Just Say Yes!

Just Saying Yes Doesn't Mean You’re Saved!

 

Let’s just jump right into this! I have heard on a few occasions when I have visited a particular church service. After a wonderful message, the pastor would offer those that don’t know Jesus personally, those that don’t have a personal relationship with Him, a chance to know Him. So he explains to the audience that all you have to do is just say “Yes to Jesus. Just say yes and He will walk with you. After we pray we want and you say yes to Jesus, we want you to step out into the aisle, and once you do you will experience a relationship with God...come down and we will give you a Bible and a few next step instructions.” He then prayed for them.

Of course, I was waiting for that prayer of repentance and the explanation of why they were saying yes to Jesus but it never came just a prayer of thanks. Now with no disrespect to the man of God, because I know he meant well, however, just saying yes does not mean you are saved. The Bible is very clear in recording the words of Jesus in regard to being saved from your sins and receiving salvation.

If we are teaching people that just saying yes to Jesus is enough to be saved, then my question is “what are they saying yes too if we are not instructing them the importance of repenting of their sins?” Just saying the word yes is not an act of turning from one’s sins. It is, in fact, an answer affirming that one makes in agreeing to an engaging question. Okay, allow me to engage you... 

• Do you agree that you are or were a sinner? Yes!
• Do you agree that you need or needed to be saved? Yes!
• Do you agree that you need or needed salvation? Yes
• Do you agree that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God? Yes
• Do you agree that Jesus died on the cross for your sins? Yes!
• Do you agree that Jesus was buried in a grave? Yes!
• Do you agree that He rose on the third day? Yes!

Now we are getting somewhere when we say yes. I totally get the fact that when we do say yes to Jesus that we are saying yes to all that He requires of us to follow Him. But would you not agree that that comes after we have received Him into our heart? Agreed.

If the people that need salvation are not being taught that confession, repentance, and believing is all apart of the yes process. Then what are they really saying yes too? This is our last Podcast for this year before we blaze into a brand new season in 2020. And it is my endeavor that those listening, and those you share us with, will receive Christ as Lord and Savior and go into the New Year not only a new creation as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:17, but go in saying “yes” to Jesus and know why you are saying yes to Him. Somebody just asked, “What does 2 Corinthians 5:17 say?” It says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 

Romans 10:9,10 and 11 help us in the saying yes process, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.” 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”

In John 20:31 he writes, “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

It’s more than just telling people to say yes to Jesus. I can say yes all day long but if there is not a confession or a repented heart than all my yes saying means absolutely nothing. I will continue as I was before I said yes.

In James 2:19 he writes to those that boast in their believing. He says, “You believe that there is one God. Good for you. Even the demons believe and tremble.” If you are just saying yes to Jesus, with no remission of sin, then you are no different than anyone else that just says yes and does not believe.

You not only must say yes to Jesus but you must say yes that you are taking off the old to put on the new. Are you willing to turn away from your old way of life to follow Jesus? Are you willing to learn what it is to be a Christian? Are you willing to be discipled just like those that were fishermen that said yes to Jesus in the book of Matthew when He told them to follow Me and I will make you fishers of men. Not only will I show you how to fish but I will teach you the art of fishing.

That is apart of the how-to of saying yes to Jesus. I don’t have a problem telling people to repeat after you this prayer of thanks, and then tell them to just say yes to Jesus. That’s not the problem. My problem is that there is no prayer of repentance. No one is asking Jesus to forgive them of their sin. You are thankful for what? You can’t be thankful for salvation if there is no repentance and acceptance of Christ Jesus. Thank you for the nice service? Thank you for the good message? Certainly, there is no thank you, Jesus, for coming into my heart if I have not, in fact, asked Him in.

We have far too many Christian organizations today that are watering down the true essence of what Christ did and why He did it in order for us to receive His salvation. There are people walking around thinking they actually have Christ in their hearts just because they said “yes” to Jesus. And in fact, they do not. They just said yes because someone told them to say yes.

Saying yes is important and I certainly do not downgrade how important saying yes to Jesus is. However, with that being said. You have to understand the importance of why we ask for forgiveness and why there is a need to repent. This is why we read and study the Word of God. Timothy said best when he said, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Timothy had just told us in 2:15 to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Our problem today is that we do not explain the why and the how of salvation. Why do I need salvation? How do I obtain this salvation? Well, if you really want to know the answers to these and many other questions then you need to pick up a copy of my new book, “Pathway to Christ” because within the pages of that book you will learn all the why’s and how-tos of receiving Christ and obtaining salvation. I will share with you a little later on how you can get your very own autographed copy.

Now that you know and have some understanding that just saying yes does not mean you are saved let us address how you can be saved. It’s a very easy process. You don’t have to jump hoops, holler, or run unless you want too. You get that excited and can’t help yourself. Well, that too is acceptable.

As I mentioned in the beginning, Romans 10:9 and 10 is a great place to start. If you have your Bible or in today’s society, a phone app, turn in your Bible, or pull it up on your phone and let’s read it together. Ready? Read… “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Allow me to engage those of you that are not already saved...And in order for there to be any change and for us to go any further, you must answer YES to all of the following questions?

• Do you believe that you are a sinner? Yes!
• Do you believe that you need to be saved? Yes!
• Do you believe that you need salvation? Yes!
• Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Yes!
• Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins? Yes!
• Do you believe that Jesus was buried in a grave? Yes!
• Do you believe that He rose on the third day? Yes!

Are you ready to receive all that God has for by accepting His Son Jesus into your heart? YES!

Awesome! Now we can pray… repeat this model prayer after me if you will:

Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner in need of rescuing. Right now, I choose to turn away from my sin and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness.

I desire to be set free right now. And I ask you to forgive me of my sin. I believe that Your Son Christ Jesus died on the cross to take away my sins. I also believe that He rose again from the dead so that I might be forgiven of my sins and made righteous through faith in Him.

I call upon the name of Christ Jesus and confess Him to be my Lord and Savior of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You and ask You to fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit.

I believe that you have heard my prayer and I believe that you have forgiven me. I declare that right now I am a child of God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me as declared in Galatians 2:20. I believe that I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. And I believe that I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, I welcome you to the family of God. From this moment on, start learning how to live a life of faith by finding a good Holy Spirit-filled, Bible taught church so that you can grow in your faith as you walk the pathway to Christ. Write to me, share your story of faith, and let me know that you said yes to Jesus. Email me at LifesWordMinistry@gmail.com. 

I would also like to take this time to thank those of you that partner with us by sowing a financial seed into this ministry regularly. Your generous giving allows us to share the gospel throughout the world. If you’re not a partner and would like to sow into this ministry you can do so by going to PayPal.me/lifeswordministry. 

As promised here is how you can receive a copy of my new book Pathway to Christ. One you can go to Amazon and purchase it there. Or if you would like a personally autographed copy you can go to PayPal.me/malachi660/15 and you will be put on the list for me to autograph your book. And it will me be mailed out to you and we will even pay for the shipping. And be sure to subscribe and follow us on Life’s Word Podcast. 

God Loves You, and I Do Too!

Life's Word Ministry