When were you saved?

[Dogger]

Just wondering if anyone can recall when exactly they were saved, and if they were willing to briefly share their experience. My experience was approximately 5 years ago, and I had just gotten home from my girlfriend's house. They are very Christian, and they helpd me with many questions I had. I decided that night I was going to ask God into my life. I was alone in the house, and I went to my room and kept the lights off. I then shut the door and knelt to my knees. I proceeded to shut my eyes and put my hands together. Next, the words that I spoke aloud were along the lines of:

"Dear God, I ask you to come into my heart, mind, soul, and body. I confess to you that I am a sinner, and that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. I ask you to become my Lord and Savior, and to the best of my ability, I put my full trust in you. I believe who you say you are, I believe what you say, and I believe what you say you will do. I ask you to save me so I can spend eternity with you. I repent of my sins to the best of my ability, and I ask you to help make me the person you want me to be. I ask and pray this in Jesus' name, amen."

I didn't fully comprehend the power and reality of what He did for me at that exact moment, but now I realize what has happened. I have been transformed, and I thank Him. And, I am also now certain where I will be spending eternity.....

[Canuckster1127]

I don't remember the exact day but I believe it was in April of 1975. It was following a showing of the film, "Thief in the Night". I responded to an altar call and went forward and met with an elder in the church who presented the gospel to me and then guided me through a prayer of acceptance of christ. I was 12 at the time.

[TallMan]

Hi Dogger,
you have repented and believed in Jesus as far as you have understood him.
You are like the Samarians in Acts 8:5-12 (they were also baptised).
Like them, you may not yet have received the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:4, 33, 39 for details).

This is important becuase you are still "in the flesh" until you do.
As Jesus said to the disciples before they received the Spirit:

"the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but ye know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:17)

I put my salvation testimony on p.11 here.

[Dogger]

Tallman,

From what I've been told, read, and listened to, I am already saved. I didn't completely understand what you said in your other post. And also, from what I know, I HAVE received the Holy Spirit. I trust in God as best and often as I can every day. Believe me, I have doubted my salvation before and wondered if my prayer was "good enough." But inside I know I am living for God. Also, the fact that I used to be agnostic/atheist, and now have a COMPLETE reversal of that stance, and acknowledgment of Him and realization of who He is, what He has done for me, etc., believes me to conclude I have received the Holy Spirit. I also clicked on your name, then clicked the link that took me to the website "The Revival Fellowship." I then clicked on "Salvation", followed by "What Must I Do?" It goes on to list the things that must take place in order to be saved. They are listed: The Secret Is In Believeing, Believing Is In Obeying, Assurance Is Guaranteed. Then right below that it says "The Following Steps Give Assurance Of Eternal Life: 1. Repent, 2. Be Baptized, 3. Recieve The Holy Spirit, 4. Continue In Fellowship, 5. Witness For Christ, 6. Submit To The Oversight, 7. Enjoy Your Salvation, 8. Support Your Spirit Filled Church" I have done, currently do, and will continue to do all the things that are listed. I am anything but arguing here with you. If you have any insights, then by all means, please help me. There is nothing more important to me than God and spending eternity in Heaven. Thanks!

[jlay]

I was 12 years old. August, 1982. Went to church camp. It was the last day of camp, and we were having assembly. I can't recall what the pastor spoke on specifically. All I know is suddenly it was as if I was face to face with the most intense overwhelming focus. I was intensly aware of this great need in my life. As if I had this great thirst. It is very hard to communicate. I knew about God, but I certainly wasn't an expert on the bible. Not at all. But little of that mattered. I so intimately knew there was a great need in my life. This God, this Jesus, and my life were suddenly at a focus that I had never ever experienced before. The problem, was I was terribly shy. I was basically afraid of my own shadow. Here was this room full of people, and all of the sudden all of this intensity has come pouring into my mind. It was quite remarkable. It was scary. It was overwhelming. But I knew that something had to be done.

The pastor had given an, "invitation." I didn't know an invitation anymore than the man in the moon. I certainly didn't know what to do, what to say, and I certainly wasn't crazy about standing up in front of these people and making my feelings known. At this point a real battle began to insue. Would I get up and go forward, or just remain seated. Why did I even feel this notion to go forward. No one else was going forward. I could just sit quietly, and 'this too would pass.' But, it wouldn't be that simple. There was something happening within. An encounter. I can't explain it, but it is an experience I will never forget. Here was this great NEED, and yet here was this scardy cat 12 year old, trying to find any reason to shake this episode. Finally, I could take no more. I decided, I was going to make my move. Just as I began to rise, someone a few seats down stood just before me. So, politely of course, I sat back down, hoping no one would notice the few inches I had made it off of my chair.

But the moment did not pass. I began to have this inner struggle and dialog with myself. And finally my mind resolved, that yes, yes, I would trust Jesus Christ as my savior. He was my need. As soon as this reality permeated my mind, I felt physical hands lift me from my chair. Not the just the thought of hands, but actually being physically lifted. This was amazing, but I was so overwhelmed in my mind at the time, that I hardly gave it a second notice. I then made my way to the pastor. "But I don't know what to say," I thought. When I made it to the pastor, I simply uttered, "I want to trust Jesus as my savior." At that moment, the peace of God swept over me like a river, and I began to weep. I don't mean I cried a little. I wept, like you've never seen anyone weep before. It was beyond me. And that was it.

[TallMan]

Tallman,
From what I've been told, read, and listened to, I am already saved. I didn't completely understand what you said in your other post .... If you have any insights, then by all means, please help me. There is nothing more important to me than God and spending eternity in Heaven. Thanks!

Hello Dogger,
in the New Testament it was known precisely when people received the Holy Spirit, when they spoke in tongues, God's independant witness.
(See Acts 2:4, 33; 10:44-46) ... this is how the same apostles knew that the believers in Acts 8 had not yet received the Spirit, and how they knew when they did. There is only one gospel, so it must be the same today ... have you spoken in tongues?

[RickD]

Tallman,
From what I've been told, read, and listened to, I am already saved. I didn't completely understand what you said in your other post .... If you have any insights, then by all means, please help me. There is nothing more important to me than God and spending eternity in Heaven. Thanks!

Hello Dogger,
in the New Testament it was known precisely when people received the Holy Spirit, when they spoke in tongues, God's independant witness.
(See Acts 2:4, 33; 10:44-46) ... this is how the same apostles knew that the believers in Acts 8 had not yet received the Spirit, and how they knew when they did. There is only one gospel, so it must be the same today ... have you spoken in tongues?

Tallman, Are you saying that if someone hasn't spoken in tongues, that that person doesn't have the Holy Spirit inside of him? Or, that someone who hasn't spoken in tongues isn't saved?

[Dogger]

Tallman,
From what I've been told, read, and listened to, I am already saved. I didn't completely understand what you said in your other post .... If you have any insights, then by all means, please help me. There is nothing more important to me than God and spending eternity in Heaven. Thanks!

Hello Dogger,
in the New Testament it was known precisely when people received the Holy Spirit, when they spoke in tongues, God's independant witness.
(See Acts 2:4, 33; 10:44-46) ... this is how the same apostles knew that the believers in Acts 8 had not yet received the Spirit, and how they knew when they did. There is only one gospel, so it must be the same today ... have you spoken in tongues?

Tallman, Are you saying that if someone hasn't spoken in tongues, that that person doesn't have the Holy Spirit inside of him? Or, that someone who hasn't spoken in tongues isn't saved?

RickD..... THANK YOU!!! I didn't reply back to Tallman because what you just said is EXACTLY what it appears to me that he told me about speaking in tongues. I asked a few of my friends about his reply about speaking in tongues, and they were shocked, to say the least! To each his own I guess

[TallMan]

Tallman, Are you saying that if someone hasn't spoken in tongues, that that person doesn't have the Holy Spirit inside of him? Or, that someone who hasn't spoken in tongues isn't saved?

RickD, Dogger - I , or rather the bible / God / Jesus is saying both since until you have the Spirit dwelling within you are still "in the flesh" / unregenerated / unsaved ...

"he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:5-6)

That shedding of the Spirit began at Pentecost:

"they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance ...Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he (Jesus) hath shed forth this, which ye now SEE and HEAR" (Acts 2:4, 33)

Similarly with the gentiles, the apostles identified the receiving of the Spirit by God's independant witness, the sign of speaking in tongues (Acts 10:44-46, 19:5-6).
... and since there is only one gospel, it continues the same today (Acts 2:39, Galatians 1:7-9, 3:15; Jude 3-4).

The fact that people you know are "shocked" merely shows the shocking state for what is presented as "Christianity" today.
You should not judge by what these people are saying. God sticks by his word and works.
I'm with an international fellowship of tens of thousands who have all received the above, because we have believed it.
There are others beside us.
You should not be shocked, Jesus warns that "many" who call Him their Lord will be told "I never knew you", he's talking about "church-goers" not agnostics.

[jlay]

You should not be shocked, Jesus warns that "many" who call Him their Lord will be told "I never knew you", he's talking about "church-goers" not agnostics

There are many here, that would say that verse applies to those who preach that grace alone through faith alone is not sufficient.

[TallMan]

You should not be shocked, Jesus warns that "many" who call Him their Lord will be told "I never knew you", he's talking about "church-goers" not agnostics

There are many here, that would say that verse applies to those who preach that grace alone through faith alone is not sufficient.

Many that talk about "grace" don't actually have the grace of The Lord Jesus.

They assume that because they are not under law / not relying on works that they are therefore under grace.
They do not realise that "grace" is not just absence of these things, that's lawlessness and faith in a dead God instead of the true God who wants to be glorified in people and do all the works that no man can do.

Jesus shows us what the grace of God is - he was "full" of it! (John 1:14)
He was full of the Holy Spirit, he demonstrated the nature of God to people under the law.

We are only under grace once we have rec eived "the spirit of grace and of supplications" (Zech.12:10) through his death.
This began to be received at Pentecost where all were "filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (tongues is supplicatioons). There is only one Spirit, you cannot have the grace without the supplications.

Paul preached the same (see Acts 19:5-6, Gal.4:6, Romans 8:15-16, 26).
This is what ALL disciples of Jesus Christ (Jew and Gentile) are commanded to receive, it is the grace that saves.

[Canuckster1127]

I'm thinking maybe those who want to make tongues now the sign of salvation (despite the fact that Acts 2, 8, 9, 10 and 19 speak of the Holy Spirit coming on people and only 3 of the 5 mention tongues so are we to conclude that the 2 where that is not mentioned are not real) should jump on the thread about sabbath keeping and duke it out until the best legalist wins.

Place your bets ......

[Kurieuo]

I'm thinking maybe those who want to make tongues now the sign of salvation (despite the fact that Acts 2, 8, 9, 10 and 19 speak of the Holy Spirit coming on people and only 3 of the 5 mention tongues so are we to conclude that the 2 where that is not mentioned are not real) should jump on the thread about sabbath keeping and duke it out until the best legalist wins.

Place your bets ......

Come on... isn't that a bit unfair? They still believe we are freely saved by God's grace through faith in Christ. Just that we are not really saved unless we do this or that, display this or that sign, etc. Make sense? (to anyone reading, please forgive my sarcasm if offended)

[RickD]

I'm thinking maybe those who want to make tongues now the sign of salvation (despite the fact that Acts 2, 8, 9, 10 and 19 speak of the Holy Spirit coming on people and only 3 of the 5 mention tongues so are we to conclude that the 2 where that is not mentioned are not real) should jump on the thread about sabbath keeping and duke it out until the best legalist wins.

Place your bets ......

Come on... isn't that a bit unfair? They still believe we are freely saved by God's grace through faith in Christ. Just that we are not really saved unless we do this or that, display this or that sign, etc. Make sense? (to anyone reading, please forgive my sarcasm if offended)

Kurieuo, I kinda like the sarcasm.

[Canuckster1127]

I'm sorry. My ears just perk up a little bit when people say it's all grace, .... but ......

I understand the charismatic movement perspective. I've seen and been part of the tongues as the initial evidence (of the baptism of the spirit .... not salvation). It's amazing that something that important would not have been mentioned by Christ directly Himself, don't you think? Especially something that was so key as to the the initial sign of salvation. I mean, Christ was baptized and despite John the Baptists protestations that it wasn't necessary. When did Christ speak in tongues if this was such a vital sign? Pretty glaring ommission to leave out of the inspired word of God don't you think for something so "absolutely vital"? If Christ modeled baptist to perform all righteousness, then why didn't he model tongues?

Religious performance as the basis for God's love and acceptance is just the saddest way to live. And yet there's some sort of pride in the human heart that just rebels against the idea that God loves us and Christ has paid the entire price. We want to "do" something other than accept what Christ has done for us, because that way we can say we're enough apart from God that God will just elevate us above others so we can feel better than others. It's the same spirit that drove James and John to ask Christ if they could sit on the thrones beside Christ when he came into his kingdom. At least they asked. Legalism shows up before God and expects to be seated on its own merit.

Double talk, such as "It's all grace, but then if you don't do it after that's a sign you're were never really saved in the first place" is not even a particularly clever way of attempting to have one's cake and eat it as well. It's either grace or it's our efforts. There's no it's grace .... but.

There's no shortage as to suggestions however as to what that "but" is though. Tongues, sabbaths, dietary laws, step up to the wheel ... take your pick ... ride the hobby horse of your choice ...

If it weren't holding so many people in bondage and filling them with pride to look down their noses at others while they cling to the rags of their own self-righteousness, it would be funny. If they simply chose to walk in that manner themselves and not recruit others to join the cause (whatever it might be), it would be another thing too. Paul had it right when he spoke of the legalist judiasers and circumcision .... cut away and keep on cutting.