Consider the Cost pt. 1
Growing up in the 80s we were blessed with the great evangelist Billy Graham and other charismatic leaders. During that time they encouraged people to say the “sinner’s prayer” and be “born again”. Both of these have a scriptural basis but somewhere along the way many who “accepted Jesus in their heart” were not given the fine print or told all the information when they prayed the prayer for salvation.
For those who aren’t familiar with the sinner’s prayer it goes something like this: “Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior.”
The idea of the sinner prayer comes from the idea that first God loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. However, since we ALL have broken God’s laws and have fallen short brought a separation between God and Man.
After all, all sin really means is missing the mark. The idea is that have all missed the mark of what God set out of us. Second, since none of us our perfect God came through his perfect Son Jesus to die on the Cross and save us from our sins. By accepting his “free gift of salvation” we can again have a proper relationship with God the Father. Jesus according to the Bible is man’s only means of salvation.
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 10:9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 16:30-33 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
The idea of “Born Again” comes from the third chapter of John. You know…the same chapter the athlete Tim Tebow wore proudly on his greased eye paint, the same chapter that we all learned in School, John 3:16, “For God so Loved the World that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Within that same passage, a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus came to Jesus after hours to know more about his teachings.
Knowing Nicodemus’s heart, Jesus said “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” To which the leader was confused and asked how someone could go back into mom’s stomach again. Jesus then explained that the first birth was physical, but the second birth was a spiritual one. People would need to put away the old principle of our fleshly desires and decide to be in a new kingdom.
Lastly the idea of “accepting Jesus in our heart,” is just an illustration of not just agreeing with the teachings of Jesus mentally but taking those same teachings and allowing God to transform “our hearts” and lives through his power, and with our submission to his words and power. Getting out of the way, and allowing those teachings to become part of us, and come alive.
So, I think are good and positive up till this point, however, I think we are missing one of the most important aspects of the salvation prayer, and that is not just accepting His “free gift of Salvation” but submitting to him as Lord.
With good intentions of bringing people to Jesus, sometimes, we have unintentionally forgotten to explain what Lord means. For those wondering about the word Lord, it simply means submitting all your actions, dreams, hopes, and choices to him. Allowing God to become the boss and ruler of your life.
Before we pray the prayer, Jesus encourages us to “Count the Cost.” Luke 14:25–33. Because becoming a Christian means that it will probably be difficult. More on that next week...