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. 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).

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).

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) 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.

HT: Repent and Believe

http://defendingcontending.com/2009/07/21/ten-reasons-not-to-ask-jesus-into-your-heart-by-todd-friel/

switdil: His words r for the wise, pple wit great understanding.

Pls what is church
We are the church, d cathedral building is not d church.
When HE said he is at d door knocking, He is saying that he's calling n reaching out for souls n whichever soul that is willing (total submission) to allow him in he will dwell there in
In there, he guides, directs, protects,teaches,rebukes and and forgives if we r willing to obey n be submissive.if we can do this the the issue of backslide ll be dead gone. We really need him n he cares bout our souls, he is still knocking

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me"

OLAADEGBU:

Revelation 3:20 gives us some interesting food for thought:



Is this verse a gospel verse appealing to sinners to accept Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord or is it calling the neutraist, self satisfying Laodicean church, worldly and compromising believers to repentance?

Dr.seno1:
[url][/url]

u must be drunk duh

OLAADEGBU:

How can I be temulent when I don't do potation?

switdil:

d verse is for ALL. Remember its says if"ANY" not just one, two or three but EVERYBODY!!! If anyone SINCERELy repent unto God he will forgive em nomata how much or dreadful the sins are

Dr.seno1:


Bros jst give it up he is ready 2 accept u,JESUS is coming back nd wen dat day comes don't say u were nt warned.God loves you,Sowi for those harsh words

OLAADEGBU:

Thanks for your giving your opinion. Can you explain why this verse is speaking to all and not just the Laodicean church?

OLAADEGBU:

Did you understand the question at all? If you did can you give your reasons?

Dr.seno1:
[url][/url] u must be drunk duh

switdil:

because Jesus died for everybody. for all v sinned, Jesus death redeemed us all

Dr.seno1:


John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Rilwayne001:

May God av Mercy in Yu, "i want sm1 to quote d verse where Jesus himself claim dat he has cum to die for us?"....end of time tingz

OLAADEGBU:

Revelation 3:20 gives us some interesting food for thought:



Is this verse a gospel verse appealing to sinners to accept Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord or is it calling the neutraist, self satisfying Laodicean church, worldly and compromising believers to repentance?

OLAADEGBU:

I agree that those verses are universal and applies to the unsaved but who was the letters in Revelation addressed to, believers or unbelievers?

switdil:

because Jesus died for everybody. for all v sinned, Jesus death redeemed us all

kambo:

If any man b in christ he is a new creature - who is d any man here! ? The roman christian?

"if any man recieve me I and my Father will come and make our
home in him "(paraphrased) - one of the statements Jesus made in d bible.
Make his home where?
- in the receiver's heart.

kambo:

The man in revelation's opening d door of his heart and the man receivg Jesus here ,had Jesus already?
Dyu open d door 4 a geust who already in d house?
Thse 2 individuals didnt hav d guest already. They had to let the guest in. They had d power to let or not let d guest in.

kambo:

"A tru christian cannot backslide"
says who?
What of Judas iscariot?
Yes , he wasnt born again , but was a disciple . Jesus sent him out with the 70 on missions . They healed d sick,cast out devils etc - yet he backslid.

kambo:

What of demas? He was a fellow labourer with paul , yet he forsook paul for "the world".
Get ur theology straight and stop guzzlg any c.rap some foreigner spews on his blog!

kambo:

who was the book of romans addressed to believers or unbelievers?
"if any man b in christ he is a new creature, old things hav passed away behold all things hav become new" is for a: believers b: unbelievers
is there any epistle written to unbelievers?

kambo:

"if any man" is not of private interpretation sir.
It means wat it reads.
U set of confused folks like puttng som sick twist on d word.

tpia@:


Seriously, this is why i strongly subscribe to the idea of coding and programming requiring a first degree as a prerequisite.

There should be a certain level of basic knowledge which should be applicable to the profession so the practitioners can stop looking half-baked.


No offence.

adejide2:

You are entitle to your opinion. Accepting christ into the heart is done after repentance and believe(trust) in Him. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" (John 1:12). It is when you that you received. You receive into something. But this time into the heart. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9,10). In "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Ephesians 2: we know that salvation is the gift of God. In IIcor 5: 17 quoted is us to see a change of heart or attitude in person who received christ. Whether person who received Him into his heart backslide is not anybody business because p people who received, believed or trusted Himself during His earthly ministrations and that of his apostles backslide. Christ Himself said the first the first shall be the last. Please refrain ourselves from saying what will hinder the preaching of the gospel. If we are not clear with any in the bible we free to ask from pastors otherwise we make ourselves a false teacher.