Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I don't believe that any one specific prayer or wording is required or essential.

The elements that (in my opinion) are necessary are:

-- sincere acknowledgement (even if just in prayer between the individual and God -- who, as Jesus said, sees in secret (Matthew 6:6)) of being a sinner in need of forgiveness and salvation that cannot be achieved by the individual's own efforts apart from Christ;

-- recognition or a statement of faith that Jesus lived, died, and rose again to provide that forgiveness and salvation;

-- a request that God grant the individual forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life for Jesus' sake; and

-- an expression of an intent by the individual (with the help of the Holy Spirit) to obey and serve Christ -- not as a condition for the granting of salvation, or as a promise of being sin-free in the future (since we will all be sinners in this life until we die), but in gratitude to God for His love and mercy.

To me, this complies with Paul's statement that, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

September 30 2016 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Paul Cheney

Often the Gospel, a.k.a. the plan of salvation, is presented with a prayer. People call on Jesus, though he has already spoken, not silent until we shout, nor hiding until we find him. It is a normal conversation, only not ignoring God like he doesn't exist or is too obscure to reach out and pay attention. Besides, he is both Lord and Savior, so confessing and sharing is a part of knowing and believing in him. How that is done may be similar to others in the dynamics of a relationship.

Likewise, baptism is a way to actively proclaim what God in Christ has done for us. We place ourselves in the arms of the Lord for life and death to raise us up again with him. In that way we remember what he has done for us and walk through this present world.

People seem to think that if Christ died for everyone, then all are saved. So instead we abide by so-called doctrinal correctness and make some kind of distinction between us and them. They may also pray but ignore Jesus and the Good News that God has forgiven them. They shut him out, and in Biblical terms are condemned, like a boarded up house. He may have died like everybody else, but they deny that he is living here and now through the Holy Spirit. That's the difference, not simply a prayer or jumping through proverbial hoops. God is with us.

Jesus says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." (Revelation 3:20)

Faith is objective: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 

"I place my trust in You for salvation." https://gotquestions.org/got-forgiveness.html

Notice that in the eBible statement of faith, there is not a prayer, nor a confession to preclude salvation. Https://ebible.com/statement_of_faith

October 09 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kelly Yochum

The "sinner's prayer" is not verbatim in Scripture. It is taken from a combination of Scripture verses as to what must take place in a believer's heart. 
The words in of themselves are not important. What is in your heart is. 

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10 KJV

October 01 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kevin Honeycutt Servant of Jesus Christ

There is no exact 'sinner's prayer' in the Bible. The 'sinner's prayer' was a Calvinist, Baptist creation. 

In Acts 2:38 the plan of salvation is given, and it is the only thing ever taught to anyone in the New Testament. You cannot find anyone told to receive salvation in any other way than to hear the word and believe, repent and be baptized.

October 06 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report