The Sinner’s Prayer

Mike Johnson

Many say the only thing needed to obtain salvation is to pray a simple prayer known as a sinner’s prayer.  There are variations, but typically, this is a short prayer where people express their need for salvation, asking Jesus to come into their hearts.  They confirm their belief that Jesus Christ, who died for them on the cross, is the son of God.  The idea is that if people sincerely pray this prayer, they will receive the forgiveness of sins.  It is quick, simple, and easy.  This “method of salvation” gained popularity in the last half of the 20th century and is often a part of today’s denominational evangelism crusades.  Also, preachers on television and radio sometimes tell individuals to put their hands on their TV or radio and recite a sinner’s prayer.  The preacher points out that if they do this, they will receive salvation.  This teaching is still popular today.

What does the Bible teach?  The book of Acts is a book of conversions, and it shows how to become a Christian and teach others to be saved.  From the book of Acts and the rest of the Scriptures, we do not learn that non-Christians are to pray for salvation — we do not find where non-Christians are told to pray a sinner’s prayer.

In Acts 2, Peter preached the first gospel sermon, which included some in the audience who were involved in killing God’s son (2:22-23).  Convinced of their lost condition, they asked him what they needed to do.  Peter did not tell them to pray.  Instead, he told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (2:38).

However, in Peter’s sermon, he did say, quoting from the prophet Joel, “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).  Some say that with a sinners prayer, people are doing that — they are calling on the name of the Lord.  However, Peter does identify in the verses that follow what it means to call on the name of the Lord when he told the people to repent and be baptized to receive forgiveness (Acts 2:38).

Acts 8 records the conversions of the Samaritans, Simon, and the Ethiopian eunuch.  Philip preached the simple message of Jesus Christ to these people.  But, again, he did not tell them to pray for salvation.  Instead, they heard the Word of God, and he told them to believe, confess Christ, and be baptized (4-13, 26-40).

After Simon became a Christian, he sinned, and Peter told him to repent and pray (14-25).  Does this validate the doctrine of non-Christians needing to pray for salvation?  It does not.  Children of God who sin must repent of their sins and confess them (Acts 8:22, 1 Jn. 1:8-10).  When Simon sinned, he was a Christian.  He had believed and was baptized (Acts 8:13, Mk. 16:16).  Non-Christians have a different plan of salvation.

Consider the conversion of Saul, later known as Paul (Acts 9:1-19), who was going to Damascus to persecute Christians.  While traveling, Christ confronted him with a light from heaven and spoke to him.  Paul then understood that Jesus Christ was God’s son and realized that he had been persecuting the Lord’s people.  Christ told Paul to go into the city, and he would be told what he must do.  Paul was without sight for three days, did not eat or drink anything, and was praying (9:11).  God sent a man named Ananias to go to him with a message.  Ananias told Paul about his mission to the Gentiles and baptized him (9:18).  Ananias did not ask him to pray a sinner’s prayer.  In Paul’s account of these events, we see that Ananias told him, “And now why are you waiting?  Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).  As a penitent believer, he needed baptism.  Even though he had already been praying and was full of sorrow for his sins, he still had them.

Note also the case of Lydia (Acts 16:11-15).  She was by a river at a place where people customarily prayed.  Paul did not tell her to pray a sinner’s prayer.  Instead, he taught her, and she was baptized.

The various conversion cases in the book of Acts are consistent — the people all did the same thing.  For example, regarding the people at Corinth, Acts 18:8 says, “. . .  And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.”

Nowhere does the Bible teach that a non-Christian must pray for salvation.  The people who teach this may be very sincere, but they are not teaching the truth.  The Bible teaches one must hear (Rom. 10:17), believe (Heb. 11:6), repent (Acts 2:38), and confess Christ (Rom. 10:10).  After this, individuals must be baptized.  Mark 16:16 records the Great Commission, and the book of Acts records the apostles and others obeying this command.  Here Jesus points out, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  We must follow the pattern of the New Testament!