Does Saying “The Sinner’s Prayer” Save?

Preachers sometimes invite listeners to pray something such as, “God, I am sorry I have sinned. Please forgive me and let Jesus come into my heart. Thank you for forgiving me and giving me eternal life. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.” The preacher then says, “Since you have asked Christ into your life, you are now His child, and your sins are forgiven. Now, go and find a church to belong to.” The problem here is that this promise of forgiveness is from a man, not God. God has never promised to respond to “the sinner’s prayer.” John said, “How we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.” (Jn. 9:31) Prayer is a privilege for God’s people. James said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (Jam. 5:16b). Peter mentioned, “the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Pet. 3:12). Furthermore, Solomon warned, “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Prov. 28:9). Then, the psalmist spoke of the dilemma of the sinner saying, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psa. 66:18). But, what about the prayers of the publican and the Pharisee? While the Pharisee prayed “with himself,” the publican, “standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus concluded, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Lk. 18:11, 13, 14). These verses do not set the pattern for sinners coming to Christ because both the Pharisee and the publican were already in a covenant relationship with God as part of His chosen people, the Jews. Both, despite their sins, had the right to pray to God. But, what about Joel’s prophecy? He said, “that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered” (Joel. 2:32a). To “call upon the name of the Lord” means to make an appeal through obedience. Saul of Tarsus, while on the way to Damascus, heard the voice of the Lord and asked the Lord what he should do. The Lord did not tell him to say “the sinner’s prayer,” but “go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:6) While there in Damascus, Saul prayed and fasted for three days, but still found no salvation. It was only when Ananias told him, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). In his baptism, he called on the name of the Lord, and his sins were washed away. It is clear that Saul would not have been saved if he had merely prayed, “the sinner’s prayer” and had refused to obey the Lord’s command. But, Jesus said, “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (Jn. 14:14). Now, this is not a blanket of promise to any person, but to the children of God who follow Him and have the right to ask things in His name, by His authority. This simplicity is confirmed when Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Furthermore, on the day of Pentecost, Peter did not tell the multitude to recite “the sinner’s prayer” when they asked “What shall we do?” Peter responded by saying, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:37, 38a). Therefore, we can conclude through the scriptures that the sinner’s prayer is not heard by God, but we can be saved if we follow the examples of Saul and those believers on the day of Pentecost. Robert Notgrass