This is article #21.

Is the Sinner’s Prayer in the Bible?

For years I have been trying to find the Sinner’s Prayer in the Bible. I have read the Bible through several times, and I cannot find it. I have asked my friends who say they said it to be saved where it is. None of them have been able to tell me how to find it in the Bible. Hundreds of thousands of good, Godfearing people have said this prayer and feel confident they are saved.

While doing my Bible reading, what I did find were two instances of people praying before they were saved and, in each instance, they were told they had to be baptized to be saved. In Acts 9 there is an account of the apostle Paul’s salvation story. In verse 11, God sent Ananias to tell Paul what he needed to do to be saved because “he is praying.” If prayer was all that was needed for Paul to do to be saved, then he did not need to do anything else. Yet in Acts 22 when Paul is recounting his conversion story, he says in verse 16 that Ananias told him to “Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” The act of being baptized in this Scripture had the effect of washing away Paul’s sins. The act of being baptized in this Scripture was the equivalent of “calling on the name of the Lord.” The act of being baptized in this Scripture had the effect of Paul being saved.

The other person I read about who was praying was Lydia in Acts 16:11-15. She was by the riverside worshiping and praying. The apostle Paul told her she needed to be baptized to be saved and she was baptized.

If the Bible always tells people to be baptized to be saved, then why would someone who loves the Lord, studies His Word, goes to church, and lives a life of service to others be content to base their salvation on something not in the Bible?

If you know where the Sinner’s Prayer is in the Bible, please share it with me. If you cannot find it, do you think you should question your salvation?

If you said the Sinner’s Prayer to be saved, should you question your salvation?

Should we do what the Bible says about salvation, or is it OK to be content with feeling like you are saved?

            Until next time, I remain with a song in my heart.  JaneEllen