‘Accepting Jesus into your heart’

I was thinking about people’s interpretation of salvation, or the initial step, at least. I generally hear the phrase ‘accept Jesus into your heart’ and then you will be saved. What does ‘accept Jesus into your heart’ really mean? Is it even biblical?

Think about this in the context of children (let’s say 12 and under). Often when I hear people who ‘accepted Jesus into their heart’ at an early age give their testimony, they’ll say they didn’t really understand what it meant at the time. Some people don’t even remember doing it. Well then, if they didn’t understand and/or they didn’t even remember, what is the point of that?

Here’s a radical thought: my limited interpretation of the Catholic faith is that infant baptism is a parent’s way of ensuring their child’s ‘salvation’. Could ‘accepting Jesus into your heart’ be the evangelical’s substitute for infant baptism? It stands as an assurance to the parent of their child’s salvation.

‘Accepting Jesus into your heart’ speaks nothing about being discipled or baptised or being a follower of Christ. Those things I find referred to in the Bible; ‘accepting Jesus into your heart’, I do not.