Many times we may hear those in the world refer to salvation by simply praying Jesus into our hearts, or by reciting the ‘sinner’s prayer.’ Is this really all there is to salvation? Is this all that God requires of man for accepting His grace? While there are many places in scripture we could look for the answer to this question, let us consider just one example.

     The story of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus is fairly well known. Saul was on the road to Damascus when he was surrounded by a bright light and heard a voice from heaven. It was the Lord instructing Saul to go into Damascus, where it would be told to him what he must do in order to be saved. Once he had arrived in Damascus, Saul prayed to the Lord and fasted for three days (Acts 9:8-11). Then Ananias come to Saul and told him, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16 NKJV).

     Notice in this account that Saul saw the Lord, he heard the Lord speak, and he prayed and fasted for three days. And yet Saul was not saved from his sins until he was baptized. This should indicate to us that simply trying to pray Jesus into our hearts will not absolve us of our sins. Nowhere in scripture do we find any reference to the ‘sinner’s prayer,’ or the idea of salvation by prayer alone. It should seem obvious that if Saul had to be baptized after his religious experience to have his sins removed, then we must be baptized for the remission of our sins as well.