The Southern Baptist Convention just finished their annual convention. One significant debate was over a resolution regarding the “Sinner’s Prayer.” David Platt expressed some serious concerns over the prayer:
Should it not concern us that there is no such superstitious prayer in the New Testament? Should it not concern us that the Bible never uses the phrase, ‘accept Jesus into your heart’ or ‘invite Christ into your life’?
Check out the source link for more info. I have just a few thoughts about this, and then I’d love to hear from you.
- I think Platt’s concern is valid. That prayer isn’t found in Scripture. I wonder if it shows a lack of trust in the power of God for salvation. Follow me here. Is it possible that in our zeal to see people confess Christ, that we don’t lay out what it biblically means to be a true disciple? “All you have to do is come down to the altar and pray this prayer!” We want people to become Christians very badly (a great motive!). But do we really trust the power of God to use an explanation of the cost of discipleship in gospel presentations? Maybe someone won’t respond to a plea if it includes truths of Jesus like, “Unless you’re willing to give up everything you have for Christ, you can’t be his disciple.” However, at least in this instance, someone would know where they stood if they refused to follow Christ. Isn’t that better than making salvation and discipleship seem like a walk in the park, resulting in people thinking they’re saved when they’re really not?
- The article I initially read implied this conflict stems from the SBC’s issue of Calvinism VS Arminianism. I don’t doubt that. Does it have a direct reflection on the differences between the SBCs views on the order of salvation? Do the Calvinists have a problem with the prayer because they believe someone would only truly confess Christ (Romans 10:9) if they have been regenerated? And why would we tell everyone they should confess Christ in order to cause their regeneration? Not sure.
- I find it interesting how the SBCs view of apostasy makes this different than how the problem plays out in the NAFWB.Think about it. No one can forfeit their salvation, according to our Southern Baptist friends, and they know there are many people who have confessed Christ as Lord, but they are nowhere to be found in their churches. I know, I know, the SBC folk will just say those people were never truly saved if they don’t show fruit. Some of those people will feel convicted again and pray the prayer again and get baptized again (a friend of mine in the SBC said many people get baptized several times–that’s a different kind of anabaptist). But they still live a life they don’t feel is good enough so they do the whole process over again. Where does the cycle end?
In our circles though, we would probably say those people who initially confessed Christ have forfeited their faith (although I would agree many were probably never saved). As a result, depending on what part of the country you’re from, we would either say that person can never be saved again, or you’ll see people who claim to have gotten saved multiple times. It’s a different twist. The SBC has a problem with people getting baptized 5 times. The NAFWB has a problem with people thinking they got saved 5 times. - A biblical understanding on assurance of salvation is vital to this discussion. Specifically, I think it’s a terrible thing for people to write down the date of their initial confession of Christ in their Bible and then say, “If you ever doubt it, just open up your Bible where it reads the date you became a Christian.” There’s actually a song about that: “I can tell you now the time, I can take you to the place / Where the Lord saved me . . .” How many people are members of churches in the NAFWB (and the SBC) but only attend church on Easter and Mother’s Day, show no affection for Christ, live in unrepentant sin, show no fruit of the Spirit in their life, but will have some family member say at their funeral that they know their loved one is in heaven because, “He wrote down the day he prayed the prayer, and he’s never doubted it.” God forbid I would damn someone like that.
What do you guys think?
12 comments
Chris says:
Jun 22, 2012
Jacob,
This is excellent! I don’t know what it looks like logistically, but this is certainly something we need to have dialogue about in our denomination. This lends itself terribly to antinomianism. Like you said, it almost seems that just “saying a prayer” is a safe way to disregard any type of intentional discipleship and continual sanctification.
I had a conversation recently with a friend. Unlike the SBC, who may be rebaptized multiple times, I feel as if there are some sects in our movement that have used the term “rededication” as a similar phraseology. They know they can’t get “resaved”, but we almost treat these “rededications” as such.
I can’t agree more that the answer to this problem is that we need deeper discipleship, and more so, a higher view of the sufficiency of Scripture and the work of the Spirit.
Thanks for the great post, friend.
Jacob says:
Jun 22, 2012
Good thought on the rededication thing. That needs some clarity as well.
Marcus says:
Jun 22, 2012
Great discussion topic, particularly with the resurgence of (at least some flavor of) Calvinism in the SBC. FWBs, of course, are not the only ones to promote the use of “the sinner’s prayer”; just go to any Christian music concert. And, Chris, I’ve heard the use of “rededication” quite often in Independent Baptist circles as well. All of the above have problems if we lead folks to think that they’ve completed their spiritual journey at that point, rather than just beginning.
I think, going back to the original statement in question, it’s another example of how we have to be increasingly aware of our terminology in a culture that is decreasingly familiar with the basics of Christianity. Just as we can no longer assume that everyone knows who Noah was, we can’t assume that people know that “accept Christ into your life” should have as much to do with the “life” as it does with the “accept”. Whether it’s in a church service, a concert, or a youth camp, follow-up and discipleship have to be part of the process.
Thanks for posting.
Jacob says:
Jun 22, 2012
Thanks Marcus. Good thoughts!
Matt Price says:
Jun 22, 2012
Amen. Of course we could get into a discussiin about perseverance, fruit and apostasy, but the gist of this is good stuff. I would add that we (as Baptists) have simply replaced the God appointed means of profession (baptism) with extra-biblical means (sinners’ prayers etc.) When the crowd asked Peter “what shall we do?” He didn’t lead them in a corporate sinners’ prayer but commanded “repent and be baptized!” We should learn from that first “invitation.”
Jacob says:
Jun 22, 2012
That is a good reference. Maybe we can talk more about this when I’m in Louisville in a few weeks. Thanks Matt.
Jonathan Postlewaite says:
Jun 22, 2012
I heard Ray Comfort (The Way of the Master – works with Kirk Cameron) once talk about the fact that it can be very dangerous to not present the whole reality of the Christian life in our efforts to evangelize. He used the metaphor of two people getting in a plane and being given a parachute. The first one is told that the plane will definitely crash and that he will definitely need a parachute at some point while the other one is told it is there just in case. The person who has been told that the plane will definitely go down is willing to put up with the discomfort of wearing a parachute throughout the plane trip while the one who has not eventually gets tired of the cumbersome parachute and discards it to take his chances. Now this is just a metaphor and I know it has holes but his point was that too often we draw people into Christianity with a very simple idea of what it means to be a Christian when we should at least also let them know that while their life will be better spiritually there are also things that may become more difficult.
Jacob says:
Jun 22, 2012
That is a good point, Jonathan. I pray I would have the boldness to even start sharing the gospel. Oftentimes I’m too much of a sissy.
Chris says:
Jun 22, 2012
I agree with all of you guys so far. I would, however, like to make a few points of clarification on my earlier comment. Of course, as you may have assumed, I do NOT meant that one can’t use a prayer to mark their conversion. I think it is very biblical for one who is seeking faith in Christ to cry out in prayer in repentance and for faith in Christ. In that sense, I am wholeheartedly for a sinner’s prayer.
More so, and you may have guessed this, I do NOT think there is anything wrong with a person renewing their dedication back to the Lord. There are certainly times in all of our lives where we feel like we’ve slipped away from our daily walk with Christ and there is a need to “rededicate” our faith in Him. The only danger is when we blur that line between rededication and a genuine conversion.
My deepest desire in all of this is to see people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It may be the greatest sorrow in all of history to see people confess Christ with their lips and live opposed to His commands. I think we can all agree that spiritual discipleship and a love for the gospel are at the heart of what we want for our people and for ourselves.
Jacob says:
Jun 22, 2012
I renew my dedication to the Lord almost daily. I think that’s tied into the truth that Christians have an acute awareness of their sinfulness (1 John 1:9). That’s just called walking with Christ or discipleship.
Eva Moore says:
Jun 22, 2012
Excellent Jacob!! I have thought for some time now that people getting saved by saying that prayer is silly. It’s whats in your heart, it’s about confessing to Christ, accepting him as your savior. A prayer doesn’t get you saved.
Romans 10:9 says That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
That is how you get saved. I feel like telling people, especially kids, that is is done the other way could potentially be harmful…not for everyone, or every time…but the possibility is there.
Good for you for writing about it!!
Matt Markins says:
Jun 22, 2012
Jonathan, I really like that illustration (for what it is). It makes a clear point. Thanks for sharing that.