If you have converted to other religions in the past can you still be saved?

[DTOM201]

Hey all. Just wanted to get some clarification on a subject from the baptist community on the site.

If some one was say, baptized as a catholic as a child, grew up and went through a period of disbelief, and turmoil, and struggle, and rejected god, and then sought god out again but embraced and actually converted to other religions while in a bad place in their life, out of ignorance and confusion, only later to find out it wasn't right, and called out to Christ to be saved, and was baptized and born again, would that still work? Would they still be able to be saved?

I guess my question is can some one who has converted to different religions in the past, still be saved as a born again Christian?

I have heard some people bring up apostasy, and some other issues saying some people cant be saved. What do you all think? I hope this is in the right sub forum. Thanks again for your thoughts and posts. God bless you all!

 

[56Bluesman]

Yes you can come to saving faith in and through the great grace of God through and in Jesus Christ. Read John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 for starters. Many persons who've been raised as Catholics or in non-catholic Christian denominations, even Baptist, along with persons who later became involved with, or were raised in non-Christian faiths, who have 'religion' instead of saving faith are called to saving faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit daily. My own faith journey was filled with some crazy twists and turns, including starting out as a nominal Christian at best, later I fell into some bush-league spiritualism and other occultic nonsense, which was followed by a period of skepticism, but the Lord called me to saving faith in Christ all by God's Great Grace none the less. Praise God!!!!

 

[JoshuaDaryl]

Yes you can come to saving faith in and through the great grace of God through and in Jesus Christ. Read John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 for starters. Many persons who've been raised as Catholics or in non-catholic Christian denominations, even Baptist, along with persons who later became involved with, or were raised in non-Christian faiths, who have 'religion' instead of saving faith are called to saving faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit daily. My own faith journey was filled with some crazy twists and turns, including starting out as a nominal Christian at best, later I fell into some bush-league spiritualism and other occultic nonsense, which was followed by a period of skepticism, but the Lord called me to saving faith in Christ all by God's Great Grace none the less. Praise God!!!!

Bluesman is right.

As far as being baptised as a child or infant in the Catholic church, that means nothing, less than nothing. When my dad was a kid he would spend weekends with his paternal grandparents, and they took him to be baptised a Catholic (to save his soul ) Then he would go home and attend a Southern Baptist Church with his maternal grandmother. Meanwhile his maternal grandfather, and his parents where agnostic. He told me that he was really confused by the time he went to Vietnam, he would say hail marys, and then neal to pray Baptist style, then kick himself for buying into all that nonsense, all within a span of a couple minutes . Praise God for mercy . Then my dad met my mom, who grew up in the peoples temple in Indianapolis, led by no other than Jim Jones himself , my moms father was a devout follower of mr Jones, but my mothers mother, praise the Lord, followed her intuition, and when mr Jones was gearing up to leave to California my grandma had my grandfather committed for a 72 hour watch at Central State Hospital . So here I come into the world , born into a very confused mess, dad don't know if hes agnostic, catholic, or southern baptist, (he had me baptised as a baby at the catholic church, just to be on the safe side) and my mom was raised in the peoples temple, taught by Jim Jones . But, and here is my point, God knows when you are searching..

Matthew 7:8
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
8 Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them.

God knew my parents where looking, he heard them asking. In 1980, I was four years old, but this made such an impact, I can totally remember seeing my dad crying, something my dad did not do. That morning after breakfast I remember mom letting this old man in the door, he started talking to my dad, dad got out his Bible, and as a child I thought it was a long time, but after that dad started crying, and got down on his knees and prayed. I now know that man was Pastor Hail from Villa Baptist church in Indianapolis, and after that day our family started going to church there, till dad was transferred. I remember dad was being baptised, I asked mom why daddy and the pastor where in the bathtub up in front of everybody, and why they have their clothes on, mom said daddy was washing his sins away . That journey, and Gods promise to be there shaped the whole future of my family, Praise the Lord.

 

[ihavefoundgod951]

All sins not forgiven A. (Matthew 12:31-32)--"Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 And whoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever shall speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or in the age to come." B. (Mark 3:29)--"but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--2. All sins forgiven A. (Acts 13:39)--"and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." B. (Titus 2:13-14)--"looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; 14who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." C. (1 John 1:9)--"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

 

[DTOM201]

A thank you to every one who posted. That's pretty much what I thought. I just felt like i needed some reassurance. I am recently saved, and have found a great church and in it great fellowship. I have become involved in the adult bible study, as well as the prayer group aside form attending the regular services. I have also got involved in several ministries, doing outreach for the homeless and those in need, giving food, assorted other essentials, and a bible in these backpacks we put together for them. I have found all these things to be very rewarding.

Some times I feel like despite how much I pray and read my bible and attend these things, and grow in our fellowship, I have doubts about my status as a saved individual. I tell my self this is just satan trying to fool me and take me away from Jesus. But some times I just feel so bad inside and feel like my past sins keep me from being saved. And then I feel guilty because I feel like thinking that way is a sin in its self and is disrespectful to the Lord because in a way its doubting his limitless power and saving grace. And that makes me feel bad, and even less deserving than when I started. I know God gave his only son to die on the cross for all of mans sins, including me. And praise God, he is risen!

But I some times feel scared because I hear some Calvinists talk about how some people cant be saved, no matter what. I feel so overwhelmed, especially as some one recently saved, hearing so many different Christians saying so many different things. Who can we believe, who can we trust?! Some one has to be wrong at the least, if not all. I feel so overwhelmed with information some times, this bible is the right one, that one isn't, this denomination is really saved, this one isn't, these people can never be saved, these ones can... How can we know?! Especially some one new like me. I feel bad about my past, and am trying to make my way through life trying to do the right things and bring honor and glory to Jesus our King and savior, but its hard some times hearing so many different things.

Bottom line though, I am trying, and I am not going to stop trying. I will keep trying to sin less and less, and live a life that will please Jesus, and pray, and do the things I can do to make him happy. I guess, some times its just good to have some reassurances from the people I can talk to. The people in my physical fellowship, and now here. As a new member I just wanted to let you all know I am really grateful for you all. To all of you I say thank you so much for being so nice and welcoming to me, and accepting me. It means allot to me. It's not something I was accustomed to.

But I am so grateful for you all, and my church, and the bible, and fellowship, and to be alive, and for Jesus, and just everything. Thank you! Praise Jesus! God bless you all!

 

[Hentenza]

Hey all. Just wanted to get some clarification on a subject from the baptist community on the site.

If some one was say, baptized as a catholic as a child, grew up and went through a period of disbelief, and turmoil, and struggle, and rejected god, and then sought god out again but embraced and actually converted to other religions while in a bad place in their life, out of ignorance and confusion, only later to find out it wasn't right, and called out to Christ to be saved, and was baptized and born again, would that still work? Would they still be able to be saved?

I guess my question is can some one who has converted to different religions in the past, still be saved as a born again Christian?

I have heard some people bring up apostasy, and some other issues saying some people cant be saved. What do you all think? I hope this is in the right sub forum. Thanks again for your thoughts and posts. God bless you all!

Your description is almost identical to what I went through earlier in my life. Yes, Christ can definitely call you back so rejoice just as the family of the prodigal son rejoiced.

 

[JoshuaDaryl]

A thank you to every one who posted. That's pretty much what I thought. I just felt like i needed some reassurance. I am recently saved, and have found a great church and in it great fellowship. I have become involved in the adult bible study, as well as the prayer group aside form attending the regular services. I have also got involved in several ministries, doing outreach for the homeless and those in need, giving food, assorted other essentials, and a bible in these backpacks we put together for them. I have found all these things to be very rewarding.

Some times I feel like despite how much I pray and read my bible and attend these things, and grow in our fellowship, I have doubts about my status as a saved individual. I tell my self this is just satan trying to fool me and take me away from Jesus. But some times I just feel so bad inside and feel like my past sins keep me from being saved. And then I feel guilty because I feel like thinking that way is a sin in its self and is disrespectful to the Lord because in a way its doubting his limitless power and saving grace. And that makes me feel bad, and even less deserving than when I started. I know God gave his only son to die on the cross for all of mans sins, including me. And praise God, he is risen!

But I some times feel scared because I hear some Calvinists talk about how some people cant be saved, no matter what. I feel so overwhelmed, especially as some one recently saved, hearing so many different Christians saying so many different things. Who can we believe, who can we trust?! Some one has to be wrong at the least, if not all. I feel so overwhelmed with information some times, this bible is the right one, that one isn't, this denomination is really saved, this one isn't, these people can never be saved, these ones can... How can we know?! Especially some one new like me. I feel bad about my past, and am trying to make my way through life trying to do the right things and bring honor and glory to Jesus our King and savior, but its hard some times hearing so many different things.

Bottom line though, I am trying, and I am not going to stop trying. I will keep trying to sin less and less, and live a life that will please Jesus, and pray, and do the things I can do to make him happy. I guess, some times its just good to have some reassurances from the people I can talk to. The people in my physical fellowship, and now here. As a new member I just wanted to let you all know I am really grateful for you all. To all of you I say thank you so much for being so nice and welcoming to me, and accepting me. It means allot to me. It's not something I was accustomed to.

But I am so grateful for you all, and my church, and the bible, and fellowship, and to be alive, and for Jesus, and just everything. Thank you! Praise Jesus! God bless you all!

Brother just hearing you talk, your remorse is genuine, there is one thing your doing wrong, and its something all the saved have done, and still do from time to time. When you ask forgiveness for your sins, God forgave you already, but YOU must FORGIVE YOURSELF also. Were I come from we call that laying down your burden at the alter, then when ya go to leave, you pick it back up again, leave it there.

As far as what to believe

study to show thyself approved, a workman need not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.

This is my life verse, its in my signature. It means study your bible, read it, pray over it, meditate on it night and day. Do not worry so much about whats at the top of the door, or the tag on the persons chosen denomination as much as "does what they say, preach, and live mesh with what is in my Bible" as far as Bible translations, those of us who have been saved more than a decade and longer, we will be debating them till the return of Jesus, pretty much any interpretation you see any of us regular posters use is fine, now any one deserving to be called a Baptist can, and will likely give you a very strong argument why that particular version is not as good as theirs 2 things that Baptist love to do, eat good food, and have a good strong debate, backed with scripture and references, and most of us are good talkers, well read, and we know our scriptures front and back But we also are devoted to each other, and we will never disagree on the key elements

Jesus Christ is the son of God, and God
He died for our sins and rose on the third day
God is faithful to save those called on his name
If you feel called to repent you were called (this is your Calvinism, your covered here)
The Bible is the inerrant word of God
surety of your salvation

 

[miamited]

Hey all. Just wanted to get some clarification on a subject from the baptist community on the site.

If some one was say, baptized as a catholic as a child, grew up and went through a period of disbelief, and turmoil, and struggle, and rejected god, and then sought god out again but embraced and actually converted to other religions while in a bad place in their life, out of ignorance and confusion, only later to find out it wasn't right, and called out to Christ to be saved, and was baptized and born again, would that still work? Would they still be able to be saved?

I guess my question is can some one who has converted to different religions in the past, still be saved as a born again Christian?

I have heard some people bring up apostasy, and some other issues saying some people cant be saved. What do you all think? I hope this is in the right sub forum. Thanks again for your thoughts and posts. God bless you all!

Hi dtom201,

Anyone who has been born again will be saved. Born of the Spirit.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[th1bill]

Several have already spoken the truth of the issue so all I can think of to say is welcome to the King of Heaven, as it stands at the moment on the Earth,

But it will serve you well to prepare for the soon coming persecution that has already broken out in Asia, the Middle East and several other local areas, it will soon be World Wide. But remember, when you sold out to God you cast the Second death, permanently, aside and though men and demons might kill your mortal body, the next instant you will be in Eternal Heaven with God.

 

[classicalhero]

I was baptised when I was a baby, but it basically is just water on a baby and has nothing to with a personal acceptance of Christ. To be saved is simple believe on Christ and your past is forgotten by God and you have a new life with him.

 

[DTOM201]

Thanks for all the great feedback every one!

Several have already spoken the truth of the issue so all I can think of to say is welcome to the King of Heaven, as it stands at the moment on the Earth,

But it will serve you well to prepare for the soon coming persecution that has already broken out in Asia, the Middle East and several other local areas, it will soon be World Wide. But remember, when you sold out to God you cast the Second death, permanently, aside and though men and demons might kill your mortal body, the next instant you will be in Eternal Heaven with God.

Can you please elaborate more on this th1bill? Please excuse my ignorance. I think I have an idea of what you are speaking about, but lack the knowledge to know for certain. Perhaps you could just expand upon it for me a bit so I can get a better idea. Thanks for your contribution to my thread, and your encouragement!

God bless!

 

[Skala]

If you have converted to other religions in the past can you still be saved?

Abraham was a pagan before he was called to be God's chosen people.
So, the answer to your question is yes.