Study to shew thyself approved unto God... II Timothy 2:15, KJV

Here is a homework assignment for us all.

Are you still there? Most of us hate homework, and the thought of doing any study that we are not getting a grade for (or at least getting paid for) is unappealing to say the least. However, this particular homework assignment is so important, that I believe most people who are honest with themselves will immediately see the need for. So, what is this assignment that I am claiming to be so important?

It is simply this: Find out everything you can about the "Sinner's Prayer of Salvation". 

This prayer goes by several familiar names. The "sinner's prayer", the "believer's prayer", and the "believer's prayer of faith" are but a few. Regardless of the exact name, most of us in the Christian world are intimately familiar with it, and many are absolutely convinced that it is at the moment that one prays this prayer that one is saved. Since so many people are convinced of this, it only makes sense that we investigate it thoroughly in order to know if it really does hold the power of bringing us to salvation. 

On one side, many are so convinced that this prayer is a requirement to salvation, that trying to convince them otherwise is a non-starter. By even implying that this prayer is unnecessary, many will tune you out or leave the conversation completely. On the other side, there are many who do not believe that such a prayer is needed and therefore will never pray it. You can see how important this issue is, for if those who purport that this prayer is essential to salvation are correct, then not praying such a prayer will keep one from ever being saved.

Whatever side of this discussion we find ourselves on, I think most can see the need to examine it thoroughly enough to come to a reasonable conclusion. Again, the reason is obvious, for our salvation hangs in the balance.

Here are a few suggestions for approaching this "homework" assignment: Begin with the Bible. Get yourself a good Bible concordance search tool that will allow you to find out what the Bible says about this sinner's prayer. If you don't have one that you have used in the past, I believe that you will find the Blue Letter Bible that is available for free online will serve your purpose quite adequately. Type in phrases such as "sinner's prayer", "believer's prayer", "sinner's prayer of salvation", "believer's prayer of faith", etc. and then write down all the verses that your search provides. You may be surprised with the results!

Second, go to your favorite search engine (such as "Google" and "Bing") and see what comes up. You might want to compare the results you find here to the results you found in your Bible search. Look for things like the origin of the sinner's prayer, its subsequent history and the people who have promoted it. You can get creative with this search, so make it a study that is as interesting and beneficial to you as possible.

That's it for today. You do your homework, and I will do mine, and I will be back tomorrow to discuss what I have found in my own study so that you can compare it to the results of your own.

I hope you'll come back tomorrow to see what we have found!