Prayer Doesn’t Create Salvation. It Accompanies It.

in the story of Jesus and the prosperous younger ruler in Mark 10:17–23, a wealthy young man runs as much as Jesus and says, "good trainer, what need to I do to inherit everlasting life?" And Jesus tells him that he must preserve all the Ten Commandments. The young man says, "All these I actually have saved for the reason that i used to be a boy."

Of path, no person can maintain all of the Ten Commandments completely, however Jesus didn't argue that element. He turned into attempting to get to a extra pressing situation in the young man's life. The textual content tells us that Jesus "looked at him and adored him." I feel Jesus saw a true sincerity of coronary heart in him; however there turned into whatever within the younger man's soul that changed into a roadblock to his salvation.

"One element you lack," Jesus noted. "Go, sell every thing you've got and give to the negative, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, comply with me."

The young man walked away unhappy, Mark tells us, "because he had top notch wealth."

Now, was Jesus announcing that how to be saved and have everlasting life is to promote every little thing you have and provides it to the poor? if you study the story cautiously, it's clear that Jesus wasn't asserting that at all. He gave the equal plan of salvation to the prosperous younger ruler that he gave to Nicodemus—but he gave it in distinct words, tailoring his gospel name to each and every man's particular person want.

identical Gospel, different Presentation

Nicodemus turned into a Pharisee, and he had certain rigid, legalistic ideas about what it meant to be saved by God. Jesus had to shake him out of his slim mindset via telling him he mandatory to be born once more. Likewise, Jesus knew that the rich young ruler's coronary heart became tightly gripped with the aid of all his possessions, so he tried to shake the materialism out of the younger man's coronary heart through telling him to sell every thing and give to the poor. The aspect of the story was no longer that giving to the poor would save his soul, but that his love of possessions avoided him from following Jesus.

The Bible is unambiguous on this point: respectable works gained't prevent. best Jesus saves. by way of grace are you saved through faith. Salvation is a present of God, now not an achievement of our personal works. The plan of salvation that Jesus gave to Nicodemus turned into the equal plan of salvation he gave the prosperous younger ruler. He advised Nicodemus that whosoever believes in him may have everlasting existence. He advised the prosperous younger ruler, "observe me." Believing in Jesus and following Jesus are the same element.

The factor of the story turned into no longer that giving to the terrible would retailer his soul, but that his love of possessions averted him from following Jesus.

When Jesus known as Peter and Andrew, he didn't tell them to promote their fishing boats and give the cash to the bad. He readily noted, "Come, follow me." Jesus dealt in another way with each and every person he met, because he treated every one as a different particular person. however no be counted whom he changed into talking to, the plan of salvation he shared became the same: "agree with and observe me."

Praying the Prayer

For a long time, evangelists and preachers have used terms like "acquire Christ" or "invite Jesus into your coronary heart" to describe Christian conversion. The resolution to get hold of Christ is commonly accompanied via a prayer of commitment. In his booklet Love Wins, Rob Bell ridicules the theory of a conversion prayer:

Christians don't agree on precisely what this prayer is, but for a lot of the simple idea is that the most effective solution to get into heaven is to hope at some point in your life, asking God to forgive you and telling God that you accept Jesus, you trust Jesus died on the move to pay the cost for your sins, and also you wish to go to heaven if you happen to die. Some name this "accepting Christ," others call it the "sinner's prayer," and nonetheless others name it "getting saved," being "born again," or being "converted." That, of direction, raises greater questions. What about people who have referred to some sort of "the prayer" at some point of their existence, but it surely potential nothing to them these days? What about those that referred to it in a particularly emotionally charged atmosphere like a youth camp or church provider because it was the thing to do, but were unaware of the value of what they have been doing? What about i ndividuals who have under no circumstances observed the prayer and don't declare to be Christians, but reside a greater Christlike life than some Christians?

right here's a person who centered a church, became a pastor for 13 years, and yet appears to have absolutely ignored the factor of the prayer of conversion. without doubt, praying a prayer at one factor for your life doesn't make you a follower of Christ. Jesus didn't say to Nicodemus and the wealthy young ruler, "One element you lack—just pray the sinner's prayer." No! He talked about, "trust in me. comply with me."

definitely, praying a prayer at one aspect to your life does not make you a follower of Christ.

Praying to obtain Christ as your Lord and Savior isn't a magical incantation or a non secular prescription. It's a dedication to comply with Jesus and make him Lord of your whole life. If it's a call you are making evenly or in an emotional moment, and also you don't retain that commitment, then you were in no way saved to begin with.

Conversion isn't a count number of praying the correct words; it's a be counted of believing and following Jesus. It capability now not simply receiving him as your Savior but making him the Lord of your life. For some people, following Christ begins via praying a prayer. For others, the decision to follow Jesus takes location regularly, and they don't have any recollection of a single second when they prayed to accept Christ. That's ok. What in fact matters is believing and following Christ.

Jesus said we need to be born once again. We have to comply with him. And if we all follow him as our Savior and Lord, if we abide in him and grasp to his teachings, then our lives—and our world—can be modified.

actual Conversion

i am hoping you'll take some time to verify your lifestyles and your soul, and ask your self, Do I truly consider in Jesus? Am I following him? Have I made him the Lord of my existence? If the honest, shopping reply to those questions is sure, then take a moment to thank Jesus for death on the go to your sake. Thank him for the free gift of everlasting life. give compliment to God the father for his forgiving grace. give due to the Holy Spirit for sealing your salvation for all eternity.

if your answer isn't any, then that you may offer to God a prayer of dedication presently. you could invite Jesus to become the Lord of your life. if you don't know what to claim to Jesus, here's a prayer you could pray:

dear Lord,

i know that I'm a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin, and i ask you to forgive me. I agree with you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I repent of my sins and that i ask you to return into my lifestyles and take handle. I make a dedication to comply with you, and i believe you as my Lord and Savior.

in your name, Amen.

bear in mind, it's not the phrases that save you. It's the dedication of your heart that makes you a genuine follower of Jesus. in case you prayed that prayer, and you suggest these phrases with your entire coronary heart, then you've been forgiven. You'll event the plentiful existence within the right here and now. and also you'll have eternal lifestyles on earth to come back.

Editors' observe: 

here is an tailored excerpt from Michael Youssef's new publication, Saving Christianity?: The hazard in Undermining Our religion—and What which you could Do about It (Tyndale Momentum, 2020).

Michael Youssef is the senior pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, and the executive president of main the manner.