The Stupid Sinner's Prayer Needs To End

John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

Romans 10:13-14, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Romans 10:14 plainly teaches that no one calls upon the name of the LORD until they first BELIEVE in their heart, and we are told in several dozen Scripture passages that we are saved by BELIEVING on Christ (John 3:14-16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:28-29, 40, 47; 7:38; 10:1, 9; 11:25; 20:31). Prayer is NOT required to be saved, but it is okay to accompany one's faith with a prayer if you'd like to do so.

Think about it. Why would you “ask” God to give you a gift that He is already freely offering you? Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” If I bought you a birthday gift and handed it to you, would you ask me if you can take it? Salvation is the same. Shame on any incompetent pastor who insists that you must pray to ask God to save you!

Pastor Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) rightly said: "A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one." Romans 10:13 is an OBSCURE passage of Scripture because it stands alone, as does also Romans 10:9-10. It would be foolish to base a doctrine on a couple passages of Scripture that contradict several dozen clear passages.

On the Day of Pentecost 3,000 people were saved. There is no mention of anyone praying, calling or asking to be saved, they simply "gladly received" the gospel truth which the Apostle Peter preached unto them (Acts 2:41).

Likewise, there is no mention of Cornelius and his companions in Acts 10:43-44 praying, calling or asking to be saved, they simply believed the gospel truth which Peter preached unto them. That is why the Apostle Paul said in 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟯:𝟮, “𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄, 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵?” I love that phrase, "the hearing of faith." Hebrews 4:2 tells us that the Hebrews wandering in the Wilderness heard Moses preach the gospel unto them for 40 years, “𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘁.” A person gets saved by believing the gospel when they read or hear it preached.

It is wickedness and blatant false teaching for the New IFB (and their lunatic leader Steven Anderson) to teach that a lost sinner cannot be saved without calling or praying (asking) to be saved. What they are preaching confuses people, obscures the truth, and perverts God's simple plan of salvation. I speak to their utter incompetence and shame!

Biblically, a person can simply BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ in their soul and be saved without asking for it. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do. The inspired King James Bible is full of people who were saved without calling; they simply believed. I agree that calling and believing are not a contradiction, because the person who calls from a believing heart is saved; but calling and believing are NOT the same thing, which Romans 10:14 plainly teaches.

Steven Anderson foolishly dismisses the issue, but he didn't suffer like I did for several years after I got saved at 13 years of age. I had been confused because every sermon and religious tract that I read required me to prayer a sinner's prayer to be saved, which unfortunately became ingrained into my thinking, misleading me concerning what God expected of me to get to Heaven. Again, you don't have to pray to be saved, not even silently in your soul. You simply need to take God at His written Word to accept Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that He was buried, but then physically raised up from the dead three days later. This is the "Gospel" (1st Corinthians 15:1-6), by which all who believe this Good News are saved (Romans 1:16). It's that easy, free and simple to be born again.

I wouldn't learn until decades later from Pastor Max D. Younce (1935-2023) in his helpful book titled, "Salvation And The Public Invitation," that the sinner's prayer is not necessary to be saved. God used Dr. Younce to solidify my salvation beliefs and give me 100% perfect peace. It was that stupid sinner's prayer that misled me for decades, confusing me concerning God's simple plan of salvation. So, I say, the stupid sinner's prayer needs to disappear.

Are We Eternally Saved By Committing To Christ?

John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

Jesus promises that anyone who believes in Him ~hath~ eternal life. Nothing more is necessary, required or permitted in God's simple plan of salvation.

The repentance (Greek noun–metanoia: “change of mind”) that brings eternal life is changing your mind about the sin of unbelief in Jesus.

Pastor Bob Gray Sr. correctly preaches:

“Repentance means to change your mind—change your mind—change your mind about how you want to get to Heaven to what God says you've got to do to get to Heaven. If you've got to repent of all your sins, you're still headed for Hell tonight.” —Pastor Bob Gray Sr., a quote from the awesome MP3 sermon, 'Why You Should Be A Part Of A Growing Church'

Christian author Michael Patrick Bowen states in his excellent book titled, “I NEVER KNEW YOU,” on page 114...

“Repent, as Christ meant it to be in terms of salvation, means to change your mind from trusting in what you can do for God to trusting only in what He can do for you.” —Michael Patrick Bowen, a quote from the awesome book, “I NEVER KNEW YOU” (p. 114)

Excellent! As you can see, these men fully understand that God's simple plan of salvation ~does not~ require turning away from your sinful behavior to get to Heaven, which would constitute works. The only change of mind concerning sin that you need to have to be saved is to acknowledge that you are a guilty sinner (Romans 3:19-20). That is, you need to know what you are being saved from, which is the penalty of your sins (Romans 6:23). And you must repent (change your mind) to acknowledge that Jesus is the only Savior to trust Him.

Consider the following quote by the faithful man of God, Pastor Harry Ironside (1876-1951):

"Repentance is the recognition of my sinnership — the owning before God that I am as vile as He has declared me to be in His holy Word." —Pastor Harry Ironside, 'Except Ye Repent,' chapter 3

Evangelist Alexander Marshall (1846-1928) correctly writes:

“When God calls on you to 'repent, and believe the Gospel,' He wishes you to lay aside your wrong thoughts, and believe the glad tidings that He proclaims to you. Formerly you may have imagined that you were required to feel very sorry before being saved. Change your mind. You may have supposed you must first 'feel' some great change in order to know you were saved. Change your mind. First believe in God's great love to you, as revealed in His gospel, and you will KNOW that you have eternal life (John 5:24).” [emphasis added] —Evangelist Alexander Marshall; “God's Way Of Salvation,” chapter 25: “I Have Not Repented Enough”

Yes, that is excellent doctrine! Alexander Marshall is 100% correct! Yet, some unlearned heretical person changed his tract, completely removing the preceding section on repentance from the work. Brother Marshall plainly says that sinners are saved by BELIEVING THE GOSPEL, that is, he says, “to lay aside your wrong thoughts [Repentance], and believe the glad tidings [Gospel] that He proclaims to you.”

“Repenting of sins” in order to be eternally saved is ~NOWHERE~ commanded in Scripture. You must repent (change your mind) from unbelief to trust Christ instead; not change your behavior as a requirement to be saved. The phrase "repent of your sin" is not found in the inspired King James Bible.

Repenting of your sins is not part of what saves anyone. That is salvation by human good works. Also, “committing your life to Christ,” (from false prophet Billy Graham) a.k.a. dedicating your life to discipleship, has NOTHING WHATSOEVER do with being saved. Salvation comes ONLY from believing the GOOD NEWS of Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day. 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

Sanctification (growing in grace, love, holiness and fellowship) is the “fruit” produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our salvation is eternally and irrevocably secure. That is, our POSITION is forever settled at the time of salvation. It is Christ, and not we ourselves, who lives the Christian life THROUGH US (Galatians 2:20), but only if we will yield to His written Word day by day in obedience (2nd Corinthians 10:5-6). This is walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).

There Is No Such Thing As “Good Works”

Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

The inspired Holy Bible teaches that in God's sight there is no such thing as good works when it comes to salvation. Even our best efforts, sacrifices and service means absolutely nothing to God if we rely upon it to get us to Heaven. This is what is wrong with 99% of the world's religions, they trust in too much. Religion wants to fit us with glasses, but the Lord wants to open our eyes. There are two types of religion in the world—DO and DONE.

“More people will die and burn in Hell, because they're trusting too much!”—Pastor Jack Hyles, “Yea, Yea, And Nay, Nay!”

“Everything that's hard and complicated about salvation is God's side of it!”—Pastor Jack Hyles, “Yea, Yea, And Nay, Nay!”

There is a popular false teaching that has unfortunately crept into most Baptist churches today, which says that God won't save you unless you are first willing to turn away from your sins. Cartoon evangelist Jack Chick (1924-2016) teaches this damnable heresy in all of his Chick Tracts. Some preachers will word it as turning from a lifestyle of sinning, which is what I heard Pastor Marty Herron foolishly preach at the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam years ago. Kindly said, these are incompetent pastors.

Dear reader, every sinner who has ever been born again has continued living a lifestyle of sinning! Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) makes this truth clear in this needful sermon excerpt in which he boldly says: “I'm Sick Of This Lordship Salvation Mess!” And so am I, so am I. What exactly is Lordship Salvation? In short, Lordship Salvation is combining Christian service (discipleship) with salvation (sonship). Pilgrim's Progress author said it best, I humbly think...

“If you do not put a difference between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sanctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within, you are not able to divide the Word aright; but contrariwise, you corrupt the Word of God, and cast stumbling blocks before the people.” —John Bunyan (1628-1688)

Bravo John Bunyan! If we do not always keep service and salvation separate, we corrupt God's inspired Word and confuse people, complicating God's simple plan of salvation. I have heard Billy Graham and other preachers cite passages from the book of Matthew about discipleship (i.e., carrying your cross), applying it to salvation. That is false teaching!

God specifically authored the Gospel of John to show us how to go to Heaven. John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” In the book of John we find the word “believe” mentioned 85 times, without any mention of the word “repent.” We are saved by believing, not by repenting; but no one has ever believed who didn't repent. “Repentance” is the Greek noun metanoia, which simply means “a change of mind.” You get saved by changing your mind to BELIEVE the Gospel (the GOOD NEWS that Jesus died on a cross, was buried and three days later He physically resurrected from the dead). This is the only Gospel according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6.

Repentance facilitates (makes possible) believing. Repentance is absolutely necessary to be saved. How can you believe the Gospel without changing your mind? The word metanoia (repentance) itself does not tell us what to change our mind about. So, we need supplemental information, which a particular Scripture passage will provide. The reason why the word “repent” is never mentioned in the Gospel of John is simply because it is an automatic thing. The man who believes the Gospel has repented; the man who repents has believed the Gospel. Repentance and believing are inseparable, two sides of the same coin; you cannot have one without the other.

It is very important to understand that we repent TO believe, we do not repent AND believe. Sadly, Evangelist Tom Farrell (1952-2021) got this wrong! I was listening to Tom Farrell preach one day on KHMG 88.1 FM radio station, which is aired by the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam throughout the Micronesian islands. Dr. Farrell said you don't repent TO believe, you repent AND believe. Sadly, and tragically, he got it 100% backwards. I sincerely doubt if Tom went to Heaven, since he believed that more than faith is required to be saved. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.

Tens of thousands of Baptist churches today across America are preaching a counterfeit plan of salvation. They were lied to by Satan. Christian author Michael Bowen rightly states...

“I have been both an atheist and a victim of today’s false plans of salvation. I am at eternal odds with the false, counterfeit messages of salvation-by-works that are taught from virtually every pulpit today, on every television channel, and on every Christian radio station; however, I am not at eternal odds with the individuals who preach these counterfeit messages.” —Michael P. Bowen, “I Never Knew You,” p. 17

I totally concur. A counterfeit plan of salvation is being preached from nearly every church and Bible college pulpit today. Satan is the author of confusion, not God (1st Corinthians 14:33). Satan is “the god of this world” who deliberately obscures, changes and corrupts the Gospel of free grace to “blind the minds” of his victims (2nd Corinthians 4:3-4).

You don't have to turn from your sins to be saved. You turn from your unbelief to believe the Gospel. Nowhere in the inspired King James Bible (which is the only trustworthy Bible in the English language today) will you find the phrases “repent of your sins” or “turn from your sins” to get to Heaven. Sincere but ignorant men wickedly added those words to God's simple plan of salvation, perverting it (Proverbs 30:5-6),. Galatians 1:7b, “but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

According to our text passage from Isaiah 64:6, there is no such thing as “good works.” There are only DEAD WORKS!!! Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.” I cannot warn you enough to avoid the Devil's modern Bible revisions. Case in point, look at what the ERV changed this passage to read...

EASY-TO-READ VERSION (ERV) - Hebrews 6:1, “So we should be finished with the beginning lessons about Christ. We should not have to keep going back to where we started. We began our new life by turning away from the evil we did in the past and by believing in God.”

Oh my! Whereas the inspired King James Bible rightly teaches simply to repent from your DEAD WORKS (which includes good and bad works alike) to be saved; the ERV wrongly teaches to turn away from your past sinful ways to be saved (which is works).

The King James Bible (KJB) simply teaches to change your mind from relying upon your DEAD WORKS (trusting in idols, turning from your sins, turning over a new leaf, living a lifestyle of repentance, being willing to turn from your sins, et cetera) to trusting in the GOOD NEWS of Jesus crucified, buried and risen to be saved.

The Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) teaches something completely different, that to be saved you must forsake your sinful bad habits. How is that not works? This is a perversion of God's grace. Granted, the requirement for someone to turn away from their sinning to get to Heaven is appealing to our carnal flesh. It makes sense to the heathen man that you cannot reasonably expect God to pardon your sins when you have no intention of forsaking them. But dear reader, that is not how God's plan of redemption works.

God is offering humanity eternal life as a free gift, just for the taking. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Nothing is free in this world. Somebody always has to pay. Salvation is a free gift because Jesus paid for it with His precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19). If salvation is truly by grace, then you don't need to start or stop anything to be saved. Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23). 

A gift is a TAKE proposition, not a GIVE proposition. So, why would God expect someone to give up their sinful ways to receive His free gift that Christ already paid for in full? Those unlearned pastors and clergy who preach that you must be willing to forsake your sinful ways to get to Heaven do not understand (or else refuse to acknowledge) the true nature of a gift. The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.

Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Our best self-righteousness is like filthy rags to God. ...

“You know why good works can't save you, 'cause there's no such thing as good works. ...The Bible says in Isaiah 64:6, even our righteousness is like filthy rags in the sight of God.” —Dr. Jack Hyles, “God's Memorial Day” (1990)

Dear friend, have you been trusting in DEAD WORKS that cannot save? Turning from your sins will prevent you from going to Heaven, if that is what you've been trusting in to save you. You don't get saved by doing good works, and you cannot be lost by doing bad works. Nor can you be saved by forsaking bad works, which is effectively the same as keeping the law to be saved. Romans 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” If you're trying not to violate God's law to get to Heaven (i.e., turning away from your sins), then you are not saved.

To be genuinely born again you must completely REST in Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that He was buried, but then raised up from the dead three days later. This is the Gospel (Good News) that is “the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16b). This Gospel is THE POWER of God that will save any sinner who BELIEVES IT! The Gospel + Faith = Eternal Life (Hebrews 4:2).

Do You Have Doubts About Salvation?

Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

When I attended the shameful Harvest Baptist Church on Guam in 2013-2014, one of their deacons approached me after a Sunday evening service. He kindly asked me a question, while his wife respectfully waited abut 10 feet behind him. The deacon said something like:

“Brother Stewart, I have doubted my salvation for a long time. Could you help me understand God's plan of salvation better.”

Over the next 10 minutes, I expounded the Scripture to him to the best of my humble ability. When I had finished, he said: “Why don't they teach stuff like that from the pulpit?” Without hesitation I replied that it was because his pastors do not understand what it feels like to doubt that you are saved, but I fully understand that pain and grief of soul.

I was saved as a young teenager. I don't remember how old I was. I do know that I was in junior high at the time, in either 7th or 8th grade. It was early summertime at the Northland Baptist Temple on Chicago's northside. I used to tell everybody that I was 13 years old when I got saved, but after much thinking about the matter, I started telling people that I was 12. I truly do not remember. I wish I had thought to write down the date when I got saved. My guess is that it was in 1979 at age 12, but I could have just as easily been age 13. Only God knows! The important thing is not WHEN I was saved, but that I AM saved. Thankfully, I DO have a recollection of a PLACE and an EXPERIENCE of calling upon the name of the Lord.

Anyway, I was a shy teenager, and still today at age 59 I am very self-conscious and shy around people. So, I didn't walk an aisle or tell anyone that I trusted Jesus as my Savior. But on the day I was saved a battle started in my soul over whether I was saved or nor. I feared, simply because no one had ever plainly explained to me what I needed to do to be saved. I wish that my pastor had shared from the pulpit that day exactly what I needed to do (and not do) to get to Heaven, but he didn't. He simply invited people to walk the aisle to find out how to be saved. That is why for many years now I have discouraged preachers from requiring lost sinners to walk down a church aisle to learn how to get to Heaven. In so doing, they are adding an unnecessary step to God's simple plan of salvation, which God does not require.

The day I got saved, I did ask Jesus to save me. I knew that He died in my place on Calvary's cross. When I called out to Him silently in my soul, I believed that I was calling upon a risen and living Savior. I didn't realize at the time that you don't even have to ask, call or pray to be saved, you just simply need to BELIEVE THE GOSPEL (1st Corinthians 15:1-6).

Dear reader, if you ever have the opportunity to speak about God to a group of people at church, please DO NOT ask anyone to meet with the pastor at the back of the church after the service, or to walk down an aisle, because someone may go to Hell because of you! Always share the Gospel with people right there in their pew. To show just how easy, free and simple it is to be saved, I wrote this blog titled: “The Gospel In 45 Seconds.” I could have even shortened it to 30 seconds if I left out some extra comments that I wanted to make.

My ministry friend Michael P. Bowen explains God's simple plan of salvation on page XII in the Introduction of his helpful book titled: “I NEVER KNEW YOU”...

Here is the gospel: God says that we are sinners and that no amount of good works or behavioral changes on our part could ever make us holy enough to enter heaven. God sent His Son to pay for all of our sins. Jesus paid for our crimes by dying on the cross for us all. His dead body was buried in a grave. On the third day, Jesus arose from the dead.

The instant you believe this, He knows it and He saves you. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life”(John 6:47). The free gift is based solely upon your trust in what Jesus did for you and has nothing at all to do with what you do for Him. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

That's it dear reader, BELIEVE IT OH SINNER, and you are saved! Nothing more is required nor allowed to enter into God's heavenly Kingdom. Sadly, well-meaning religious men complicated God's simple plan of salvation by adding sacraments, stipulations, obligations and service. You get saved by getting out of the way, to simply RES in what Christ has already done through Calvary's cross to pay for your sins (Hebrews 4:10-11). Simply believe that Jesus did it all for you!

Just like my deacon friend at the horrible Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, where the Devil's lies of Lordship Salvation and Misunderstood Repentance are taught still today, millions of people are confused about God's simple plan of salvation. When those wicked neo-evangelical preachers foolishly say to “repent of your sins” to be saved, that confused people.

They are sinfully mixing service with salvation (which is what Lordship Salvation is), combining works with grace to pervert the Gospel (Galatians 1:6-7). Christ died for humanity on the cross, taking the whole burden of your sins upon Himself, so that you wouldn't have to. Nowhere in the inspired King James Bible does it teach that to be saved a person must shoulder the weight of their own sins by being willing to forsake them. To be willing to give up one's sinful bad habits is a very difficult, challenging and complicated FALSE plan of salvation. Sadly, this is the Satanic garbage taught at Pensacola Christian College today.

Dear reader, you don't need to have even the slightest doubt about whether or not you are going to Heaven. If your trust (faith, reliance) is in Jesus Christ alone because of WHO He is (the Christ, the only begotten Son of God); and WHAT He did for you on Calvary's cross (Jesus died, was buried and physically resurrected from the dead three days later), then you are forever born again (saved, redeemed, a child of God). Nothing less or more is required.

Remember, it's not what you are DOING that gets you into Heaven, it's where you are LOOKING. Look to Jesus, the slain and risen LAMB OF GOD (John 1:29; Isaiah 45:22).

You Don't Have To “Ask” God To Save You

John 3:14-16, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The inspired Holy Bible couldn't be more clear that the way to Heaven is through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Any needy sinner who by faith (simply taking God at His written Word) accepts Christ's sacrificial death on the cross as full payment for their sins, believing that He was buried, but then physically resurrected from the dead three days later is saved. This is “the gospel” according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. Whosoever BELIEVES IT is saved instantly, irrevocably and permanently (Romans 1:16). You have God's promise on it (Titus 1:2).

That being said, an issue has arisen in the New IFB (independent fundamental Baptist) movement by some pastors, who insist that you cannot be saved without praying to be saved, which is essentially “asking” God to save you. Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) in the following sermon excerpt refutes this blatant false teaching...

Dr. Jack Hyles on a 'Sinner's Prayer' for Salvation

I posted this truthful video today on my Facebook page, and as expected a member of the New IFB quickly got upset at me. Here is my original post...

I humbly agree with Pastor Jack Hyles that prayer is not necessary to be saved. Granted, it is natural for most converts to pray at the time of faith, but the Bible is very clear in Romans 10:14 that we are saved at the moment of FAITH, and not calling or praying (i.e., asking to be saved). When a sinner walks down a church aisle in response to a salvation invitation, they are simply going down front to find out what just happened. They were saved before they even left their pew, at the moment they BELIEVED the Gospel. 

Having said that, I am opposed to pastors who require people to walk an aisle to learn how to go to Heaven. Every preacher should tell sinners how to be saved in their pew, regardless of whether they want to come forward. It is a grave sin to add an additional step to God's simple plan of salvation, when God only requires that someone BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST to be saved. 

I don't know when I was saved. I didn't think to write it down. I remember a place, an experience and calling upon Jesus in faith to save me around 1979 or 1980. Since I know that I am saved, I do not worry about the year. But everyone should definitely remember a place and a time when you knew that you were a needy sinner, and you put your trust in Jesus as your personal Savior.

I learned a great truth from Pastor Bob Gray Sr. years ago, which is that Jesus does NOT forgive sin. Jesus has already paid for everyone's sins with His precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19), which is why eternal life is offered to us as a “free gift” (Romans 5:15-18). A gift need only be taken, not merited. Dr. John MacArthur foolishly taught that salvation is an exchange, a trade of sorts. ... 

“Thus in a sense we pay the ultimate price for salvation when our sinful self is nailed to a cross. ...It is an exchange of all that we are for all that Christ is. And it denotes implicit obedience, full surrender to the lordship of Christ. Nothing less can qualify as saving faith.” (The Gospel According to Jesus, p. 140) 

Sadly, John MacArthur (1939-2025) is now burning in Hell forever without hope. His counterfeit plan of salvation that required "full surrender" to Christ's Lordship could not produce the required new birth to enter into God's Kingdom. We see this truth demonstrated in Matthew 7:21-23. They devoutly followed Jesus in dedicated service, but failed to ever rest in the finished redemptive work of Christ. 

No, Mr. MacArthur, salvation is NOT an exchange of all that we are for all that Christ is; it is NOT a trade of sorts! It is a FREE GIFT! You don't have to "ask" for a gift, you simply receive it by faith (by taking God at His written Word), to accept Christ's sacrifice on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that He was buried, but then miraculously resurrected from the dead three days later. This is the true Gospel which saves according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. 

I do not scold pastors for using the sinner's prayer. Even Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001), who emphasizes in this sermon excerpt that you don't have to pray to get saved, chose to use a sinner's prayer in the Roman's Road presentation of the Gospel. So, I am okay with pastors using the sinner's prayer, providing that they explain it is faith and not prayer that saves a sinner, which is exactly what Brother Hyles is doing in this needful and helpful video excerpt. 

When I got saved I worried for several years that I might not be saved. I was fearful because I was focusing on the sinner's prayer. Since I couldn't remember what I had prayed, I just figured I would ask God to save me again, and again, and again, and again for over 10 years, wallowing in needless fear, mental anguish, tears, frustration, uncertainty and worry. 

No one had ever properly presented God's simple plan of salvation to me. Although I knew that prayer does not save a man, faith does, I still associated getting saved with the sinner's prayer, and that effectively blocked my brain from seeing the simplicity that is in Christ. 

As the years passed, I finally found peace in the matter. I had stopped worrying about God's free gift of salvation long before I had finally obtained perfect peace that solidified my salvation beliefs from Pastor Max D. Younce's helpful book: “SALVATION AND THE PUBLIC INVITATION”...
https://www.jesus-is-savior.com/.../salvationandthepublic...
In this book, Dr. Younce strongly criticizes the needless practice of requiring sinners to walk down a church aisle to find out how to go to Heaven, which practice I hate.

God only knows how many people are burning in Hell forever, all because some incompetent pastor refused to tell them how to be saved in their pew. The reason why Pastor Max Younce's book helped me so much is because I was saved in a pew. I had always felt guilty for being too shy to walk forward as a young teenager, wondering if it would have made a difference if I had gone forward that day. Oh, that my pastor had simply told everyone how to be saved right there from the church pew!

In the years to follow I read Chick Tracts and every piece of religious literature I could get my hands on, searching for answers to settle my ongoing struggle with the assurance of God's free gift of salvation. Unfortunately, they all ended with the requirement to pray a sinner's prayer, which kept me in bondage. Oh that I would have had the following wonderful book by Michael P. Bowen, "I NEVER KNEW YOU," when I needed answers. THE TRUTH in this Bible-based book would have cleared the dark stormy clouds in my soul and set me free!

I have not doubted my salvation in decades, because I now by God's wondrous grace fully comprehend His great plan of salvation. I gleaned this great quote from Brother Younce: "Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith." I love that truth! 

So, I do not use the sinner's prayer, nor do I recommend that others use it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with accompanying one's faith with a sinner's prayer, which is essentially asking God to save you, and that is just fine. However, I do take offense and stand firmly against those preachers today who insist that you cannot be saved without praying or calling (i.e., asking) to go to Heaven. No such requirement is taught in the inspired King James Bible.

My ministry friend Onorato (Norm) Diamante on YouTube has been horribly verbally attacked (especially by that clown Pastor Jonathan Shelley in Texas who called Onorato an "idiot," “demonic,” “arrogant,” “a loser,” “a jerk,” “effeminate” and "a child of the Devil" for simply faithfully preaching the biblical truth that you don't have to pray to be saved. Well, Pastor Jack Hyles and myself agree with Onorato. If anyone is arrogant and a jerk, it is Jonathan Shelley!

There is no mention of the 3,000 sinners who were saved on the Day of Pentecost praying or asking to be saved, they simply "gladly received" Peter's Gospel message (Acts 2:41) and were born again. 

Nor is there any mention of Cornelius and his companions calling, praying or asking to be saved, they simply believed the GOOD NEWS that they heard preached unto them and were converted (Acts 10:43-44; Galatians 3:2). Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do. 

I have heard numerous preachers down play this issue, asking what's the big deal. But they are the one's making it a big deal, by denying that you can get to Heaven without asking, calling or praying to be saved. What saith the Scripture? John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

And although Jesus did invite the Samaritan woman in John 4:10 to "ask" Him for the Living Water, there is not one mention in the remainder of the chapter about any of the Samaritans asking Jesus to save them. Here is what we read... 

John 4:39-42, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”

Let me give you a good illustration. Let's say that it is your birthday and I mail you a birthday present. It arrives by UPS on your birthday and you are holding the gift in your hands with excitement, anticipating what might be inside. Oh boy! Would you call me on the phone, or send me an email, asking if you can open your gift? No, of course not, that would be silly! So what in the world makes someone think that receiving a gift from God is any different? Why would you need to pray to ask God for a gift that He is already freely offering you? 

In the cases of the 3,000 Jews saved at Pentecost in Acts 2, and Cornelius and his friends in Acts 10, and the Roman jailer in Acts 16:30-31—there is no mention of anyone "asking" to be saved, they simply believed on the dear Savior and were saved. Shame on any pastor who tries to make you feel bad or stupid for simply believing that faith is enough to get to Heaven.

In his response to the preceding Facebook post, a New IFB member posted this (unedited)...

“John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

And here is my reply...

Kindly, did you read my post, I addressed that Bible verse? You cannot base a doctrine on a single passage of Scripture. Pastor Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) rightly said, “A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one.” We find dozens of Scripture passages where sinners simply BELIEVED without asking to be saved.

His unedited reply was...

“there is nothing obscure about it”

My biblical response to his foolishness...

You're missing the point my friend. We've got several dozen passages in Scripture that simply teach to "BELIEVE" on the name of Jesus to be saved (John 1:12-13, 3:14-16; 6:28-29, 40, 47; 10:9, 11:25; 20:31; Acts 10:43, 16:30-31; 1st Corinthians 15:1-6; Galatians 3:26; 1st Thessalonians 4:14, to name but just a few). It is bad Bible interpretation to take John 4:10 to teach that you must "ask" God to save you, when the Bible is full of people who didn't. I am not against someone asking God to save them, but it is not mandatory to be saved.

According to John 20:31, the Gospel of John is God's Gospel tract, written to show the reader the way of salvation, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” There is no mention of asking, praying or calling.

And again, as I have kindly mentioned, the Bible is very clear in Romans 10:14 that no one can call until they have first believed, and it is one's faith that saves them. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Again, no mention of praying to be saved.

Dr. Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) got it absolutely right...

“'Pray to be saved. Ask the Lord to save you.' This is what I heard a minister say to a convicted sinner who came forward for prayer at the close of an evangelistic service. Nowhere in the Bible are men told to pray to be saved. There are examples where men did pray and were saved. Men are told to repent, to believe, to obey the Gospel, but the Bible never says to pray for salvation. It does say that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, but nowhere does the Bible command men to pray to be saved. I think I know why, God, who made the human heart, knew that it was not necessary to tell convicted sinners to pray. If a sinner can see Jesus Christ on the cross, it is as natural for him to pray as it is for birds to sing or flowers to bloom. 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.'” —Dr. Bob Jones Sr., “Comments On Here And Hereafter,” chapter: Prayer And Praise, p. 163; Bob Jones University Press, Inc., © 1942

Kindly said, you can stand your ground on this issue, but it is shaky ground to be certain. What you are defending cannot be supported with the inspired Word of God. Just because Jesus invited the Samaritan woman to "ask" Him for the Living Water doesn't negate the over 100 other passages of Scripture which simply invite the reader to "believe" on Christ to be saved.

He replied...

there are just as many scriptures that talk about calling on the name of the Lord and I personally believe that if someone trusts Christ they will ask him to save them aka call on his name. You can disagree I've got better things to do than argue on Facebook.

And here is my final response to his blatant heresy...

Well, I don't have better things to do than to defend the integrity of the Gospel. You are very wrong in your position. Obviously you've been listening to preachers and don't have a leg to stand on in the matter. And you are wrong that just as many verses talk about calling upon the name of the Lord, as versus simply believing to be saved. You don't seem to want to admit that God specifically wrote the Gospel of John to show us how to get to Heaven (John 20:31). Apart from one lone verse in John 4:10, the word "believe" is mentioned 85 times in John. Many places in the Bible where it says men "called upon the LORD" have nothing to do with salvation.

“The conversion of Cornelius and his household completely contradicts the notion that faith must be coupled with prayer in order to result in salvation. Acts 10:43, 'To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 'While Peter yet spake these words...' Don't miss that! 'While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.' Notice, 'WHILE PETER YET SPAKE THESE WORDS, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.'  Why? Because their hearing was mixed with faith. These men were saved while the preacher was still speaking.”—Evangelist Onorato Diamante  

“To assert that man is not saved until he calls, knowing that believing precedes (or comes before calling) is to assert that man is not saved the moment he believes.” —Evangelist Onorato Diamante

Asking, Praying Or Calling Is Not Necessary To Be Saved

 Psalms 116:13, “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.”

Respectfully, I heard my ministry friend Pastor Steven Anderson cite Psalm 116:13 as a proof text that you need to pray to be saved. I totally disagree and will go to seed in this matter with the New IFB! Prayer is NOT required by God to get to Heaven. The inspired Holy Bible is abundantly clear in this matter. We know that praying or calling (which is essentially asking God to save you) is not a requirement to be saved for several reasons:

1. The Bible contains several instances of lost sinners simply BELIEVING the Gospel to be saved.
   
   A. Abraham (Genesis 15:6)
   B. The Samaritan people (John 4:39-42)
   C. The 3,000 souls saved on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41)
   D. The Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:36-38)
   E. Cornelius and his companions (Acts 10:43-44)
   F. The Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:36-38)
   G. The Roman jailer (Acts 16:30-31)
   
   There is no mention in the Bible of any of these people ever asking God to save them, they simply believed the Gospel that they heard preached unto them.
2. The Bible plainly speaks of “the hearing of faith.” What saith the inspired Holy Scripture? Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” The Apostle Paul wanted to know if they simply believed the Gospel which they heard preached unto them.
3. Hebrews 4:2, “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” Many of the Jews in the Wilderness had no faith in the Gospel truth which Moses preached unto them. If they has simply BELIEVED Moses' message God would have saved them.
4. Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” The Bible is very plain that we are saved at the moment of FAITH, and then if we choose to pray a Sinner's Prayer it is only because we first had faith. So, for any preacher to mandate saying a prayer to be saved is blatant FALSE TEACHING.
5. The Samaritan's did not pray (ask) to be saved. Although Jesus did invite the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well in John 4:10 to ask Him for the “Living Water,” none of her people in the Samaritan community asked Jesus to be saved, they simply believed on Him (John 4:39-42).
6. In the Gospel of John we find the word “believe” mentioned 85 times, but not once is asking, calling or praying mentioned in association. It is blatant false doctrine to mandate a Sinner's Prayer for salvation, when the inspired Word of God repeatedly teaches to simply BELIEVE ON JESUS to be saved. 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

There Are Numerous Cases In Scripture Of People Being Saved Without Calling Upon The Name Of The Lord

Respectfully, Brother Anderson fails to mention the numerous cases in the Bible where people didn't call upon the name of the LORD to be saved, they simply BELIEVED. Please understand that I didn't pick this fight, it came to me. When New IFB preachers take a firm stand on what they believe, they open themselves up to rebuke, shame and criticism if what they are preaching is unbiblical. I have heard some New IFB pastors downplay the whole issue, saying: “What's the big deal?” Well, if it's such a small matter, then why do New IFB pastors continue to preach this issue to death? The louder they bark, the louder I need to bark!

The Apostle Peter preached the Gospel to several thousand Jews on the Day of Pentecost and 3,000 lost sinners “gladly received his word” and were saved (Acts 2:41). There is no mention of anyone praying, asking or calling upon the LORD in prayer to be saved. Again, I am not against someone calling upon the name of the LORD to accompany their faith, but I am 100% against anyone mandating prayer to be saved. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do.

Another example is found in Acts chapter 10. God arranged a meet between the Apostle Peter and Cornelius and his companions. As Peter preached the simple Gospel they simply BELIEVED the GOOD NEWS they heard and were immediately born again. Acts 10:43-44, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” They were indwelt with the Holy Spirit because they believed the Gospel. There is no mention of anyone calling upon the name of LORD in prayer to be saved.

We find another example in Acts 16:27-34, “And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.” The Bible says the man and his family BELIEVED and were saved. There is no mention of anyone praying, calling or asking God to be saved.

And still yet we find another example in John chapter 4. Pastor Anderson emphasis the fact that Jesus invited the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well to ask to be saved, and He did. John 4:10, “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” But if you'll read the rest of the chapter, the Bible says the Samaritan women left her water pot and ran to share what had happened with her people. Jesus shocked her that He knew about her five husbands. Jesus had announced to her that He is the Messiah! The Scripture tells us that the Samaritan people simply BELIEVED on Jesus, without any mention of anybody calling, praying or asking to be saved. ...

John 4:39-42, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”

Oh dear reader, I have given you four examples from the Bible of lost sinners being saved by just BELIEVING on Jesus, without any mention of anybody calling, praying or asking to be saved. Brother Anderson is right that there are numerous cases in the Bible where sinners called upon the name of the LORD to be saved, but as I have just shown you, there are also numerous places where sinners simply believed the GOOD NEWS of Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day to be saved.

In numerous cases in the Word of God, lost sinners were saved simply by believing the Gospel when they heard it preached unto them. No one asked to be saved.

Never Base A Doctrine On An Obscure Scripture Passage, While Ignoring A Clear One

In this same sermon excerpt, Pastor Anderson emphasis that Romans 10:9-13 outlines God's “normalized” method to lead someone to faith in Christ. Pastor Curtis Hutson (1934-1996) wisely said, “A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one.” Respectfully, Pastor Anderson is unwisely basing his doctrine upon one obscure passage of Scripture, while completely ignoring the entire Gospel of John.

In the Book of John we find the word “believe” mentioned 85 times, but other than the one mention of Jesus inviting the Samaritan woman to “ask” Him for the Living Water, there is no mention of asking Christ to be saved. Brother Hutson is absolutely right, it would be very unwise and unscholarly to bases a doctrine upon John 4:10 and Romans 10:9-13, when 23 have 85 passages that plainly promise eternal life to whosoever just BELIEVES ON JESUS.

John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

I humbly believe that when an invitation to receive Jesus Christ is given at the end of the sermon, a person is saved before they ever step out of their pew to go forward to the alter. It was their faith in the Lord that caused them to step out and go forward. They walked forward just to find out what they just did. They were saved in their pew the moment they believed upon Christ. Walking down an isle is not required to be saved, and neither is praying a prayer.

I couldn't agree more with my ministry friend Onorato...

“The conversion of Cornelius and his household completely contradicts the notion that faith must be coupled with prayer in order to result in salvation. Acts 10:43, 'To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 'While Peter yet spake these words...' Don't miss that! 'While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.' Notice, 'While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.'  Why? Because their hearing was mixed with faith. These men were saved while the preacher was still speaking.”—Evangelist Onorato Diamante  

“To assert that man is not saved until he calls, knowing that believing precedes (or comes before calling) is to assert that man is not saved the moment he believes.” —Evangelist Onorato Diamante

Requiring Prayer For Salvation Obscures The Gospel

A lot of people have problems with the assurance of their salvation, like I once did, because they are focusing on a prayer. I was saved simply by believing on Jesus Christ; but in hindsight over the years to follow I was worried that I forgot something when I prayed. Since I couldn't remember what my exact heart's words were, I was concerned and fearful. I prayed in my heart for Jesus to save me, but it was my faith that saved me (not the prayer). I eventually learned that all the things I was worried about had absolutely nothing to do with my salvation. I was saved simply by believing upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is so simple. Jesus paid our sin debt. All we have to do is believe on Christ and what He did for us. Simply believe He did it all for you!

I don't think preachers should require people to leave their pew and come forward to find out how to be saved. A pastor should tell sinners in the pew that they can be saved without coming forward. A preacher should tell everyone in the congregation how to be saved right there in their pew. It's okay to invite people to come forward, but the gospel should not be withheld from those who don't come forward. Maybe a person doesn't feel well, or is shy, or embarrassed, or simply doesn't feel comfortable walking an aisle. God will save any repentant sinner just as they are, whoever they are, and wherever they are.

I am confident that a lot of people are going through the same fears, worries and doubts that I did for a decade after I got saved in 1979. The reason is because our churches have become caught up in leading people to pray a Sinner's Prayer, which is not part of the Gospel. We need to teach lost sinners that praying a prayer is NOT the way of salvation; but rather, we are saved from a believing heart in the Gospel.

Here are some tremendous quotes from Evangelist Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968)...

“Men are not saved by analyzing the truth of the Gospel. They are saved by accepting the truth of the Gospel. It is true, whether men believe it or not. It is as true as the multiplication table. Men use the multiplication table to do what the multiplication table is supposed to do. The Gospel will do what it is supposed to do. 'It is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth.'” —Dr. Bob Jones Sr., “Comments On Here And Hereafter,” chapter: Preaching, Evangelism, page 123; Bob Jones University Press, Inc., © 1942

“'Pray to be saved. Ask the Lord to save you.' This is what I heard a minister say to a convicted sinner who came forward for prayer at the close of an evangelistic service. Nowhere in the Bible are men told to pray to be saved. There are examples where men did pray and were saved. Men are told to repent, to believe, to obey the Gospel, but the Bible never says to pray for salvation. It does say that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, but nowhere does the Bible command men to pray to be saved. I think I know why, God, who made the human heart, knew that it was not necessary to tell convicted sinners to pray. If a sinner can see Jesus Christ on the cross, it is as natural for him to pray as it is for birds to sing or flowers to bloom. 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.'” —Dr. Bob Jones Sr., “Comments On Here And Hereafter,” chapter: Prayer And Praise, page 163; Bob Jones University Press, Inc., © 1942

We all make our own choices. Dear reader, I have given you compelling proof from the inspired Word of God, that praying (asking to be saved) is not required to get to Heaven. God is already offering you eternal life just for the taking, as a free gift (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). Why would you ask someone to give you a gift that they are already freely offering you?

If You Trust Someone Mostly, You Do Not Trust Them At All

Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

Have you ever said that they trust someone, kind of. The truth is they don't trust that person, period. Either you trust someone 100% or you don't trust them at all.

Dear reader, do you really trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? In fact, sadly, nearly everyone who claims to be religious on the planet does not completely trust Christ.

In 2003 in the Chicago Sun-Time during the Iraqi War, I read a sad article titled: “U.S. Troops Line Up For Baptism Just In Case.” Oh my, that is not the Gospel. That is not how you get to Heaven! In case the soldiers were killed on the battlefield, they were being invited by the heathen military chaplain to be dunked in a baptistry to prepare to meet God. Fools!

Salvation is not found in any religion, baptistry, sacrament or ritual; but rather, in Jesus Christ's crucifixtion on the cross, His burial and bodily resurrection from the dead three days later. This is the Gospel, the “Good News,” according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. There is no other way to Heaven (Acts 4:10-12). Any admitted guilty sinner who believes the Gospel is saved (Romans 1:16). Christ died for our sins! He is the only Savior and Mediator between God the Father and men. You can pray to Mary all you want, you are wasting your idolatrous breath!

If you trust someone 99%, you don't trust them. It's that simple. If you are relying upon church sacraments to get to Heaven, which includes the baptistry, you are not wholly trusting Christ. If you are relying upon the fallacy of having “repented of your sins,” you are not wholly trusting Jesus as your Savior. Not one verse in the inspired King James Bible teaches that you must repent “of your sins” to be saved. Yet, wicked Baptist pastors everywhere are preaching this damnable heresy today, misleading the masses. Please don't let some slick false prophet take you to Hell with him. Salvation is of the LORD, and you have no part in your own salvation except the sin that made it necessary. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do.

Now, I am not saying that you cannot have doubts as a Christian. It matters not how much lack of confidence you may have that Christ can save you, it you trust wholly in Jesus alone for the forgiveness of your sins, accepting His sacrifice on the cross as full payment for your sins, burial and His physical resurrection the third day, you are going to Heaven. It's that simple. Billions of sincere people are going to miss Heaven and spend eternity in Hell someday because they trusted in TOO MUCH. Do not add anything to your faith in Christ and what He did for you on the cross. Salvation is simply believing that Jesus did it all for you through Calvary's cross. Do not be foolish by adding to that.

Beware of the lying false prophet like Pastor Joel Osteen, who says that to be saved you must turn from your sins and invite Jesus into your life. Jesus was a part of Judas Iscariot's life, yet Judas is in Hell forever. Judas turned from his sins, even returning the thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 27:3 tells us that Judas “repented” of his sins and still ended up burning in Hell. Judas felt sorry for betraying an innocent man, Jesus, but Judas never repented toward God by faith in His only begotten Son (John 3:16). I feel sad for Judas.

Dear reader, I cannot stress just how important this blog is. Are you relying upon Christ alone and what He did to pay your debt of sin on Calvary's cross? Cults like Seventh-Day Adventism (SDA) and Lutherans redefine what “faith” means, perverted it's biblical meaning. SDA's errantly teach that you must obey the Ten Commandments to prove that you love God, and if you don't they say your faith is false and you are not saved. Martin Luther (1483-1546) errantly taught that you put your faith in Christ by getting water baptized. This is what Lutherans (his cult followers) still teach today nearly 500 years later.

I ask you again with a concerned heart dear friend, are you trusting Christ alone? If you are relying upon the Gospel alone for salvation, then despite any doubts you may have in the veracity of the Holy Bible, you are trusting Jesus 100%. If you trust your wife 95%, you don't trust her. If you trust her 99.99%, you don't trust her! Trust means that you wholly place your full confidence in someone.

I ask you once more friend, are you wholly relying upon the Lamb of God to save you? John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Not church membership, not the baptistry, not sacraments, not loving thy neighbour, not religious devotion, not serving Christ, not repenting of your sins, not making Jesus “Lord” of your life, not living a lifestyle of repentance, not faithfully running the race 'til the end, not anything but “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST” (Acts 16:31b). Thank you for reading my ministry blog.

Every One Of You Can Be Saved

Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

There is a beautiful Bible truth hidden in this Scripture text. The Apostle Peter preached the Gospel and extended a salvation invitation to “every one of you.” This truth disproves the Calvinist lie that God only chooses certain people to be saved, and others to go to Hell. According to the inspired Word of God, God desires for all men to repent (change your mind) from unbelief to belief to be saved. 2nd Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Dear reader, it matters not who you are or what you may have done, Jesus Christ died on Calvary's cross 2,000 years ago to pay your debt of sin. It matters not if you are Judas Iscariot, God would have saved Judas if he simply trusted Christ. It matters not if you paid Judas the 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus, God still wanted to forgive them. No one is beyond the hope and saving-power of the Gospel. John 5:40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” Notice that Christ did not say “ye cannot come”; but rather, “ye will not come” unto me to be saved. No one ever went to Hell who didn't consciously choose to go there by rejecting Jesus as their Savior.

But you say, “I'm like unto one of the Pharisees who plotted Jesus' death. Would God save me?” Yes, yes, ten thousands times yes! It matters not if you are a murderer, thief, child molester, adulterer, extortioner, crooked politician, homosexual, transvestite or some other evil monster, yes, absolutely yes, God will save you if you'll just BELIEVE the Gospel. You must understand that there is no “you” in God's simple plan of salvation, there is only Christ and what He did for you through Calvary's cross. Jesus paid our debt of sin. If you and I were to pay for our own sins, we would be cast into the everlasting fires of Hell. That is justice!

Thank God for His mercy and grace. Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” The ONLY means of obtaining peace with God is through faith in His only begotten Son. Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” There is no peace in any religion! There is no peace in the sacraments of Roman Catholicism and the Lutheran and Presbyterian denominations. Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

WHOSOEVER will can be saved. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Anybody can and should be saved. Your eternal happiness depends on it. When you die your location changes, but what you believe determines the neighborhood you move into. Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” The Apostle Peter told the crowd that every one of them could be saved by faith in Jesus Christ. The choice is yours along to make dear friend.