This post is in response to a friend being told by a local church that she is "not saved" because she can not recall the "exact hour" of her salvation. Oddly, I too find myself in this same position. Am I not saved?
My grandfather was a Baptist minister. My mother was a Methodist Sunday School teacher. Some of my earliest memories are getting to "sing" into the microphone at my grandfather's church. I have been in church literally for my entire life.
I went through confirmation class in fourth grade and was baptized as a member of the United Methodist church at that time. I never really rebelled. Never drank or did drugs. Always aspired for righteousness. I have faithfully attended worship services for my entire adult life and have had a staff position at a Methodist church leading worship for the last six years.
I read my Bible every day. I do not mean that it averages out to reading daily. I mean that every morning I wake up at 4:40am and read the Bible for an hour before I do anything else. Okay, before I do anything except make my coffee. Got to have me some caffeine.
And I do not recall the moment I "accepted" salvation. Was it when I was confirmed? I got baptized then. Did the water do the trick? Did I pray the exact right words at that moment? I sure hope so. But maybe it didn't take then.
Perhaps I was "saved" that time I went up to the alter in ninth grade at a youth event. It was a particularly stirring message and I had a girlfriend at the time so I'm sure that at the very least I had something to repent of. Maybe that prayer I prayed then did it.
It could have happened at that one youth retreat in twelfth grade. If it didn't it wasn't for lack of trying. I'd broken up badly with a girlfriend, had no idea what I wanted to do for college, had to find a job and was really stressed out and depressed. I asked God for a lot of things then. Did I pray the right prayer? Was the moment right? Did I receive salvation?
Nothing, and I mean nothing I or anyone else has done has gained salvation for any of us. No prayer spoken. No repentance or act of contrition. No Bible study, no disciplined devotional time. No action of my own has saved me. No action of anyone except Jesus has. None of my prayers could gain me a thing. No act of kindness shown. No mission trip. No volunteering. No nothing. I am saved by grace through faith.
I didn't stone anyone like Paul. I was not blinded nor did I dramatically turn. And yet I need grace every day. I am "saved" each morning when I wake up. I am "saved" every night when I go to bed. I am "saved" every second of every day not based on any action of my own. If you must know the "exact hour" of my salvation of it to be valid for you then I guess I can give it to you. It's the same as yours. And my friend's. I was saved the moment that Jesus took all of our sins upon himself. That's it. No sinner's prayer saved me. There was no magic incantation I performed. It was Jesus. Just Jesus. To assert anything else would be to spit in the face of the grace that we have been given.
I have a feeling which church your friend was told this by, and I can say that friends of mine have been told the same thing. It's a shame. Good response, bro.
ReplyDeleteThanks. You're probably right about the church. It's a larger one. I don't feel like calling them out for it publicly, though. I'm not sure any good would be done by that.
ReplyDeleteWow! I completely resonate with this whole situation/discussion. I recall vividly an evangelist saying, "If you're only 99% sure of the exact hour of when you asked Jesus into your heart, you are 100% lost." Is that not in the Bible? Of course this statement came in the midst of a sermon entitled "And He Died"...then what?
ReplyDeleteVery good response here, Tom! Tom Torrance, when asked when he was born again, replied, "I was born again about 2000 years ago, when Jesus died and was raised from the dead." If salvation is being united to Christ, I think you are right on.
Thanks Jeffery. I heard that 99% comment at a youth event once. I recall it making God seem like a tyrant. If I could believe in such a tyrant god I definitely could not serve or worship it.
ReplyDeleteTom - I can totally relate to this post and how your friend must feel. I too have had churches question my salvation because I can only tell them that it was sometime in college that I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior. They never specifically said that I was not saved, but they always looked at me a little funny. I guess in their minds it is such a miraculous moment that you should know it down to the second. But, if like me, you were raised in church, and did not really have that much of a sinful past, it is just a natural part of the process that God intended for all His people. This was a great post to read...very insightful. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to start by saying my comment is not out of defense or offense. :) I wanted to tell you that as long as you are secure in your salvation and walk with God then yes sometimes your exact date and time is hazy. However your salvation has NOTHING to do with who your parents are, where you go or went to church, what you have "done" in the church, how you were raised, or any one thing you do. It is just like you said Tom, no mission trip or works. It has every thing to do with the Grace of Jesus and the price he paid. Your transformed heart after asking Him to be your savior. Because at the foot of the cross I am no more deserving of this grace than the person that gave their life to Him in the 11th hour. And i too have an amazing Father and Mother who taught me all the right things and raised me in church. But it means nothing unless i have a Relationship with Jesus. Thanks for having my two cents.
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