Were you "saved" before you were saved?

[AbidingInHim]

?

 

[Stringaling]

Orthodox Christians view Salvation as more than a single epiphany in one's life. We say, "I am saved, I am being saved, and I shall be saved." Salvation is a lifelong process of cooperation with the will of God and obedience. To us, it is more than "say this simple prayer, go to church, and Bingo! Your're good for eternity." It is much more complicated than that.
Here is a link that touches on the Orthodox position on Salvation. Ther is much moe, but as a summary here it is:

http://www.orthodox.net/articles/personal-savior.html

 

[BeanMak]

When we were children, we thought like children...
We change as we mature, and our concept of our salvation changes (that doesn't mean that God changes) As we grow in the Lord, we are able to better emulate Christ. We understand better what it means to have a repentant heart.

 

[AbidingInHim]

,

 

[Stringaling]

I really didn't mean for this to tun into a debate about what true salvation is.....maybe you could start a different thread and explain how your chuch incorporates John 3 Jesus and Nicodemus into your doctrine, I was hoping this would be more of a thread testimonials, not a theology debate

This wasn't a theological debate. You asked a question and I answered in the only way I can.. I am sorry if you were offended by my answer..My intent was not to debate..

 

[Whitestone]

I am pretty sure the second epiphany usually refered to as the born again, first salvation takes you away from the bonds of sin, the second shows you the promise land.

If you think back to when Moses rescued the children of Israel, all of them were saved, but because of their actions most of them never got to see the promise land.

 

[invisiblebabe]

Orthodox Christians view Salvation as more than a single epiphany in one's life. We say, "I am saved, I am being saved, and I shall be saved." Salvation is a lifelong process of cooperation with the will of God and obedience. To us, it is more than "say this simple prayer, go to church, and Bingo! Your're good for eternity." It is much more complicated than that.
Here is a link that touches on the Orthodox position on Salvation. Ther is much moe, but as a summary here it is:

http://www.orthodox.net/articles/personal-savior.html

I actually view it that way too, more or less However, I can definitely say there were several turning points in my life where I experienced God showing me more of Himself, and I chose Him to a much more deep extent.

To answer the OP, yes, there were also several points in my life before I became a mature Christian (not that any of us are fully mature in this life, but for me there was a clear point where I moved from baby Christian to adult Christian) where I was "saved" but backsliding and not really knowing how to live it at all.

 

[JimfromOhio]

I was a prodigal Christian. I have posted my personal issues in my blog. I have been struggling with this issue. I was part of a Christian family.

Was I saved from my heart before I went "prodigal"? Some say I was probably never saved which is most likely. Others say, I rebelled and back-sliding to my old nature like a prodigal son. During my "prodigal days", I lost my personal relationship with God simply because I rebelled and went my selfish ways. My actions brought me to to the bottom. No matter how I look at it, God woke me up when I was diagnosed with MS.

I began to think I was never "truly saved" but I did follow Christ. When I came back to God, I made sure that my heart is bearing fruits from the Holy Spirit rather than works. Am I bearing fruits because I think I am saved and performing works so that they can see I am working for God? OR..... am I bearing fruits from my heart and actually serving God in spirit that others can see me through my heart.

Something to ponder. Right now, it does not matter whether I was saved in the past, because I am saved TODAY. I am serving Christ from my heart.

Anyway.. this is the condensed version of my Blog.

 

[Stringaling]

I actually view it that way too, more or less However, I can definitely say there were several turning points in my life where I experienced God showing me more of Himself, and I chose Him to a much more deep extent.

To answer the OP, yes, there were also several points in my life before I became a mature Christian (not that any of us are fully mature in this life, but for me there was a clear point where I moved from baby Christian to adult Christian) where I was "saved" but backsliding and not really knowing how to live it at all.

As Christians is is part of our journey to fall and get up, fall and get up, fall and get up.....We all have these turning points, some more intense than others. Sometimes we live like we think we should then one day our eyes are opened to the flawed way in which we were conducting ourselves all that time when we thought we were on the right path..
Our journey to Salvation is a series of falling and getting right back up..

 

[saami]

I said the prayer when I was a young teenager thought I was saved for ten years before I experienced true salvation and was indewlt with the Spirit.....the truely repentful heart wasn't there before....did any of you have similar experiences....what was your stuggle with, giving God control, letting go of the sin nature....ect?

Salvation is not dependent on our feelings, if a person believed that Jesus Christ had died to pay for your sins before a "born again" experience then they were saved.

We all experience renewals; in some Churches those have rituals attacted to them like study for and finally being part of Confirmation. The Filling of the Spirit may happen to you many times in a lifetime - not meaning that you didn't have the Holy Spirit in between, but that for those times it was a special anointing.

As we grow and mature we begin to see- and repent of things we could not even begin to understand before. These are signs of sanctification - beingmade holy by God, not initital salvation events.

God bless you as you mature in Him.