Romans 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." There is no way I am going to deny scripture. It does say that in the Bible. But there is more...
Romans 10:13 "For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'"
Romans 10:14 "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
The book of Romans was written to the church. These people had already been repented, and been baptized in Jesus's name--that's how they got into the church. Paul was encourging them that if they just have faith they will be saved. Salvation is not once saved always saved--it's a daily process.
How can you say that you are in Christ if you've only said a sinner's pray and then refuse to follow the rest of the gospel? Jesus did not die so that we could live in our sins but that we be removed from them.
Therefore, what do you think about the scripture when Jesus says, "Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Heaven."? Is this idle talk or a promise from the most high God?
Mark 16:16 says "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.". It goes on to say that those who are baptized will speak in tongues.
Now some of you acknowledge the importance of baptism but have different views on how to baptize. I ask you, who believe in the saving power of Jesus's name--if baptism is important (and I'm saying it is)--why do it in any other name or in any other title than the saving name of Jesus Christ?
Paul says to the Corithians (who were claiming different men other than Jesus Christ): "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" --1Corinthians 1:13.
The answer to all of his questions is no. Of course Christ is not divided. Of course Paul was not crucified for us-only Jesus. Of course they weren't baptized in the name of Paul-they were baptized in the name of Jesus. Paul says that he is glad that he only baptized a few of them.
Someone once told me that that was because baptizm wasn't neccessary. Is it that or is it because Paul didn't want people going around saying that they were baptized in his name instead of Christ's? Imagine what that would do to a ministry if people thought the preacher was baptizing in his own name--no one would listen to that man, he'd lose all credibility.
The scripture also says:
Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said to them,'Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"
Acts 10:48 "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days."
The book of Acts is all about the first church. After Jesus was reserected He ministered to the Apostles for days and after that they went out and preached His Word. The gospel of the Lord was still fresh in their mind and the reaccuring theme throughout the book of Acts is REPENTANCE, WATER BAPTISM IN JESUS CHRIST'S NAME, and RECIEVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
This tells me that unless, they completly ignored Jesus's Word, this is what He wannted them to teach. (Repentance is saying your sorry to God for what you did in the past and then never doing it again. It does absolutly no good to apologize but continue in sin.)--It's pretty much the part in the sinner's pray that says "I am a sinner". Big deal. Saying that doesn't mean anything-you have to do something about it.
Christians, let me share my main problem with the sinner's prayer, why something inside of me cringes when I hear someone telling a person all he/she has to do is say it and he/she will go to Heavan. This is nothing more than Salvation in a can. I have seen with my own eyes people pray this prayer over and over. I have seen these same people weep because the presence of the Lord was upon them--they were genuinly praying. But the next day it was all the same. Never have I seen anyone pray this prayer and be transformed into a saved Christian and neither has the Bible. The scripture says that you need to be "born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of Heavan."
It doesn't say: "If you pray the sinner's prayer you can pass Go and collect your Salvation." Yes, Jesus died for us so that we may be saved and works does not save us-only faith saves us but you have to be obedient to God's Word if you truely love Christ.
I'm convinced if you truely believe Jesus was crucified so that you would not have to burn for all eternity--then you will love Him.
Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Can you stand in the face of Jesus and tell Him baptism is not important?
I can imagine how hard it would be to convert to this message if you belong to a church that does not believe it but I implore you Christians, is any sacrifice to much to make for Jesus? When Paul was known as Saul he was dedicated to destroying Christians because he thougt he was doing the will of God. Then one day he heard a voice from Heavan saying 'Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?' When Saul asked 'Who are you Lord?' the voice answered 'It is I Jesus, the one you persecute.'
Look what Saul had to leave. But for obeying Christ he became one of the greatest Apostles and turned thousands toward God.
Brothers and sisters, if you believe this message and you've checked it with your Bible then you must repent and be baptized in Jesus's name and then you will recive the gift of the Holy Spirit-as promised in the Bible. Even if you have the Holy Spirit you need to be baptized in Jesus's name.