The sinner's prayer – What is it?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The sinner’s prayer is a way for a person to acknowledge their sinfulness, confess faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and accept God’s gift of salvation. Though the prayer itself does not save us, it is a way to seek forgiveness. The Bible calls us to repent (Psalm 51:1-4; Joel 2:12-13) and trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins (Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9). The sinner’s prayer is a verbal expression of turning to God and entering a restored relationship with Him.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament does not talk about a sinner’s prayer but teaches us that we should confess our sins to God, asking Him to create in us a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit (Psalm 51:1-4 and 10-12).
• Proverbs 28:13 emphasizes that those who conceal their sins will not prosper but anyone who confesses and renounces their wrongdoing will find mercy.
• Joel 2:12-13 calls God’s people to return to Him with sincere repentance, humility, and fasting.
• Isaiah 55:6-7 urges us to seek the Lord while He may be found and to forsake wicked ways. God is ready to forgive those who repent and return to Him.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• A prayer does not save us, but praying is how we acknowledge to God that we are sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:23). As we pray, we confess our trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Acts 10:43). It is by faith in this that we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9), and prayer verbally acknowledges that faith (Romans 10:9-10).
• The first aspect of any sinner's prayer is the recognition of being a sinner. Romans 3:23 clearly notes that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. Romans 3:10 adds, "None is righteous, no, not one."
• The second aspect of a sinner's prayer is the recognition that God is the sufficient solution to human sin. Romans 5:8 teaches, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
• It is only in Jesus that salvation can be found. Acts 4:12 teaches, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Jesus personally taught, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
• Romans 10:9 teaches, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." A person must believe Jesus is Lord and believe He rose from the dead. If those two things are not true, He cannot really be the solution to our sin problem.
• Is there anything we must "do" to be saved? Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches that God saves us by His grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Our human works will never be good enough to meet God's perfect standard. Instead, we place our faith in Christ and He provides salvation as a free gift.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

It is important to recognize that a sinner's prayer is not what saves a person. Jesus does! A prayer is simply a way to agree with Him about the truth of our depraved state and the truth of the gracious gift He offers. A sinner's prayer is a verbal recognition of truth and acceptance of the gift. It is a way to begin living in a restored relationship with God.

Jesus gave Himself as the way of reaching heaven because of His love. This great love brought Jesus from heaven to earth to live a perfect life, to die for our sins, and to be brought back to life as the one and only opportunity for us to have eternal life by believing in Him.

Do you want to accept Jesus as your Savior and receive eternal life? If so you can respond to Him with a prayer similar to this:

"Dear God, I realize I am a sinner and could never reach heaven by my own good deeds. Right now I place my faith in Jesus Christ as God's Son who lived a perfect life, died for my sins, and rose from the dead to give me eternal life. Please forgive me of my sins and bring me into the right relationship with you. Thank you for accepting me and giving me eternal life."

Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have read here? If so, please click on the "I have accepted Christ today" button below.

UNDERSTAND

• The sinner’s prayer acknowledges our sin and expresses faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
• Salvation comes by God’s grace through faith, not the prayer itself or human works.
• The sinner’s prayer involves confession, repentance, and acceptance of His gift of salvation.

REFLECT

• How have you personally acknowledged your need for forgiveness and placed your faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection?
• How do you recognize that salvation comes by God’s grace through faith, not by your own actions or prayers?
• How does confessing your sins and accepting God’s gift of salvation impact the way you live each day?

ENGAGE

• How do the Old and New Testament passages on repentance and seeking mercy influence our understanding of salvation and the role of prayer in it?
• How do we help others understand that a prayer alone does not save but that faith in Jesus does?
• How can we encourage each other to live in repentance and acceptance of God’s gift?