| The Sinner's Prayer, Part 5 |
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| Written by David Lawrence |
| Monday, August 22 2005 00:00 |
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As we consider the Biblical basis of the sinner's prayer, we should notice Luke 23:39-43. There were two thieves crucified with Jesus. One of them hurled insults at Christ, and the other rebuked his fellow-thief with these words: "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong….Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus' answer to him was, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." There is no doubt that this criminal was justified and saved. We have Jesus' word for it. Also, we note that he prayed to Jesus to be remembered. The prayer did not take the same words as that of the publican, but the result was the same. Both men recognized their own sinfulness, and both cried out for mercy. Both received mercy. We may conclude that the particular form of this prayer is not specified. What must always be present is a sense of our spiritual despair and a trust that God can provide relief. In whatever way, in some form, all of us come to this point. We settle things with God. He who has not done so needs to do so. The sinner's prayer is fundamentally Biblical and expresses the very essence of what occurs when the great transaction is made. We need to be sure that we have placed our faith in Christ and that we rest on him alone for salvation. However, there are a few more avenues to explore before we leave this subject. |
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