Ephesians 4:4 "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism..."
It would appear that there is just one way to salvation. The Way is through Jesus and Jesus only:
Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other:(except Jesus the Cornerstone) for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
There are no other ways to be saved, but I've had three "salvation" experiences! You decide:
When I was twelve years old I regularly attended a Methodist Church in the north. My parents and grandparents had been Methodists in the rural south for years. I was attending a church of my heritage. Whereas the church of my fathers relied on personal experience, this particular Methodist Church found another way: I was invited to take a catechism class and at it's conclusion I was called forward, the pastor announced that I had received an "A" in the class, I was saved and now a church member.
About two years later I went to a Missionary Baptist Church camp. One day after Bible Class, the preacher asked that everyone close their eyes and for any of those who wanted to, to remain after service for prayer. With one eye open I saw that the kid next to me stayed so I did too! Later that evening in Prayer Meeting the preacher announced the names of all that had been "saved" that day. My name was among them!
About a year later my friend and his mother invited me to a Nazarene Church. I really felt at home there because the worship was much as the old time Methodist Church of my fathers. The preacher revealed to me that I am a sinner and in danger of eternal punishment. He spoke on what hell would be like! He told me that I should feel sorry that I had grieved God so much, believe, repent and be saved. He said that salvation is free and by Jesus alone.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
To be frank the preacher quietly in his manner "scared the hell out of me" to be blunt and crude. Being afraid did not "save" me, but led me to my Hope. If I became "born again" and a believer who accepts Christ's sacrifice I would have the chance to live forever. I would be freed from sin and saved from hell! I felt sorry, I a believed that Jesus died for me, I accepted his death in my place, he provided the hope of eternal life and for saving me I did my best to love him through obedience! This verse describes what happened to me:
Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."Here's the formula for salvation! Believe Jesus died and lives and that it was for me, accept his death for me (heartfelt) and believe Christ really paid the price; then I was saved. It's must be the same for everybody! Some add that you must also be baptized:
Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."However, since there are many verses where baptism isn't mention in being necessary for salvation, then it follows that baptism is not an essential for salvation, but is obedience. Salvation is a gift from God. Scripture tells us that it's not because of anything that we do.
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."We are saved by our faith, not what we do. Baptism is a "work", but yet we should obey and be baptized. It's the "confession" part of Romans 10:9. When we get saved and it's true salvation we want to tell others. We confess our salvation by obedience and what better way to do that than by public baptism! There are no "secret" Christians. I tried that too! If we are truly saved there is a change. We are no longer ashamed of our Savior, but rejoice in him! Baptism is a work and works are evidence of salvation.
James 2:18 "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works."
Yes, baptism is important, and some add that as a "requirement" for salvation. Although baptism should be the first thing a saved person wants to do to testify to the rebirth that just happened, it's an ordinance, not a sacrament! Many have been baptized without the faith and merely become wet sinners. We must take care that only those who are Christians be baptized. That's called "believers baptism" and is the only correct way since Ephesians 4:4 tells us also that there is only one baptism.
Maybe people don't "feel" saved because they aren't saved! There is one salvation and that is being "born again". Baptism demonstrates that the old person is buried and a new person arises after being cleansed from sin. Baptizing doesn't cleanse unless Jesus did the cleaning! Salvation is not by you and what you do, but by faith.
My "A" at the Methodist Church made me an educated sinner. My "prayer" at the pew at Missionary Baptist Church Camp allowed me to rest my eyes for another five minutes, but neither saved me, I had no personal experience, although I believed because my parents did. However, at the Nazarene Church I prayed and stayed. I fought God and God won! I tried doing it secretly, but I had yet to submit to Christ. I battled against salvation for quite some time, but after hours of resistance, I accepted Jesus and became a new person; not a perfect person, but a forgiven person. One who's sincere enough that although I still sin, the Holy Spirit calls me to repentance and Jesus forgives me each time!
When churches have training, even altar calls, the inexperienced church-goer is ignorant oftentimes to what he or she must do to be saved. Going to the altar does not save, but what you do at the altar. The altar doesn't save, but allows those around to know that you need prayer. You can be saved anywhere because salvation is a spiritual event, not a public ritual. That trip to the altar is an effort in futility if the person fails to submit while there! I've done that many times too!
No I wasn't saved three times. I was saved once. The first two were for show or for others. The last time was for Jesus... and me!
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