Hello,
Your web site challenges me greatly. I really enjoy it. It's interesting to me that some of the very same things the Holy Spirit has communicated to me, you have written about. I haven't made a study of the original languages the Bible was written in like you have. I sure would like to.
Anyway, I had recently read an article about the lone survivor of the coal mine disaster that happened in West Virginia early this year. He mentioned that one of the men led the group of trapped miners in the "Sinner's Prayer". I didn't know what he was talking about, so I did an internet search of "Sinner's Prayer". I was surprised that I had never heard this prayer called the Sinner's Prayer before. One site particularly went into a lengthy discussion of how this was a man-made prayer with no basis in the bible other than a verse in Revelation. The web site I found was
http://www.bible.ca/g-sinners-prayer.htm. I haven't read much of their stuff other than the Sinner's Prayer information.
Can you comment on this? Is it right to pray this prayer? Do we get to choose when we are saved? And the whole notion of being saved, like it's a "magical" event, what about that? I prayed this prayer as a child, and have never "felt" anything "magical". Does that make me weird or not saved? I believe that the Holy Spirit speaks to me. I haven't lived right, but I want to; though I know that my own efforts aren't enough. It's only by Christ that I am acceptable in God's sight. Some times I get confused when I go to church and listen, and then I read my bible and read things like what you and others have put on the internet. Then the Holy Spirit says to me... "Hey, rest in Jesus. Stop worrying. Give your burdens to Jesus. Seek Jesus. He's here and He will give you rest." And then I wonder if I should be spending my time reading what people are writing rather than just reading God's Word.
Thanks for your time.
Anita
Dear Anita:
Go to my home page article at:
http://bible-truths.com/fools.htmand near the end of this paper you will see an entry for THE SINNER'S PRAYER. Read it and you will learn a lot about salvation.
God be with you,
Ray
