Psalm 51:6 English Standard Version (ESV) Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

I have chosen one verse from the Sinner’s Prayer Psalm in order to explain the step by step approach.

When I was baptized back in the 60’s those around me acted as if I was saved, treated me as if I was saved, and knew that God was in charge of my salvation. I had no clue as to what had happened or why. While they trusted in God no one told me that I needed to trust God. No one discipled me, no one showed me the Way. They left me to my own devices.

Since I just began this new approach towards teaching the gospel of Christ, I would like to illuminate what I deem to be the most important aspect of salvation.

Psalm 139:23-24 English Standard Version (ESV) Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

God searches our hearts and determines what needs to change, when it needs to change and how it will be changed.

Our whole life we have been told to take charge of our lives, make goals, achieve goals, plan out our lives and live it to the fullest. That is a general rule and how that manifested itself in your life might be different from others. It might be parents, or teachers, or a drill sergeant. However we form our paths in life, we are asked to choose a path.

In Psalm 51:6 he speaks to the inner man and the secret heart. It helps me to grasp a meaning for myself by calling it the Sacred Heart.

Exodus 26:33 English Standard Version (ESV) And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.

17 of 19 verses in Psalm 51 are a long list of magic words about how to be saved. They are the basis of many a salvation prayer offered up in various ways by pastors as they encourage sinners to enter into the kingdom of God. Some have even gone so far as to admit there are no magic words but give some form of Psalm 51 briefly. It is a good read. What did Jesus say?

Luke 18:13-14 English Standard Version (ESV) But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

That is a very short and to the point sinners prayer. No elaborating on the things upon which salvation is based. No need to acknowledge the presence and deity of Christ, no comment about His death on the cross because at this point Christ had not died. So what is required?

My words were perhaps even simpler than the tax collector. “I don’t want to be like this.”

God knew my heart, knew my fear, knew my problem and answered me instantly. I was changed the very moment I raised my hand at the altar call. I knew I was changed but I did not know how. I knew I had done nothing different. God changed me, I did not change myself.

Did every aspect of my character change? No. There was a drastic change that allowed me to believe God did something I could not do for myself. The particulars are not as important as the acknowledgement. Your needs may be different than mine and it is important that your salvation given of God be known to you.

That was only the first step of many in my conformance.