Sinner's prayer
Encyclopedia
A sinner's prayer is an evangelical term referring to any prayer
of repentance
, spoken or read by individuals who feel convicted of the presence of sin
in their life and desire to form or renew a personal relationship with God
through his son Jesus Christ. It is not intended as liturgical like a creed
or a confiteor
. It is intended to be an act of initial conversion to Christianity
, and also may be prayed as an act of recommitment for those who are already believers in the faith. Often, at the end of a worship service, an evangelist will invite those desiring to "receive Christ" (become converted) to "repeat after me" the words of some form of a sinner's prayer. It also is frequently found on printed “gospel” tracts, urging people to “repeat these words from the bottom of your heart”.
The prayer can take on different forms. There is no formula of specific words considered essential, although it usually contains an admission of sin and a petition asking that the Divine (Jesus) enter into the person's life. The use of the sinner's prayer is common within many Protestant churches such as Baptists, evangelicals, fundamentalists, Pentecostals, and charismatics. It is sometimes uttered by Christians seeking redemption or reaffirming their faith in Christ during a crisis or disaster, when death may be imminent. It is generally not used by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, Lutherans, and other ancient traditionally liturgical Christian Churches. Some have noted, however, that its content (though not its intended use) is typically quite similar to the Jesus Prayer
of the Eastern Orthodox traditions.
An early proponent of the sinner's prayer was the well-known American
evangelist
D.L. Moody. Evangelists such as Billy Graham
and evangelistic organizations such as Campus Crusade for Christ
brought the concept to prominence in the 20th century. Televangelists often ask viewers to pray a Sinner's Prayer with them, one phrase at a time, to become a Christian. Quite commonly, such a prayer appears at the conclusion of a tract
and is recited in a religious service or other public service as an invitation for congregants to affirm their faith, sometimes as part of an altar call
. The prayer is nowhere found in the Bible, but proponents often point to , , and as their sources.
An early version of the Sinners' Prayer is found in Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, published in 1678.
Ninth Stage. (Chapter 18)
is generally necessary for salvation
, such as the Churches of Christ and Christian churches and churches of Christ. This doctrine is called baptismal regeneration
because of adherents' belief that the moment of salvation is experienced as the candidate emerges from immersion in water at the time of baptism.
One such critic has labeled the sinner's prayer an "apostasy" since the presumption is that salvation can instantly be received (prior to baptism) upon confessing one's sins and accepting Christ as Savior and Lord without water baptism.
Others see it as an example of apparently instantaneous salvation coming through repentance without water baptism or any kind of work but saying and believing the Sinner's Prayer, citing the assurance Jesus gave to the penitent thief on a cross next to him during the crucifixion.
An opposing position is that the penitent thief was dying under the older Mosaical law
which did not require baptism (cf. Mikveh) and that before Christ's death He had authority and did forgive many without any of the salvation requirements found after His Death, Burial and Resurrection found in the rest of the New Testament. Additionally, it is unknown whether the thief had been baptized at a stage in life before being crucified. John the Baptizer and Jesus' disciples already had baptized many individuals. See "What about the thief on the cross?
Evidence for baptism being necessary for salvation includes the conversion of Saul of Tarsus
(the Apostle Paul). After Christ had told Saul to enter Damascus where Saul would be told what he "must" do, Saul was blind for three days and was praying during this time. Ananias
arrived and cured Paul of his blindess and baptised Saul to wash away his sins. Baptism is also called "washing of regeneration" and is part of the "born again" conversion experience in the Bible.
claims that "mediocrity and hypocrisy characterize the lives of many avowed Christians."
The writer encourages believers to go beyond a sinner's prayer and "embark on a life fully devoted to the love of God, the love of neighbor, the moral practice of God's will, and radical, costly discipleship." "Love of God" and "Love of neighbor" are the Great Commandment
s. See also Disciple (Christianity)
.
Does the reciter truly understand what the commitment to Christ really means? Praying a sinner’s prayer with someone who isn’t genuinely repentant may create a false sense of security in the one reciting it. According to , if a sinner is ready to accept Jesus as Savior, a biblical prerequisite is that the sinner (Christian prospect) has been drawn by the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
of repentance
Repentance
Repentance is a change of thought to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from a person who is wronged. In religious contexts it usually refers to confession to God, ceasing sin against God, and resolving to live according to religious law...
, spoken or read by individuals who feel convicted of the presence of sin
Sin
In religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
in their life and desire to form or renew a personal relationship with God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
through his son Jesus Christ. It is not intended as liturgical like a creed
Creed
A creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
or a confiteor
Confiteor
The Confiteor is one of the prayers that can be said during the Penitential Rite at the beginning of Mass of the Roman Rite in the Catholic Church. It is also said in the Lutheran Church at the beginning of their Divine Service...
. It is intended to be an act of initial conversion to Christianity
Conversion to Christianity
Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. It has been called the foundational experience of Christian life...
, and also may be prayed as an act of recommitment for those who are already believers in the faith. Often, at the end of a worship service, an evangelist will invite those desiring to "receive Christ" (become converted) to "repeat after me" the words of some form of a sinner's prayer. It also is frequently found on printed “gospel” tracts, urging people to “repeat these words from the bottom of your heart”.
The prayer can take on different forms. There is no formula of specific words considered essential, although it usually contains an admission of sin and a petition asking that the Divine (Jesus) enter into the person's life. The use of the sinner's prayer is common within many Protestant churches such as Baptists, evangelicals, fundamentalists, Pentecostals, and charismatics. It is sometimes uttered by Christians seeking redemption or reaffirming their faith in Christ during a crisis or disaster, when death may be imminent. It is generally not used by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, Lutherans, and other ancient traditionally liturgical Christian Churches. Some have noted, however, that its content (though not its intended use) is typically quite similar to the Jesus Prayer
Jesus Prayer
The Jesus Prayer or "The Prayer" is a short, formulaic prayer esteemed and advocated within the Eastern Orthodox church:The prayer has been widely taught and discussed throughout the history of the Eastern Churches. It is often repeated continually as a part of personal ascetic practice, its use...
of the Eastern Orthodox traditions.
Origin
The Sinner's Prayer as popularly known today has roots in Christian Protestantism and can be found as early as the eighteenth century in revival movement. A biblical example of this may be seen in the contrast related by Jesus between the prayer of a self-righteous Pharisee and that of a repentant tax collector humbling himself before the Lord.An early proponent of the sinner's prayer was the well-known American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
D.L. Moody. Evangelists such as Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
and evangelistic organizations such as Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ
Campus Crusade for Christ is an interdenominational Christian organization that promotes evangelism and discipleship in more than 190 countries...
brought the concept to prominence in the 20th century. Televangelists often ask viewers to pray a Sinner's Prayer with them, one phrase at a time, to become a Christian. Quite commonly, such a prayer appears at the conclusion of a tract
Tract (literature)
A tract is a literary work, and in current usage, usually religious in nature. The notion of what constitutes a tract has changed over time. By the early part of the 21st century, these meant small pamphlets used for religious and political purposes, though far more often the former. They are...
and is recited in a religious service or other public service as an invitation for congregants to affirm their faith, sometimes as part of an altar call
Altar call
An altar call is a practice in some evangelical churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly. It is so named because the supplicants gather at the altar located at the front of the church building. In the Old Testament, an...
. The prayer is nowhere found in the Bible, but proponents often point to , , and as their sources.
An early version of the Sinners' Prayer is found in Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, published in 1678.
Ninth Stage. (Chapter 18)
Example
Doctrine of “baptismal regeneration”
One criticism comes from traditional Christians who believe that baptismBaptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
is generally necessary for salvation
Salvation
Within religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
, such as the Churches of Christ and Christian churches and churches of Christ. This doctrine is called baptismal regeneration
Baptismal regeneration
Baptismal regeneration, the literal meaning of which is "being born again" "through baptism" , is the doctrine within some Christian denominations that holds that salvation is dependent upon the act of baptism; in other words, baptismal regenerationists believe that it is essential for one to be...
because of adherents' belief that the moment of salvation is experienced as the candidate emerges from immersion in water at the time of baptism.
One such critic has labeled the sinner's prayer an "apostasy" since the presumption is that salvation can instantly be received (prior to baptism) upon confessing one's sins and accepting Christ as Savior and Lord without water baptism.
Others see it as an example of apparently instantaneous salvation coming through repentance without water baptism or any kind of work but saying and believing the Sinner's Prayer, citing the assurance Jesus gave to the penitent thief on a cross next to him during the crucifixion.
An opposing position is that the penitent thief was dying under the older Mosaical law
613 mitzvot
The 613 commandments is a numbering of the statements and principles of law, ethics, and spiritual practice contained in the Torah or Five Books of Moses...
which did not require baptism (cf. Mikveh) and that before Christ's death He had authority and did forgive many without any of the salvation requirements found after His Death, Burial and Resurrection found in the rest of the New Testament. Additionally, it is unknown whether the thief had been baptized at a stage in life before being crucified. John the Baptizer and Jesus' disciples already had baptized many individuals. See "What about the thief on the cross?
Evidence for baptism being necessary for salvation includes the conversion of Saul of Tarsus
Conversion of Paul
The Conversion of Paul the Apostle, as depicted in the Christian Bible, refers to an event reported to have taken place in the life of Paul of Tarsus which led him to cease persecuting early Christians and to himself become a follower of Jesus; it is normally dated by researchers to AD 33–36...
(the Apostle Paul). After Christ had told Saul to enter Damascus where Saul would be told what he "must" do, Saul was blind for three days and was praying during this time. Ananias
Ananias of Damascus
Ananias , was a disciple of Jesus at Damascus mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, which describes how he was sent by Jesus to restore the sight of "Saul, of Tarsus" and provide him with additional instruction in the way of the...
arrived and cured Paul of his blindess and baptised Saul to wash away his sins. Baptism is also called "washing of regeneration" and is part of the "born again" conversion experience in the Bible.
Absence of biblical example
The absence of any specific example of conversion in the Bible through the Sinner's Prayer is also used by some to argue against it. Some say it creates within the sinner a false sense of security. Often cited as an example of salvation through repentance without baptism by water is found in the example of the penitent thief on a cross Others suggest that the penitent thief on the cross was dying under the Mosaical law (which did not require Baptism), not during the time of the church (established on Pentecost over 7 weeks later), into which baptism signifies entrance. John the Baptizer and Jesus' disciples already had baptized numerous individuals in that part of the world, so it is theoretically possible that the thief could have been baptized before Jesus promised him eternal life.Possible shallow or insincere commitment
A third major criticism is that many fail to mature as Christians after their supposed conversion using the Sinner's Prayer. An article in Christianity TodayChristianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
claims that "mediocrity and hypocrisy characterize the lives of many avowed Christians."
The writer encourages believers to go beyond a sinner's prayer and "embark on a life fully devoted to the love of God, the love of neighbor, the moral practice of God's will, and radical, costly discipleship." "Love of God" and "Love of neighbor" are the Great Commandment
Great Commandment
The Great Commandment, or Greatest Commandment, is an appellation applied to either the first, or both, of two commandments which appear in , and...
s. See also Disciple (Christianity)
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
.
Does the reciter truly understand what the commitment to Christ really means? Praying a sinner’s prayer with someone who isn’t genuinely repentant may create a false sense of security in the one reciting it. According to , if a sinner is ready to accept Jesus as Savior, a biblical prerequisite is that the sinner (Christian prospect) has been drawn by the Holy Spirit.
See also
- Conversion to ChristianityConversion to ChristianityConversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to some form of Christianity. It has been called the foundational experience of Christian life...
- Decision theologyDecision theologyDecision theology is the belief by some fundamentalist and evangelical sects of Christianity that individuals must make a conscious decision to "accept" and follow Christ . Some Christian denominations object to the "decision theology" theory as contradicting the monergism of orthodox historic...
- EvangelismEvangelismEvangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
- Four Spiritual LawsThe Four Spiritual LawsThe Four Spiritual Laws is an evangelistic Christian tract created in 1952 by Bill Bright , founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, the world's largest Christian ministry...
- Jesus PrayerJesus PrayerThe Jesus Prayer or "The Prayer" is a short, formulaic prayer esteemed and advocated within the Eastern Orthodox church:The prayer has been widely taught and discussed throughout the history of the Eastern Churches. It is often repeated continually as a part of personal ascetic practice, its use...
- Lord's Prayer
- Ministry of JesusMinistry of JesusIn the Christian gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his Baptism in the countryside of Judea, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry...
- ProselytismProselytismProselytizing is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion. The word proselytize is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix προσ- and the verb ἔρχομαι in the form of προσήλυτος...
- Christian views on the old covenant