In today’s world there is a cure for everything or at least most things. When I was six years of age, I realized I needed Christ in my life and I prayed asking Jesus into my heart. Over the years, I have never forgotten the day and time I was once lost and then found. Yet even in the consciousness of what Jesus had done for me, it was not always what influenced my life the most. Sadly, there were times as I grew old where there was little conscious awareness of Christ’s involvement in my life.
From a believer’s perspective, I have pondered the meanings of parables in the Word. The parable of seed falling on different types of soil with weeds, rocks, etc. has always confused me a bit relative to my belief that when one is saved, one is always saved. The problem was apparent as I heard an individual pray the believer’s prayer and then live like hell. This created a major conflict for me. I still don’t have all the answers and if you think you do, you are probably wrong. That is just the way it is, believing in a God without limitations (although some will even argue that point).
Something I have come to believe is that when one prays the believer’s prayer, it sets the stage for an important thing to happen. Although the stage is set, the outcome is not guaranteed as it is predicated on the condition of the heart. The knowledge of knowing who Jesus is, understanding what He did on the cross and rising again, then believing by faith must be empowered by the Holy Spirit for the head knowledge to become heart knowledge. If the knowledge and belief never makes it to your heart, I don’t think you can count on spending eternity with Jesus Christ.
I know the thought of praying the believer’s prayer and not being saved will really stick in some people’s throat who are much smarter in theology than I. The thought of people living a life with fire insurance and expectations of going to heaven happens to really stick in my throat. In the letters of John, He says there are those that profess belief but don’t live the life of Christ. He calls these people liars. He emphasizes that one must believe and live a life in the likeness of Christ or they are not believers.
Furthermore, in James we are told that believer’s are identified by the fruit they produce. The fruit produced will be of similar variety of the fruit produced by Christ in His lifetime. Once again, it is not just praying a prayer, but the prayer is authenticated by the fruit we produce which is in living a life in the image of Christ. It is in fact evidenced by our exchanging our life for the life of Christ.
If you have read this far and still disagree, let me try an explanation with a simple illustration. When you son hits your daughter, you tell him to say he is sorry to his sister. Right. When your son says he is sorry, he may be rebelliously thinking…..
“I may be saying I am sorry on the outside, but on the inside I am ready to smack that silly grin off your face.”~little johnny
It seems, just saying the believer’s prayer is not enough…. If you prayed the believer’s prayer and your life does not reflect the life of Christ, I’d seriously consider how confident you really are in your eternal relationship with Christ.
~just sayin’ and prayin’
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