quote:

ORIGINAL: Concerto

"Ask Jesus into your heart" is a phrase I hear quite often. Why does this phrase continue to be used when it is not stated in the Bible?

I understand, sort of, the meaning behind the statement, but, why not make a bold, clear, BIBLICAL, statement about your salvation?

Jesus and the disciples did not preach about asking Jesus into one's heart. Jesus said to repent and believe. Why do so many churches continue to muddy the waters with a phrase that is imprecise and may lead to confusion or misunderstanding?

Has not the time come to move toward a Biblical understanding of salvation w/o terms that are not Biblical?

C

quote:

ORIGINAL: bob97

I don’t know but if one is sincere enough to ask Christ into their heart…I bet that invitation is sufficient.

In order to make this invitation one would have to believe in Christ and feel a deep repentance and need for the healing Grace of God wouldn’t they? After all the whole salvation picture is a feeling of the heart is it not?

Bob

quote:

ORIGINAL: bob97

I don’t know but if one is sincere enough to ask Christ into their heart…I bet that invitation is sufficient.

quote:

ORIGINAL: bob97

Hi Jimbo...not looking to disagree but from this definition it would sure sound like when the salivation begins in the heart it would be a pretty important consideration.

Here are two Bible definition of heart from the Holman Bible Dictionary and the Easton’s Bible Dictionary:

HEART
According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. “Heart” and “soul” are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; compare Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case.
The heart is the “home of the personal life,” and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages the word “soul” could not be substituted for “heart.”
The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15). It is naturally wicked (Gen. 8:21), and hence it contaminates the whole life and character (Matt. 12:34; 15:18; compare Eccl. 8:11; Ps. 73:7). Hence the heart must be changed, regenerated (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19; Ps. 51:10-14), before a man can willingly obey God.
The process of salvation begins in the heart by the believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that testimony hardens the heart (Ps. 95:8; Prov. 28:14; 2 Chr. 36:13). “Hardness of heart evidences itself by light views of sin; partial acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern about the word and ordinances of God; inattention to divine providences; stifling convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption, and general ignorance of divine things.”



Bob