As a protestant, I can't stand the question "When did you get saved?" (Gospel, hell)

[Philosophizer]

I don't know about anyone else here, but it was certainly through no choice of mine that I was saved. I certainly didn't wake up one day and choose to be "saved". I was saved the day Christ died on the cross. Grace is what saves us. No action or deed of mine was able to save me. In no way will I ever be able to. Accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord is good and all, but the price for our salvation has already been paid. Sure, knowing the price has already been paid is reassuring, but does knowing what happened on the cross really what saved me? The way is see it is that it's a gift for all humanity, and after a great deal of thought on the subject, I figure the only way to fall from grace is to refuse it. God gives us that choice.

[driftwoodpoint]

Are you saying that just knowing Christ died for your sins makes you saved??
Even Satan knows what Christ did but he certainly has not submitted himself to Christ. So just knowing is not the key but the accepting this into your heart and asking God to help guide you, to me, makes you a Christian. God changes you from the inside out through the Holy Spirit and then it is a process of becoming more Christlike.

[HotinAZ]

Originally Posted by TexianPatriot

I don't know about anyone else here, but it was certainly through no choice of mine that I was saved. I certainly didn't wake up one day and choose to be "saved". I was saved the day Christ died on the cross. Grace is what saves us. No action or deed of mine was able to save me. In no way will I ever be able to. Accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord is good and all, but the price for our salvation has already been paid. Sure, knowing the price has already been paid is reassuring, but does knowing what happened on the cross really what saved me? The way is see it is that it's a gift for all humanity, and after a great deal of thought on the subject, I figure the only way to fall from grace is to refuse it. God gives us that choice.

Good point, but you are referring to Universal Reconciliation which is making wide sweeps in the USA. It had me for awhile, but after I was lead to the so numerous verses to begin to mention, I saw the light.

While you are right that no action or 5 step process can grant a person salvation, ONLY through Jesus Christ and His Precious Blood is this possible. While it was shed for mankind as a whole, not all will accept it for what it is. And unless Jesus knows YOU, it doesn't matter whether you know Him. Many will say to Him on THAT day, "Lord, Lord" and He will say depart from me. Where do you think they will go? Or can go for that matter?

[Michelle1210]

Would you say, you are "Born again"?

[Philosophizer]

Originally Posted by Michelle1210

Would you say, you are "Born again"?

I feel as though I've been born again every time I call on God's forgiveness. Life is a walk. A test. God presents the path and keeps the faithful on it like any good shepherd would do for his sheep. I find when I veer too far, God has ways of bringing me back.

[Philosophizer]

Originally Posted by HotinAZ

Good point, but you are referring to Universal Reconciliation which is making wide sweeps in the USA. It had me for awhile, but after I was lead to the so numerous verses to begin to mention, I saw the light.

While you are right that no action or 5 step process can grant a person salvation, ONLY through Jesus Christ and His Precious Blood is this possible. While it was shed for mankind as a whole, not all will accept it for what it is. And unless Jesus knows YOU, it doesn't matter whether you know Him. Many will say to Him on THAT day, "Lord, Lord" and He will say depart from me. Where do you think they will go? Or can go for that matter?

To be honest, I don't really know why people even talk about who/when/how people are saved. I guess it's just the fascination we have with heaven and hell. Who are we to make judgments though? Has anyone here ever seen the pages of the book of life? Faith also plays a major role with grace, but even the most faithful would come short of God's expectations.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by TexianPatriot

To be honest, I don't really know why people even talk about who/when/how people are saved. I guess it's just the fascination we have with heaven and hell. Who are we to make judgments though? Has anyone here ever seen the pages of the book of life? Faith also plays a major role with grace, but even the most faithful would come short of God's expectations.

Have you asked Jesus into your heart to be your Savior and forgive you of your sins?

[Towhee]

Have you searched the scriptures to see what God says about how to be saved ?
Have you read the book of Acts to see how the first followers of Christ were saved ?

[Jerrydb]

Originally Posted by TexianPatriot

I don't know about anyone else here, but it was certainly through no choice of mine that I was saved. I certainly didn't wake up one day and choose to be "saved". I was saved the day Christ died on the cross. Grace is what saves us. No action or deed of mine was able to save me. In no way will I ever be able to. Accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord is good and all, but the price for our salvation has already been paid. Sure, knowing the price has already been paid is reassuring, but does knowing what happened on the cross really what saved me? The way is see it is that it's a gift for all humanity, and after a great deal of thought on the subject, I figure the only way to fall from grace is to refuse it. God gives us that choice.

TexianPatriot: it was your choice. We are not robots. We have a choice to accept him or refuse him.

Paul said in first Corinthians 15. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel, which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

By which also ye are saved, if you keep in memory. What I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you, first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;

And then he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

So according to Paul the second you believed with all your heart that God raised Christ from the dead. You have been born again.

Paul is my apostle he received so many revelations from Christ himself to give to the Gentiles, primarily, but also to the Jew to make the body of Christ.

[twin.spin]

If you try to explain the unexplainable about God, more often than not the conclusions drawn will be incorrect. Though Paul speaks about recieving, he also speaks of God doing the chosing,

Ephesians 1:4
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Faith is either a gift from man or a gift from God. If we believe that we are dead spiritually, then we are unable to do anything to "get saved" as Paul also writes,

Colossians 2:13
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.

We can not bring ourself to life physically, nor can we do it spiritually.
"Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the spirit gives birth to the spirit." John 3:6

Ultimatly, God gets the credit and its my fault if I reject the offer