The Best Laid Plans

I tried planting some seeds this year - tomatoes, chives and beans. I was so happy to see them pop up out of their little indoor seed pots. I watched them grow taller each day. I watered them, took care of them and nurtured them as they grew. Those were happy days.

When the time came to transplant them outdoors I was excited for them. They would be growing tall, producing fruit, and contributing to our family's well being. Yeah, well, that didn't happen.

Most of them didn't make it through the transplantation process. Why? Because I waited too long to transplant them. They spent too much of their early days stretching themselves, trying to find a light source. My mistake.

I went outside to check on them yesterday. Some animal had dug up all but a few of the little tomato seedlings, pieces were everywhere. Then, as if that weren't enough, it dropped below freezing last night. This morning, everything is frozen! One bean made it. Everything else is mush.

I look at the youth of today and I see many similarities. The church tries to get them to pray a prayer, thinking once they do that they have saved someone from eternal hell. If that's ALL they did . . . pray a prayer . . . they very well could be on their way to the very place we were trying to save them from.

The world it a tough place. Why we throw new believers into it without adequate preparation . . . no discipleship? It's like placing a plant out in the elements before it is totally ready. When a sudden frost hits they die . . . they are lost.

Jesus didn't tell His followers to "go and make converts." He told them to make disciples. There are many "Christians" walking around today that believe with all their heart they are saved because they prayed a prayer or because they think they are good enough.

Two things are often missing from the false convert - repentance and submission.

We all know people who say they are Christians, yet their lifestyle tells us something else. Are they saved because THEY believe they are or because Jesus knows they are?

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ - Matthew 7:21-23

Encourage one another to turn from the ways of this world. If "the world" is in us we have no part in Christ. We must submit to God's will. We cannot continue to live as if Christ has not changed. If we live like the world we are still part of it.

Repent . . . submit . . . and live. It's that simple. Yet we seldom teach that to our children. Who is to blame then? I think it's us.

God wishes than none should perish. Let us spread that news! Then let's tell people what they must do to be saved. It is NOT praying the sinner's prayer! It is truthful repentance, willing submission and surrendering to the will of God that saves us. And this "saving" is not of ourselves, so we could boast (Ephesians 2:9).

It is ALL God.

Why "Accepting Jesus Into Your Heart" is Superstitious & Unbiblical - David Platt

Something's Missing

Christmas is over. The wrapping paper we carefully applied to our packages is now in the trash. Unwanted Christmas gifts have been returned, gift cards redeemed. There are leftover Christmas cookies lying all over the counter . . . because we are still too full from all the other food we've eaten.

Christmas can be a very glutinous time of year, considering our unhealthy consumption of so many things - presents, cash, food, football, vacations, Christmas Carols, Christmas lights, trips to grandma's house. It seems like the only thing we don't overly consume at Christmas time is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

There is a disconnect, I think, in the life of the modern day Christian. And I think it begins in the pulpit on Sunday mornings and continues with the church of today. Something is missing.

 

I have heard pastors speak about the necessity to pray a "sinner's prayer." That's okay I guess, the praying of the prayer, not the necessity of it. But if things end right there, if there is no follow up, chances are that "new believer" will backslide right into the same place he was before. And what if the prayer that was prayed was not sincere? Are they still saved?

The disconnect for the new Christian is what to do AFTER the prayer. There is no instruction book . . . other than the Bible. Often, new believers are left alone, on their own, to try figuring out what to do next.

I myself never prayed a "sinner's payer" but I was blessed to have someone in my life to guide me when I finally DID come to believe. That has made all the difference in the world for THIS Christian.

If we go back and look at the Book of Acts we can find out what the early church did when it came to new believers. After the Holy Spirit was given to the people of the church Peter preached a sermon to all present in the synagogue. After Peter's powerful message the people asked a rather typical question for the new believer.

"37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” - Acts 2:37

Peter replied with this critical statement for ALL believers.

"38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." - Acts 2:38-39

Are today's new believers told they must REPENT of their sins? Are modern day Christians Baptized AFTER they come to believe? Let's continue reading.

"40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”  41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

After these new believers came to believe Peter continued to pour into their lives. He encouraged them to separate themselves from worldly living ("Be saved from this perverse generation"). Peter was mentoring them. Let's keep reading. What else did the new believer do back then?

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.  43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.  44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,  45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,  47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church[h] daily those who were being saved." - Acts 2:40-47.

That's the key to why many "sinner's prayer believers" fade away in their faith. They don't continue in fellowship, there is no post-belief education or instruction. And what is really scary is, most of these new believers think they got saved and that's all there is to it. Not so. Satan LOVES devouring new believers, getting them to drift away from their faith and making them ineffective tools for Christ. They are still saved because of their belief but they are rendered impotent through their post-belief inaction and apathy. And that is where many churches fail.

Do you know a new believer? Someone who is relatively new in their faith? Come along side them, encourage them, instruct them, rebuke them should any false doctrine come into their hearts. We are supposed to encourage one another. We are a family! We should act like one.

War On The Sinner's Prayer - Paul Washer

The Danger Of The Sinner's Prayer

My church did it today. There are churches all over the world that do it. Most evangelists do it too. Even Christian rock bands are after the same thing. Everyone seems REALLY interested in getting us to say the "magic words" in what has become known as "The Sinners Prayer."

What exactly IS the sinner's prayer? Here's one taken from GotQuestions.org:

"God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I am trusting in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I believe that His death and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!"

If you get asked to pray that prayer in church quite often you will be asked to talk with someone after the service. That's probably a good thing. Because most unbelievers, having just "prayed" that prayer, would not know what they had just agreed to or what they had even said.

There is a great danger in praying the sinner's prayer. It can give us a false sense of confidence and hope if we don't know fully what it means. The sinner's prayer doesn't tell the whole story. What IS the whole story? Please, open your Bibles to the book of Acts. This is where the disciples first set out to spread the Gospel. It is where they preached the first sermons and where people, previously not familiar with the Gospel, came to believe. Let's look at Acts 3, the 17th verse. Peter had just healed a lame man in front of a crowd. While everyone marveled at what Peter had done, he spoke them.

"17 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. (He was speaking of  their crucifying Jesus) 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord," - Acts 3:17-19

The key word, often not spoken in the sinner's prayer is "repent." Examine the "sinner's prayer" above. Do you see the words "repentance" mentioned? Nope. It is not mentioned at all. Yet, repentance is the first thing Peter mentions as a requirement of being saved.

The way an unbeliever perceives the praying of this prayer is that they are good to go from that point on. They most likely have not read God's word or had the opportunity to understand the faith they now profess, let alone be mentored by anyone. They most likely have missed out on the whole, "you need to repent and change your life. You need to start living for Jesus as His servant" thing.

Praying without actually believing is very dangerous. It's called being a false convert. People think they believe but they really don't. The detection key to determine who these people are is their "fruit." No fruit? No faith. This from the Book of James:

"faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." - James 2:17

When I first came to believe at age 53 I went nuts reading the Bible. I couldn't stop. My desire for knowledge was insatiable. I couldn't get enough. I also joined not one but two churches. I volunteered as a youth leader. I was on fire for Jesus. Not intentionally. I just couldn't help myself.

Today, I look at many of the kids that were in our youth group. Some of those kids who professed a faith in Christ are now living together, involved with drugs, some are in same-sex relationships, having sex outside of marriage or are expectant mothers. On the other hand, one troublemaker from our youth group now leads a Bible study in a nearby community.

I was a kid like that. I never believed in high school, although I told everyone I did. I was a pretty good liar. It wasn't until I finally believed Jesus was who He said He was and really knew that He was real, that made a difference. Some 35 years later.

So, if the sinner's prayer is prayed in a group setting like at a rock concert or a church gathering, I believe, based on what I have seen, that it is useless unless it is accompanied by a real transformation. If an alcoholic suddenly repents, quits drinking cold turkey  and then begins volunteering at AA meetings, telling others how Jesus is WAY better than anything in a bottle, I will believe he is my brother. But if a teenage girl, who was baptized on a youth trip begins to fade and is now found living with her boyfriend, I begin to wonder.

I never prayed a sinner's prayer. It is not essential to one's salvation. It is not found ANYWHERE in the Bible. Yet the church grew. Why? Repentance, sins forgiven, , a fruit-filled tree testifying to the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence.

It isn't a prayer that is said that makes the difference. It's a transformation caused when the Holy Spirit comes into our souls and begins to refine us. It is repentance that triggers it all, not a prayer.

One of the pastors I like to listen to once said of alter calls, basically the same as asking someone to repeat a sinner's prayer, "You were saved in your seat."

It isn't the prayer that saves you. It's the deciding to say it, with meaning, that does. It is our desire to live for Jesus, not to have Him be our magical genie to do our bidding. It is our desire to be a slave to a King that makes us one of His children. Offer yourself to Him. Read His Word. Lay your life at His Holy feet and pray . . . for forgiveness. Praise Him for His free gift of salvation through His grace and mercy. THEN stand, and stand tall. You are a child of God. Now . . . act like it.

During this Easter season I encourage you to examine the thief on the cross. He was never baptized, he never said a sinner's prayer, he was never discipled, went to SHAPE class, or served in anyway. He believed that Jesus was God. It was his faith and belief that saved him mere hours before he died.

"39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” - Luke 23:39-43

Think about that. All the thief did . . . was believe.

Examining The Sinner's Prayer - Paul Washer