The Sinner's Prayer Controversy

Here's another important topic is the sinner's prayer.  Many people ask, "Is a sinner's prayer necessary for salvation?"  However it's time to see what the Bible says is required for salvation.  The Bible is clear in John 3:16, John 6:40, Acts 16:30-31, Romans 3, Romans 4:5-7, Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5 just to name a few that salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  As said, the Bible nowhere shows a sinner's prayer for salvation, it's all about only believing.  Is it inappropriate?  No.  However, a sinner's prayer results as an act of faith like when the thief on the cross said, "Lord remember me when thou comest into Thy Kingdom."  Remember it was not saying those words that saved the thief but rather, it was the very faith he had in Jesus Christ which led him to say those words to Jesus.  Revelation 3:20 has one opening their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ and it can be expressed in a sinner's prayer.  

However there is also a false sinner's prayer.  Why is it?  Anybody can always say any sinner's prayer but if they DO NOT fully understand and RECEIVE the Gospel of Jesus Christ concerning salvation it is useless to utter it because their heart is not in it.  Try to notice the salvation page especially the vital doctrine that one must see Jesus died and rose from the dead for them and for who He is (Romans 10:9-13).  Written in it are the very facts that man must accept in order to be saved.  Repentance of sin is necessary for salvation in the sense, that unless a man really repents of their sins, they will not repent of their unbelief against the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:20).  Charismatic rallies do say a sinner's prayer but they are still trusting in their good works to get saved.  Some people claim to say the sinner's prayer when they get some leaflets from some quack pastor's ministry and say it, they say they're saved yet their lifestyles don't even have a single change for the better which is really IMPOSSIBLE for the believer plus they are still relying on a works-oriented gospel.  Some say a sinner's prayer and yet they are still believing that good works are still necessary to stay saved rather than the opposite that good works happen because they are saved.  Some say a sinner's prayer but do not see Jesus for who He is- Lord, Savior, Son of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords and above all God Almighty (the Son).  As a result, it's just a false conversion.  They don't have the real Jesus.

As said, it's always believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and trusting in Him alone for salvation.  One can just really silently ask Him to save them but that moment of asking or prayer was not what saved them, it's not what saved the persons in this ministry- it was just faith alone in Jesus Christ.  It was in faith that the prayer was said believing God will save them and not just having a sinner's prayer like in some Pentecostal rally that didn't result to a real conversion.  Any sinner's prayer that is said without repentance and knowing who Jesus for who He is as Lord and Savior, is NO sinner's prayer at all which is called the heresy of easy believism.  Please note that Lord here does not refer to works salvation but rather to see Him for who He is or they're seeing a false Jesus.  

Now what about Romans 10:9?  Actually to confess with one's mouth here is NOT a sinner's prayer but rather to simply realize that Jesus is Lord (and this is again, NOT about doing good works to be saved or to stay saved) and for who He is.  Actually if taken into context, Romans 10:9 is further explained that it's all about believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.  One doesn't need to say a sinner's prayer out loud or that would exempt the mute from salvation.  Rather, one really says a sinner's prayer because they believe that only the Lord will save them which is much different from a false sinner's prayer.  A sinner's prayer is only real if one really understands man's sinfulness, who Jesus is, what Jesus did for sins and that only He is the solution.  However it's only by believing that a man is truly saved, not by saying some prayer since all the believe passages only say "believe".  An example would be how in Catholicism: Crisis of Faith, actually no sinner's prayer is ever said at the end of the film, rather it's all about showing the lost sinner to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.  On the other hand, if they wish to pray to the Lord for salvation, why not?  After all, they want to call upon Him to be saved.