“Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and that I deserve to go to hell. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. I do now receive him as my Lord and personal Savior. I promise to serve you to the best of my ability. Please save me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

This is so simple and yet maybe too simple.

As stated yesterday “God has to justify His own words in rendering final judgment in His own court. Psalm 51:4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”

How does God justify His words in order to give us this free gift of salvation? Maybe it would be easier to explain if I recited my sinner’s prayer that God answered immediately.

“I don’t want to be like this.”

That prayer holds none of the elements of the sinner’s prayer so how was God justified in answering that prayer and changing me instantly?

The simple and most important factor in any salvation prayer is God’s examination of a sinner’s heart and deciding for Himself, “I can work with this.”

Our biggest problem with the sinner’s prayer is telling people that salvation comes down to a single moment in time that changes their lives. Salvation is not a single issue element that says “You’re good to go.” Salvation is a lifetime commitment in following Jesus. 1 Peter 2:2

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

It is a growth process.

Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah

Salvation is not ours to give away or earn. It is about a personal relationship based on Jesus obeying the Father on the Cross. Now it is our turn to obey.

It comes down to this for each of us that are saved; John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

Love Him. It is that simple.

THE SINNER’S PRAYER is not even found in the Bible one time! The sinner’s prayer usually goes something like this:

“Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and that I deserve to go to hell. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. I do now receive him as my Lord and personal Savior. I promise to serve you to the best of my ability. Please save me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

A person can search his Bible from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21 and never find this prayer or any variation of it mentioned anywhere in Scripture. Why then do so many people believe the sinner’s prayer saves? People believe this is a way of salvation because they have put their trust in men and not God. The sinner’s prayer originated in America and was especially popularized by Baptist preacher Billy Graham (as well as Billy Sunday and Bill Bright). Over the last half century Billy Graham and denominational preachers like him, have taught multiplied millions of people a way of salvation that is not even found in the Bible! Remember, the Bible says “there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death” (Proverbs 16:25).

Source; the gospelofchrist.com

That is disheartening to say the least.

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Now that is better, clean, simple and direct. So how do we do that? There does not seem to be some easy formula for gaining salvation. While the sinner’s prayer is not in the bible, there are  defined hints as to why pastors believe the prayer helps, even if it is not clearly understood.

Jesus answered the question about salvation in this way. Luke 18:27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” God the Father alone makes salvation possible for any of us. This is why the “sinner’s prayer” begins with a cry to the heavenly Father for help.

The second section of that prayer is identified by this verse. Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,” where grace is defined as unmerited favor, but God grants salvation even when we don’t deserve it. Now we begin to see the reason that the sinner’s prayer is used because there are scriptures that support every element of the prayer.

The question remains as to the validity of using the prayer in and of itself as justification for salvation. Now we have gone and dragged in another word that was not included in that prayer but is vitally important. God has to justify His own words in rendering final judgment in His own court.

Psalm 51:4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.