Sinner's Prayer?

During the current crisis which is worldwide,  people are experiencing amplified feelings of fear, isolation, vulnerability, and loss of control. People have varying ways of dealing with what is going on. Some turn to science, officials, news, drugs, alcohol, religion and chocolate.  Many people during times like these, want to ask questions of and about God.

There are many ministers on TV in ads calling people to confess their sins and come to God.  I think this really misrepresents the heart of God. Repentance involves a change of heart. It is the change of heart that God is interested in because the change in heart brings the best to an individual. We can see that as we read through chapter ten of the book of Romans. Sin does nothing but damage to our lives. I dare say God does not want to be reminded of our sins.  He wants our hearts restored and drawn to him. God wants us to live above the trauma and drama of the world. Somehow some designers of world religious practices sadly don't really understand it.

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Roman 10:1-2

The  Hebrew religion, around the time leading up to the book of Romans, was immersed in the laws and guidelines of tradition. Their religious practices were going overboard to prove their own righteousness.

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

We see a similar practice going on today with the current crisis situation.  For example, there are actually lawgivers who are regulating that only two people of the same household should be in a boat when fishing on a lake to prevent a virus spread. There have been sound guidelines given but some regulations are way over the top. The Bible itself has guidelines that are reasonable and right. There are admonitions actually in Deuteronomy 14:12-20 and Leviticus 11:13-19 not to touch or eat bats. The word of God includes epidemiological education but Mosaic religious law and practice got more rigorous and restricting as man extended God's word with Hebrew traditions as time went on. Man always seems to get carried away with the dits and dots of regulatory boundaries. It is probably about man's lust for control. Listening to God is not about control.

The Hebrews of Paul's time had incredible laws of minute regulation that burdened and dampened those who had a zeal for God. This kind of righteousness is what nobody needs! True freedom is founded in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ showed and continues to show us the heart of believing God:

4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Righteousness is a heart thing. We don't have to confess anything except what God did for us through his son Jesus Christ:

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (wholeness). Romans 10:9-10