The Sinner's Prayer? | Ep. 5 - Answering The Error

[@lynnskelton7971]

I agree confessing one's sins and the Sinner's Prayer (aka Prayer of Salvation) is not part of the obeying the Gospel and keeping people from obeying the gospel in full. Even as a long time Christian and attendee of the churches of Christ, I have to take issue with one point, that is the portion regarding the unscriptural nature of the "Altar call" because it seems unintentionally hypocritical. Let me explain: You are correct that it cannot be found in scripture. However, that raises the scriptural nature of the "Invitation" that many churches of Christ offer during the song right after the sermon. After all, they are BOTH an opportunity being offered for non-Christians to come forward to publicly obey the gospel message or for Christians to come forward to confess their sins and recommit their lives to Christ and or to have prayers said for/over them. There really is no difference between the two outside of what they are called. Neither are found within the New Testament being given after the gospel has been preached or any sermons have been given. In regards to gospel messages, we only find people either responding to it on their own out of believing the message, then being commanded to repent and be baptized. Never are they offered an "Invitation" or "Altar Call" to do so that I can find. SO, if we say the "Altar call" is unscriptural because it was never offered in scripture, then we would have to say the same for the "Invitation" we present after the Sermon and to not be hypocrites, get rid of the "Invitation" in our services. Just give the sermon and continue on with the rest of the service without encouraging anyone to come forward. People either come forward or not. However, one must ask, if after presenting the gospel or giving a sermon on living for Christ in our life we asked people if they want to obey the gospel, need prayers, or want to confess their sins and recommit their life to Jesus, if we were to ask them to come forward and let it be known (In other words, offer an Invitation/Altar call), would God truly be against that just because it is not found in the New Testament being done? I believe we are pushing things too far when we say, God does not approve having an "altar call" or "invitation" being given after the gospel has been preached or a sermon given on living for Christ just because we don't find an example of or command for it in the New Testament. Otherwise, there are many other things we could say there are other aspects of our services that are unscriptural because of no example or command in the New Testament.

[@aaronrbrundidge]

Great teaching, my brothers!!! The Sinner's Prayer has got to be the biggest scam in religion today. Jesus didn't teach it, nor did his Apostles, plus it's found nowhere in the Bible.

[@Charizard1996]

Did Christ come to complicate things or keep it simple. Religious leaders just like Pharisees love complicating simple doctrine. First declare ,repent, and then get baptized . Simple .....

[@gr8god4u]

Please update this video and make it shorter if you can and please make sure that you put the sixth step of salvation at the end because an individual can do all the five that you have stated and still be lost if they are not faithful unto death Revelation 2:10 and elsewhere.