Video Short • Salvation (KJV)
This teaching comes from the King James Bible, and every verse I quote is from the KJV.
These are my own convictions from the Word of God, shared through The Prevailing Word of God ministry, and they do not speak for any local church.
Scripture never gives a required prayer for salvation. It does show a sinner crying out for mercy, and Jesus Christ said that man went home justified.
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Primary Text
Luke 18:9–14 (KJV).
Scriptures Covered
Luke 18:9–14; James 2:13; Ephesians 2:8–9; Matthew 26:28
Central Truth
No wording, formula, or repeated prayer saves anyone. God justifies the sinner who humbly calls on Him for mercy. He does it by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the remission of sins.
About This Message
Many of us were told to repeat a prayer after a preacher in order to be saved. In under three minutes, this message opens Luke 18:9–14 to show what Jesus Christ actually taught about the prayer God hears.
1. Two men, two prayers
Jesus Christ spoke this parable to people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others (Luke 18:9). The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. He thanked God that he was not like other men, and he listed his fasting and his tithes (Luke 18:11–12). He asked God for nothing, because he believed he needed nothing.
2. A cry for mercy
The publican stood afar off and would not even lift his eyes to heaven. He smote upon his breast and asked for one thing, which was mercy. He used no formula and offered no list of works. He came to God as a sinner and asked God to be merciful.
A note on the Scripture labels. Each verse I quote carries one of two labels. Prescriptive marks a text that teaches what God requires or declares as true for every believer, such as Ephesians 2:8-9. Descriptive marks a text that records what happened or what was said at a particular time, such as an event in the Gospels or the book of Acts. Both are fully the Word of God, and the label only shows how a verse works in its setting.
Descriptive
“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Luke 18:13 (KJV)
3. Justified before God
Jesus Christ gave the verdict on these two men. The publican went down to his house justified, and the Pharisee did not. God shows mercy to the humble, for mercy rejoiceth against judgment (James 2:13).
Descriptive
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Luke 18:14 (KJV)
4. What saves
Our own righteousness cannot save us, and neither can a prayer we repeat. God justifies the sinner by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The blood of Jesus Christ was shed for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28). Trust the Saviour you call upon, not the words you used.
The Central Proclamation
Salvation is only through a personal relationship with God the Father by grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. At the moment of faith in Jesus Christ, the believer is instantly and permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit regenerates, seals, leads, guides, empowers, and sanctifies the believer in their walk with God.
Descriptive (verses 18, 19, and 21) and Prescriptive (verse 20)
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
2 Corinthians 5:18–21 (KJV)
The Gospel, Stated Plainly
Everything I teach on this site rests on one message from Scripture. Read it in God’s own words from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 1:16, and Ephesians 2:8-9.
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