Part three of Three: The Sinner’s Prayer

Jesus Christ died on the Cross to save our soul(s), but His redemption is for naught unless we do not accept His sacrifice for our salvation. All men [1] can receive salvation, but only through faith (which is acceptance) in Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice on the Cross [2].

Acts 16:16-40 tells us about Paul and Silas in Prison. Long story short, Paul and Silas taught about Jesus and His salvation. After the incident with the soothsayer, a mob gathered and hollered, “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” The Roman Magistrates ordered Paul and Silas beaten and jailed because of their teaching. Once in prison Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns to God as the other inmates listened. Suddenly, at midnight, the Lord caused a violent earthquake and opened the cell doors of the jail where they’d incarcerated Paul and Silas and their shackles loosed.

The jailer was so frightened that he was about to commit hara-kiri [3]; because he thought that the prisoners had escaped. He must have felt that his longevity would be in question if true. However, Paul yelled at him saying, “Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.” The jailer went into Paul and Silas’s cell and fell at their feet and asked them,

v30b “. . .What must I do to be saved?” [Acts 16:30b KJV]

People have asked that question for two millennia, and it is still a question that can literally save a person’s life. We, as believers, have the same answer as Paul did 2000 years ago when the jailer asked the all important question. However, here is what Paul said,

v31 And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” [Acts 16:31 KJV]

The Sinner’s Prayer

That’s all there is to it to be saved, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Just like the Lord saved Paul and Silas from Roman captivity, He can save us today from the enemy that attacks us each and every day. One sweet aspect of the Lord saving Paul and Silas was that they got an apology to boot. The leaders had sent an order to the jailer to release Paul and Silas, but they would not leave, and wanting the leaders to come and release them themselves, because they were Roman citizens and had been publicly and unceremoniously beaten and thrown in jail. They wanted the apology.

So, what must we do to be saved?

To get a person on the wonderful road of salvation only takes a few sentences. So, again, what must we do to be saved? Just pray this simple prayer.

Dear Jesus:
I am a sinner.
I am need of a Savior.
Please come into my heart and save me.
In your name I pray,
Amen.

If you just prayed this prayer for the first time, please tell somebody because the Bible tells us to do so [4]. If you have no one to tell, would you honor me in sharing this moment with you? Just email me at my Website, James Lindquist

____________________________________________

“Diabolical forces are formidable. These forces are eternal, and they exist today. The fairy tale is true. The Devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow.” -Ed Warren
(Paranormal investigator Sept 7, 1926 – Aug 23, 2006)
____________________________________________

[1] Men is a generic term for mankind
[2] Hebrews 2:17 Propitiation is the act of appeasing someone as in God in this context, or atonement. (Substitutionary atonement)
[3] Japanese form of suicide by the sword to the stomach
[4] Luke 9:26