Simple Prayer of Salvation: Discover These Top 10 Facts to Free You from Sin, Addiction, & Depression

The concept of a “Simple Prayer of Salvation” asking Jesus Christ for salvation has become widely popular in modern evangelicalism. Often called the “simple prayer of salvation,” praying such a prayer is seen as the method for acknowledging one’s sinfulness, expressing belief in Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, and verbally declaring Him Lord and Savior.

While no precise words are explicitly mandated in Scripture, the idea of verbally professing faith in Christ and requesting His gift of salvation is biblical. Romans 10:9-10 says “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Thus, some form of spoken Simple Prayer of Salvation prompting inner transformation is understood in evangelical practice as the common starting point of a believer’s eternal salvation and regenerate life in Christ. The “simple prayer of salvation” has equivalently provided multitudes an accessible way to articulate this pivotal, life-redirecting decision.

What is the Simple Prayer of Salvation?

The Simple Prayer of Salvation often referred to as the “sinner’s prayer” is a prayer asking Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and accepting him as Lord and Savior. It allows someone to declare their faith in Christ and receive the gift of salvation through God’s grace. This short, simple prayer of salvation has transformed countless lives as people confess their sins to God and open their hearts to Jesus.

Saying this simple prayer of salvation is as easy as admitting you are a sinner, believing Jesus died on the cross and rose again for your sins, and accepting his forgiveness and leadership in your life. The words of the simple prayer of salvation prayer can vary, but reflect these main ideas. Ultimately, it’s the attitude of humble faith and repentance behind the words that matter most to God. He hears every Simple Prayer of Salvation prayed from a sincere heart.

What is the actual Simple Prayer of Salvation wording?

While the simple prayer of salvation can be phrased in different ways, a common sinner’s prayer goes something like this:

“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and I believe you rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and open my heart and life to you. I ask you to be my Savior and Lord. Thank you for saving me. Amen.”

This Simple Prayer of Salvation openly confesses belief in Jesus Christ as the risen Savior and asks Him for the gift of salvation and a new life centered around Him. The words express belief, repentance, and commitment to following Jesus as Lord. Of course, there are no magic words required for salvation. The state of the heart and faith in Jesus are what save, but this is a scripturally based and commonly used prayer to express that saving faith.

How do you say the Simple Prayer of Salvation?

Praying the simple prayer of salvation is easy! All it takes is sincerely turning to Jesus in prayer, admitting your sins to Him, expressing belief and faith in Him as risen Savior, and inviting Him as Lord of your life. This can be done alone, silently if you prefer, or out loud with other believers to encourage and support you. There’s no required ritual—just honest prayer from the depths of your heart.

To say the Simple Prayer of Salvation from your heart, think through the broken areas of your life you need to bring before God. Consider sins you need to confess and leave behind. Then, invite Jesus into the rest of your life and future with joy and hope! Saying this simple prayer of salvation will be life-changing in the best possible way.

If you need help knowing what to say, use wording similar to the commonly known sinner’s prayer referenced earlier or turn parts of Psalm 51 into your own humble prayer. The key is not perfectly worded eloquence, but sincere trust in the gracious salvation Jesus freely offers.

What are some examples of a Simple Prayer of Salvation?

There are many great examples of heartfelt and genuine Simple Prayer of Salvation. Here are three simple yet powerful possibilities you can use or adapt to your own Saving faith in Jesus:

1. “Lord Jesus, I confess I am a sinner deserving of death, but I believe you died and rose again to give me eternal life. I now turn from my sins to follow you. I invite you to be my Savior and the Master of my life.”

2. “Father God, I approach you now in Jesus’ name. I know I’ve sinned and fallen short of your standards. I believe your Son Jesus died for my sins, was raised to life on the third day, and is coming again. I ask you to wash me clean, come into my life as Savior and Lord, and lead me by your Holy Spirit from this day onward. Thank you for saving me! Amen.”

3. “Lord Jesus, I know you love me and have an incredible plan for my life. I’m sorry for all the ways I’ve fallen short of your standards. Thank you for dying on the cross and rising again to pay for my sins. Today I give you my life – take it and use it for your glory. Be my Savior and closest Friend. Amen.”

What does the Bible say about being saved through a Simple Prayer of Salvation?

There are many Bible verses confirming that salvation comes from trusting in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. A saving faith is what justifies us before God, and prayer is simply how we communicate that faith to Him.

Bible verses connecting faith in Christ to salvation include:

Romans 10:9 – “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This emphasizes the Simple Prayer of Salvation as a confession of faith.

Acts 16:30-31 – “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” Again highlights that believing in Jesus brings salvation. Our simple prayer of salvation expresses such faith.

Romans 10:10 – “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Here we see both faith and spoken confession of that faith as integral to receiving Christ’s salvation. Our prayer gives voice to saving faith.

Overall, the Bible clearly teaches we cannot work our way to heaven. Salvation must begin with trusting Christ to save us. A heartfelt Simple Prayer of Salvation admitting our need of Him and seeking His transformative grace is often the first act of saving faith. Our simple prayer of salvation signifies the inward repentance and belief making our salvation possible.

Is repeating a Simple Prayer of Salvation enough to be saved?

While saying a simple prayer of salvation can absolutely initiate or cement your eternal salvation experience, simply repeating words alone does not guarantee salvation. True salvation requires real repentance of sins and genuine inward faith in Jesus Christ and what He accomplished for us on the cross. The attitude behind your prayer and readiness to surrender your life to Christ is what matters most.

At the same time, vocalizing your faith through a Simple Prayer of Salvation can be a first affirming step. Putting your decision to trust Jesus as Savior into words reinforces the surrender and belief happening in your heart. If said sincerely, a salvation prayer marks a before and after in your spiritual life. Just make sure the desire to follow Jesus fills your heart first! Let your prayer flow out of that transformative inner repentance and faith.

Also remember – salvation is a journey, not just a one moment event. While you may pray to receive Christ just once, living out that decision requires lifelong obedience. A Simple Prayer of Salvation alone won’t change you without willingness for your attitudes and actions to change too. But with authentic faith driving your salvation prayer, Jesus promises you will be saved!

Do I have to pray out loud to be saved?

No, saying a Simple Prayer of Salvation out loud is not required to become saved and enter God’s family. Salvation happens through your heart attitude toward God, not the volume of your voice. You can pray a prayer of repentance and faith silently or out loud and still experience the full life-changing power of accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord.

In your heart, turning from selfish sin and turning toward Christ’s love and leadership over your life is what brings spiritual rebirth. You simply need to mean the words of surrender and belief you pray, whether aloud or in silence. God hears the earnest cries of every humble heart trusting in Him.

That said, praying out loud often helps strengthen and embolden our faith. Hearing our own voices declare salvation in Christ speaks conviction into our spirits. It lets those around us know we belong to Jesus without shame. If you’d find it meaningful to pray aloud, consider asking a Christian friend or pastor to pray with you as you declare Jesus the Lord over your new life. Your sincere words, quiet or loud, will reap eternal rewards.

 What should I do after saying the Simple Prayer of Salvation?

First, praise God for his amazing grace that saved you! Thank Jesus for the sacrifice he made so you could have new life in him. Celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit now dwelling in your heart. Salvation is the greatest gift you’ll ever receive.

Next, tell another Christian you have trusted in Christ for salvation so they can celebrate with and support you. Read your Bible daily to grow closer to Jesus. Seek out a strong local church where you can learn more and be baptized to show you follow Christ. Share your faith story with those who need Jesus’ redemption too.

Finally, know that saying the simple prayer of salvation was just the beginning. Keep pursuing your relationship with Jesus through obedience, prayer, Scripture reading, church involvement, and selfless service to others. The Christian life is a lifelong adventure of coming to know God’s heart and to reflect his love faithfully. Cooperate with God’s Spirit to grow into the image of Jesus and experience the abundant new life you now can live.

What did the Historical Church do?

Historically, when a person wanted to begin their relationship as a Christian and join the Christian church, they would make the decision in their heart and then, become baptized.

Through time, the church has developed a structured “Simple Prayer of Salvation”. It’s called “The Act of Contrition” and it goes like this…

“Oh my Jesus, I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all of my sins and the pains of hell but most of all because they offend you, my God who deserves all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace to confess my sins, to do penence and to sin no more.”

But, you don’t just say the Simple Prayer of Salvation to yourself, you participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Many people call this sacrament, Confession with a priest. Jesus instituted this practice in Matthew 16:19.

So, if you weren’t raised in the Catholic faith and received the Sacrament of Baptism as a baby and Confession as a young child, your first step is to find your local Catholic churhc and find out when they are doing RCIA. This stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. The classes usually start in September and finish with you coming into the Church at Easter.

This is how it’s been done for nearly 2,000 years of our ancient Christian religion, so it’s best to do things this way.

How do I know my Simple Prayer of Salvation worked?

If praying to receive Jesus’ free gift of salvation is a sincere desire and not just empty words, Scripture promises you are saved through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). Rest confidently in God’s grace. However, validating spiritual fruit in your attitudes and actions can also strengthen your assurance.

Ask yourself these questions as evidence:
Do I have new victory over sins I once struggled with? Has my language, behavior and thoughts changed?
Do I freely turn conversations toward spiritual matters?
Do I enjoy reading and hearing God’s Word and learning from godly people?
Do I wish to honor the Lord in all areas of my life going forward?

While we can’t “earn” salvation, the natural byproduct of truly accepting Jesus is spiritual growth and life transformation.

The beautiful thing is that you don’t have to figure this all out on your own.

Start with RCIA like we discussed earlier. Receive the Sacraments of the Church becuase Jesus promises to give you grace, which is power over sins, through the Sacraments. 

Then, continue receiving the Sacraments which would look like going to Mass every Sunday and partaking in the “Sacrifice of the Mass”. Go to Confession once a week or minimally once a month. If you’re married, become the best spouse that you can be because your marriage is also a Sacrament. Raise your kids in the faith and give them a headstart in life spiritually. 

These are the things that are going to keep you strong in your faith.

Also, doing our little method daily will also keep your faith growing and thriving by …

1. Reading your daily Catholic readings
2. Pray your Rosary
3. Learn about your Saint of the Day

If you are embracing these righteous habits by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, be confident! It is sure evidence your simple prayer of salvation did its eternal work. Welcome to God’s family – walk in newness of life with Christ each day.

Conclusion

Have the readings regarding the Simple Prayer of Salvation inspired or encouraged you? Reading and discussing the lives of saints can be fascinating. It’s probably going to produce spiritual benefits for us.

Do you wish to discuss the saints with your loved ones in a simple and engaging way? Why not simply purchase one of these amazing shirts that I made just for you? With the search bar at the top of this page, you can look up your favorite well-known saints. You could quote the lives of your favorite well-known saints in response to someone asking you how important you think your clothes are.

With these inspirational stories, you might even be able to persuade them to come church with you. Even better, consider sharing the gospel with them. Can you share the gospel with other people?

All people are sinners and fall short of God’s glory, according to Romans 3:23. That’s why everyone needs a Savior.

To obtain our forgiveness and satisfy the requirements of the law, God sent His one and only son, Jesus. Galatians 4:4-5

In order for His blood to serve as the atonement for our sins, Jesus had to be born, live a sinless life, and ultimately die. The Bible puts it this way.

“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

– Hebrews 9:22

But Jesus’s crucifixion, death, and burial were not the end of the story. Rather, He conquered death and rose from the dead! He affirms that since He is alive, He will also bring each of us back to life when we pass away! He triumphed over both death and sin. Thank you, Lord!

Invite your loved ones to the RCIA session at the local Catholic church after educating them about this important information.

Via the RCIA, family members, friends, and acquaintances can join the Catholic Church and receive the Holy Sacraments. Students can participate in RCIA workshops provided by their parish to learn everything there is to know about our lovely Christian faith and our Loved Jesus.

Click HERE or on the image to view this Simple Prayer of Salvation T-shirt that was specially created for you. Choose your favorite size and color, then click the BUY NOW button to proceed to the payment page.

You can access a list of additional well-known saints from our website by clicking HERE.