doctrine that was not HIS, but rather that was manufactured whose roots are Satanic ... and He reaffirms what is the TRUE doctrine to which to hold.  Obviously, the apostasy is not describing "true believers" but rather a departure of the doctrine of faith which Paul instructed.

I hope this answers your question.

God bless,

George