The Redacted Christ – Part Five – The Sinner’s Prayer – Does it Save Anyone?
In this article I want to compare the standard “Sinner’s Prayer” with a few of the Words of our Lord to see if what is now commonly thought and taught by modern Christianity to be “salvation”, that is, by saying the Sinner’s Prayer in “sincerity”. In the first place, there is no such thing as a sinner’s prayer in the Bible, either in the Old or New Testament. It does not exist; however, it is patterned after several verses of Scripture that are obviously taken out of context when compared to multiple other comments regarding what constitutes true salvation.
Here is the typical “sinner’s prayer” I took off a website, for it is, for all practical purposes, identical to thousands of others out there and reflects what passes for “salvation”
How to Get Saved!
“PRAYER OF SALVATION
Salvation Prayer
Dear God in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness.
I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin.
You said in Your Holy Word, Romans 10:9 that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved.
Right now I confess Jesus as the Lord of my soul. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved.
Thank you Jesus for your unlimited grace which has saved me from my sins. I thank you Jesus that your grace never leads to license, but rather it always leads to repentance. Therefore Lord Jesus transform my life so that I may bring glory and honor to you alone and not to myself.
Thank you Jesus for dying for me and giving me eternal life.
Amen.”
So there you have it. We must compare this to the rest of the Scripture and the warnings of Jesus concerning what He called the “BROAD WAY” that leads to destruction and ruin, and “MANY” there be that travel it. The word “BROAD” essentially means spacious, wide, flat with the implication of EASY, with no obstacles, nothing in the way to obstruct, or make it difficult to get around.
Euruchoros
The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon
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There are several facets here we need to look at. First, the “many” take this route or “way”. That is, it is the multitudes or vast majority of Christians that embrace it. Secondly that also means it is popular and must be taught by the vast majority preachers, teachers, evangelists and prophetic ministries. It must be and is the accepted “way of salvation” in modern Christian salvation theology. Jesus warned us that this was coming when He warned us of wolves dressed up in “sheep’s clothing”. Christ through Peter likewise warned us about these fakes that would make a fortune “selling” a false Gospel.
Jesus contrasts this with the word NARROW.
Thlibo
The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon
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Greek lexicon based on Thayer’s and Smith’s Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the “Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.” These files are public domain.
He also tells us that only a FEW will take it, so He is laying out AN EXACT OPPOSITE OF BROAD. He is telling us in His warnings that there will be ANOTHER GOSPEL, another lookalike salvation that is brought in by great stealth just as Peter said would happen. Once again we find a total REDACTION of what Jesus Christ actually said.
How anyone can miss this obvious contrast is amazing. We have a BROAD, WIDE, FLAT EASY WAY that leads to ruin, contrasted with a NARROW WAY that means trouble, afflict, narrow, throng, suffer tribulation. Jesus also tells us that this NARROW WAY leads to LIFE, and the BROAD WAY leads to ruin. Both are opposites to the other.
If we look at the entrances to both of these “ways”, we once again find total opposites. The gate to the broad way is VERY WIDE, and the entrance to the NARROW WAY is “strait”. So let’s take a look at the meanings of these two words:
WIDE:
Platus
The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon
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So we have a WIDE OPEN GATE that one can easily pass through to enter the broad way (can we all say “Sinner’s Prayer?”). So it makes totally logical sense – we have a wide open gate and a broad, flat, easy “way” to travel upon. This is contrasted to the word “STRAIT.”
Stenos
The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon
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Greek lexicon based on Thayer’s and Smith’s Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the “Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.” These files are public domain.
OK, so then, the Lord is telling us in no uncertain terms that the TRUE WAY OF SALVATION is termed STRAIT and NARROW, and the way to eternal ruin is BROAD AND EASY, with a “NO PROBLEMO” as Arnold the “Terminator” would say.
Is saying a “sinner’s prayer”, difficult? Is “going to a good church next Sunday” difficult? Is any of this difficult? Anyone who says it is, denies Jesus; is in total denial and headed to eternal ruin. Modern Christianity preaches an “easy, comfortable” and fake salvation. One can either believe Jesus Christ and what He actually said, or you can believe the fakes out there. Your choice, and your choice alone!!!
Jesus told us over and over again that the WAY OF THE TRUTH was a difficult way, and that is why the vast majority of Christians reject it, and claim it is a heresy, a work; a legalism of some sort, or they scream this is “Lordship salvation” and it is “another gospel” and “another Christ.” As Jesus asked, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord and NOT DO what I say?”
So it is that the BLIND LEAD THE BLIND AND THEY ALL FALL INTO THE DITCH TOGETHER.
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