Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Haven; we hope you enjoy your visit with us.

If you're in need spiritually, have questions or are searching, then you have come to the Haven in the storm. We are a body of believers, blood bought in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. We trust in Him alone for our salvation, and He is our only hope in a world of sin and darkness.

You're currently viewing our forum as a guest; this means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you won't be able to use. If you join us, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. It's easy, simple and fast to register, and before you know it, you'll be fellowshipping with us here at Haven Forums.


If you are already a member here, please log in to enjoy all our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Salvation as a Process
Topic Started: May 21 2013, 12:09 AM (121 Views)
ShilohCarol

I have been considering this for a little while, puzzling over it. I remember reading once that John or Charles Wesley found that their salvation experience was a process, that it was not instantaneous. I thought it was weird at the time, but I've been thinking about my own salvation experience. I remember hearing a sermon about being separated from God and how to be saved when I was 7 years old. The morning after that, in my grandmother's bedroom, I distinctly remember praying alone and asking God to save me. I understood none of it, but I told my parents and was baptized shortly thereafter. Then, when I was 12, I remember walking through the living area of our house and passing the television, where either "Jesus of Nazareth" or "King of Kings" (sorry about the quotation marks instead of the italics-- I had trouble with the buttons there) was playing. It was the crucifixion scene. I was stunned because it suddenly dawned on me that He did that for me. I walked to my bedroom, shut the door, and knelt in front of my chest-of-drawers and asked for forgiveness. My heart was changed, and my life changed, and I was baptized (for real this time, I guess). I was wondering if anyone else had this kind of experience. Was my salvation experience a process? Was I saved when I was seven, even when I didn't understand anything about it, or was I saved when I was 12? Or maybe I just had more of an understanding of what had happened to me when I was younger.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Robert
Member Avatar
Administrator
[ *  *  *  * ]
Let me pray on this ShilohCarol.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ShilohCarol

Thank you. I had just been thinking about it recently. I'm inclined to think I really was saved when I was seven because I knew something wasn't right and praying for Jesus to save me would fix it. Another reason I think I was saved then is that when I look back at several of the books I read in the years between 7 and 12, there are little comments in them. One of the books was The Strangest Thing Happened, which tells about Elijah's story. I had written "Joy!" at the end of one chapter, and there are notes and underlines in my Bible as well as other religious books. I know this isn't conclusive, of course. I'm wondering if the event when I was 12 was a realization of what Jesus had done for me.

Thank you for considering this.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

Interesting.

I distinctly had a time of really wanting to get to know God when I was 13 years old. We didn't have a Bible I felt I could read. We had an OLD King James and all the Thees and Thous etc... didn't make sense to me. We didn't go to church every Sunday. Just Easter and Christmas and the Church was so packed (Eastern Orthodox) the candles made it oppressive the Sermon was in Old Slavonic (not even Serbian).

I really had this desire to know God and it was so strong I got up on Sunday mornings and listened to Hour of Power and then a hour of Welsh Hymns. For about six months. Robert Schuller made me more confused so I stopped listening to him. (even as a child who hadn't a clue about the Bible I knew Hindus and Muslims were not going to Heaven, he lost me when he started saying things like that).

I made a habit of listening to the Welsh Hymns on and off for years. That is what it was called "Songs of Praise". I did try reading the Bible on and off but the language of the Old version King James my parents got at their Australian Citizenship ceremony just didn't allow me to easily read it plus I was reading the Old Testament (should have read the Gospels but I didn't know that at the time).

It wasn't until I went to University many years later I actually was invitited to do a Bible Study on Jesus that I had come to know I needed to repent and receive Christ as my Lord and Saviour at age 18.

I got given a New International Version Bible by one of the girls who took my Bible studies and I loved that version it was clear and easy to read. Made far more sense to me than the Older versions of the King James (I had back then but the modern King James is good).

Anyway if salvation is a process I know in my own experience wanting to have God and Jesus in my life when I was a young teen and then finding him later at University was my salvation process.

BTW those Easter movies of Jesus did draw me to desire to know Jesus. I didn't understand why and I didn't have anyone to truly explain it all to me. I asked some girls at school that did Scripture classes or Sunday school but all they could tell me was Jesus was the Son of God and we had to Believe in him (nothing about sins needed forgiveness etc..) Oh and the other thing I recall was you went to Hell if you didn't know Jesus. That got my attention. However none of them could really tell me how to get right with the Lord. Most spoke of just going to Church and being Good. These girls I knew and I bumped into much later in life and I was a Saved Believer but they were not living as Saved Believers and I asked them why not. It is sad they had all those years of hearing Bible teaching that I did not yet I got Saved and they were very Worldly at the time and laughed at my Faith.

This is just my experience. I know God drew me to Himself over all those years. I was certainly aware I wasn't good enough for God and I needed to get right with Him but I didn';t find out how to do that until I was evangelised at University. Praise God I was from a poor family I managed to get into University and had financial assistance or my father wouldn't have allowed for me to go.



Quote Post Goto Top
 
Meg
Member Avatar
Administrator
[ *  *  *  * ]
Wow Hannah, it's scary how much trouble you had getting straight answers when you were younger! Yet, the Lord was faithful in spite of those shallow people who seem to have seen little value in His truth...

Indeed, Jesus Chris seems to get backed into corners where He must help someone come into Sanctification if not Salvation itself. I guess this is a symptom of the Great Apostasy...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deleted User
Deleted User

:bump:
Quote Post Goto Top
 
Robert
Member Avatar
Administrator
[ *  *  *  * ]
Yeah, salvation is very much a process. We are saved when we accept the Lord, but then He has to work on us.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Studies In Scripture · Next Topic »
Add Reply

Fair Use Notice: This site may contain copyrighted material that has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to Christianity, faith, prophecy, etc.

We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C.Section 107, the material on this site is distributed to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss and no more than 50% of the source material, provide a link back to the original article and provide your original comments / criticism in your post with the article. Please remember YOU are responsible for what YOU post on the internet and YOU could be sued by the original copyright holder if you do not honor these rules. In issuing this advisory/ warning, Haven Forums assumes no responsibility nor liability, criminal or civil, for copyright violations by users. Where and when possible, Haven Forums will try to remediate violations as brought to our attention by copyright/ trademark holders. ©2016, Haven Forums. All rights reserved.