Bishop Katharine Schori Said What?
I find myself dumfounded, confused and amazed. For rarely do I find the Episcopal Church say or do anything doctrinally worthwhile. Face it; they are a denomination started by men. They have a government setup that did not originate with God. Their name alone, Episcopalian is not scriptural. Where they get their authority is not scriptural. When God said He would give His followers a new name, Isa. 62:2; 65:15, that new name was Christian, Acts 11:26. So, therefore, I am not condoning nor claiming the Episcopal Church is right in the sight of God. But, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori made a statement on the 9th of July that is simply turning many denominationalists upside down. She stood up and said that the “sinner’s prayer” is a “form of idolatry, for it puts me and my words in the place that only God can occupy.” Now, I have not heard all of the speech, but here is one of her statements that are turning some evangelicals upside down, “Caricatured in some quarters by insisting that salvation depends on reciting a specific formula about Jesus.” What else can I say? Simply amazing that someone from the denominational world would come out and say the “sinner’s prayer” is not only unscriptural, non-authorized, but then she equates it with personal idolatry. Now, don’t get me started on the role of woman in the church, and where she thinks she finds her authority in scripture to serve as some bishop. But, it is about time; someone in the denominational world wakes up and realizes that the sinner’s prayer does not wash away sins. Let’s look at scripture: 1) Did Jesus say, go into all the world and baptize, or go and teach the sinner’s prayer? Matthew 28:18-20. 2) Did Jesus tell Nicodemus, one must be born of water and spirit, or say the sinner’s prayer? John 3:1-7. 3) Did Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, answer the crowd’s questions concerning salvation and tell them to raise their hands, and repeat this prayer? Acts 2:37-38. 4) Did Peter tell them to save themselves by saying a prayer, Acts 2:40-41? 5) Did Philip tell the Eunich, “Stop this here chariot, place you hands on the hub of the wheel, and say this prayer?” Acts 8:30-40? Can anyone please show me the sinner’s prayer being used in one conversion case in the New Testament? Acts 2, they were baptized for remission of sins. Acts 8, the Eunich was baptized. Acts 9, Paul was baptized. Acts 10 Cornelius was baptized? Do you see a pattern there? Where is there a conversion case where they were told baptism is not necessary, instead say this prayer? It is there, isn’t it? No! And even Peter (the same Peter of Acts 2) in his old age, before he died, he wrote, “Baptism saves today,” 1 Pet. 3:21. There are exactly 9 conversion cases in the book of Acts, and not one mentions a sinner’s prayer: THE NINE CASES OF CONVERSION IN THE BOOK OF ACTS. These conversion cases, when studied makes it clear what one must do in order to be saved. But the problem is, “When studied.” Too many would rather NOT! What did they do? They heard the word of God, Acts 2:11, 37. They believed the word of God, Acts 16:31. They repented of their sins, Acts 2:37-38. They confessed the name of Jesus Christ, Acts 8:37. And then they were baptized for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16. And please, don’t believe me! Read these nine cases of conversion yourself, and tell me what the early church did to be added to the church, Acts 2:47. C.S. Lewis said concerning the Sinner’s Prayer, “A great cataract of nonsense.” Jesus said, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven,” Matt. 7:21.
1. 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:14-41.
2. The Samaritans, Acts 8:9-12.
3. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch, Acts 8:26-39.
4. Saul/Paul, Acts 9:1-19; 22:3-16,
5. Cornelius’ Household, Acts 10:44-48.
6. Lydia, Acts 16:11-15.
7. Jailer, Acts 16:16-34.
8. Corinthians, Acts 18:1-8.
9. Ephesians, Acts 19:1-7.
