Last time we were saying that some people mistakenly believe that they are saved because they believe that they are GOOD
The reason people mistakenly believe that they are good is because they compare themselves to someone else who they think is bad
Luke 5: 32 “I have come to call, not those who think they are righteous (GOOD), but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
This time I want to talk about those people who mistakenly believe that they are saved because at one time in their life they prayed the Sinner’s Prayer
So, what is the sinner’s prayer?
The sinner’s prayer is a way of encouraging people to make a decision for Christ and was made popular in the 1950’s by famous evangelists like Billy Graham
The sinner’s prayer goes something like this:
‘Close your eyes and bow your head and repeat after me, “Dear Lord Jesus, I confess that I am a sinner, please forgive me for my sin, come into my heart, I accept You as my Savior, Amen”
Now, some people who have prayed the sinner’s prayer will be genuinely saved, but some are not, some have become false converts and mistakenly believe they are saved
Salvation is not the result of a decision that we make to accept Jesus; salvation is the result of God’s sovereign decision to save us
Romans 8: 30 ‘Having chosen us, He called us to come to Him; Those He called, He made right with Himself’ TLB NIRV NLV
Now, concerning Jesus disciples, let me ask you a question:
When the disciples were following Jesus for the 3 years
Do you think they were saved?
Yes? NO?
How do you know?
Did they pray a sinner’s prayer during that time?
So, when, where, and most importantly, how were the disciples saved?
John 20: 19-22 ‘That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” He said. As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again, He said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.” Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”’.
When were they saved?
They were saved on the Sunday evening of Jesus resurrection
Where were they saved?
They were in the Upper Room
How were they saved?
They were saved when Jesus imparted to them new life by the Holy Spirit
John 20: 22 ‘Then He (Jesus) breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”’.
Is there any evidence here that the disciples were saved by praying the sinner’s prayer?
NO
Remember that Jesus said it is the Holy Spirit that creates new life within the believer
John 3: 6 “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, you must be born again.”
At this point, some people get confused with the new life the Holy Spirit creates within the believer and the subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit
Let’s clear up some of that confusion
The new believer is first of all saved/‘born again’ by the Holy Spirit, after that comes the infilling of the new believer with the Holy Spirit for holy living and evangelism
Acts 1: 8; Acts 2: 1-4, 39
What happened for the new believers on the Day of Pentecost, is also known as the ‘baptism with the Holy Spirit’ and is an experience reserved for every new believer subsequent to salvation!
Matthew 3: 11
Acts 8: 14-17; Acts 10: 39-48; Acts 19: 1-7
OK, so what is our response when God calls us to salvation?
Romans 10: 9 ‘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’.
And, how do you know if someone is saved?
THERE MUST BE CLEAR EVIDENCE OF NEW LIFE
2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!’
What is the CLEAR EVIDENCE of NEW LIFE?
Acts 20: 21b‘the necessity of REPENTING FROM SIN and TURNING TO GOD, and of having FAITH IN OUR LORD JESUS.
If there is no CLEAR EVIDENCE of repentance, turning to God and having faith in our Lord Jesus, that person is NOT saved
EVEN IF THEY HAVE PRAYED THE SINNER’S PRAYER!
Salvation Testimony: In late 1982 the Father drew (John 6: 37) Jennifer and myself to Christ and we were ‘born again’ (John 3: 6) by the Holy Spirit and later we received the mighty baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1: 8; Acts 2: 1-4, 39) that has empowered us for holy living and evangelism these last 39 years
In our lives there is CLEAR EVIDENCE that we REPENTED of our sins, TURNED to God and continue in FAITH in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Will you join us?
revdotdavid 