14meatcc is correct, the sinners prayer for salvation does not exist anywhere in the Bible and simply saying the sinners prayer of salvation means nothing without a fundamental in a persons heart. Scripture proves that simply calling on the name of Jesus does nothing.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
The
Sinner's Prayer (also called the
Consecration Prayer and
Salvation Prayer) is an
evangelical Christian term referring to any
prayer of
repentance, prayed by individuals who feel convicted of the presence of
sin in their lives and have the desire to form or renew a personal relationship with
God through
Jesus Christ. It is a popular phenomenon in evangelical circles. It is not intended as
liturgical like a
creed or a
confiteor, but rather, is intended to be an act of
initial conversion to Christianity. While some Christians see reciting the sinner's prayer as the moment defining one's
salvation, others see it as a
beginning step of one's lifelong
faith journey.
The "Sinner’s Prayer" takes various forms, all of which have the same general thrust. Since it is considered a matter of one's personal will, it can be prayed silently, aloud, read from a suggested model, or repeated after someone modeling the prayer role. There is no formula of specific words considered essential, although it usually contains an admission of sin and a petition
asking that Jesus enter into the person's heart (that is to say, the center of their life). The use of the sinner's prayer is common within some Protestant denominations, such as
Baptist Churches and
Methodist Churches, as well as in movements that span several denominations, including
evangelical,
fundamental, and
charismatic Christianity. It has also been used, though not as widely, by some
Anglicans,
Lutherans, and
Roman Catholics. It is sometimes uttered by Christians seeking
redemption or reaffirming their faith in Christ during a crisis or disaster, when death may be imminent.
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The "Sinner’s Prayer" is not without its critics. Because no such prayer or conversion is found in the Bible, some biblical scholars have even labeled the sinner's prayer a "cataract of nonsense" and an "apostasy".
David Platt has raised questions over the authenticity of the conversions of people using the sinner's prayer based on research by
George Barna.
The only thing that matters in the eyes of Christ is the condition of the heart of those who earnestly ask for forgiveness for their sins and repent.
When Philip talked to the Ethiopian and the Ethiopian was baptized and saved Scripture does no record any kind of sinners prayer and in Acts 8:37 Philip ties being saved to the condition of the Ethiopian's heart before the Ethiopian could be baptized
Act 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Act 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Act 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Act 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Personnally for me I said the sinners prayer because I was told those were the words I should speak before I could be saved. So I said the words, went down into the water and when I came up out of the water I was filled with the Holy Spirit and I loved everybody. But it was the condition of my heart that got me saved. Not the sinner's prayer.