Re: The Sinners Prayer: Does it Save You?

Hello jb and thank you for expressing your thoughts on this important topic. In agreement with you, I don't believe a sinner's prayer itself saves us and i believe it has even been responsible for a good many superficial and false conversions in which people have placed too much faith for their salvation in the prayer itself, but i also believe that when genuine a sincere prayer from our heart can be a helpful part of making, declaring and reinforcing a true commitment to living unto the Lord and can genuinely represent a turning point for a lot of people... the day they decided to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, be washed clean of their sin and turn their lives over to Him.

In this way i feel it is a similar profession and affirmation of faith to the decision to become water baptized, an act which also does not in itself save us, but can in many instances have profound implications in the level to which we surrender ourselves to the Lord and are transformed in Spirit. In both cases, if the prophetic acts are meaningful, they will be accompanied by a changed heart and healthy fruit. Also in both cases, i believe it's a beautiful and important expression to make a genuine statement to the Lord that we are deeply thankful for what He has done and that we absolutely do want Him and receive Him :). Abundant blessings.