Why I Don't Exhort Others to Ask Jesus Into Their Heart

[handy]

On a different thread, I had shared my opinion with a fellow member that I wasn't "too into the "asking Jesus into my heart" form of Christianity".

I was asked to give an explanation why, and I thought I'd open a thread on the subject.

One can search high and low, from front to back, throughout the Gospels, the Acts, the Epistles, even the Old Testament...and one will never once, anywhere, find the exhortation to "ask Jesus into your heart".

The most important question that anyone will ever ask is "What must I do to be saved?"

And, in spite of the fact that a: the Bible clearly states what we must do to be saved and b: it never states that "asking Jesus into your heart" is part of the process, many well meaning Christians will answer the question "What must I do to be saved?" with "Pray and ask Jesus into your heart."

If the gospel were something that was really hard to explain, I could perhaps understand why some folks would want to use this little cliche.

But, the gospel is hardly that complicated. The Bible clearly gives us the answer to the most important question one will ever ask:

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?â€
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.â€

Everywhere we look in the Scriptures about what we must do to be saved, the answer is the same: Believe and repent of your sins.

So, is there really a problem here?

I think so.

The problem isn't whether or not a person can be saved if they ask Jesus into their heart. Obviously, if they believe and desire to be saved, the Holy Spirit will not reject their plea because they used terminology not found in Scripture. I know a lot of my nieces and nephews are fine Christian men and women who most likely asked Jesus into their hearts back then...probably more than a few times, when they discovered that there wasn't a little Jesus sitting in an easy chair somewhere inside their chests...

If one believes, one will certainly be saved, despite some bad theological practices.

However, I do think that a great deal of harm can and does come when the response of "asking Jesus into my heart" didn't come from one's heartfelt and repentant belief in Jesus Christ.

It goes along with the "sinner's prayer"...anyone, young or old, can parrot a prayer or ask Jesus into their hearts, without the slightest understanding of Jesus, of His work on the cross, of the grace He extends to us, of our need to repent.

Yes, if the person who is exhorting someone to pray the sinners prayer or to ask Jesus into their hearts is doing a good job, these things will crop up....but why add the unnecessary and potentially confusing steps?

I think another pitfall of the whole "ask Jesus into your heart" thing is that it sets the person up to ask for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, instead of doing what will cause the Spirit to indwell in us, namely that we believe and repent.

I just don't think it's wise to obfuscate the gospel with well-meaning yet potentially confusing, even harmful terminology.

When I was looking at some websites for some insights on this issue, I came across this testimony. It really sums up a lot of the reasons why I have a problem with the whole "ask Jesus into your heart" thing:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]I was raised on the phrase "Ask Jesus into your heart", and yet I was never saved. Every Sunday morning in the church that I was raised we sang a song called "Come Into My Heart, Lord Jesus". The words were as follows: "Into my heart, into my heart; Come into my heart, Lord Jesus." We sang this song every Sunday morning and were given the opportunity to "Invite Jesus into our hearts". Well, I sincerely invited Jesus into my heart each Sunday and yet I was not saved.

My theology was totally based on the words of the song. I would pray something like, "Lord, please come into my heart. If you came into my heart before and left, please come into my heart again. If you never came into my heart before, please come in for the first time. If you came in and left, please come back and stay." The song taught that Christ could come and go at will. I was confused and frustrated.

I invited Jesus into my heart at least 600 times, yet I was not saved because that message is not the gospel. I hardly missed a Sunday at church from the time I was six years old until I was eighteen years of age. To be fair, let's say that from the time I was six years old until I was eighteen on at least 50 Sundays a year I invited Jesus into my heart. Eighteen minus six is twelve years times fifty times a year equals 600 (six hundred) times that I invited Jesus into my heart. On at least 600 occasions I invited Jesus into my heart.

Not until after I had turned eighteen years of age did I understand that I had to believe the gospel message of the death, burial and resurrection in order to be saved. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16)." I had never understood 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."

In other words, "asking" is not what saves. A person must "believe", or trust that Jesus paid for his sins on the cross, was buried and rose again from the dead. In fact, a person can ask to be saved and not be saved.

Both thieves on the cross "asked" to be saved and yet only one was saved. The dying thief that was saved was saved because he trusted Christ as the one who was dying in his place on the cross and would rise again from the dead and head up a kingdom. No one has ever been saved any differently than that dying thief who simply trusted Christ as his Saviour.

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity (Matthew 7:22,23)." Many who were counting on being saved are lost according to the above verses. How tragic! They were lost because they were trusting in works and not trusting in Jesus Christ as their only hope for heaven.
What about Revelation 3:20? "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." First of all, the verse (Revelation 3:20) is not talking about salvation but about having supper or fellowship with the Lord. Second, the door mentioned is the door (read the context of Revelation 3:14-22) of the church of Laodicea. This is not a reference to the door of the heart or the door of your life, etc.

We are often told (and wrongly so) that we have a door to our heart. We hear that the door has a latch on the inside but not on the outside. Christ is knocking on the outside but can not come in unless we unlatch the lock from the inside of the heart. The Scripture teaches no such thing. This is untrue. This is nonsense.

It is sad because children are very literal in their approach to things. They are left confused. They see a contradiction between what they learn in biology and what they hear in church. In biology they learn nothing about a door or latches on the heart.

The devil will do all he can to confuse the lost (II Corinthians 4:4). He will often use our unclear terminology to accomplish this. Why not go back to the Bible terms? "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 3:16).

Some will say, "I was saved by asking Jesus into my heart". Actually, they were saved in spite of asking Jesus into their heart, because they trusted Christ to save them. It is either that or they are not saved. In my case, I asked Jesus into my heart on at least 600 different occasions and was not saved, because I had never understood the gospel and had never TRUSTED Christ as my Saviour. I am pleading for the many who are confused and unsaved but thinking they are saved because of the use of this unscriptural expression: "Invite Jesus into your heart". Let's use "great plainness of speech". Let's go back to the Bible.


[/FONT]http://www.biblelineministries.org/...ction=full&mainkey=ASK+JESUS+INTO+YOUR+HEART?

 

[reba]

As always

 

[Ace1234]

Overall, a good post.

I grew up in a very fundy Baptist church, where the alter call turned into a begging plea and ended up a message of overwhelming fear of hell fire and torture. I often heard the statement " scare them into heaven". Over and over begging and pleading, song after song, hands raised, eyes closed...often the alter call lasted longer than the message until some scared soul went and "got their free get out of hell card." I've seen pastors almost like a sales pitch think they must go on and on, different tactic until they scored....rather sad IMO...

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Surely an incomplete gospel message will leave someone confused about what "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Eph. 3:17 NIV1984) means (and how you make that happen for yourself), but it is certainly a Biblical truth that Christ rules and reigns his kingdom from the hearts of his people. Faith is how we solicit the power of the Holy Spirit to believe in our hearts for salvation and for Christian living.


This is the faith that causes Christ to dwell in your heart, sealing you as His own for the Day of Salvation:

"‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13 NIV1984)

 

[WIP]

Well stated as usual, Dora

I think we too often are like the rich man who asked Jesus what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus replied that he must follow God’s commands and the rich man replied that he had been from his youth. But then Jesus pointed out how that was really not true because he still held on to his idols. “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.†(Mark 10:21 NKJV) His heart and focus were still in the wrong place. For this rich man it was his wealth but for any of us it could be anything of this world that we allow to take our focus away from Jesus; our possessions, careers, hobbies, interests, desires, etc. <O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
We fool ourselves into believing a simple cliché or inane request for forgiveness will save us. How far from the truth is that? “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.†(Matt. 7:13-14 NKJV)

“So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’†(Luke 17:10 NKJV)<O:p</O:p

 

[Vic C.]

As always

I concur.

Dora, with age comes wisdom, it is said. You have consistently increased in wisdom during your time here on these forums.

I'll add a link to the convo that points out 10 reasons why your OP is spot on.

http://theexpositor.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/ask-jesus-into-my-heart/

and a three-pointer on child evangelism:

http://sharperiron.org/article/come-my-heart-lord-jesus-plea-for-biblical-accuracy-child-evangelism

 

[handy]

Thanks Vic! This site has been a place of consistent teaching and reproof for me as well as a place of dear fellowship. God truly blessed me when He led me here.

And, thanks for the links. When I was thinking through this thread I did some googling and was amazed at how many sites and links there are about this well meaning, but error prone way of evangelism.

Surely an incomplete gospel message will leave someone confused about what "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Eph. 3:17 NIV1984) means (and how you make that happen for yourself), but it is certainly a Biblical truth that Christ rules and reigns his kingdom from the hearts of his people. Faith is how we solicit the power of the Holy Spirit to believe in our hearts for salvation and for Christian living.


This is the faith that causes Christ to dwell in your heart, sealing you as His own for the Day of Salvation:

"‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13 NIV1984)

Jethro, I certainly agree with these texts you share. I guess my main concern at the "ask Jesus into your heart" exhortation is that it puts the cart before the horse, so to speak.

In the NASB, we see Ephesians 3:17 translated this way: so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

And we should immediately note that this isn't even a full sentence. When a text starts after a comma and ends with a comma...and especially if that text begins with "so that..." certainly we are called upon to examine the context. When we read the text in fuller context we see it is a prayer of Paul's concerning, not unbelievers, but the saints, the believers at Ephesus:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

This is a prayer for the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen the saints...so that what is true when we are believers, that Christ does indeed dwell in our hearts, and continues to cause us to grow into fullness and completion in God. This isn't a text however that should be used to bolster a habit of asking unbelievers to ask Jesus into their hearts. It's a text of equipping for saints as opposed to evangelism.

The bible teaches us, believe and Christ will dwell in your hearts...not, ask Christ to dwell in your hearts so that you will be a believer.

It all comes back to believing in the first place...and if belief is present, what does the Scriptures then tell us to do...ask Christ into our hearts or be baptized. The Scriptures are clear...baptism is the first order of business for believers.

 

[handy]

Overall, a good post.

I grew up in a very fundy Baptist church, where the alter call turned into a begging plea and ended up a message of overwhelming fear of hell fire and torture. I often heard the statement " scare them into heaven". Over and over begging and pleading, song after song, hands raised, eyes closed...often the alter call lasted longer than the message until some scared soul went and "got their free get out of hell card." I've seen pastors almost like a sales pitch think they must go on and on, different tactic until they scored....rather sad IMO...

I didn't have the blessing of growing up in Church. And, it is a blessing to be raised by Christian parents and raised in church...however, coming into faith older and without predetermined conceptions of what our faith is has it's merits too, I guess. Some things that many Christians just accept without ever questioning, I question. This whole "ask Jesus into your heart" thing was something that I questioned when I worked at a church operated Christian day-care center and I have to admit, I had deep reservations about it. I went to my own pastor, a denomination on the opposite side of the spectrum from the one where I taught and asked him about it and that's where I learned that it isn't a Biblical model of evangelism at all.

I often wonder about the many kids who were exhorted to "ask Jesus into their heart". I'm sure some are living devoted Christian lives. But, as it stated in one of the links, that's more likely "in spite of" rather than "because of" the asking Jesus into the heart.

I'm much more concerned about many of the kids who were from unbelieving families. They were not being raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and therefore we had the opportunity of introducing them into the faith. Which we did, we did teach the faith and plant the seeds. But, some of these kids probably went onward in life to have those seeds meet with the rocks and weeds of the world...and I wonder, because of that pressure to "ask Jesus into your heart" that the staff at the school put upon those kids (and anytime any adult asks any preschooler to do something important it is pressure)...what do those kids, now adults in their mid 20's to early thirties, think about Christianity. Are some saying, as some have come here to say...."Yeah I was once a Christian but now I know better..."

Far better to just talk about believing in Jesus. And to say..."If you're not sure, continue to pray about this." Perhaps some will walk away, but they will walk away more firm in their unbelief, rather than walking away with this idea of "I was once, but now I'm not".

I agree with you, Ace1234, that sometimes this becomes a sales pitch and some Christians who do this are motivated just by the idea of "winning a soul" just as if there is some kind of contest or merit badge being awarded for the most folks one can convince to pray that prayer.

 

[Gazelle]

I think it's good that you know why you disagree with the idea. I also think calling it "unbiblical" is not an absolute truth. It is something that you disagree with, however, as another has shared even briefly, there are many verses that back up the idea. But it's perfectly fine if you don't wish to win children to Christ using that metaphor. (However, since you have studied it so extensively, I doubt you would have any problems, nor would there be any mixup on the child's part, as to just what they were doing.)

Be well.

 

[handy]

It is something that you disagree with, however, as another has shared even briefly, there are many verses that back up the idea.

By all means, if you have texts that back up the idea, share them. Since this is such a widespread, common practice the more we can ground it in Scripture the better.

I know that Revelations 3:20 and Ephesians 3:17 are commonly used to back up the idea, but neither of those texts really speak to evangelism...especially of young children.

However, that's only two...always open to studying the Scriptures further on the matter.

 

[Gazelle]

Hi. Well, I'm not here to counter your personal view, which you are very much entitled to, imo. I'm also not into a full study on this topic (as I have 2 others going right now :toofunny)

It would be a very interesting study, though, I think. Here is one verse to chew on (keeping in mind where the seat of our emotions, intellect and will is--in the heart.)

Galatians 4:6 (KJV)

6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

 

[handy]

Oh I understand completely about not wanting to get into another study. Share as you have time/inclination and anyone else as well.

Like I say, this is a very common practice, but one which I think causes more harm than good. I encourage folks to peruse the links provided and google the subject if you like, to see the harm that can come.

About Gal 4:6 this shows a truth that we can and should share with unbelievers...that when we believe and become sons of God, we do have the indwelling of Christ's spirit in our hearts to always help us along the way. Not "ask Jesus into your heart" but rather, "believe, repent, be baptized and Christ will come and live in your heart!"

 

[Jethro Bodine]

...Not "ask Jesus into your heart" but rather, "believe, repent, be baptized and Christ will come and live in your heart!"

If "Ask Jesus into your heart" is not explained for all that it means it is an incomplete gospel that can not lead a person to salvation, just as "everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life" (John 6:40 1984NIV) if not explained can not lead a person to salvation either.

Salvation is all about having one's sins forgiven. Any metaphor, even a Biblical one, is useless to lead someone to salvation if it is not explained that justification is through faith in the forgiveness God has provided through the work and person of Jesus Christ.

 

[handy]

If "Ask Jesus into your heart" is not explained for all that it means it is an incomplete gospel that can not lead a person to salvation, just as "everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life" (John 6:40 1984NIV) if not explained can not lead a person to salvation either.

Salvation is all about having one's sins forgiven. Any metaphor, even a Biblical one, is useless to lead someone to salvation if it is not explained that justification is through faith in the forgiveness God has provided through the work and person of Jesus Christ.

And with that, we are in complete agreement!

I think WIP said it best: "We fool ourselves into believing a simple cliché or inane request for forgiveness will save us. How far from the truth is that?"

 

[reba]

When the sweet little 3 year old asks Jesus into his heart . It that any different the infant baptism?

We can quickly sell kids short of there ability to reason, understand, etc

 

[handy]

We can quickly sell kids short of there ability to reason, understand, etc

This is so true Reba...so true. I know that my nieces and nephews were raised in Christian homes and, whether they were baptized as infants or as believers (there are a variety of denominations in my family) all were baptized confessing believers by the time they were 5 or so and they are raising their children in the faith as well. All but one, but I still pray for her that she might find her way back home as it were.

I remember one time my dad, my nephew who was about 4 and our neighbor who was an unbeliever and I were all talking over the back fence one day. My nephew just out of the blue asks our neighbor, "Do you love Jesus?" He turned a little red and said, "Well, ummm" and my nephew looked up at him with his big blue eyes and looked him straight in the eye and said, "You don't know Jesus, do you Mr. ----. Well, I know Jesus, and if there is anything you ever want to know about Him, you can just ask me. Or ask my dad, or even Grandpa here, Grandpa, you'll tell Mr. ---- about Jesus won't you."

It was such a strong sharing of the gospel, one of the strongest I've ever seen, this child simply assuming that the only possible reason why someone wouldn't love Jesus, is simply because they don't KNOW Jesus. The impact on our neighbor was obvious...he had tears in his eyes. (There were a few in Dad's and mine as well.) It led to many conversations between my dad and Mr. ---- about Jesus and the Gospel. My folks had to move, so I don't know if the neighbor ever came to a belief in God, but he certainly had the gospel shared with him, that's for sure.

And, in the interest of "full disclosure" yes, this was a child who "invited Jesus into his heart" when he was around 3 or so. ;)

I really don't have serious problems with the "metaphor" as long as it is a "metaphor" based in the real teaching and nurturing of belief...not just a "do this and you'll be saved!"

We really do sell the young quite short at times!

 

[Vic C.]

The first link I posted previously explains it as well as any good Bible student or scholar can do.

Any notion of Jesus coming into our hearts is a RESULT of the salvation process, not a means of salvation.

The orthodox reformed view of salvation never taught one must ask Jesus into our hearts in order to be saved. That's a 20th. century phrase, started by, Billy Graham.

I resisted mentioning his name earlier. I didn't want to make this about him, but it helps to know who popularized this much used and misused phrase.

 

[handy]

I've always have had a lot of respect and love for Billy Graham...but I believe that we also have him to thank for the ubiquitious "sinner's prayer".

When handled the right way, these things are not bad per se. But, since they are not grounded in Scripture and since very often they are not handled the right way, but on the contrary handled quite badly...lot's of damage can be done and has been done.

 

[Brokenhearted]

I don't exhort others to ask Jesus into their hearts because I feel I am unworthy and would probably make them despise christianity on my behalf. But I do love Jesus.

I've seen other people who try and preach about Jesus but are really doing Him harm more than good, but I know what they feel is real, it's just that Jesus isn't God, he can't always just completely cure a person of every sin, it's up to us, and some problems are beyond Jesus but you know he tries, you know his heart is good.

I know it says not to hide your light in a Bush, but I just feel like if you are really a bad example, then you should probably not try to be a preacher, everyone can't really be called to be a preacher, preachers need a church also, holy, good followers, members. too many cooks can spoil the stew.

 

[handy]

I've seen other people who try and preach about Jesus but are really doing Him harm more than good, but I know what they feel is real, it's just that Jesus isn't God, he can't always just completely cure a person of every sin, it's up to us, and some problems are beyond Jesus but you know he tries, you know his heart is good.

It's a little off topic, but more important anyway. I really would like to help you understand that Jesus is indeed God and can be our help in anything. Nothing is "beyond" Him, but not all suffering is outside of the Father's will in our life. God uses the bad as well as the good, many can testify to this, myself included. Also, Jesus most certainly is the cure for any and all sin. This isn't to say that we won't struggle with sin in our own life, but a: the Holy Spirit is there to help us through that struggle and b: Jesus' righteousness will ultimately cover us so that our sins will be forgiven.

Again, this really isn't the focus of the thread, and I'm not sure where your heart is on this. If you'd like to discuss this further, you can PM me, or we can start another thread for discussion.