Do Likewise
Jesus and the Sinner’s Prayer
Is it permissible to reopen the question of salvation? If we do, how will Jesus' teachings stand up to our inherited traditions?
These questions came to me acutely not long ago. I was getting ready to preach. As the worship leader was finishing the music set, he offered some unscripted theological reflections. He said something like: "The only thing required of us is to believe that Jesus' blood saves us. Nothing more. It's nothing but the blood of Jesus."
In my Baptist context, we've heard these thoughts a thousand times. The problem was that I had in my pocket a message in which Jesus himself had a very different answer to the question of salvation.
The Big Question
In reading through Luke, I had discovered that twice (10:25, 18:18) Jesus is asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"
In the first passage, Jesus turns the question back on the lawyer who asks it. The lawyer replies with the Old Testament commands to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself (cf. Mt. 22:34-40). Jesus affirms his answer: "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." The lawyer then tries to narrow the meaning of neighbor. So Jesus tells the unforgettable parable of the compassionate Samaritan, who proved to be a neighbor to a bleeding roadside victim.
In Luke 18, Jesus responds to the same question, this time from the man we know as the rich young ruler, by quoting the second table of the Decalogue, forbidding adultery, murder, theft, and false witness, and mandating honor towards parents. His questioner says that he has kept these commandments, and Jesus proceeds to call on him to "sell all … and distribute to the poor." Jesus assures him, "You will have treasure in ...
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Do Likewise
David P. Gushee
David P. Gushee serves as Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University, where he also chairs the Mercer Lyceum initiative on rebuilding democracy. His column ran from 2005 to 2007.
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Anonymous
I'm so confused about religions, it is so hard for a teenager to live a Christian life when there are so many adults that have their own opinion about things.
Russ McCullough
I hope and pray that this article, especially in this forum, is the beginning of a journey back to the Bible. One is hard pressed to find any kind of "sinner's prayer" before the time of Charles Finney (early to mid 1800's). The "sinner's prayer" is based upon a misapplication of both Romans 10:9 and 10 as well as Revelation 3:19 and 20. BOTH passages are, in both text and context, addressed to and referring to persons who are already Christians! NEITHER passage has anything to do with the alien sinner. We are indeed saved by grace and NOT of works (Eph. 2:8 and 9). Grace is applied in baptism which is NOT a work of man but IS a work of God (Col. 2:12) upon one's belief in Christ which is also a work of God (John 6:25 - 29). We must call on God for salvation. Calling on God for salvation is synonomous with baptism where we meet the saving power of the blood of Christ (Acts 22:16). May God through Christ grant many to go to the Word to "see whether these things are so!
phillyfanatic@juno.com
This is an important point to be made in our Seminaries as well as our churches. I pray that G's 4 steps will be published in many denominational media outlets. The drive to easy believism undermines the works of Paul, Augustine, Edwards, Nouwen, and others who want Christians to meditate, pray, and do the hard work of thinking, writing, acting out their faith so a real impact can be made on society. Wilburforce was such an example as was Calvin's and Luther's attempts to transform their society. Machen would be proud of this article and might even have wanted to match his works with the need for social justice in our world and nation. Liberals will not like this article because it still asks for a belief alone in Jesus as the Savior and Creator.