“Ask Jesus into your heart.” You’ve heard it said. Maybe you’ve said it yourself. Often, it’s what we say to children as we encourage them to become Christians. I’ve heard it in the U.S., the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. “Ask Jesus into your heart” has become standard verbiage in leading someone to Christ.
But what does this mean? How does the Bible use this phrase? What do those who hear us say it think we mean by this? When did this phrase enter our Christian vocabulary?1
‘Bless This Food to Our Bodies’…‘I Covet Your Prayers’…‘Love On…’‘The Culture’… - C.Leaders
“If I had never heard other people talk about ‘accepting Jesus,’ I doubt I would have come up with the phrase on my own. Brides don’t talk about their husbands that way, and I am part of the Bride of Christ!” - Open the Bible
“… still today, we’re trying to reach people who might know even less than I did at the time. We need to keep that reality in mind as we evangelize and disciple.” - Chuck Lawless
“The Scriptures, however, make it clear that when we come to the Savior, we are saved from the wrath to come (see 1 Thessalonians 1:10). That message is offensive because it paints God as being angry at sinners.” - Ray Comfort
“I also discovered that Christian jargon was an almost meaningless form of communication, both to non-Christians and Christians alike. I found myself more interested in echoing a subculture’s lingo than in finding true godliness.” - C.Leaders
“Sadly, much of what is called evangelism today lacks gospel clarity. …Over the years, a number of popular phrases, terms, and shorthand expressions have either watered down or replaced the Biblical response to the gospel.” - P&D
