tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post6260740335446493940..comments2023-10-18T09:38:27.290-05:00Comments on Time 2 Change Churches!: How many times have you been saved?pastorbrianculverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07325788116682801754noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post-67171764177728701772008-10-08T07:16:00.000-05:002008-10-08T07:16:00.000-05:00that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10<BR/><BR/>The problem with using the sinners prayer based on this scripture is this:<BR/><BR/>For with the heart one believes unto righteousness...<BR/><BR/>just having a person speak the "same" words as someone else, does not create in them a desire for righteousness. the word "believe" is more than an intellectual belief and for an unrepentant sinner, they do not understand the "need" for a Savior. We must not be lazy in presenting the gospel to people. We need to do a better job of preaching the Whole Gospel Message! I understand the use of Romans 10 for the sinners prayer, my problem comes in that no one in the bible actually used this model in bringing people to Christ. Jesus didn't do it, Paul didn't do it, none of them did it. I would rather remain on the biblical side than on the side of man.pastorbrianculverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07325788116682801754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post-86462421171480575722008-10-08T05:33:00.000-05:002008-10-08T05:33:00.000-05:00Its pretty simple. The Biblical basis for the sinn...Its pretty simple. The Biblical basis for the sinners prayer or confessions is<BR/><BR/>Romans 10:9-11<BR/><BR/>Thats the model that most churhes I know use.<BR/><BR/>If you want to add further works to it..Thats unbiblicalAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post-62512525271553518612008-09-12T21:12:00.000-05:002008-09-12T21:12:00.000-05:00I heard these quotes a few days ago that I just ca...I heard these quotes a few days ago that I just cannot get out of my head, and it kind of goes along with what you are saying. The first one is from Paul Washer, and the second one might also be from him, or it might have been on WOTM radio (which very well might still be Paul Washer, or John Piper, or Todd Friel). I can't remember, but I can't get them out of my head.<BR/><BR/>"Sunday morning worship is the biggest hour of idolatry in the world." People worship a God they DO NOT KNOW. They don't know His nature, they do not know His Word. <BR/><BR/>And this goes right along with it:<BR/><BR/>"If we truly understood the holy nature of God and the complete depravity of man, we would never say, 'Why do bad things happen to good people?', we would simply say, 'Why does anything good happen at all?'"<BR/><BR/>It all ties in with people NOT KNOWING GOD yet are being told that they do because they once said a prayer but their lifestyle never changed. Where in the Bible did you read Jesus say, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand, so come to me and ask me to come into your heart, and as long as you are sincere about it, I will come in." NO! That is absurd! He says, "REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." <BR/><BR/>Oh, the heresy being preached!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00144910846284431972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post-69563851823418307512008-09-10T17:06:00.000-05:002008-09-10T17:06:00.000-05:00My church invites people to the alter to pray a si...My church invites people to the alter to pray a sinners prayer. I went to the alter and prayed a sinners prayer. I meant what I prayed. I understood my sin and repented. I don't think everybody who goes to the alter is sincere, but I thank God I had a tangible way to confess to the world that Jesus is Lord. I am also pretty reformed in my thinking that no matter what way a person prays to the Lord for forgiveness and salvation, He is the One who saves, not you, not me, not the preacher in the church. I thank God I found a Bible believing, Bible teaching church because before then, I wandered around this earth as lost as the rest of them. God saved me because He granted me repentance and salvation. That prayer was just me professing it. Is it necessary? I don't think so. Is it nice? I think it is very nice and I also think it is encouraging for the person praying it, it was for me. Is it Biblical? Maybe not the prayer itself, but the Bible does say to confess Jesus is Lord and that's what I did in front of the whole church. I'm very glad to hear your son is going to be okay! God bless you!michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01855240895148103436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post-46896731539273384182008-09-10T11:36:00.000-05:002008-09-10T11:36:00.000-05:00Yes BrianWhat you say fully makes sense. If there ...Yes Brian<BR/><BR/>What you say fully makes sense. If there is no evidence of fruit in ones life then, having said the prayer or not, one is not saved - simple as!<BR/><BR/>I love Psalm 51 - great answer to my question!<BR/><BR/>"Create in me a pure heart O God!"<BR/><BR/> What a prayer!<BR/><BR/>NeilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post-12309189046063204902008-09-10T08:43:00.000-05:002008-09-10T08:43:00.000-05:00how you doing neil neil???nice double name!As for ...how you doing neil neil???<BR/>nice double name!<BR/><BR/>As for a prayer that I would use. I would go straight to the Bible.<BR/><BR/>Psalm 51 comes to mind!<BR/><BR/>The real problem I see with the sinners prayer is the "word" repent and how it is used. It all stems from the problem of pastors (and others) do not do a good job of telling people "why" they need to repent. So they just repeat the word repent without any knowledge of the why to repent. The prayer in and of itself is neither good nor bad. We just need to be careful to assign the "saved" tag to anyone who "says" the "prayer." Show me their faith through their actions and I might be convinced. It is ultimately only God who knows who is saved or not. My thing is this...<BR/>too many people have taken the name of Christ and thrown mud on it with their unrighteous behavior, with their total disrespect for the Word and still want to claim they are saved because they repeated a prayer that someone told them they had to say. Does this make sense?pastorbrianculverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07325788116682801754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6591518369598505341.post-6267814995464027062008-09-10T08:36:00.000-05:002008-09-10T08:36:00.000-05:00"Dear Father, I have sinned and marred your image ..."Dear Father, I have sinned and marred your image in me. I repent of all my sin and desire to seek your righteous ways. Thank you Lord that Jesus was prepared to die for me on the cross. Through all that Jesus achieved on the cross, I pray that you change me and bring me into new life, a life that follows you and not the world and the Devil. By the cross of Christ, I receive and thank you for your forgiveness. I declare that you are my Lord and Saviour! Amen"<BR/><BR/>Brian: I agree with you that saying a prayer like the above cannot bring salvation. I listen very carefully to what you say on this matter.<BR/><BR/>I do wonder if someone says the above prayer and really means it, then could this be a sign of salvation, possibly in a similar<BR/>(but not the same) way that Baptism is in outward sign of the change that has happened inside?<BR/><BR/>You are right to say that the use of this prayer has been abused. Do you feel that there is anything wrong with the prayer itself? Does it have any redeeming features? Is there an alternative prayer that might express to God a desire to repent and be forgiven and thank God for what He has done in Jesus?<BR/><BR/>As usual you are absolutely right about the need for the full gospel. Those on their death bed (that's everyone outside Christ!)as well as those saved, need to know about the Law as well as God's grace.<BR/><BR/>Looking forward to your reply.<BR/><BR/>God bless<BR/><BR/>Neil<BR/><BR/>NeilQuestion of Identityhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15651248714592936545noreply@blogger.com