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Author
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Topic: Is a person saved once they say the sinners prayer?
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Eden
unregistered
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posted
John 1:12
But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them who BELIEVE on His name.
Is a person saved once they say the sinner's prayer?
In the context of this Topic title, what does it mean to RECEIVE Him, when John 1:12 says that those who RECEIVE Him and BELIEVE on His name, He GAVE them the power to become the sons of God?
RECEIVING Him and BELIEVING in His name does not require much work on our part (it's only "receiving Him" and "believing on His name"), so WHAT additional WORK do we have to DO in addition to be given the power to become the sons of God? I'm confused ...
love, Eden
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Found in Him
Advanced Member
Member # 7596
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posted
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Rev 22
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~To Him That is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy...to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~ Jude 24
Posts: 1503 | Registered: Jan 2009
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
They do not come that way because they think they know God better than the Bible does...
plain and simple.
Their Ego blocks them from knowing God better.
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With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Bloodbought
Advanced Member
Member # 4365
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by MentorsRiddle:
quote:
The fact is, that contrary to what many believe, no one can choose to become the bride of Christ. They can say “I do,” at an alter call, but Christ knows the heart, and those who are not elect and chosen and invited by Christ will never be His bride. Christ is choosing a bride that will remain faithful, and finally join with Him at the great marriage supper of the Lamb.
I agreed with everything you said up untill this point.
I think that WE choose if we want to be with Christ or not... What you are speaking of if pre-selection.. if that is the case then why even be here at all?
That would imply that God created some of us for the sole reason of going to Hell and damnation.
I can't agree with this.
I think Christ denies us if we deny him.
This thread isn’t about predestination though I do believe in it, but to stay on topic, the OP is asking the question, “Is a person saved once they say the sinners prayer?”
My answer to that is, no they are not. A person is saved only through conviction of sin and repentance and faith. Why then is it that some try the sinners prayer, and some try raising their hand in a gospel meeting, and others try going to church and living a good life and paying to the church and so on?
Why do they not come the way the scripture teaches in repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 20:21. This is the way I came and I’m sure so did you, why not all? Unless the Holy Spirit does a work of grace in their heart they can’t, because they are spiritually blind to their greatest need and deaf to the solution.
Posts: 822 | From: Ireland | Registered: Feb 2005
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MentorsRiddle
Advanced Member
Member # 2108
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posted
quote:
The fact is, that contrary to what many believe, no one can choose to become the bride of Christ. They can say “I do,” at an alter call, but Christ knows the heart, and those who are not elect and chosen and invited by Christ will never be His bride. Christ is choosing a bride that will remain faithful, and finally join with Him at the great marriage supper of the Lamb.
I agreed with everything you said up untill this point.
I think that WE choose if we want to be with Christ or not... What you are speaking of if pre-selection.. if that is the case then why even be here at all?
That would imply that God created some of us for the sole reason of going to Hell and damnation.
I can't agree with this.
I think Christ denies us if we deny him.
--------------------
With you I rise,
In you I sleep,
kneeling down I kiss your feet,
Grace abounds upon me now,
I once was lost
but now I'm found.
The gift of God dwells within,
To this love I now give in.
Posts: 1337 | From: Arkansas | Registered: Sep 2003
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Bloodbought
Advanced Member
Member # 4365
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posted
quote:
Originally posted by Carol Swenson:
"I never knew you: Depart from me." Can you imagine standing before God and hearing those words? Can you imagine the fear and terror that would grip your heart when you realize that you were never saved after all?
I believe that, sadly, many people will die and will be told those words by God. These people are those who have a false sense of security as far as their salvation is concerned. These people mistakenly thought that they had a "get-out-of-hell-free card," and they were playing a dangerous game when it came to matters of their eternal destination.
What am I talking about? I am talking about those people who somewhere along the way got the notion in their head that to make it into heaven, all they had to do was say some meaningless words.
There is an ad campaign going on from the dairy industry. The campaign's slogan is "got milk?" I think that for many people that slogan pretty much epitomizes their so-called salvation experience. It is as though people believe that all they have to do is recite a few choice words and then presto-chango, now they have "got saved." And then the mentality of these people is, "Hey, I can do whatever I want -- all the lying I want, all the cheating I want, break all of the commandments I want. Why? Because I said the magic words, and I now have 'got saved.'"
Well, being saved is not just having an emotional moment when the preacher gives the altar call. Being saved is not just lifting up your hand at your buddy's funeral when you are feeling your own immortality. Being saved is not something you "get," as though you can pick up a quart of "saved" from the corner market and then just go home and store it away on a shelf for emergency use only.
How can you say, "Jesus, come into my life and be my Savior and Lord," and then continue on willfully living a life of sinful rebellion? Friend, if you have zero interest in pleasing the Lord, following the Lord's commands, learning of the Lord, or turning from your sins, you are probably not saved!
Here is an example of how foolish the notion is of believing that some mere words makes all the difference: Let's say I decide to "get married." Maybe I like the idea of being Mrs. Jim Stevens. Or maybe everybody else is getting married, so I want to be a married woman, too. So Mr. Stevens and I go to a church and exchange vows. We promise to love, honor, and cherish, and end with a hearty "I do." The preacher announces, "You are now man and wife."
Well, after our little ceremony, I then drive back to my little one-bedroom apartment alone. I decide that I don't want to live with my new husband. As a matter of fact, I think I still want to date other men. So I phone up all of my old boyfriends and go out with them whenever I want.
And, hey, I don't care what my husband has to say about anything. His opinions and directions are unimportant to me. I'm busy doing my own thing.
As a matter of fact, I don't even bother to call my husband, let alone go see him. And if he writes anything to me, it goes unread. His words are not important to me either.
Now, even though I said those wonderful words at the altar and ended it with a boisterous, "I do," am I really married? In the eyes of human law, the farce that my marriage is could easily be annulled because my so-called marriage is a joke. I said the words, but my actions show that they meant nothing.
So why would someone deceive himself or herself into believing that saying a few quick words at an altar call is any indication that they are saved? Yet many do just that.
Yes, this is indeed a great deception of the enemy, which is cloaked in the disguise of seemingly reality. All deception is cloaked and wrapped up in something that seems good, but hidden underneath is that which destroys lives. For Adam deception was wrapped up in the sweetness of the fruit. For Lot deception was hidden in beautiful farmland, it didn’t show up as Sodom, it showed up as nice green farmland. For David deception was cloaked in a beautiful woman named Bathsheba, and on and on.
The fact is, that contrary to what many believe, no one can choose to become the bride of Christ. They can say “I do,” at an alter call, but Christ knows the heart, and those who are not elect and chosen and invited by Christ will never be His bride. Christ is choosing a bride that will remain faithful, and finally join with Him at the great marriage supper of the Lamb.
Posts: 822 | From: Ireland | Registered: Feb 2005
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KnowHim
Admin
Member # 1
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posted
Great post Carol!
.
Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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Found in Him
Advanced Member
Member # 7596
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posted
He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks...This is not a head knowledge but Spirit revelation...All praise to our Savior who stands with open arms!
Come to the Father...
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~To Him That is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy...to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~ Jude 24
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Carol Swenson
Admin
Member # 6929
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posted
"I never knew you: Depart from me." Can you imagine standing before God and hearing those words? Can you imagine the fear and terror that would grip your heart when you realize that you were never saved after all?
I believe that, sadly, many people will die and will be told those words by God. These people are those who have a false sense of security as far as their salvation is concerned. These people mistakenly thought that they had a "get-out-of-hell-free card," and they were playing a dangerous game when it came to matters of their eternal destination.
What am I talking about? I am talking about those people who somewhere along the way got the notion in their head that to make it into heaven, all they had to do was say some meaningless words.
There is an ad campaign going on from the dairy industry. The campaign's slogan is "got milk?" I think that for many people that slogan pretty much epitomizes their so-called salvation experience. It is as though people believe that all they have to do is recite a few choice words and then presto-chango, now they have "got saved." And then the mentality of these people is, "Hey, I can do whatever I want -- all the lying I want, all the cheating I want, break all of the commandments I want. Why? Because I said the magic words, and I now have 'got saved.'"
Well, being saved is not just having an emotional moment when the preacher gives the altar call. Being saved is not just lifting up your hand at your buddy's funeral when you are feeling your own immortality. Being saved is not something you "get," as though you can pick up a quart of "saved" from the corner market and then just go home and store it away on a shelf for emergency use only.
How can you say, "Jesus, come into my life and be my Savior and Lord," and then continue on willfully living a life of sinful rebellion? Friend, if you have zero interest in pleasing the Lord, following the Lord's commands, learning of the Lord, or turning from your sins, you are probably not saved!
Here is an example of how foolish the notion is of believing that some mere words makes all the difference: Let's say I decide to "get married." Maybe I like the idea of being Mrs. Jim Stevens. Or maybe everybody else is getting married, so I want to be a married woman, too. So Mr. Stevens and I go to a church and exchange vows. We promise to love, honor, and cherish, and end with a hearty "I do." The preacher announces, "You are now man and wife."
Well, after our little ceremony, I then drive back to my little one-bedroom apartment alone. I decide that I don't want to live with my new husband. As a matter of fact, I think I still want to date other men. So I phone up all of my old boyfriends and go out with them whenever I want.
And, hey, I don't care what my husband has to say about anything. His opinions and directions are unimportant to me. I'm busy doing my own thing.
As a matter of fact, I don't even bother to call my husband, let alone go see him. And if he writes anything to me, it goes unread. His words are not important to me either.
Now, even though I said those wonderful words at the altar and ended it with a boisterous, "I do," am I really married? In the eyes of human law, the farce that my marriage is could easily be annulled because my so-called marriage is a joke. I said the words, but my actions show that they meant nothing.
So why would someone deceive himself or herself into believing that saying a few quick words at an altar call is any indication that they are saved? Yet many do just that. If you are truly saved, there should be some indication of that in your life. We cannot add to what Christ did on the cross, but if Christ is your Savior and Lord and the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, that should manifest itself in some way, shape, and form. You should want to do the will of your Heavenly Father. You should love Jesus' name. You should crave His Word. You should hate sin. You should not see salvation as something that gives you a license to sin. Here are just a few verses that tell you what true salvation is all about:
Matthew 7:21-23 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. 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Luke 13:5, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
1 John 2:4, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
John 10:27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
Again, if you have truly been adopted into God's family and the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, there should be some evidence of that in your life. It is not just a matter of meaningless words. My friend, think about those words, "I never knew you: Depart from me."
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" (Hebrews 10:26-27).
For further reading on this subject, an excellent article detailing the evidence that should be in your life if you are truly born again can be found here:
EVIDENCE
http://jesusisthelight.net/EVIDENCE.htm
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