Ten reasons NOT to ask Jesus into your heart.
By Todd Friel
The music weeps, the preacher pleads, “Give your heart to Jesus. You have a God shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it.” Dozens, hundreds or thousands of people who want to get their spiritual life on track make their way to the altar. They ask Jesus into their heart.
Cut to three months later. Nobody has seen our new convert in church. The follow up committee calls him and encourages him to attend a Bible study, but to no avail. We label him a backslider and get ready for the next outreach event.
Our beloved child lies in her snuggly warm bed and says, “Yes, Daddy. I want to ask Jesus into my heart.” You lead her in “the prayer” and hope that it sticks. You spend the next ten years questioning if she really, really meant it. Puberty hits and the answer reveals itself. She backslides. We spend the next ten years praying that she will come to her senses.
Telling someone to ask Jesus into their hearts has a very typical result, backsliding. the Bible says that a person who is soundly saved puts his hand to the plow and does not look back because he is fit for service. In other words, a true convert cannot backslide. If a person backslides, he never slid forward in the first place. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (II Cor.5) No backsliding there.
Brace yourself for this one: with very few if any exceptions, anyone who asked Jesus into their hearts to be saved…is not. If you asked Jesus into your heart because you were told that is what you have to do to become a Christian, you were mis-informed.
If you have ever told someone to ask Jesus into their heart (like I have), you produced a false convert. Here is why.

1. It is not in the Bible.
There is not a single verse that even hints we should say a prayer inviting Jesus into our hearts. Some use Rev. 3:20 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Rev.%203.20). To tell us that Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts begging to come in.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” There are two reasons that interpretation is wrong.
The context tells us that the door Jesus is knocking on is the door of the church, not the human heart. Jesus is not knocking to enter someone’s heart but to have fellowship with His church.
Even if the context didn’t tell us this, we would be forcing a meaning into the text (eisegesis). How do we know it is our heart he is knocking at? Why not our car door? How do we know he isn’t knocking on our foot? To suggest that he is knocking on the door of our heart is superimposing a meaning on the text that simply does not exist.
The Bible does not instruct us to ask Jesus into our heart. This alone should resolve the issue, nevertheless, here are nine more reasons.
2. Asking Jesus into your heart is a saying that makes no sense.
What does it mean to ask Jesus into your heart? If I say the right incantation will He somehow enter my heart? Is it literal? Does He reside in the upper or lower ventricle? Is this a metaphysical experience? Is it figurative? If it is, what exactly does it mean? While I am certain that most adults cannot articulate its meaning, I am certain that no child can explain it. Pastor Dennis Rokser reminds us that little children think literally and can easily be confused (or frightened) at the prospect of asking Jesus into their heart.
3. In order to be saved, a man must repent (Acts 2:38 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Acts%202.38)).Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of repentance.
4. In order to be saved, a man must trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Acts%2016.31)).
Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of faith.
5. The person who wrongly believes they are saved will have a false sense of security. Millions of people who sincerely, but wrongly, asked Jesus into their hearts think they are saved but struggle to feel secure. They live in doubt and fear because they do not have the Holy Spirit giving them assurance of salvation.
6. The person who asks Jesus into his heart will likely end up inoculated, bitter and backslidden. Because he did not get saved by reciting a formulaic prayer, he will grow disillusioned with Jesus, the Bible, church and fellow believers. His latter end will be worse than the first.
7. It presents God as a beggar just hoping you will let Him into your busy life. This presentation of God robs Him of His sovereignty.

8. The cause of Christ is ridiculed. Visit an atheist web-site and read the pagans who scoff, “How dare those Christians tell us how to live when they get divorced more than we do? Who are they to say homosexuals shouldn’t adopt kids when tens of thousands of orphans don’t get adopted by Christians?” Born again believers adopt kids and don’t get divorced.
People who ask Jesus into their hearts do. Jesus gets mocked when false converts give Him a bad name.
9. The cause of evangelism is hindered. While it is certainly easier to get church members by telling them to ask Jesus into their hearts, try pleading with someone to make today the day of their salvation. Get ready for a painful response. “Why should I become a Christian when I have seen so called Christians act worse than a pagan?” People who ask Jesus into their hearts give pagans an excuse for not repenting.
10. Here is the scary one. People who ask Jesus into their hearts are not saved and they will perish on the Day of Judgment. How tragic that millions of people think they are right with God when they are not. How many people who will cry out, “Lord, Lord” on judgment day will be “Christians” who asked Jesus into their hearts?
So, what must one do to be saved? Repent and trust. (Heb.6:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Heb.6.1)) The Bible makes it clear that all men must repent and place their trust in Jesus Christ. Every man does have a “God shaped hole in their hearts,” but that hole is not contentment, fulfillment and peace. Every man’s heart problem is righteousness. Instead of preaching that Jesus fulfills, we must preach that God judges and Jesus satisfies God’s judgment…if a man will repent and place his trust in Him.
If you are reading this and you asked Jesus into your heart, chances are good you had a spiritual buzz for a while, but now you struggle to read your Bible, tithe, attend church and pray. Perhaps you were told you would have contentment, purpose and a better life if you just ask Jesus into your heart. I am sorry, that was a lie.

Ten reasons NOT to ask Jesus into your heart.
By Todd Friel
The music weeps, the preacher pleads, “Give your heart to Jesus. You have a God shaped hole in your heart and only Jesus can fill it.” Dozens, hundreds or thousands of people who want to get their spiritual life on track make their way to the altar. They ask Jesus into their heart.
Cut to three months later. Nobody has seen our new convert in church. The follow up committee calls him and encourages him to attend a Bible study, but to no avail. We label him a backslider and get ready for the next outreach event.
Our beloved child lies in her snuggly warm bed and says, “Yes, Daddy. I want to ask Jesus into my heart.” You lead her in “the prayer” and hope that it sticks. You spend the next ten years questioning if she really, really meant it. Puberty hits and the answer reveals itself. She backslides. We spend the next ten years praying that she will come to her senses.
Telling someone to ask Jesus into their hearts has a very typical result, backsliding. the Bible says that a person who is soundly saved puts his hand to the plow and does not look back because he is fit for service. In other words, a true convert cannot backslide. If a person backslides, he never slid forward in the first place. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (II Cor.5) No backsliding there.
Brace yourself for this one: with very few if any exceptions, anyone who asked Jesus into their hearts to be saved…is not. If you asked Jesus into your heart because you were told that is what you have to do to become a Christian, you were mis-informed.
If you have ever told someone to ask Jesus into their heart (like I have), you produced a false convert. Here is why.

1. It is not in the Bible.
There is not a single verse that even hints we should say a prayer inviting Jesus into our hearts. Some use Rev. 3:20 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Rev.%203.20). To tell us that Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts begging to come in.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” There are two reasons that interpretation is wrong.
The context tells us that the door Jesus is knocking on is the door of the church, not the human heart. Jesus is not knocking to enter someone’s heart but to have fellowship with His church.
Even if the context didn’t tell us this, we would be forcing a meaning into the text (eisegesis). How do we know it is our heart he is knocking at? Why not our car door? How do we know he isn’t knocking on our foot? To suggest that he is knocking on the door of our heart is superimposing a meaning on the text that simply does not exist.
The Bible does not instruct us to ask Jesus into our heart. This alone should resolve the issue, nevertheless, here are nine more reasons.
2. Asking Jesus into your heart is a saying that makes no sense.
What does it mean to ask Jesus into your heart? If I say the right incantation will He somehow enter my heart? Is it literal? Does He reside in the upper or lower ventricle? Is this a metaphysical experience? Is it figurative? If it is, what exactly does it mean? While I am certain that most adults cannot articulate its meaning, I am certain that no child can explain it. Pastor Dennis Rokser reminds us that little children think literally and can easily be confused (or frightened) at the prospect of asking Jesus into their heart.
3. In order to be saved, a man must repent (Acts 2:38 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Acts%202.38)).Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of repentance.
4. In order to be saved, a man must trust in Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Acts%2016.31)).
Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of faith.
5. The person who wrongly believes they are saved will have a false sense of security. Millions of people who sincerely, but wrongly, asked Jesus into their hearts think they are saved but struggle to feel secure. They live in doubt and fear because they do not have the Holy Spirit giving them assurance of salvation.
6. The person who asks Jesus into his heart will likely end up inoculated, bitter and backslidden. Because he did not get saved by reciting a formulaic prayer, he will grow disillusioned with Jesus, the Bible, church and fellow believers. His latter end will be worse than the first.
7. It presents God as a beggar just hoping you will let Him into your busy life. This presentation of God robs Him of His sovereignty.

8. The cause of Christ is ridiculed. Visit an atheist web-site and read the pagans who scoff, “How dare those Christians tell us how to live when they get divorced more than we do? Who are they to say homosexuals shouldn’t adopt kids when tens of thousands of orphans don’t get adopted by Christians?” Born again believers adopt kids and don’t get divorced.
People who ask Jesus into their hearts do. Jesus gets mocked when false converts give Him a bad name.
9. The cause of evangelism is hindered. While it is certainly easier to get church members by telling them to ask Jesus into their hearts, try pleading with someone to make today the day of their salvation. Get ready for a painful response. “Why should I become a Christian when I have seen so called Christians act worse than a pagan?” People who ask Jesus into their hearts give pagans an excuse for not repenting.
10. Here is the scary one. People who ask Jesus into their hearts are not saved and they will perish on the Day of Judgment. How tragic that millions of people think they are right with God when they are not. How many people who will cry out, “Lord, Lord” on judgment day will be “Christians” who asked Jesus into their hearts?
So, what must one do to be saved? Repent and trust. (Heb.6:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Heb.6.1)) The Bible makes it clear that all men must repent and place their trust in Jesus Christ. Every man does have a “God shaped hole in their hearts,” but that hole is not contentment, fulfillment and peace. Every man’s heart problem is righteousness. Instead of preaching that Jesus fulfills, we must preach that God judges and Jesus satisfies God’s judgment…if a man will repent and place his trust in Him.
If you are reading this and you asked Jesus into your heart, chances are good you had a spiritual buzz for a while, but now you struggle to read your Bible, tithe, attend church and pray. Perhaps you were told you would have contentment, purpose and a better life if you just ask Jesus into your heart. I am sorry, that was a lie.

According to the teaching of John Calvin, a person has no choice in the matter; God has already chosen who He is going to save and who He has destined to send to hell. Is that what you believe?

:confused:
You, not me.
Before I light into this heresy, is this what you believe Marie?

:confused:
You, not me.
Before I light into this heresy, is this what you believe Marie?

Were is heresy? Words have meanings, and these sloppy evangelical buzz words, that are thrown about have conquences. Salvation occurs by repentance and faith.

What I posted is spot on. Thats why are churches are full of Goates and false converts because they have never truely been saved. Their lives are NOT radically differnt, and there not born again.

Teaching easy beliefism has conquences. Id refere you to the story of the man that had a demon cast out, he went back home and 7 more came back.
the point of the story was the first demon was removed but the Holy Spirit wasnt within him so his end state was worse than the first.
This is what you get with Try Jesus,
The response is, ok Id tried everything else why not.
Then when their life isnt a bed of roses you get someone who is bitter and probably will never respond to the gospel.

Were told to count the cost and pickup our cross and follow. Faith is a verb its living and leads to action. A true believer will sffer for Christ in someway. If they hate the master they will hate those all the more that follow him.

According to the teaching of John Calvin, a person has no choice in the matter; God has already chosen who He is going to save and who He has destined to send to hell. Is that what you believe?
That would be The I in in Tulip

Calvin isnt mentioned in the above nor is the acrostic for the reformed faith. What I posted, I most definetly believe. I cant tell you how many so called Christians Ive talked to, that cant tell me how to get saved, they have no doctrine. They dont even know why they are saved or what their saved from but as a child they asked Jesus into their heart and havent talked to him since. If they have it was only as the devine butler. I need you now God, and then when I get what I need, I will put you back in the bottle till the next time I need to rub the magic lamp.

Ten reasons NOT to ask Jesus into your heart.
By Todd Friel
.

There is some truth in what you are saying. I have never personally liked the "you need to have a personal relationship" angle.

The bible clearly says that to be saved you must be born again. That entails faith in Christ.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

There is an obvious connection between belief and having a relationship with God. So sometimes our language is muddled a bit.

I think it's a heart and mind issue.

Makes for good discussion:buddies:

[U]
By Todd Friel
There is not a single verse that even hints we should say a prayer inviting Jesus into our hearts. Some use Rev. 3:20 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Rev.%203.20). To tell us that Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts begging to come in.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” There are two reasons that interpretation is wrong.
The context tells us that the door Jesus is knocking on is the door of the church, not the human heart. Jesus is not knocking to enter someone’s heart but to have fellowship with His church.
How do we know it is our heart he is knocking at? Why not our car door? How do we know he isn’t knocking on our foot? To suggest that he is knocking on the door of our heart is superimposing a meaning on the text that simply does not exist.
The Bible does not instruct us to ask Jesus into our heart. This alone should resolve the issue, nevertheless, here are nine more reasons.
2. Asking Jesus into your heart is a saying that makes no sense.
What does it mean to ask Jesus into your heart? If I say the right incantation will He somehow enter my heart? Is it literal? Does He reside in the upper or lower ventricle? Is this a metaphysical experience? Is it figurative? If it is, what exactly does it mean? While I am certain that most adults cannot articulate its meaning, I am certain that no child can explain it. Pastor Dennis Rokser reminds us that little children think literally and can easily be confused (or frightened) at the prospect of asking Jesus into their heart.
3. In order to be saved, a man must repent (Acts 2:38 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Acts%202.38)).Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of repentance.
(Acts 16:31 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Acts%2016.31))[/COLOR].[/COLOR]
Asking Jesus into your heart leaves out the requirement of faith.
5. The person who wrongly believes they are saved will have a false sense of security. Millions of people who sincerely, but wrongly, asked Jesus into their hearts think they are saved but struggle to feel secure. They live in doubt and fear because they do not have the Holy Spirit giving them assurance of salvation.
6. The person who asks Jesus into his heart will likely end up inoculated, bitter and backslidden. Because he did not get saved by reciting a formulaic prayer, he will grow disillusioned with Jesus, the Bible, church and fellow believers. His latter end will be worse than the first.
Heb.6:1 (http://bible.logos.com/passage/esv/Heb.6.1) The Bible makes it clear that all men must repent and place their trust in Jesus Christ. Every man does have a “God shaped hole in their hearts,” but that hole is not contentment, fulfillment and peace. Every man’s heart problem is righteousness. Instead of preaching that Jesus fulfills, we must preach that God judges and Jesus satisfies God’s judgment…if a man will repent and place his trust in Him.
If you are reading this and you asked Jesus into your heart, chances are good you had a spiritual buzz for a while, but now you struggle to read your Bible, tithe, attend church and pray. Perhaps you were told you would have contentment, purpose and a better life if you just ask Jesus into your heart. I am sorry, that was a lie.
First off, Todd is a sensationalist. He will drive more people away than he will cause to stay. He a young uppity nerd who thinks he's going to straighten out the Christian world view with his new smart ass methods. Isn't it amazing how weak people fall right in line behind any new teachings that come down the pike???
If Todd would read more and listen to God more, he'd know what the Bible was saying, but he doesn't. I'm not going to address everything he said because he's not worth my time but here's a few:
The Bible talks excessively about the "heart" and it has nothing to do with the muscle that pumps blood throughout your body. It has everything to do with our inner most being, our deepest self and our deepest motives. Todd can't see this nor can his sheep.

Look at his statement: "...does he reside in the upper or lower ventricle?" Hurr, hurr!! Don't take the bait from this moron, Marie. He's trying to make a name at God's expense. He needs a sensational experience or he doesn't feel saved. He's a con artist out for money and fame through sensationalism and controversial methods.
In Rev 3 Jesus said: "...if anyone opens the door I will come in, eat with him and he with me." Does Jesus make it a habit of eating with church doors? Really disappointed Marie!

Next he says: "asking Jesus into your heart leaves out repentance, faith and causes backsliding"???? Only if it isn't done with the right intent. Otherwise it works just fine. Jesus takes us as we are and He'll do the changing of what needs changing in our lives. I asked Jesus into my life/heart 4 times. It only worked the 4th time WHEN I WAS READY TO FOLLOW HIM! I wasn't backslidden the other 3 times, I WASN'T SAVED BECAUSE I WASN'T READY TO BE!!

Todd is a young mouthy nerd who is too young to realize that he'd better be perfect because of the large burden he's laying on his listeners.

All he has to say is this: not everyone who prays the sinners' prayer gets saved and then tell them why. He doesn't have to go into a dramatic presentation like he does to get the point across. What's next, holy laughter? Speaking in tongues? Kissing snakes?
Want some verses Marie? Psalm 78, Isaiah 29. God speaks of our hearts being far from Him. Does he mean church doors???
Were is heresy? Words have meanings, and these sloppy evangelical buzz words, that are thrown about have conquences. Salvation occurs by repentance and faith.
Faith alone, Marie, will cause all the necessary changes to ones life. Repentance, growth, praying, witnessing and cross bearing will happen at the proper time and so will everything else when a person truly gets saved.
All I did was ask Jesus into my life/heart and THEN I learned what I had to do AFTER that. Confession came first, then repentance happened as an ongoing thing. I got saved and THEN God changed my lifestyle; not the other way around. Todd is putting the cart before the horse.

What I posted is spot on. Thats why are churches are full of Goates and false converts because they have never truely been saved. Their lives are NOT radically differnt, and there not born again.
I totally agree with you on this statement but it's because pastors aren't ALL concerned with salvation as much as they are with filled pews.

Teaching easy beliefism has conquences. Id refer you to the story of the man that had a demon cast out, he went back home and 7 more came back.
the point of the story was the first demon was removed but the Holy Spirit wasnt within him so his end state was worse than the first.
This is what you get with Try Jesus,
The response is, ok Id tried everything else why not.
Then when their life isnt a bed of roses you get someone who is bitter and probably will never respond to the gospel.
It sounds like you're adding works to salvation here? Easy beliefism doesn't work? It worked for me and a zillion others.
The story of that man you mentioned is correct. He wasn't interested in salvation just an exorcism. And that's what he got. So??
If people were as vigilant as a small few of us are on here, there wouldn't be this problem. This is why I press people for their conversion experience. This is why I challenge any & all on here who say they're saved but verbally deny Christ in their lives.
People are always going to try to fit God into their "box" instead of fitting their "box" to God and therein lies their major fault BUT I definitely would NOT go around saying that asking Jesus into their heart is wrong just to show them that it takes a real committment and strength to be a true Christian. Wise up Marie. Be careful whom you listen to! Test everything!!

Faith alone, Marie, will cause all the necessary changes to ones life. Repentance, growth, praying, witnessing and cross bearing will happen at the proper time and so will everything else when a person truly gets saved.

Faith alone will get you saved, but it will not cause all the necessary changes to one's life. You must be the one to obey, God isn't going to enact repentance for you. We still have a free will, only our will can be strengthened by the work of the Holy Spirit as we yield. And that involves an act of the heart. According to John 17:3, eternal life is to know the One True God and His Son Jesus christ, whom He sent. That tells me a relationship is involved, which is a two-way street.