What is the path to salvation?

The heart should be the very last thing we should trust^1,4,5. It is where evil thoughts and deeds are spawned^6,7. What’s worse, our heart/mind can deceive us^1,4 into thinking we are doing right. We must focus on God’s will and not our own^2,5 and should be asking God for help³ and wisdom⁷.

There is literally no passage that describes a “sinner’s prayer” or any prayer related to or connected with one’s being saved or converted. The only passage used to justify such a prayer¹ does connect “calling on the Lord” to being saved, but no prayer is mentioned.

Actually, in the full context¹, Paul qualifies “calling on the Lord” not as any sort of prayer. Rather, he ties it to belief (heart) and confession (mouth). Further, we see the phrase used again by Paul² to describe the ongoing worship that the saved engage in as a local church. Indeed, we can go to other passages to see a complete more definition, including in Paul’s own conversion. But never do we see anything about a “sinner’s prayer.”

An individual must hear the gospel in order to know God’s will^1,6. Not only does Paul tell us this plainly in his letters, but we see it played out in conversion stories in Scripture^2,3,4,5. Interestingly, we see visions playing a role in all of these examples^2,3,4 – even visions of Jesus, Himself⁵ – yet, in every case the fundamental pattern¹ is followed (e.g. preacher sent, hearers hear, believers “call on him“), thus fulfilling what Isaiah writes, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”¹

It should also be noted the role that prayer plays in each of these examples:

• In Philippi², Scripture says that Paul and Silas met an eventual convert at a “supposed place of prayer” (vs 13); presumably, Lydia was there praying when Paul and Silas met her,
• The Ethiopian eunuch is coming from Jerusalem where he had journeyed specifically to worship God³ – no doubt praying during that time,
• Cornelius is told by the angel of God in his vision that his prayers have been answered⁴ – Cornelius was praying,
  
• Ananias⁵ is told by Jesus to “look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying” (vs 11)

If there were such a thing as a “Sinner’s Prayer” to recite for one’s salvation, why was it necessary for all of these ‘praying people’ to hear the gospel (and be baptized)?

If we are to follow all Scripture without Scripture weighting, we understand that our salvation is not simply one thing. It’s not grace³ (alone). It’s not faith^1,2 (alone). It’s not baptism⁵ (alone). It’s all of these and more^{4,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16}!! All working together, which is the very point James is making¹².

It’s all made possible with God’s grace³ in the sending of His Son¹ and our belief² in Him. But even in the immediate context of these “anchor” passages^1,2,3, we see that it’s more. There and other places we see the necessity for obedience to His word^{1,2,3,6,8,9,11,12,13,14,15,16}. We see the working/setting apart by the Holy Spirit^7,8,13,14. We also repeatedly see the critical role that baptism plays^5,15. Scripture never presents anything optional or ceremonial about baptism. Along with belief and confession² with an open heart¹⁰, it is one of the very first acts of obedience^4,7,8,15. Just as Paul emphasizes grace in one passage³, Peter (and Jesus¹⁵) emphasizes baptism in another⁵.

God has made provision for our salvation^{1,2,3,6,7,8,10,14,16}; things we can only understand from His word^{2,9,10,11,13,16}. It’s up to each of us to respond^{1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,11,13,14,15,16}.