Well kiddies, I have a little challenge for the evangelicals around the ant-hill. The Lord makes various references to Doors and Keys in His teaching, so I want to know:
Where in the Gospel (or even in apostolic teaching in the New Testament) is it taught that in order to become a Christian, one must pray a prayer and "ask Jesus into your heart"?
I am offering a bounty of $200.00 (Two-hundred dollars) for the Biblical source of this teaching. Not a huge sum, but surely more than ZERO dollars.
There are two restrictions:
First: Do not deign twist the Scripture by pointing to Revelation 3:20
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."
This is written to the church at Laodicea (the church, which is made up of people who are already IN Christ), and thus refers to fellowship with Christ, not entry into the Kingdom.
Second: Do not supply a daisy-chain of unrelated, de-contextualized bits of Scripture.
When the Jews in Acts 2, to whom Peter preached, cried out in terror upon learning of their theocide, Peter provided the remedy, the Keys to the Kingdom, if you will. He did not send them roaming through Romans (yes, I KNOW Romans had not been written yet), or marching through Malachi. He spoke simply and clearly, and gave them the answer.
So, If you can show me Biblically verifiable, apostolic teaching that cannot be Scripturally refuted, that you pray a prayer, and ask Jesus into your heart in order to become a Christian (in order to be saved), then the first one who does so will receive two hundred dollars, US. ($200.00).
On the other hand, if you cannot produce such evidence, then why do you believe it, and why do you teach it?
4 comments:
If I'm not mistaken, upon reading the Bible, John 3:16 pretty much says it all. I can see where Acts 2:38 could be used for the purpose you stated since you "call upon" Jesus, which could be interpreted as "asking Him into your heart". Other than that, I can't think of an instance. John takes care of it. Am I close? I think I'll run this by my pastor, as well. Goood one, W.!!!
I may use your comments in a follow-up.
Read all of John 3. The narrative about Jesus ends with v.22. Belief led to action.
Well I wouldn't claim that the Bible says that, nor that a prayer is all that is required. For those who seek to follow Jesus and "ask him into their heart" I am sure he listens to, but those who say the words but do not seek to follow him are not his. In my first post ever I wrote:
I would claim scripture knows nothing of a prayer that secures salvation followed by a life lived according to one's own rules.
You can read the rest here: http://bethyada.blogspot.com/2007/01/thoughts-on-salvation.html
Bethyada- thanks for your comment. I believe we are on the same page, at least in the same chapter! Your comment here is important:
For those who seek to follow Jesus and "ask him into their heart" I am sure he listens ...,
On what basis are you sure of this? If the Scripture knows no such prayer, and God has explicitly stated actions and attitudes to serve as entry into the Kingdom of God, how do we imagine that a foreign modus will serve, or be pleasing to God?
I'm not being grumpy, nor am I pummeling a 25 lb. King James, I am merely pointing to a maverick attitude in Western Christendom that says: "Yeah, I know God has said 'X', but if I decide that I want to do 'Y' I'm sure that He'll be just as happy with that."
My assumption in this discussion is that
A) We are dealing with a sincere believer who
B) intends to actually walk the walk.
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