Accepting Christ as your Savior

[Jon-Marc]

I got saved at home alone.

 

[ReformedBaptist]

It is a false teaching, brethren, to say the man's choice appropriates God's salvation to himself, making man in charge of the salvation of God. The Scriptures no where teach such a concept, but actually teach the opposite. Consider:

1 Corinthians 1

26For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29That no flesh should glory in his presence.

30But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Men may try to interpret differently what is written here, but those without bias to their own theology I think can see:

1. That our calling and election are inextricably linked. Those whom God has chosen He has called. And God DOES NOT savingly call every man.

2. That God has done this for His glory alone, that no flesh will glory in His presense.

3. That we are in Christ OF HIM, and not OF US.

Therefore brethren, salvation is by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, to the glory of God ALONE.

Halleujah.

 

[pinoybaptist]

You learned all that as an atheist and yet didn't learn that you were a sinner in need of a Savior?

Learning you're a sinner that was in need of a Savior goes without saying once the Lord opens up Scriptures to you.

My atheism flew out the moment I desired that New Testament to read about the Christ preached by that Godly preacher

Learning that a Savior has been provided and who indeed saved you motivates obedience when one is truly born again.

I hope you are not implying that I have been lying and spinning up tall tales, Amy.G.
If you are, call me up on that regard.

 

[JustChristian]

I think you have missed the point. He seems to be asking what did your Pastor (assuming his involvement) ask you when you personally passed from darkness to light.

It wasn't my pastor, it was my mother and she asked me if I wanted to accept the gift of forgiveness for my sin. This was after she explained to me what Jesus had accomplished through the cross and His resurrection.

I said "yes".
-------------------------------------------

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly,
his faith is accounted for righteousness. -Romans 4:5 ​

Actually, I didn't mean to exclude conversions in which a lay person other than a minister asked this question. My mistake.

 

[JustChristian]

In my case in 1973 I was a professed atheist who wanted to get a New Testament the church I went into was offering those who would come forward to accept Christ as Savior.
It was the New Testament I wanted and just went along with the Roman Road ride, and the Sinner's Prayer.
As soon as the pastor was told I had been "born again", he gave me the New Testament, and I was out of there in a flash.
I read and reread that New Testament three times from that Sunday to the next Saturday.
During that time I understood in my heart the following:

1. I was a child of God, and had always been his sheep;
2. If Jesus came that moment I would meet him in the air;
3. That if I loved Him, then I would follow Him in the waters of baptism which I did within the month;
4. That Jesus Christ is God and Man, sinless, perfect, holy, gracious and kind, and that He is Lord whether I accept that or not.

Your poll assumes that everyone has a uniform experience.
Didn't vote.

In other words you went to a church to get a free New testament presumably to use to bash Christians with because you were an atheist. You went through the motions of becoming a Christian just to get a Bible under false pretenses. After reading the Bible you realized that you had always been saved? On what basis?

 

[ReformedBaptist]

pinoy,

I too faked salvation one time, but yours was more noble. You wanted a free NT, and I wanted to date the preacher's daughter. :laugh:

I made my profession of faith publically and was baptized. But I was not born of God.

Long after this event the Lord caused me to be born again and I believe and followed Jesus. That was 15 years ago. Praise the Lord for His great grace.

As an afterthought, salvation is pretty easy to fake to those who believe its a decision.

 

[lbaker]

Therefore brethren, salvation is by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, to the glory of God ALONE.

Halleujah.

You forgot to include "for the Elect alone..."

 

[ReformedBaptist]

You forgot to include "for the Elect alone..."

Why? Surely your familiar with the five solas of the reformation.

 

[Pastor Trent]

From ReformedBaptist's Statements:

1. That our calling and election are inextricably linked. Those whom God has chosen He has called. And God DOES NOT savingly call every man.

(2Pe 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

(1Jn 2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

(Rom 10:12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

2. That God has done this for His glory alone, that no flesh will glory in His presense.

Romans 4:1-5 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? (2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. (3) For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (4) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

According to verse 2 Abraham was not justified because of works. Otherwise he could glory but not in God. Thus the Glory was given to God by what???
According to verse 5 Abraham didn't work, but BELIEVED. And it was his FAITH that was counted [imputed] for Righteousness.
TO THE GLORY OF GOD!!!!

3. That we are in Christ OF HIM, and not OF US.

Isa 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
The saved of Israel were "chosen" in Abraham
1Pe 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Believers are now "chosen in Chist, the Chosen one. How are we placed in Christ?


(Act 26:18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

(Rom 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith.


(Rom 3:28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.


(Rom 5:1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

(Rom 5:2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.


(Gal 3:24) Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

(Gal 3:26) For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.


(Eph 3:17) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

Therefore brethren, salvation is by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone, to the glory of God ALONE.

Halleujah.

AMEN! Just like Abraham's Faith (which was not a "work" but his believing) was the vehicle through which God chose to justify him, and us.

I'm Just Sayin',
Trent

 

[Amy.G]

Learning you're a sinner that was in need of a Savior goes without saying once the Lord opens up Scriptures to you.

My atheism flew out the moment I desired that New Testament to read about the Christ preached by that Godly preacher

Learning that a Savior has been provided and who indeed saved you motivates obedience when one is truly born again.

I hope you are not implying that I have been lying and spinning up tall tales, Amy.G.
If you are, call me up on that regard.

I hope you know me better than that by now. :saint: I just didn't understand your statements about salvation because you didn't mention any desire for God's mercy or recognition that you were a sinner. Not accusing you of anything.

 

[pinoybaptist]

I hope you know me better than that by now. :saint: I just didn't understand your statements about salvation because you didn't mention any desire for God's mercy or recognition that you were a sinner. Not accusing you of anything.

My sincerest apologies then, Amy.G.
Won't happen again.
The desire for mercy and recognition of my terrible state had always been there, even before I turned atheist.
I turned atheist because as a Roman Catholic all I had ever seen were ceremonies that for me were worth nothing, and churches I visited who were supposed to be non-Catholics were just as shallow.
Atheism seemed to be the only answer to not having to be responsible for the sins which had started to weigh heavy on me, and Marxism the only solution for the societal ills of my country, and when that preacher spoke on sin and hell and Christ and redemption everything seemed to click in place and all I wanted was to read that NT myself, and lapped it up like a dry sponge.

 

[Amy.G]

My sincerest apologies then, Amy.G.
Won't happen again.
The desire for mercy and recognition of my terrible state had always been there, even before I turned atheist.
I turned atheist because as a Roman Catholic all I had ever seen were ceremonies that for me were worth nothing, and churches I visited who were supposed to be non-Catholics were just as shallow.
Atheism seemed to be the only answer to not having to be responsible for the sins which had started to weigh heavy on me, and Marxism the only solution for the societal ills of my country, and when that preacher spoke on sin and hell and Christ and redemption everything seemed to click in place and all I wanted was to read that NT myself, and lapped it up like a dry sponge.

Apology accepted. :thumbs: I misunderstood you. My husband was raised as a Catholic too and it did a lot of harm I believe. He was taught that if he was "good" he'd go to heaven. :BangHead:
He knows better now! Only God is good!

 

[JustChristian]

I invoke Eph 2:8. :thumbs:

I invoke John 3:16.