We have all heard the saying spouted over and over from so-called evangelical Christians: "Would you like to go to heaven? Then pray a prayer and ask Jesus to come into your heart." There's only one problem: This is not found anywhere in the Bible. Not once was anyone in the Bible told to ask Jesus into their heart in order to be saved. Instead, the apostolic proclamation has always been repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ.

It is scary to think of the sheer number of people going about their lives today with the false security that because one time in their life they prayed a prayer they are saved and on their way to heaven. The reason they have this false assurance is not because they actually took the time to read the Bible, but instead because someone who calls them self a preacher lied to them and told them they were saved and going to heaven.

Jesus Himself tells us that we will know people by their fruit. Therefore, if a person claims to be saved and yet they live an unchanged life of constant sin and rebellion against God then we can be sure that they are not saved. This is because someone who is truly born again will be given a new nature and a new heart. They will hate the sin they once loved and love the God they once hated, and it will be apparent to everyone around them that a change has taken place. They will be a lamp lighting a path through the darkness of the world.

The reason this teaching is so dangerous is because it gives people a false assurance of salvation, and also causes them to become close minded to the truth of the Bible. Therefore, when someone comes along and preaches the truth to them they will ignore the true gospel and brush it off as a lie. The blame for this is placed solely at the feet of evangelical preachers who are too focused on building a big church to bring in lots of money instead of building true followers for the kingdom of heaven.

When you are preaching something that can not be found anywhere in the pages of scripture then you know that you have a serious problem on your hands. Salvation is not as simple as praying a prayer. It requires repentance and faith in Christ. These things are a gift from God to His children, and when they have been given to someone it will be evident in their lives. A true change will take place.