Hello I'm new.........

[heart]

I'm heart, and I am new to the forums. I just wanted to say hello. I was wondering if someone could help me with a confusion I have from a certain preacher that has been on the internt. His name is Paul Washer, I am not here to bash anyone, but he confuses me on some things. If someone wants to talk/help me on a friendly level I will appreciate it. Where I stand is that he confuses me. I know this is a strange first post but, like I said I need some help here. Thank you. God bless everyone.

[heart]

I guess what I really wanted to talk about was the sinners prayer. This is what I said when I was a new Christian.

[Keith]

Welcome to the Forum Heart! I haven't heard/listened to Paul Washer very much, but what I've seen has been doctrinally sound. Several friends have told me they like him very much.

We're having thunderstorms here so I'll be in and out as they pass through. That said, what would you like to know about the 'sinners prayer'? If you'll read the second post of this topic[/url] entitled "Salvation", it may answer your question.

I'll be back when I can, and again, welcome...

Keith

[Caretaker]

God bless you and welcome to the forum.

Romans 10:

9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

It is a faith deep in your heart.

There are those who speak against the sinners prayer as being lip-service and offering a false sense of security.

If one has confessed Jesus and opened their heart to Him, then God's Holy Spirit will enter-in and there will be evidence of spiritual fruit, one which is faith and God's gift:

Ephesians 2:

8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Gal. 5:
22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23: Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24: And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.


I have led others through Romans Road and the sinner's prayer. I said the sinner's prayer over 30 years ago. It must not be just emotional lip-service, but be confession which truly comes from the heart.



I know very little about Paul Washer. I went to his site and his doctrine seems sound. It does appear that he may be speaking against an easy-believism which has swept through the church.

[Keith]

Hi again Heart,

To add to what brother Drew has offered: If you read the "If You're New Here Please Read" topic which I pointed you to above, you read that confessing Jesus is a product of salvation. Here's what that means...

There's no prayer on earth that will save you because we're saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8a-9). Then why do we have to say a prayer? Because it's a product of our faith:

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)

"unto" (G1519 - eis) A primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

Here's how salvation occurs:

1. You heard the Gospel

2. You believed the Gospel

3. You were sealed by the Spirit

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," (Ephesians 1:13)

No one comes to belief in Jesus without the intervention of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:11). So the Holy Spirit draws us to Christ and we believe the Gospel and are saved by that belief (faith). But, we are required to confess Him as Lord, and no one can say Jesus is Lord unless they're saved:

"...no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (1 Corinthians 12:3)

Remember, we're sealed by the Holy Sprit the moment we become saved by our faith in Him alone, so if we can't confess Jesus as Lord, we're not saved. Besides that, if we don't confess Him here on earth (before men) He will deny us before God the Father in Heaven:

"But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 10:33)

I hope this has answered your question...

[Murph]

What is it about a sinner's prayer that bothers you?

What is it about Paul Washer that bothers you?

Is it something specific?

And welcome to DI!!!

[heart]

Hi again, thanks everyone. I guess I kind of jumped into a Paul Washer sermon that was posted on Youtube and didn't really listen to everything. I like a lot of what Washer says. I just focused on a point he made about the sinners prayer. Listening to him more, I think what he meant was that sometimes people don't get a little more of the gospel when they sometimes are led to the prayers. I should of listened to more. I believe in the Romans road.

I recently rededicated my life to Jesus and want to serve him the rest of my life. I don't want to be without him ever again. I just need a little more assurance sometimes that he finds me worthy.

[Murph]

To me the sinners prayer is a modern invention. You just say to the Lord what is in your heart...let it come out of your mouth. He will hear. He is afterall just at the door.

I am an old fashioned Christian from way back...and not much on the newer things the church has invented.

To me it appears that the prayer becomes the center piece instead of saving Grace...in other words, people seem to think the prayer saves.

Some of the critques I read about Washer is his insistance that you have stop all sinning before you can be saved.

Being saved is by Grace thru faith and there is nothing we have to do except acept the gift the Lord gave to us with His own life. I think it is called Lordship Salvation...and that is not what the Bible teaches...

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

As SLY was once very fond of saying..."Nothing in my hands I bring...only to the Cross I cling."

Amen.

[Murph]

Lord have mercy on our souls! I just realized what you said...er, ugh wrote. That He finds you, or me , or anyone worthy. That is the whole point...without Him "ain't" none of us worthy!

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Jesus is who makes us worthy...believers are because He was! Amen!

and all we have to do is Let Him into our hearts!

nearly all of chapter 5 is affirming and reassuring to us but one of my favorites is...all of

Chapter 8...

Sometimes we all need reassurances. Lord's got plenty of ways to put His Almighty Arms around us. He left us His Spirit, His Word...and each other...

remember He said...

"...LO, I am with you alway...even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20

From what I have seen...He keeps His promises...

[Murph]

He keeps His promises and then some...

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." Isaiah 64:4

and just for good measure Paul repeated the same promise in the NT...

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

[heart]

Thanks again. I am going to do my best to follow Jesus and keep my eyes on the cross. I am weak (that's for sure) but, he is strong. That's why he is our saviour! God bless everyone.

[Nita]

Nov 1, 2008 10:40:33 GMT -6 heart said:

Thanks again. I am going to do my best to follow Jesus and keep my eyes on the cross. I am weak (that's for sure) but, he is strong. That's why he is our saviour! God bless everyone.

Hi Heart,

Welcome. Keep reading The Word of God, ask Him to show you the truth. Get into a Church that preaches from the Bible, and you will get stronger.

Love in Christ,
Nita

[heart]

Hi Nita,

Thanks for the welcome. God bless you.