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Ben Stewart
4 min read

The Sinner’s Prayer…

Understanding The Sinner’s Prayer…


Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior and only Son of God. In Jesus of Nazareth’s name Amen.


The Sinner’s Prayer is only a step towards salvation, in actuality it is nothing more than a prayer of repentance of sin by acknowledging of sin and a confession of faith to begin following Christ. Notice in this prayer, that there is acknowledging of the truth of the facts of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and an acknowledging of sin and a will to turn away from sin and follow Jesus Christ and His teaching.


Repentance from any sinner causes angels to rejoice, for Jesus said in Luke 15:10, likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents…and no one can be saved from an eternal hell unless they believe the facts of the Gospel of Christ. In that Jesus left Heaven and became a man being born of a virgin and then living a perfect example of obedience that resulted in His sinless life being crucified on a cruel cross for the ungodly and sinful souls, then after three days in the tomb He was resurrected in order to make a way for all of creation to be reconciled to God. Knowledge and accenting to these facts does not result in salvation nor in the receiving of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the bible says in James 2:19, you believe there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe and tremble. Knowing the truth of who Jesus is and His work to provide salvation does not result in salvation it results in knowledge of God’s will for salvation…


Jesus in Matthew 9:12-13, said, …they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick, but go and learn what that means, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. So then what is repentance? It is the turning away from our will and ways and a turning toward God and his will and ways. It is a U-turn if you will. It is a change in heart, mind, and direction so that a person is no longer walking after their own will but learning and submitting to the will of God through His commandments. Repentance causes joy because folks are turning away from the ways of this world and are turning to God and His ways, but it does not result in salvation, only a drawing close to God.


Jesus said in John 3:5,… truly, truly I say unto you except a man be born of the water and the Spirit, he CANNOT see the kingdom of God. This sinner’s prayer does not birth anyone in water and the Spirit, it is only the acknowledging of sin and a turning to follow Jesus as Lord. Jesus said in Mark 16:16, He that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that does not believe will be condemned. It is clear that Jesus taught that baptism is essential to salvation. The Apostle Peter in Acts 2:38-39, tells us how to be born of the water and the Spirit, he says, and then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the PROMISE is unto you and to your children and to all them that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Peter tells even as many as our Lord God shall call how to be born again of the water and the Spirit.


If you have been a person that has prayed the sinner’s prayer, then you have begun to repent. Then please continue to turn to God and follow His will and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, because Jesus has said, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believes not will be condemned”. If you do not believe in Jesus then there is no need to be baptized but if you believe that Jesus came to earth, was killed and crucified for the atonement of sin for all of creation, was buried and raised from the dead on the third day; then do not hesitate and become a Christian by submitting to Christ in baptism for the remission of your sins. If you have cancer and it goes into remission then you no longer have the effects of cancer, the same is true of sin, if submit to Christ and His baptism for the remission of sins then you will not have the effects of sin in your life. Please prayerfully consider…


Father, we pray that we may be able to discern your will for salvation with eyes that see and ears that hear and hearts that understand so that we may be converted and saved eternally from sin and death in hell, in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen.


Try…A…Daily Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend



The Sinner’s Prayer…

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