A Better Sinner’s Prayer?
By NiteOwlDave
niteowldave@gmail.com
The prevailing way to direct a lost sinner to the Lord Jesus Christ and eternal Heaven is by leading a seeker through the standard "Sinner's Prayer."
That prayer of repentance of one's sins and inviting Jesus into one's heart is on the back of the many hundreds - perhaps thousands - of different gospel tracts available worldwide.
Although such a prayer is not in the Bible and Jesus or His disciples never shared the way to Heaven in such a point-by-point manner, it is a valid prayer of salvation with biblical support.
Of course, one who prays it must fully understand this prayer vow and be sincere.
That said, there might be a better way to help someone get saved.
Here's an alternate way of leading a sinner to the foot of the cross of Christ to have their sins forgiven. I have seen this used by a preacher friend, Peter Zein, who is a top gun Christian who has won many to the Lord.
I'VE DISCOVERED THIS NEW WAY IS EXCELLENT FOR SHARING THE GOSPEL IN INTERNET CHAT BECAUSE IT IS BETTER SOURCED. IT IS THE WORDS OF THE SEEKER AND, IN MY OPINION, IT IS BETTER THAN ADVISING, “HERE, PRAY THIS.”
It is a given that a potential new Christian must be seeking truth which means the Holy Spirit must have prepared his or her heart to want answers to what is the true meaning of life. No one can be won for Christ through debate.
Here's how it works:
1. Ask "Bob" if he will go to Heaven one day. The usual response is, "I don't know, but I hope so."
2. Ask Bob if he thinks his sins might be a problem with him being
allowed into Heaven. He will likely answer yes.
3. Ask him if it makes sense to him that God is likely online, seeing what we types, listening to what we say and that it is all stored on His heavenly hard drive. He will likely snicker but will likely agree. He will likely acknowledge that God is everywhere and sees everything.
4. Ask him to picture himself standing before God next to his pile of sin.
5. Ask him to type some of his the sins that make up the pile. One typed sin is fine.
6. As he types, encourage him to spill all - if he’s comfortable with that - without unnecessary details. Like with most of us, the list would likely be lengthy. Seeing our sin list is helpful because we see how much we have messed up.
7. Ask him if he thought God would let him into Heaven if his sin pile were one half or one quarter the size.
8. Quietly share that, according to the Bible, for a person to be allowed
into Heaven, we must be perfect. We must be 100 per cent sin free.
9. Ask Bob that since he has a sin record what does he think he must do?
Wait. He will likely say he needs to repent for his sins.
10. Suggest he type to God about his sins. (I advise "the Bobs" to type like we talk with anyone, and that God could care less about our spelling, word usage, phraseology or typing skills.) Tell him God will forgive all, if we are ask Him and we are sincere.
11. Ask “Bob” what did Jesus did to be able to remove our sins. He will likely respond, "I think He died for our sins." Remind him He arose from the dead, and is alive today in Heaven.
12. Suggest to Bob that he type to God what that something inside of him is urging him to tell Jesus.
13. Encourage him with "Well done. I like THAT. Keep going,"
If “Bob” asks God to forgive him of all his sins - past, present and future – and chooses to type (confess) that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to this earth 2,000 years where He allowed Himself to be put to death to pay for all our sin with His shed blood, rose again from the dead and is alive today in Heaven, HE IS NOW SAVED.
Tell him to share what he just did with someone. Advise him to begin attending a church where the Bible is taught clearly.
Advise him of these verses: Romans 10:9 - "That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
