First thank you to those who shared your thoughts in my earlier status about "Does prayer have anything to do with receiving eternal life?" I feel this is a very important subject in todays world of so much easy believism so i wanted to share my thoughts about this topic. It is a little lengthy but i hope you give time to read it. I dont claim to be perfect of my interpretation of Scripture. I have done extensive study on this topic so heres my thoughts. Why Prayer Has nothing to do with a lost sinner receiving eternal life I.) Authority of Scripture - The Scripture is the sole authority of what we can say about how someone receives eternal life. - We must let the context of Scripture mold our thinking rather than having our thinking mold the Scriptures. Great error has come across today because of man making their preconceived opinions fit the Bible II.) Why Prayer is not involved in receiving Eternal Life? A.) It’s not in the Bible - There is not one verse in the Bible that states prayer is involved with being saved unto eternal life - The majority today use “repeat after me” prayers and most commonly we here “just ask Jesus to save you” or “just ask Jesus into your heart.” The problem is that there is not one verse in Scripture where these phrases are used or a repeat after me prayer and yet they are the primary way today for soul winning. If something is not in the Bible, how can we use it to show the lost how to have eternal life? And will that which is not in the Bible actually give someone eternal life? - Among the many examples of evangelism in the Bible, there is not one instance where anyone led or told a lost sinner to pray to receive of salvation for eternal life - There is not one Scripture where prayer as component of salvation from sins penalty is systematically discussed. B.) Then why do so many people used prayer in evangelism? - This comes from being taught it throughout their life and also a misinterpretation of the context of certain Scriptures. There only a few texts that people even try to use to support this idea. Here they are! 1.) Some use Luke 18:13 where the publican prayed “God be merciful to me a sinner” and Jesus said “this man went down to his house justified” - Does the context of this text support prayer involved with eternal life? - Jesus is not teaching on how to have eternal life but He is rather teaching on the attitude of one’s heart in prayer. The Pharisee and Publican both “went to the temple to pray.” The fact that they could access the Temple implies they professed the Jewish faith and were identified by circumcision. Someone not of the Jewish faith was not allowed to enter the Temple (Ezek. 44:7). The purpose of them being there was “to pray.” It is a lesson of pride and humility. This prayer of the Publican has no mention of Jesus and no acknowledgment of faith or the Gospel. This text cannot be used to support prayer being involved to receive eternal life. 2.) Another argument used is the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43) - We all know this account, how the thief asked Jesus to “remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” and Jesus responded “today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” - Can this be used to support prayer and eternal life? The answer is no! This thief is physically next to Jesus so it is not a “prayer” as we would use it today. This thief had a change in the heart that brought about his open acknowledgment of Christ as Savior. Christ gave His response to the thief because of the heart change and not his words to Him. This text also cannot be used to support prayer and receiving eternal life. 3.) The most popular argument for this topic is Romans 10:9-13 - This is the text that the majority of preachers use to associate prayer and being saved from sins penalty, so let’s take a look at is contextually. - Romans 10:9-10 states “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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” - Does this word “confess” or “confession” speak of prayer? No it doesn’t. In fact something important to know is that the Greek words for “prayer,” “confess” and “call” are all different words and have different meanings. Paul uses the word for “prayer” in verse one but does not use it in these verse 9, 10 or verse 13. If God wanted to show prayer as a part of how one receives eternal life He would have done so, but God didn’t. The Greek word for “confess” is homologeo which means “to agree and acknowledge.” It is a public statement of what one believes. This confession is an open agreement and acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord. It is not at all any sort of prayer to God or declaring themselves to be sinners. Verse 9 and 10 must be taken together. Verse 9 actually explains verse 10. Belief in the heart must come first before one can openly profess Christ as Lord and Savior. This “confession” expresses what a person has in the heart is true. Without belief in the heart, a person’s confession is empty. When you’re saved you ought to tell it openly. Verse 11 confirms this open confession when Paul says “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Acts 8:37 is a good example of this. - We read on to verse 12 where Paul states “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord is rich unto all that call upon him.” Where is the place that there is no difference between men regardless of race? It is only “in Christ.” Paul is now talking about saved individuals who are on the common ground of faith in Christ. Paul is stating that Jews and Greeks both have the same standing with God in Christ. He goes on to state that God “is rich” to those that call upon Him. Is God rich unto the lost or the saved? He is rich only to those who have believed upon Christ as Savior. God is not rich unto the lost for they are still “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). In fact the Bible says that “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Prov. 28:9). The lost world has turned away their ears from hearing God’s law. Paul is showing that “all” those on the common ground of being “in Christ” can call upon the Lord and He is rich unto His children. - What about verse 13 where Paul says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”? Isn’t this talking about receiving eternal life? The answer is no again. The Greek word for “call upon” is epikaleomai which means to invoke (for aid, worship, testimony, decision). This word is not a onetime action but is repetitive and identifies someone to a certain class of people. This class of people is already saved people. This word “call upon” is only used in reference to saved individuals throughout the Scriptures. Never is it used with a lost person. The word saved is a general term and does not always refer to eternal life. We as Christians need saved day to day from temptation and troubles in life. These Christians in Rome certainly would in the midst of persecution. Paul is making the point that whosoever on this common ground of faith in Christ can have daily help or deliverance from God. - Verse 14 plainly describes this when Paul asks the question, “How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” The answer is they can’t! Only those who have inwardly trusted upon Christ can call upon Him for aid, help, worship or whatever it is in their life they are burdened about. Thus in context this passage in Romans 10 does not in any way constitute prayer being involved in receiving eternal life. The thing is that there is no other Scripture to support what many interpret this to say about prayer and salvation. If prayer has nothing to do with eternal life then i also cannot be any kind of affirmation to salvation. People may believe in spite of praying, as I did, but only knowing whom you have trusted your all upon is true affirmation of eternal life. As Paul said to Timothy, “…for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” III.) So how then is eternal life received without prayer? - The answer is just as the entire Bible teaches. It is only by grace through faith, nothing more and nothing less (Eph. 2:8). To add to that is to add to the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ and confuse the matter. When God convicts and draws a lost sinner by the Spirit of God then God’s only request is complete trust in what His Son did on the cross and resurrection. That’s it! At that point of repentance and faith salvation has taken place. Repentance and faith are not two separate actions. They are two sides of the same coin. You cannot place faith in the cross while not agreeing about your sin Jesus died for. Repentance and faith are linked together. As Paul told the Philippian Jailer so should we tell others to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Here are some other Scriptures concerning believing and not believing on Christ, Matt 21:32; 27:42, Mark 15:32, Luke 8:12; 8:50, John 1:12; 3:15-18, 36; 6:29; 19:35; 20:31, Rom. 1:16; 3:21; 4:24; 10:9-10, 1 Cor. 1:21, Gal. 3:22, Eph. 1:19, 1Tim. 1:16. IV.) Why does it really matter? - This matters because we are accountable for how we handle the Word of God. - It matters because many lost sinners are being deceived into thinking they are saved because they prayed as the preacher instructed them but never understood it is all about trusting all of themselves to the finished work of the Gospel. They are therefore still lost and headed for Hell. - It matters because the majority of Christians who doubt their salvation do so because they can’t remember “what they prayed” or “if they were sincere enough.” None of those things matter. The only full assurance any Christian will have is that they “know whom they have believed.” - Lets give the Gospel clear and simple, by grace through faith, nothing more and nothing less. The Gospel alone is the power to save all who believe.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Sep 2013 03:07:57 +0000
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