The Problems With Just A Little Talk With Jesus

Introduction: Scripture Reading – 2 Tim. 2:15-19

• “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” (298 in our songbook) is a widely loved religious song, often sung with great emotion and energy. It presents a message that seems comforting and simple: that having a “little talk” with Jesus can fix all problems and even secure one’s salvation.
  • Matt. 6:6-9 (f.f. gets into Jesus’ example of how to pray)
• But as Christians, we are called to “prove all things” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to ensure that what we teach, preach, and sing is in harmony with the Word of God. The real question is not whether a song feels right — the question is: Is it scriptural? Jn 4 when Jesus is speaking to the woman at the well, he says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
• Let us examine this song under the light (or the microscope) of God’s Word, so that we may worship Him “in truth”.

I. The Message of the Song

• The chorus of the song says:
• “Now let us have a little talk with Jesus,
  Tell Him all about our troubles…
  Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.”
• This implies:
  • That talking to Jesus is the solution to all spiritual problems.
  • That prayer alone can bring peace, forgiveness, and salvation.
• While it’s true that Christians are commanded to pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and that Jesus listens to His people, the song presents an unscriptural idea when it implies that a “little talk” is all that’s needed to be saved or made right with God.
• The ONLY person in the book of Acts that was told to pray and repent was Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:5-24). However, Acts 8:13 says that even Simon obeyed the gospel (noticed he believed and was baptized; Mark 16:16). He was a babe in Christ and still had a great deal to learn, but was a Christian, nonetheless. The go-to passage for Calvinists for the “Sinner’s Prayer” is Paul and the “Roman Road”. Something they fail to remember or accept is that he wasn’t on the road to Rome, but rather to Damascus. The other thing they fail to accept leads us to the next point.

II. Prayer Does Not Save the Alien Sinner

• Let us examine what the Bible says about how one becomes right with God.
• In Acts 22:16, Paul recounts his conversion:
• The preacher Ananias says to him, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
• Notice that Paul was not told to pray to be saved. He had been fasting and praying for three days (Acts 9:9,11), yet he was still in his sins until he obeyed the command to be immersed.
• This is consistent with all New Testament examples of conversion.
• The so-called “Sinner’s Prayer” is not found in the Bible. No one in the New Testament was ever told to "just talk to Jesus" to be saved.

III. The Biblical Plan of Salvation

• God has a specific plan for how a person becomes saved:
  • Hear the Word – “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) [I Tim. 4:6; II Tim. 2:14 “put them in remembrance”]
  • Believe the Gospel – “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved...” (Mark 16:16) [Rom. 10:9; Paul is writing to those who are already Christians.]
  • Repent of Sins – “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins...” (Acts 2:38) [In 2 Cor. 7 Paul is commending the Christians there for repenting of the sins he had outlined they were committing in his first epistle to them. When we sin, we must repent, if we want to go to heaven, period.]
  • Confess Faith in Christ – “With the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:10); Acts 8:37 “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” [Romans 10:10 Paul again is writing this to Christians.]
  • Be Immersed into Christ – “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) [I John 1:7 As Christians, when we sin, we don’t have to be baptized again. However, if we repent of that sin, then the blood of Jesus will continually wash us.]
• A “little talk” does not meet any of these biblical steps. Teaching or singing otherwise is a perversion of the gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).
• Notice that what brings us to Christ keeps us in Christ.

IV. Prayer is for the Obedient Child of God

• While prayer is powerful, it is a privilege given to the faithful:
  • 1 Peter 3:12 – “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers...”
  • John 9:31 – “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
• This proves that the alien sinner (one outside of Christ) does not have access to prayer in the same way a Christian does. Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
• Only those in Christ have the privilege of prayer, and we enter Christ through baptism (Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27).
• Isaiah 59:1-4

V. False Assurance Is Dangerous

• The danger of songs like this is not just a doctrinal problem — it’s an eternal problem. They can give people a false sense of security.
  • Matthew 7:21-23 – Jesus warns that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom.
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 – Those who do not love the truth will believe a lie and be damned.
• A song can be catchy, moving, and loved by many, but if it teaches false doctrine, it is dangerous to souls.
• As song leaders, we must be careful what songs we lead, and as worshippers, we must be careful what we teach through our singing. Songs that teach false doctrine can comfort people into a lie or ultimately right into Hell.

VI. What Really “Makes It Right”?

• Hebrews 5:9 – “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
• It is obedience, not mere emotion or conversation experiences, that brings salvation.
• Jesus Himself asked in Luke 6:46:
• “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
• True faith obeys.

Conclusion:

• “Just a Little Talk with Jesus” is not harmless if it teaches something contrary to Scripture.
• We must be careful not to allow emotionalism or tradition to override truth. God is not worshipped acceptably through error (John 4:24).
• Let us love the truth, speak the truth, sing the truth, and obey the truth — and then we will be right with God.
• Jesus is our mediator (Heb. 9:15; 12:24). This is like a defense attorney. However, with Jesus, He is only going to represent us if we are obeying the law that the Father gave to those in the first century, which we can read about in the New Testament.

Invitation:

• • Have you obeyed the gospel plan of salvation?
    Have you heard the Word, believed it, repented of your sins, confessed Christ, and been baptized for the remission of sins?; Or continue in the gospel by living out these commands daily.
  • Only then can you truly have fellowship with Jesus and enjoy the privilege of prayer as a child of God.

Author: Patrick King