ASK AUNT MARY–WHAT DOES YOUR BIBLE SAY?

August 8th, 2012 | By admin

by Aunt Mary

Most of us have similar Bibles, unless you are a Mormon or a Jehovah’s Witness. They have their “own” Bibles. You can go to any store and buy a Bible in a King James Version, New King James Version, American Standard Version, New American Standard Version, New International Version, or English Standard Version. My preference is New Kings James or English Standard Version. They are easier to read and are more correct. Of course, all versions have mistakes, even the King James Version.

One thing I have not found in any version listed above is the “Sinner’s Prayer”. It ain’t there. If it isn’t in the Bible, then where did it come from? Why is it necessary? The Bible is pretty clear about what we are to do to become a Christian. In John 8:24, it reads “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” This is Christ speaking. So we have to believe in Christ or we will die in our sins.

Repentance is in my Bible. That means changing what we are doing. Getting away from sin. Leaving sin behind. If it means finding new friends who do not encourage us to sin, that’s what we have to do. It’s hard to do sometimes, but it is necessary, Jesus says in Luke 13:3 that if we don’t repent, we will perish. That means we’ll not be saved. We all see people who are supposed to be Christians but are not. It’s not for us to judge, but we see what they do. That’s not repentance.

The next thing is to confess that Jesus is the Son of God. We read Jesus’ statement in Matthew 10:32-33, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. ³³ But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” That’s pretty clear again.

To become a Christian the last thing is very simple, but most people balk at it. They have tried through centuries to change the word of God. No where does it say you are to be sprinkled or poured to be baptized. In fact the Greek word means to be buried. Covered. Immersed. Somewhere along the way, men decided they knew more than God and changed the Word. That is so wrong. Look with me at Mark 16:16.  ^”He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Again, let’s look at Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one 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.” In Acts 8:36-38 we read,”

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

³⁷ Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”^[c]

³⁸ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.”

In any of the above places, did anyone say the Sinner’s Prayers and be baptized at a later date? I don’t think so. I don’t think the eunuch went down into the water and Philip poured water on his head, as we see in paintings today. I know Philip immersed him and covered his body with water. Everyone was immersed as they were in the first century. You may say, “Things have changed.” No, they have not. God’s word remains the same as it did 2,000 years ago. Nothing has changed, man has tried to make it easy.

The Bible is simple enough for a fourth grade child to understand. Why can’t educated men understand the simplicity of it? Why do they have to twist it around and make it something it is not. If you find the Sinner’s Prayer, please let me know and give me book, chapter and verse.