I pilfered a copy of David F. Wells’ Losing Our Virtue from Si’s office a couple days ago, and I’ve been stealing glances at it ever since. I found within its pages something called the “Convert’s First Prayer,” the Puritan version of the Sinner’s Prayer.
Just for fun {and enlightenment}, compare them.
Convert’s First Prayer
MY FATHER, I could never have sought my happiness in thy love, unless thou had’st first loved me. Thy Spirit has encouraged me by grace to seek thee, has made known to me the reconciliation in Jesus, has taught me to believe it, has helped me to take experience of thy love, and walk in it all the way to glory. Blessed for ever be thy fatherly affection, which chose me to be one of thy children by faith in Jesus: I thank thee for giving me the desire to live as such. In Jesus, my brother, I have my new birth, every restraining power, every renewing grace. It is by the Spirit I call thee Father, believe in thee, love thee; Strengthen me inwardly for every purpose of my Christian life; Let the Spirit continually reveal to me my interest in Christ, and open to me the riches of thy love in him; May he abide in me that I may know my union with Jesus, and enter into constant fellowship with him; By the Spirit may I daily live to thee, rejoice in thy love, find it the same to me as to thy Son, and become rooted and grounded in it as a house on rock; I know but little–increase my knowledge of thy love in Jesus, keep me pressing foward for clearer discoveries of it, so that I may find its essential fullness; Magnify thy love to me according to its greatness, and not according to my deserts or prayers, and whatever increase thou givest, let it draw out great love to thee.
Sinner’s Prayer {from Four Spiritual Laws}
Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.
3 Comments
Yeth, it ith.
I thinketh I agreeth with you.
Is agreeth a word?? 🙂
The Puritan one soundeth better. 🙂