When Did I Get Saved?

I have thought about writing this blog for awhile, but I put it off for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I was afraid that some might misunderstand what I'm trying to say. Secondly, I'm not that proud of what I'm going to tell you. The road I've traveled to the faith I have today is not a story of faithfulness and steadfastness on my part. However, after much thought I decided to go ahead, because I think the point I'm trying to make is worth the risk.

12 Years Old - I attended a "Royal Ambassadors" summer camp with other boys in a local Baptist church. The days were filled with activities, but every evening they held a church service with different speakers. One evening an old missionary was speaking and at the end of the service he gave an invitation. Although that was 34 years ago, I still have that 'picture' in my mind. Conviction came upon me and I knew I needed to be saved, so that evening I accepted the invitation and walked down the aisle.

I don't remember much about that experience - it was a long time ago. I don't remember what the missionary said and I don't remember what I said. I do remember that afterward they took us to an area for additional counseling and I distinctly remember crying like a baby. What I do know is that at 12 years old I didn't have much of a grasp of theology. I didn't know about repentance or atonement, justification or sanctification. I just knew if you wanted to get saved you 'walked down the aisle'. So that is what I did - I walked down that aisle and asked Christ to be Lord of my life.

18 Years Old - As a teenager I did my own thing. I attended church with my family, but my heart was far away from God. But after graduation from high school things began to change. I knew it was time to put away childish things. An older lady came to visit our family and we sat down to talk one Saturday evening. Even though she was an older woman and on the outside we had nothing in common, she had Christ in her in a way that I've seen few other people have. The next day I walked the aisle again to ask Christ to be Lord of my life.

33 Years Old - Over the past few years I've married and started a family. I have a good job so that my wife is able to stay home and raise the children. We attend church regularly, but God is not my priority. He is important in my life, but He is not the most important part of my life.

Then my daughter dies and my faith falls apart. I won't go into all the details of those years, but suffice it to say it was a hard, hard time. Not just because of the natural grief you experience, but because of the loss of faith. When the entire world view that you held of God is questioned - His goodness, His compassion, His mercy - in some ways that is even worse than the grief.

I questioned everything about God, even His very existence. But somewhere down deep in my soul I knew He was real. All the 'junk' got stripped away and all that was left was a miniscule faith that said, like Peter, "Where else can I go? You alone have the words of life". So again, I asked Christ to be Lord of my life.

Today - I am saved - there is absolutely no doubt in my mind. It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me. How do I know? Because I have examined and tested myself in the light of the truth of Scripture.

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Here's my point that I want to drive home: I cannot look back and base my salvation on an event that occurred when I was 12 or 18 or 33. Even now I'm not exactly sure when and where it occurred. But the important thing is that it has occurred. I have to base my salvation on 'today'. How many people are out there today that would say they are saved because they walked down an aisle or signed a card 20 years ago - yet there is no evidence of a living faith in their life today? That is a very dangerous thing to do. It is so important that we continually examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith.

John Macarthur gives the following illustration:

"A family sent their child to a high school camp. At camp, this kid broke down and confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The youth director told the parents that the kid had made a genuine commitment to Christ, and confessed sin and was so thrilled with a new faith. And the parents were irate because, they said, we were with him when he made his childhood decision. How dare you question the reality of that decision? And they yanked the kid out of the youth group."

Do you see how ridiculous and dangerous that is - to base your salvation on an event that occurred years ago as opposed to a current and living faith?

I hope that no one has misunderstood me. It's not my intention to belittle someone's salvation experience. Many people can pinpoint an exact place, date and time that they invited Christ into their lives, and I think that is a wonderful thing and should be cherished. However, others may find that they cannot do that. I would think that we can all agree that what is important in either case - what is vital - is the genuineness of our faith today.

For He says: “ In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. - 2 Corinthians 6:2