What is mourner's bench salvation?
Introduction. Man has sought to devise his own salvation to no avail (Rom. 10: 1-3). The prophet said, "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jere. 10: 23).
The practice of mourner's bench salvation. Prayer is a valuable part of the life of the Christian (Phili. 4: 6; 1 Thes. 5: 17). However, prayer is not designed to save the non-Christian. Saul was lost and was praying. However, when the preacher came, Saul was told: "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized..." (Acts 22: 16). Mourner's bench salvation is the doctrine and practice of having the non-Christian "pray through" to obtain salvation. It is called mourner's bench salvation because the lost generally sit on a designated bench in the assembly.
Wrong concept of reconciliation. The advocates of mourner's bench salvation believe that if the sinner prays long and hard enough, he might just cause God to be reconciled to him. However, the scriptures tell us that God is always ready to be reconciled to man (2 Cor. 5: 14-19). The teaching of God is, "be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5: 20). God is ready, it is man that must be convinced to come to God on God's terms, it is God who is the sinned against one.
Conclusion. The scriptures do not teach that praying through saves man. As mentioned in the classic case of a sinner in prayer, he was told to arise and be baptized, not pray through (Acts 22: 16). Notice why he was told to be baptized, "and wash away thy sins..." The "calling on the name of the Lord" mentioned in the verse is not prayer, but submission to Jesus'' authority (Acts 2: 21, 37 ff.). Moreover, in all the recorded cases in Acts of people obtaining salvation, there is not one command or one example of praying through. Praying through keeps the non-Christian from doing what God has told him to do: "Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins..." (Acts 22: 16).
The practice of mourner's bench salvation. Prayer is a valuable part of the life of the Christian (Phili. 4: 6; 1 Thes. 5: 17). However, prayer is not designed to save the non-Christian. Saul was lost and was praying. However, when the preacher came, Saul was told: "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized..." (Acts 22: 16). Mourner's bench salvation is the doctrine and practice of having the non-Christian "pray through" to obtain salvation. It is called mourner's bench salvation because the lost generally sit on a designated bench in the assembly.
Wrong concept of reconciliation. The advocates of mourner's bench salvation believe that if the sinner prays long and hard enough, he might just cause God to be reconciled to him. However, the scriptures tell us that God is always ready to be reconciled to man (2 Cor. 5: 14-19). The teaching of God is, "be ye reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5: 20). God is ready, it is man that must be convinced to come to God on God's terms, it is God who is the sinned against one.
Conclusion. The scriptures do not teach that praying through saves man. As mentioned in the classic case of a sinner in prayer, he was told to arise and be baptized, not pray through (Acts 22: 16). Notice why he was told to be baptized, "and wash away thy sins..." The "calling on the name of the Lord" mentioned in the verse is not prayer, but submission to Jesus'' authority (Acts 2: 21, 37 ff.). Moreover, in all the recorded cases in Acts of people obtaining salvation, there is not one command or one example of praying through. Praying through keeps the non-Christian from doing what God has told him to do: "Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins..." (Acts 22: 16).