Did getting saved have a huge immediate impact on you?

[xdisciplex]

Did you immediately feel different and change?
Some people are criminals or drug addicts and they get saved and immediately they are free or immediately something about them changes. This has to be great. But what if you don't have this? What if nothing directly changed? Is this a bad sign? What if afterwards you don't seem much different at all, the only difference is that you now know when you're doing something wrong, at least in most cases.

Or what happens if somebody accepts Jesus but first of all more as a fire insurance and then later on he becomes more determined, does this mean that this person has to pray the prayer again to get born again and unless the person repeats it she won't be born again? Or can a person also become saved at a point where she doesn't even know what God wants and thinks that you simply repent and then you live your life the way you did before and that the only difference is that you're saved? For example if somebody wants to get saved but at this point of time he only wants it as a fire insurance but God knows that this person will later on become more sincere then will the person directly be born again or will the person be born again later when she's more sincere?

Or what if somebody wants to be born again but God isn't No.1 and besides God he has many other things which are important to him? Can such a person not get saved?

 

[Scarlett O.]

No one who is saved becomes the perfect christian upon their salvation. Salvation is something that is immediately permanent and eternal, but the fruit of salvation is something that has to be cultivated over a lifetime.

In other words, Christians are immediately saved, but must grow and change everyday. Christians change over time, but their salvation does not. They don't fall in and out of being saved. But they can fall in and out of obedience to God. And christians grow at different rates.

Let's look at this from two angles.

(1). Let's assume that a group of 10 hypothetical people are saved at a particular revival service. Genuinely saved. Heaven bound. Each one of them will have a different walk with God. Although they were born again at the same time, if we came back and visited them one year later, not all of them would be same age spiritually speaking. And two years, five years, and even tens years later, we would see even more striking differences in their spiritual ages. Some would be on their way to becoming spiritual giants and others would be no more spiritually mature than the day that they were saved. Here are some things that can interfere with a christian's growth and cause these 10 hypothical people, while they are all going to heaven, to bear different fruit and for some to be spiritual babies for a long period of time.

• They may not read their bibles.
• They may not have an active prayer life or perhaps their sin interferes with their prayer life.
• They may not find a body of believers to worship with.
• Perhaps they never discover the joy of salvation and get hung up on trying to avoid all of the "thou shalt not's".
• They never learn how to praise God.
• They aren't taught the necessity and proper spirit of worship.
• They are self-centered, and think of God as someone who just forgives their sin and answers their prayers. And when God doesn't answer their prayers in the manner that they wish them to, then they mistakenly believe that something is wrong with God.
• They avoid God when they sin and don't repent in His Presence.
• In fighting the "old nature" that is common to every christian, they don't seek God for help. They mistakenly believe that they must kill the "old nature" and then God will be happy with them.
• They don't understand the concept of a relationship with God.

And there are a whole lot more factors involved in why some christians grow at such a slow rate and sometimes doubt their own salvation and have lost their joy in the Lord.

I personally believe that this is why christians need to rededicate their lives to the Lord periodically, whether in church or in the privacy of their homes. Not getting saved again, because their is no such thing, but falling on one's face before God and acknowledging that he/she has not been where they need to be as a child of God and confessing/repenting of sin and taking God's Hand once again and claiming once more that He is LORD of their life, not just their Savior....but LORD.


(2.) Now let's take one other hypothetical person at that same revival service who came forward, said a prayer and was baptized that night. This person came forward out of fear.....petrified of hell and God's wrath. He said to himself, "I'd better get dunked in that water....and quick!!" He said the same words as the other people who were genuinely saved was baptized along with them. But in his mind, all he has done is to legalistically perform a behavior that made him a "member of the church". He considered that membership in the church as his fire insurance. Here's how to tell that he is not genuinely saved.

• He has no desire to read the bible, except from occasional curiousity.
• He has no desire to pray, except when he is in trouble.
• He has no desire to associate with other believers, except on Easter Sunday and that's simply to put in his time and let everyone know that he is still a member of the church.
• He considers himself a good person and qualified for heaven because he avoids some of the "thou shalt not's"....but just the big ones. Those little ones? Well, nobody's perfect. God just sweeps those under the rug. Besides, his name is written on the church role.
• He has no desire to praise and worship God.
• He has no desire for a relationship with God.

This man, who believes he is a christian, is not saved.

 

[El_Guero]

Yes, I did. Did you?

Did you immediately feel different and change?
Some people are criminals or drug addicts and they get saved and immediately they are free or immediately something about them changes. This has to be great. But what if you don't have this? What if nothing directly changed? Is this a bad sign? What if afterwards you don't seem much different at all, the only difference is that you now know when you're doing something wrong, at least in most cases.

Or what happens if somebody accepts Jesus but first of all more as a fire insurance and then later on he becomes more determined, does this mean that this person has to pray the prayer again to get born again and unless the person repeats it she won't be born again? Or can a person also become saved at a point where she doesn't even know what God wants and thinks that you simply repent and then you live your life the way you did before and that the only difference is that you're saved? For example if somebody wants to get saved but at this point of time he only wants it as a fire insurance but God knows that this person will later on become more sincere then will the person directly be born again or will the person be born again later when she's more sincere?

Or what if somebody wants to be born again but God isn't No.1 and besides God he has many other things which are important to him? Can such a person not get saved?

 

[Nicholas25]

Obviously we grow in Christ from reading, fellowshiping, the preaching, etc... But I had many dramatic changes in my life on the spot.


Before Christ I drank a lot of alchol and was charged with two DUI's as well as being kicked out of a college for drinking. Before Christ I smoked pot. Before Christ I had sexual relations with many girls. Before Christ I was a snobby, cocky, arrogant, jerk. I cussed almost every other word.

After the Lord came into my heart I am none of and don't participate in any of these things anymore; nor do I have a desire. He gave me a love for everyone as opposed to just people that I thought were "good enough" or "cool enough" for me to talk to. He totally changed my heart and in turn that changed my personality and life.

www.myspace.com/nperkins25

 

[D28guy]

I certainly did. I had a profound and immediate change. It was wonderful! Thats not to say their hasnt been progressive growth...that will be going on my entire life...but I will never forget what it was like those 1st few days, weeks and month.

The reefer was gone, the drugs were gone, the beer and whiskey was gone. The out of marriage sex was gone. All in the "snap of a prayer". And it was all replaced with JESUS.

What a change, what a change!

Praise God! \o/

Mike

 

[Scarlett O.]

Nicholas25 and D28guy.....great testimonies!!!!!

Some people have immediate impacts on their lives when saved. Other do not. Each person's salvation experience is unique and no one can say that if other's don't experience what they did then others are not saved.

I did not have an emotional life-altering salvation. It was very, very quiet and subdued. But it was very, very real. I was not convicted of specific sins, but I was convicted of sin. I was 9 years old. I knew that God was calling me to be His child, and I accepted His gracious salvation, but I had no clue of the impact that meant upon me and my life until later when I was older.

Some people can give wonderful testimonies about what God did immediately in their lives and I say that's great! :godisgood:

Others cannot, but can definitely testify to God's working in their lives over time and that's great, too! :godisgood:

 

[D28guy]

Nicholas,

Well isnt it something that my post follow just a few minutes after yours? And I had not read yours yet when I posted...I went straight from the 1st post to posting mine.

I believe this might be a God thing! :thumbs:

God bless,

Mike

 

[D28guy]

Scarlett,

I agree with you completly. Not all new birth experiences are like mine and Nicholas. I dont know why some of us are given Damascus Road type conversions and others arent, other than God knows each person individually and He knows what each one needs and what will be best for His plans.

Those who dont have dramatic changes like this are of course no less saved because theirs are less dramatic.

Grace and peace,

Mike

 

[music4Him]

I wore out many a isle in many churchs because the convition was there but never realised how big my need was for Jesus... until one day in 2000 I was in aweful shape facing surgery and not able to move without pain. Then I listend to Joyce Meyers preaching on salvation and healing and how salvation brings healing. At the end of the program she asked do you want to be healed and I said yes! Then it was repete after me... Lord forgive me of my sin... I am a sinner... well I heard my rain say "this is the sinners prayer" I heard my heart say, "I know but I need Jesus!" I was never the same I had a hunger for reading the word, praying, being around othe Christians and talking about Jesus and telling others how awesome Jesus is. BTW, Not only did I get saved that day but in the process Jesus healed me and it has never came back. Priase God!
BTW, thank you for this thread because here lately I kinda been in a slump but now I got my second wind~ Glory to God! :wavey:

:godisgood:

 

[tragic_pizza]

Good to see you, xdx!

I think that the experience is not "standardized," for lack of a better way of putting it. I felt a change, yes, but struggled for years with things, falling back into old habits and so on. I am, in fact, still struggling with stuff.

That's why I'm most comfortable with the way the Reformed tradition views salvation: it isn't so much an event as it is a process. There is a "starting point" (justification), but the process of growing in relationship with God, or "sanctification," is one that is never accomplished, doesn't move at the same speed for anyone, and is accomplished in different ways for different people.

In other words, we ain't done yet, but we's workin' on it.

 

[DQuixote]

I will agree with Scarlett:

No one who is saved becomes the perfect christian upon their salvation. Salvation is something that is immediately permanent and eternal, but the fruit of salvation is something that has to be cultivated over a lifetime.

In other words, Christians are immediately saved, but must grow and change everyday. Christians change over time, but their salvation does not. They don't fall in and out of being saved. But they can fall in and out of obedience to God. And christians grow at different rates.

....and I will add that there was a certain peace, a gentle joy, with smoking and profanity abruptly ending. After that life had its many, many ups and downs as I followed, then failed to follow God's plan for my life. I decided that I could "drink for pleasure" and admire, physically, women other than my wife. "No harm done." Yeah, right. Finally, a time came when I became sick of those two, convicted, obviously, and began to pray. Pray. Pray. Pray. At first my prayers were dumb. But they became more and more spiritual as the Holy Spirit taught me what to say. I saw that my prayers were being answered and I began to see permanent changes in my life. The peace and gentle joy returned --they are intensifying even as I type this-- thank you, Jesus! There are times when thoughts cross my mind that I instantly take captive and confess them to Him. My entire family knows, sees the difference, that has been going on for a number of years.

I seek no special recognition. Never let it be! All glory and honor and praise belong to Him. Wow! My prayer is that you and everyone will experience His presence as I am experiencing Him right now. I just have to sign off and be still before Him.

 

[Brother Bob]

Yes, I had a feeling that I have not reached that good since. I have felt good but not that good and look forward to the day when I get to Heaven where we will feel even better than that. If Heaven is no better than what I felt, I still want to go. amen,

 

[Predestined]

Yes, I had a feeling that I have not reached that good since. I have felt good but not that good and look forward to the day when I get to Heaven where we will feel even better than that. If Heaven is no better than what I felt, I still want to go. amen,

Amen Brother......you and I both. :thumbs: