Sinner's Prayer

[love_magnified]

Hi Guys. I was wondering if you see a correlation between the passage below and (Matthew 7:21-23) and (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) and the Sinner's Prayer. I have been thinking alot about the destructiveness of the sinner's prayer and how it robs us of the true salvation which is to due the will of our Father rather than just saying a couple lines and thinking it all stops there.

Isaiah 28:14-19
Therefore, listen to this message from the LORD, you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem. You boast that you have struck a bargain to avoid death and have made a deal to dodge the grave. You say, "The Assyrians can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception." Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem. It is firm, a tested and precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never run away again.

"I will take the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness to check the foundation wall you have built. Your refuge looks strong, but since it is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, the enemy will come like a flood to sweep it away. I will cancel the bargain you made to avoid death, and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave. When the terrible enemy floods in, you will be trampled into the ground. Again and again that flood will come, morning after morning, day and night, until you are carried away."

[orion77]

Hi Guys. I was wondering if you see a correlation between the passage below and (Matthew 7:21-23) and (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) and the Sinner's Prayer. I have been thinking alot about the destructiveness of the sinner's prayer and how it robs us of the true salvation which is to due the will of our Father rather than just saying a couple lines and thinking it all stops there.

Isaiah 28:14-19
Therefore, listen to this message from the LORD, you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem. You boast that you have struck a bargain to avoid death and have made a deal to dodge the grave. You say, "The Assyrians can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception." Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem. It is firm, a tested and precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never run away again.

"I will take the measuring line of justice and the plumb line of righteousness to check the foundation wall you have built. Your refuge looks strong, but since it is made of lies, a hailstorm will knock it down. Since it is made of deception, the enemy will come like a flood to sweep it away. I will cancel the bargain you made to avoid death, and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave. When the terrible enemy floods in, you will be trampled into the ground. Again and again that flood will come, morning after morning, day and night, until you are carried away."

Love Magnified, good scripture, anything we do ourselves to make us think we are saved will have to be burned.  We can do nothing in ourselves.  I agree with you about the sinners prayer; it causes much confusion with new believers.  

My stepdaughter started going to church with other family members last year.  Everyone was so proud that she was getting baptized, said the sinners prayer and was saved.  Afterwards, privately she told me, she felt confused...and said is that it?...that's all there is to it?...she could not understand.  None of the family members or preacher could explain.  I explain things to her from time to time, when I see she is ready to listen, but do not want to push anything on her.  Her eyes are beginning to open.  Anyway don't mean to get off track.

I think the sinners prayer causes many people to stop in their growth.  Then they go to church out of obligation and the carnal need to just fit in.
Good point and scripture quoted.

God bless,

Gary

[bowlbyx]

I was thinking on the same lines today when i read philippians.  how interesting, dont know if this is relevant to the issue but it made alot of since to me.  thanks for reading

Phil 3:8-16
8 Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith; 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
RSV

GOD bless
david

[love_magnified]

Amen. It got me to thinking about the difference between straw, hay, and precious gems.

Here is the description of the bride in Revelation (being us):

The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve gems: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

The twelve gates were made of pearls--each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.

The main street is pure gold (gold representing Godly character). So it is like walking in the spirit. The entire City is made of gold as well because when you take this golden walk, your whole attidude eminates the fruit of the spirit.

The walls are made of gemstones (representing good works) built upon the foundation which is Jesus Christ. Think about a pure white pearl (on the gates). Pearls are delivered up out of the bottom of the "sea", then the hard shell is cracked open, and the pearl is brought out of darkness into the hand of the Fisherman. The twelve names of the twelve tribes written on the walls represents the new spiritual kingdom (Israel of God) created through Christ's sacrifice. What do you guys think?

It is amazing how God hides his truths behind images that will inspire greed from the carnal man, and generosity from the spiritual man.

[bobf]

LM, the passages you posted made me think of this chapter.

Isaiah 54

4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

6 For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.[/list:u]

The burning of straw & wood, yet he himself shall be saved as by fire.

10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.[/list:u]

Leaving a foundation of Christ

11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.[/list:u]

Finally, a summary of the whole process of judgment by fire.

16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.[/list:u]

[love_magnified]

Amen.