The Most Dangerous Prayer.

Is today’s “Sinner’s Prayer” the equivalent of the outward sign of circumcision for the Jews?

Romans 2:17-29 “¹⁷But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God ¹⁸and know His will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; ¹⁹and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? ²²You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. ²⁴For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

²⁵For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. ²⁶So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? ²⁷Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. ²⁸For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

While today’s passage is specifically directed to the Jews; it fits well with a lot of things that are present with the modern-day believer. Paul spends a considerable amount of time in these verses talking about circumcision. To the Jew, circumcision was the outward sign of the covenant between God and the Nation of Israel. Jews saw circumcision as a guarantee of God’s favor on them, whether they lived a life that was pleasing to Him or not. It takes very little time in reading through Jewish history, to see the God’s favor was not guaranteed by the outward sign of circumcision. Paul is quick to point out that God’s favor rests not on the Jews were physically circumcised, but on the Jew, who had “circumcision of the heart.” This type of statement should not surprise anyone. God has never been enthralled with what enthralls man. Need proof? Look at God’s conversation with Samuel in 1 Samuel 16. Samuel was at the home of Jesse, looking to anoint the next king of Israel. When Jesse’s oldest son Eliab stood before Samuel, he was certain Eliab was the one. Physically, he fit the prototypical king. Yet God said to Samuel “⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees, man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

For the Jew, it was the outward sign of circumcision, for today’s church, I wonder if the outward sign isn’t the Sinner’s Prayer? We put so much weight into this prayer as if it were a guarantee of God’s favor, even if the life of the one who prayed the prayer remained unchanged. Could it be too many in the church today or trusting in Jesus as their Savior, but turning their backs on Him as their Lord? If so, how does this mess with what Paul writes in Romans 10:9 & 10? “⁹because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

What are your thoughts?