As a former pentecostal, was I even saved?

Squidward, God bless you for your post and for your candor and honesty.

We've had several families that came out of AG churches, charismatic, and other churches with similar teachings.

Several of these asked to be baptized "again" to renounce their former teachings. Some were more solid in their faith, while renouncing loss of salvation among other false teachings they've encountered.

At the end of the day, it is not about what we have done in our past, or about the mistakes we've made along the way, though the enemy would have us to wander around in the residual guilt of that all of our days. What it really boils down to is have we trusted only in the work of Christ alone to save us. If you have done this, then keep on commiting yourself to Christ in that specific trust, and this instead of focusing upon your past guilt, thank Him instead, and focus upon His salvation He granted you.

- Peace

 

Faith through grace given to me by the Lord in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Squid,
I can only tell you my story that relates to your post. First, I want to make two points. This has nothing to do with any denomination, and the other is that only you can answer the question about being saved during the period of time you write about. Going to a Baptist church or studying Baptist doctrine does not save a person. No doubt there will be many, many Baptist church members burning in hell while some members of the Catholic church are with the Lord.

I grew up in the Presbyterian Church. This story is not to shed a bad light on Presbyterians or a good light on Baptists. It is just the way it worked out for me. In the Presbyterian church, at about age 12 or so, one would go to what was called a communicants class, where one would learn the basics of theology. You would learn questions and answers such as why were we created, or what is the chief end of man. Then, when it was time to join the church, we would go before the congregation to answer the same questions we just memorized. The the elders, in their infinite wisdom, would vote on whether or not you were ready to join the church. That was my testimony until 1994 when I was 42. I had joined the Baptist church after going with my wife for a while in 1977.

We had a revival in November 1994 with an evangelist with the last name of Pelke. I do not recall the first name. Anyway, this man preached the Gospel every night for a week. The more I went, the more irritated I got at his messages. Then, on Thursday of that week, they had a musician play "Amazing Grace" on a saw. I thought to myself "this takes the cake, and this is my last night of this nonsense." Well, God had different plans. I knew down deep in my heart I had no relationship with Jesus. Memorizing answers to man made questions has no saving power. During the sermon, after the song on the saw, the Holy Spirit got hold of me and turned me inside out. It was kind of like getting hit with a ton of bricks. It dawned on me, that I had never admitted or acknowledged even in my mind that I was a sinner in need of the Lord, that I, through a gift from the Lord, had ever put any faith in the work of Jesus Christ. I had to admit that nothing had changed in my life, and down deep, I was worse than ever. I had no idea what faith even was. Guess I should have read Hebrews 11:1 long before that. I knew well before the sermon was over, that I was lost. When the invitation was given, I walked up to the front of the church and admitted that I in fact was lost. I asked for prayer from the church, and the Lord saved me. It was a matter of believing in what He said He would do. God brought me from death to life, and praise the Lord, He is alive, and I am saved forever.

I want to make the point again, one is saved when he or she puts faith in Jesus Christ. The faith in itself is a gift from the Lord. It has nothing to do with whether you were a Pentecostal or Baptist. It has to do with when Jesus Christ changed your life.

Another point, if you are questiong when you were saved based on some minor theological difference, that again, has nothing to do with the issue. It has to do with when Jesus Christ changed you life and you put faith and trust in Him. The faith itself is a gift of God. For example, if you put faith in Jesus and found out later you had not been baptized correctly, that means you need to get baptized correctly, not that you were lost. It is all about Jesus Christ and what your relationship to Him was.

 

I do believe Baptist theology to be the closest to what the Lord would have us to be as any on earth. If I did not think that, I would not be serving in a Baptist church. However, Baptists are far from perfect, just the closest IMO. You sound very solid to me in your testimony, and I appreciate you sharing it.

I live in the neighborhood in Lone Oak by the ball parks. We have been in the same house 31 years, and it is an excellent middle class community. God bless you, your family, and ministry.

 

Salvation has nothing to do with the denomination you belong to. And, it has nothing to do with how we practice our faith. It is all about us surrendering to Jesus. After that we grow.

Baptists dont have the market cornered on salvation. There are surely saved people in every church. Some are saved due to the teachings of the church they attend, and some are saved in spite of the church they attend.

I am glad to see your testimony about how the pentecostal church was about "What can God do for me?". I have family that are charismatic, and they "got saved" because they wanted to be rich and healthy. I have to no right to question anyone's salvation, and maybe here i am wrong, but i do question their reason for wanting to be saved.

Anyway, from your OP, I would say that you are certainly on the right path.

John

 

Squidward...

If, when you were a pentacostal, you recieved Christ and were born again, of course you were saved then.

If someone can get born again laying in bed at 2:am one night (me), than one CERTAINLY can be born again in a pentacostal church! :wavey:

 

120 Hillington, one block from there

 

I appreciate your testimony and I do not know anything about the Presby church you attended. It may have been a bad one. I have no idea.

But I think your words against communicant class are unfortunate.

Maybe the WAY they did it put a bad taste in your mouth.

But the idea that many Presby churches have of catechizing young people is a wonderful idea.

I think we'd be better off if we demanded people learn some theological basics before joining our churches today.

Catechisms are not the problem with this apostate society of ours.

Ignorance of Biblical theology and Christian history is.

Demanding young people memorize answers to all important questions like "What is the chief end of man" is a very good thing if done right.

I'm not saying all churches ought to do it.

But I am saying that many more churches should implement something like this in their ministries.

 

Amen to everything written in this post, and a hearty amen to what I bolded. We are not saved by thoughts/opinions, but solely by the Grace of God, PERIOD!! And if ya don't like that, there's more where that came from. And if ya don't like that, then I'll have to muss ya up, Brother!! :laugh:

 

Oh man, what a most wonderful post!!! :godisgood::jesus::jesus::godisgood:

It's hard to NOT cry after reading such a wonderful testimony of the Lord intervening in a sinner's life!! Kudos!!! "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see". These words get sweeter each and every day.

 

Brother Squidward,

You have been some very sound advice from all who have posted in this thread. It would be good for you to heed to it. We are not saved by who or what we are, but solely by His Grace. Faith justifies us, but Grace satisfies us.

 

Squidie, I take it for granted you believe salvation to be an inward thing; you believe it to be a work in the heart, a work wrought in the soul by the power of the Spirit of God! Correct?

 

Brother....here is an excerpt from George Whitefield's sermon "The Method of Grace"......


Now, my dear friends, did God ever show you that you had no faith? Were you ever made to bewail a hard heart of unbelief? Was it ever the language of your heart, Lord, give me faith; Lord, enable me to lay hold on thee; Lord, enable me to call thee MY Lord and MY God? Did Jesus Christ ever convince you in this manner? Did he ever convince you of your inability to close with Christ, and make you to cry out to God to give you faith? If not, do not speak peace to your heart. May the Lord awaken you, and give you true, solid peace before you go hence and be no more!

 

I grew up in Mississippi, Gulfport to be exact during the 50s and 60s. I can understand your point about teaching young people theology, but that is accomplished through Sunday School. Communicants class might in theory be a good idea, but why is it necessary if the Sunday School has done its job for young people from birth to age 12 or 13? Why must a person memorize answers to questions to join a church? Why should a group of elders vote on acceptance when they were elected based on social status instead of spiritual maturity. Although not an exact analogy, parroting answers before a congregation as a testimony has about as much validity as walking the aisle in a Baptist church becasue a friend did or because a good speaker made gave you a good feeling. Neither is based on a life changing experience with the Lord.