“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:
1) The Sinner’s Prayer and the Gospel Response: A Biblical Examination (David Cambridge)
2) Joyful Worship (Psalm 100:1-2) (Mike Johnson)
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The Sinner’s Prayer and the Gospel Response:
A Biblical Examination
David Cambridge
Introduction
Among the most familiar phrases in modern religious culture is the call to “pray the sinner’s prayer.” It appears in sermons, on television broadcasts, in children’s classes, in pamphlets, and on social media. Many repeat it without ever asking where it came from or what scripture actually teaches about becoming a Christian. For some people, the phrase carries deep emotional weight; for others, it is a slogan used so routinely that it is seldom examined.
This article aims to slow the conversation down. Instead of repeating, “The sinner’s prayer is not in the Bible,” we will take time to understand who uses the phrase, why it became common, how people attempt to defend it scripturally, and why those defences do not match the New Testament pattern. Then we will turn to the actual biblical response to the gospel, and close with a gracious appeal to let scripture shape both our language and our practice.
Who Uses The Sinner’s Prayer Today?
The sinner’s prayer is not a fringe idea. It is deeply woven into modern denominational life. For more than a century, it has been one of the dominant methods used in efforts to bring people to Christ.
It is extremely common among Baptists, especially in evangelistic gatherings where the moment of salvation is often associated with repeating the prayer aloud. Many Methodist groups use it today, though historically they emphasised heartfelt repentance more than a formula. Pentecostal and Charismatic groups frequently include it at the end of sermons, often as part of an altar call. Word of Faith teachers, with their emphasis on spoken confessions, encourage people to “pray to receive Jesus” at the end of nearly every broadcast. Even many non-denominational congregations use pre-written salvation prayers as part of their outreach efforts.
At the same time, many sincere people within these groups realise the prayer is not found in scripture. They often say, “It is simply a way of expressing faith.” Yet in practice, it becomes the decisive act on which salvation is said to rest. This is why the issue matters. A man-made expression has quietly replaced the biblical response that God Himself revealed.
From Where Did The Sinner’s Prayer Come?
The idea did not come from the apostles, the early church, or the New Testament. It arose from nineteenth-century revivalism. As large crowds gathered to hear preaching, leaders developed simple ways of helping anxious hearers make a decision.
First came the “anxious bench,” where people were urged to come forward. Later came the formal “altar call.” Eventually, a short, repeat-after-me prayer was added to help people express what they believed. Over time, this convenience became a doctrine.
What began as a method became a message. What began as a tool became a theology.
That shift is why the subject deserves careful examination.
How Do People Defend The Sinner’s Prayer From Scripture?
Although there is no example of anyone in the New Testament being saved by saying such a prayer, those who defend it usually appeal to three passages. These are the “strongest” arguments used, even though each depends on ignoring the surrounding context.
1. Romans 10:9–13 — “Confess With Thy Mouth”
The argument goes like this: if salvation involves confessing with the mouth and calling on the Lord, then praying a sinner’s prayer must be the way to be saved. Verse thirteen (“whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”) is used as proof that calling means praying.
But Paul is not describing a prayer formula. He is describing the outward expression of a faith already shaped by hearing the gospel (Romans 10:17). When the same phrase appears in Acts 2:21, Peter immediately shows what “calling on the Lord” looks like — repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38).
Romans 10 is not about teaching sinners how to respond initially. It is about the righteousness that comes by faith, and the universal availability of salvation. Turning it into a prayer formula removes it from its context and overrides the teaching of Acts.
2. Luke 18:13 — “God Be Merciful To Me A Sinner”
Jesus said the publican went down to his house justified. From this, some argue that the publican prayed the sinner’s prayer.
However, the publican was a Jew under the law, not an alien sinner hearing the gospel. He was not being converted into Christ; he was humbling himself before God within the covenant he already belonged to. His prayer expresses repentance, not a blueprint for salvation under the gospel. Using this passage as justification for a formula places a modern practice into a text where it simply does not belong.
3. Revelation 3:20 — “I Stand At The Door And Knock”
This verse is perhaps the most misapplied in modern evangelism. Many use it as an appeal for sinners to “invite Jesus into their heart” through prayer. The entire vocabulary of “asking Jesus in” has grown from this misreading.
But Revelation 3:20 is addressed to the church at Laodicea — Christians who had become lukewarm. Jesus is not asking unbelievers to invite Him in for the first time. He is urging His people to repent and restore fellowship.
Applying this to alien sinners ignores the audience and changes the meaning entirely.
Why These Arguments Fail
Each of the three common defences lifts a phrase out of its context and reinvents its meaning. None of them describe how a sinner becomes a Christian in the book of Acts. None of them mention a prayer, a repeated formula, or a moment of verbal invitation.
More importantly, none of them replace the clear pattern God reveals again and again when people actually come to Christ.
What The New Testament Actually Teaches About Responding To The Gospel
When we read the conversion accounts in Acts — the thousands on Pentecost, the Samaritans, the Ethiopian eunuch, Saul of Tarsus, Cornelius, Lydia, the jailer, and the Corinthians — a consistent, Spirit-revealed pattern emerges. Scripture repeatedly shows the same building blocks of response.
1. People Heard The Message.
● On Pentecost, “they that gladly received his word” were baptized (Acts 2:41).
● The Samaritans “believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 8:12).
● The jailer listened to “the word of the Lord” spoken to him and his house (Acts 16:31–32).
2. They Believed The Message.
● Many of the Samaritans “believed” and were baptized (Acts 8:12).
● The Corinthians, “hearing, believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8).
● The Gentiles in Cornelius’ house believed as Peter preached (Acts 10:43–48).
3. They Repented Of Sin.
● Peter commanded the crowd on Pentecost to “repent” before being baptized (Acts 2:38).
● Paul preached that all men everywhere must repent (Acts 17:30).
● The jailer washed their stripes — an immediate fruit of repentance (Acts 16:33).
4. They Confessed Christ.
● The Ethiopian eunuch said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” before baptism (Acts 8:37, KJV).
● Confession is tied to salvation (Romans 10:9–10) and appears whenever people publicly identify with Christ in Acts.
5. They Were Baptised Into Christ For The Remission Of Sins.
● About three thousand were baptized “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38, 41).
● The Samaritans were baptized, “both men and women” (Acts 8:12).
● Paul was told, “Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins” (Acts 22:16).
● The jailer and his household were baptized the same hour of the night (Acts 16:33).
● Cornelius and his house were commanded to be baptized (Acts 10:47–48).
6. Then They Began A New Life Of Discipleship.
● The new converts “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship” (Acts 2:42).
● The jailer “rejoiced, believing in God with all his house” (Acts 16:34).
● Paul “straightway preached Christ” after his conversion (Acts 9:20).
This is not a selective reading — it is the repeated, consistent pattern across every account of conversion in the inspired history of the early church. No sinner’s prayer appears. No verbal formula is ever used. Faith moves, repents, confesses, and submits to baptism, and then begins the walk of discipleship.
Not once do we find an apostle saying, “Repeat this prayer after me.”
Not once is salvation tied to the moment of uttering a prayer.
Not once is anyone told to “invite Jesus into your heart.”
When the heart is opened in Acts, it is opened by the Lord (Acts 16:14), and the response that follows is baptism (Acts 16:15).
The sinner’s prayer is absent not because God forgot to include it, but because God already revealed His own pattern — one that unites faith, repentance, confession, and baptism into the new birth.
Why The Sinner’s Prayer Is Spiritually Dangerous
If the sinner’s prayer were merely harmless, the subject would be of little concern. But it carries real dangers.
It relocates salvation to a moment God never identified.
It gives assurance based on a prayer rather than obedience.
It replaces the clear commands of the gospel with a human tradition.
It can leave people thinking they are saved when they have never obeyed from the heart (Romans 6:17–18).
Many who pray the sinner’s prayer are completely sincere. They genuinely want to please God. But sincerity cannot replace scripture. Correcting this misunderstanding is not attacking people. It is protecting them from false confidence.
A Gracious Call Back To Scripture
The purpose of this article is not to condemn those who have used the sinner’s prayer in ignorance or sincerity. The intention is simply to let the New Testament speak for itself. The gospel is powerful enough without man-made additions.
When people follow the pattern God revealed, they enter Christ the same way the first believers did — by faith that obeys, repentance that changes, confession that declares, and baptism that unites us with the death and resurrection of Christ.
Conclusion
The sinner’s prayer is deeply rooted in modern religious culture, but not in scripture. It developed through revivalist history rather than apostolic teaching. Its most common defences rely on passages taken out of context. And most importantly, it replaces the biblical pattern with a human invention.
The good news is that the gospel is clear, simple, and powerful. When we set aside traditions and return to the pages of Acts, we find a God-given pattern that leads sinners from conviction to conversion, from sin to salvation, and from death into life. The call today is the same as it was on Pentecost — to hear the message, believe it, repent, confess Christ, and be baptised into Him. Nothing more is needed, and nothing less will do.
Questions
1. What is the main reason the sinner’s prayer is considered unscriptural (Acts 2:38)?
2. Why is Luke 18:13 not an example of conversion under the gospel (Luke 18:13–14)?
3. What problem arises when Revelation 3:20 is applied to unbelievers (Revelation 3:20)?
4. What consistent pattern appears in the conversions recorded in Acts (Acts 2:37–38; 8:12; 16:30–34)?
5. Why is sincerity alone not enough in matters of salvation (Romans 10:2–3)?
— Via David Cambridge’s Facebook site, December 27, 2025
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Psalm 95:1-2
“O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms” (NASB).
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Joyful Worship
(Psalm 100:1-2)
Mike Johnson
Psalm 100 is thought to have been written by David and is about worship. Speculation is that the Jews used it as a call to worship and as a hymn in their public praise. From verses 1-2, we learn that joy should be associated with our worship. It admonishes, “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.” Consider these two verses closer.
The first part of verse 1 says, “Make a joyful shout to the Lord,” and then it says,“Serve the Lord with gladness” (2a). The word translated “shout” (“noise” KJV) involves a “glad shout” or a “shout of triumph,” such as might be associated with battle. From this, we learn we are to worship God, not just with thought but also with joyful utterance and gladness. Many passages associate joy with worship. Ps 95:1, identifying the basis of our joy, says, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.” Psalm 27:6 reveals,“And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.” (Note also Ps. 16:11, 43:4.)
It is essential to understand that joy in the context of worship involves respectfulness. Joy and respectfulness are not mutually exclusive attitudes; a person can be joyful in worship and respectful at the same time. Psalm 2:11 shows both are necessary. It says, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” We must understand what it means to be in God’s presence (2b). We joyfully worship God, but we also realize the seriousness of our worship.
Today, we should view worship as a happy occasion. David points out in Psalm 122:1, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Assembling for worship is a great privilege, as we know we are worshiping a loving God who has given us the opportunity for eternal life. In Psalm 51:12, David spoke of the “joy” of his salvation.
Do we joyfully anticipate worship; do we joyfully worship God when we assemble; do others detect joy in our worship? If not, there is a problem. We should come before our Lord with joy and gladness!
— Via Seeking Things Above Above
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel — for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).
2) Believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes
First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)