How are people actually saved?

Congratulations on understanding John 3 and welcome to the family!

BTW, nice quote from DC Talk

Congratulations vegan!!!

I also was a Roman Catholic most of my life. It confused me to a point that I became an atheist. Then one night out of the blue, I was Born Again (saved). There was no prayer, or church that contributed to my experience, only a one on One night with Jesus.

It is interesting that you mention a Baptist church, because shortly after my experience I got strongly drawn to one of those myself. And what an amazing experience it was when I got there. I actually FELT God there. Everytime I visit that particular Baptist church, I get reaffirmed that God is truly here with me.

It is not the prayer that saves you but faith. If you TRULY believe in your heart that Jesus saved you, He has. Follow in His footsteps. Now that you have the Holy Spirit, make the Holy Bible your life instruction manual. It might be most helpful to start with the New Testament. Let the Holy Spirit guide you.

I don't really buy into the "saved" model. Right now, I am obviously not "saved"; I still sin, I still suffer, and so on. I have confidence that I *will* reach salvation, in Heaven, but it's a long way from here to there. Belief alone is not enough; as the Bible points out, Satan doesn't merely believe, he *knows*. It also matters whether or not we are committed to doing God's Will.

It is neither the prayer or the belief, it is faith that saves us. It doesn't matter whether or not a person prays a "salvation prayer," because it is faith that saves, not words.

My mom and grandma were catholic, and they never prayed a salvation prayer that I know of. In fact, before she died, a baptist asked my mother to say the salvation prayer, so she could go to heaven. My mom rightly refused, since she had been saved through faith in Christ since she was a little girl. And the greatest presentation of the gospel I ever heard was from a catholic priest at my grandma's funeral. He said that we can know for a fact that Anna (my grandma) is in heaven because of her strong faith and her testimony of that faith.

So prayer or no prayer, it doesn't really matter, but at some point, you have to make a definite decision, to have faith in Christ or not to. If a person has never made that definite decision, and their life doesn't show fruit, they still need to chose--salvation through Christ or not.

Originally posted by vegan
I am not trying to be rude to non-Catholics, but if you read on, you will see why I don't really want a Catholic's opinon.

I recently became a born again Christian.  I was a Roman Cathlolic my whole life, but never accpeted Jesus as my savior.

My parents, who are very devout Catholics, and I have had many discussions about this.  We both respect each other's denomonations (I am non-denominational, but lean toward Baptist) and recognize that the Holy Spirit has reached us via these beliefs.  I told my parents about how I accepted Jesus through prayer - the typical prayer Baptists use when they are bringing someone to Jesus.  As a Catholic, we NEVER said this prayer. And yet, we STILL accepted Jesus as our savior.  My question is, is it the BELIEF that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, or is it the PRAYER that saves you?

I know this may sound stupid.... but I am coming from the Catholic Church which is a WORLD away from Baptists. and I assume Prot. denominations.  Heck, we never even talked about "being saved."

I hope I didnt offend any of my Catholic brothers.  I didnt mean to.

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I think the best way to answer your request in a most evangelica lway possible is to quote scripture.  One of the most popular and I think the best scripture to quote is Romans 10:9-10 & 13


Rom 10:9-10
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.


13 for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."
(NAU)

Basically like Bruno said it is not the prayer that saves you but the faith.  The way I say it is that one has to believe that Jesus is Lord and Lord of their life and to repent of their sins and basically ask for salvation.  This is all covered in what the Bible would jsut call having faith in Him but today faith is often just thought of as a belief in something only. 

more good verses are in Ephesians.
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, {it is} the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
(NAU)

My advice to you would be to do a good study of Romans.  It is the most helpful book for answers to the questions you are having right now.

Originally posted by seebs
I don't really buy into the "saved" model. Right now, I am obviously not "saved"; I still sin, I still suffer, and so on. I have confidence that I *will* reach salvation, in Heaven, but it's a long way from here to there. Belief alone is not enough; as the Bible points out, Satan doesn't merely believe, he *knows*. It also matters whether or not we are committed to doing God's Will.

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Seebs I believe that when the Bible says that faith alone saves or that one just has to believe it is saying more than what we think of when we say those words.  Faith in the Bible naturally includes that one will have works and I think that is what James was stressing in his work.  True faith is not just a belief but a belief that produces action.  And one does not just believe in God but believes that Jesus is Lord. 

As far as the "saved" model I think it can cause some to think that there is "cheap grace."  Basically that I can do anything if I have my get out of hell free card.  This is not what the holders of this view support but it often gets reduced to that.  I just think that with our easy view of faith and our cheap view of belief that we have today it maight not be the best way to put it.  I still do many times though.  I guess it is from my Baptist upbringing. 

Hmm. The more I think about it, the more I wonder how much of the debate comes down to words.

Originally posted by vegan
I told my parents about how I accepted Jesus through prayer - the typical prayer Baptists use when they are bringing someone to Jesus.  As a Catholic, we NEVER said this prayer. And yet, we STILL accepted Jesus as our savior.  My question is, is it the BELIEF that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, or is it the PRAYER that saves you?

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Neither.  If you are saved it's because Jesus died on a Cross for you 2000 years ago.  Your belief is a result of your regeneration.  A prayer you say acknowledging that Jesus is Lord or being baptized or striving to be obedient to Christ is a result of being saved.  It is never a means of obtaining salvation.  There is only one means of salvation.  That means was Jesus dying on the Cross and God regenerating you and imputing the righteousness of Christ to you.

I know this is probably going to go against what you may hear here on this MB but that doesn't mean it's not true.  I hope that if you have any questions you will not hesitate to ask.

God bless

This is to sad for me to even comment on

"As a Catholic, we NEVER said this prayer. And yet, we STILL accepted Jesus as our savior. "
How or by doing what, did you accept Him?

Originally posted by vegan
Reform - The bible clearly says you must call on the name of Jesus to be saved. IT also says salvation is a gift. If you don't accept this gift, it is not yours.

THank you for your reply. I disagree, but thank you for taking the time to respon!

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Strange...I thought you were asking how a person is actually saved.  If you had just said, "THank you for your reply. I disagree, but thank you for taking the time to respon!" then I wouldn't see a problem with that at all.  The fact that you feel the need to dispute what I've said shows that you weren't really asking.  It seems as if you've already got your own ideas on how people are "actually saved."

I wish you the best and when you are putting your faith in your "calling on the name of Jesus" to bring about your salvation you might try reading Ephesians 2:1-9.  Our ability to believe is a product of God's grace.

God bless

Understand that what I mean by faith is not simply believing that Jesus Christ existed and died on the cross, it also means believing IN Him. Use Him as your guide, teacher, mentor. Strive to do as He did, because you KNOW He did what is right.
God came to earth in flesh to show us, stupid humans, how to live righteously. So one who claims to be a Christian, yet doesn't follow teachings of Jesus, is on a path to self destruction.

No Reformationist it shows you have a strange view of Salvation.

Romans 10
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

 

 

John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

 

 

YOU MUST REPENT ... admitting you are guilty, that you cannot do "anything" to save or help save yourself, and that you need Jesus Christ.
"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:3

"Let the wicked forsake his way. and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God. for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." Isaiah 55:7 & 8

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done. but according to his mercy he saved us," Titus 3:5a

"But to him that worketh not, but believcth on hhn that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 4:5

YOU MUST TRUST ... putting your "complete" faith in Jesus Christ to save you.
"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." John 3:16

"He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that. what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Romans 4:20 & 21

"To declare, I say at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Romans 3:26

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." Romans 3:08.

Originally posted by devoted
This is to sad for me to even comment on

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Please don't. Read the title of the thread again.

So Vegan, a Catholic receives Jesus Christ through a cookie and fermented wine? And not by faith?

Originally posted by Julie
"As a Catholic, we NEVER said this prayer. And yet, we STILL accepted Jesus as our savior. "
How or by doing what, did you accept Him?

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Accepting Jesus is itself an action; it's not something you do by proxy. No other action can replace it. You accept Jesus by being baptised, or saying a specific set of words, or going to a specific place; you accept Him by accepting Him, nothing more, nothing less.