Paul Didn’t Pray the Sinner’s Prayer

Saul of Tarsus was still “breathing threats and murdering against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1) when he went to the high priest for any information about followers of “the Way” so he could imprison them. So he began walking to Damascus.

Then Jesus showed up. I’ll let the text of Scripure speak:

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

— Acts 9:3-9

The Lord Jesus Christ revealed himself to Saul of Tarsus, asked why Saul was persecuting him, disabled him, saved him, and has used him as a mighty instrument of God’s saving grace for the entire church. Paul didn’t need to go to the altar to recite the sinner’s prayer; he didn’t need to raise his hand in the pew. The Lord, in his sovereign power, saved Paul and caused him to be born again.

Please hear me. I don’t have an issue with the sinner’s prayer in and of itself. I think it can be a good way for someone ignorant of church culture to help them pray to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. But may we never, ever, ever presume someone saved simply because they repeated those words. For we know Paul didn’t do that. Jesus showed up and violated, so to speak, Paul’s will to destroy and imprison Christians. I mean, it was the ultimate “stiff-arm”, to use a football analogy. Not only did Jesus stop Saul in his tracks, but saved him, and has used him for the advancement of his kingdom.

Here’s the point. God saves whom he wills. He has mercy upon whom he has mercy, and compassion on whom he has compassion. If the Lord wills to save a person, then by golly, that person is going to be saved (which is the doctrine of irresistible grace in a nutshell). That individual, who once hated the Lord and loved darkness, will be swept away by the sweet aroma of the gospel of grace. That person, who once had no appetite for the things of the Lord, will begin to have a desire to live a godly life unto the Lord.

God is sovereign in his saving. Ponder that today, friends. As I read Paul’s conversion story, I was completely struck by the matter-of-fact-ness of his conversion. There was no questions, no retorts, no complaining. The Lord exercised his sovereignty and saved Paul, despite Paul being on his way to persecute Christian.

If God can save Paul, he can save anyone.

Better yet, if God can save me, he can save anyone.