“Dear Lord and Heavenly Father,
I know that I’m a sinner…”

Have you ever prayed “the sinner’s prayer”? There are many similar sounding example prayers that usually come as a call for salvation after a sermon or a one on one. After praying the prayer, are you actually saved? Does “the sinner’s prayer” actually do anything? The answer is, well… yes and no.

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
Romans 10:13

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9

Salvation is a gift of God not of works, grace through faith. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. that is all who call in faith. What do you have to do in order to be saved then? A particular someone in Bible asked the same question to Paul and Silas.

“And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Acts 16:29-31

Belief or trust in Jesus and his work is what saves. The moment the heart truly believes, you are saved. When you pray “the prayer” in true faith, you are already saved. The prayer does not save, it is a reflection of what has already taken place, there has already been a change of mind or heart/repentance. The prayer therefore is the fruit or evidence of salvation.

The person, going through the motions, who simply prays the prayer as lip service, has not been saved.

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