In the summer of 1985, I was serving a pastoral internship at the Woodside Community Church in Woodside Queens. This young rural Ohio native, Baptist preacher boy has a lot to learn about culture and religion as he served in New York City! One of the things I remember vividly is visiting St. Sebastian's, a large Roman Catholic during the Rosary service on a Saturday afternoon. I was struck by the monotone call and response of the memorized repeated prayers. I was out of my comfort zone and tried to understand what they were doing.
Of course, being raised as a Fundamental Baptist, I had been taught that God does not desire repeated prayers. I filed this experience away in my brain along with the scriptural warning of such practices.
Matthew 6:7 (AV)
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Many Evangelicals reading this post will condemn this kind of repeated prayer while engaging in the same kind of behavior. No, I don't know of many Fundamentalists who carry around Rosary beads or repeat the Our Father or Hail Mary several times a day. I have however seen this practice implemented as some folks go soul winning.
Years ago I had the opportunity to preach in several churches around the country and go soul winning with various groups who have been trained at some large Baptist Church conferences. Let me share a typical experience I observed that was not an isolated incident.
We would find someone on the street, or knock on some one's door, introduce ourselves, and proceed to share the good news of Salvation by Grace through faith in Christ alone. We would go through each point complete with verses and illustrations. Sometimes I would notice that the prospect's eyes would glaze over, wondering when we would leave him alone. Finally the zealous evangelist would ask the prospect if he or she would like to receive Jesus as Savior. The prospect would hesitate, but eventually decline the soul winner's offer. The evangelist would respond graciously and thank the prospect for their time, asking permission to pray with them before they left. Of course the poor guy just wanted us off his lawn or front porch, so he complied hoping it would not take long. With this the soul winner requested the prospect to repeat after him and then led him in what is commonly understood as a version of the "Sinner's Prayer". The prospect did not want to get saved, had no idea what he was doing, but was duped into repeating some words. After leaving that bewildered person, the evangelist would declare that he "got another one saved". He would write the prospect's name on the inside of his soul winner's New Testament like an Ace pilot would stamp another kill on the side of his plane. When I asked how in the world we could claim that we led this person to Christ for real they quoted this verse claiming that it was a promise from God that since this person repeated the "Sinner's Prayer" then he was saved.
Romans 10:13 (AV)
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Through the years I have found a select group of folks who are so zealous for souls they become Jesus salesmen who's goal is to somehow get the prospect to repeat the magic words of salvation. If we take this verse alone, isolated from the context and every other related principle in the Bible, yes we can make a case for the claim that everyone who repeats this prayer is saved. The fact is however, that this verse is not isolated. Look at the verse that immediately follows:
Romans 10:13–14 (AV)
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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?
So now we must examine what exactly gets one saved? Most of us Evangelicals realize that there is no work, rite or ritual that will enable us to merit eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8–9 (AV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Galatians 2:21 (AV)
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Salvation comes by faith alone in Christ alone. Notice that the solution to man's sin problem is to repent (change one's mind) about what you are trusting in and trust in Jesus alone.
Hebrews 6:1 (AV)
... the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
John 3:16 (AV)
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.
John 3:18–20 (AV)
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:36 (AV)
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
It is a change of one's belief system that accesses God's grace, not a repeated prayer. Notice that when the Jailer asked what he must do, Paul did not lead him in a repeated prayer. He told him that he must believe.
Acts 16:30–31 (AV)
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
So what function does prayer have in Salvation?
Romans 10:9–11 (AV)
9 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. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
When a person truly believes in Jesus as Savior, he as been made alive, he is a new creature in Christ. As a result his heart is changed and he is not ashamed to express that belief in prayer. Prayer then is the evidence of the saving faith that the prospect has experienced. I am not against helping a prospect to pray by having him repeat, but it is not the prayer that saves him, it is saving faith.
Romans 5:1–2 (AV)
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
So the next time you go soul winning (and I hope you go every day) remember the goal is to share the Word of God in a way that will help your prospect understand and transfer his trust off of his own works and onto the finished work of Jesus.
Romans 10:17 (AV)
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Don't emphasize the actual prayer so much that you just trick your prospect into praying without actually believing. Let us do what it takes to avoid the Evangelical "Hail Mary".
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