ok about salvation again... the Bible says in Acts 2:21 (i think thats the reference) that "whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved"... so if i just ask God to save me, knowing that Jesus paid for my sins in full, and knowing that salvation and forgiveness is a free gift that i just recieve, does that bring salvation? just asking God to save me? if so, where does recieving Jesus as Savior and Lord come in (and repentance)?
2007-07-22 15:33:43 · 37 answers · asked by tim 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because John 3.16 says "that whosoever believes in me".
Once you believe in your heart, accepting Christ and then calling upon His name, you are saved.
How many just call upon His name and aren't. I am sure you have seen those that do not have Christ in their hearts, I know I have.
2007-07-22 15:37:38 · answer #1 · answered by Mulereiner 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Let's keep this simple.
As you've read, there are many, many biblical answers to the "how do you get saved" question. And in context, many of those answers were issed in response to the particulars of the question and the one who asked it.
The key words in YOUR question are these:
"...knowing that Jesus paid for my sins in full, and knowing that salvation and forgiveness is a free gift that i just recieve, does that bring salvation..."
It is that "knowing" that gives you your answer (which is "Yes," by the way). I'm assuming, of course, that you don't just "know it" in terms of what the New Testament says, but that you also understand that this is a BIG DEAL. As some might say, it is in your heart.
Your question about where Jesus figures in is theological in nature, and you'll get plenty of opinion about it. Look at it this way: asking God, asking Jesus -it is all the same thing, and you are aware of this when you note that Jesus "paid" for your sins.
If it sounds somehow "too easy," that is only because that while the ACT of asking is simple, the circumstances that would lead you to ask, and the consequences of doing so are profound. God is not challenging us with a quiz or puzzle, there's no Mensa test here -He's simply saying that you need only ask.
So, in the same way that Jesus boiled down "all the law and prophets" into 2 simple commandments, the availability of salvation is made possible by asking for it -there is no earning it, no testing, no hoops to jump through. Just ask.
Still too simple? Perhaps; but many have not brought themselves to the point that they can do so, for if there is an "asker," there is also a "grantor," meaning someone who can actually grant your salvation -something you can never earn on your own. It is difficult for many to accept the idea that they cannot figure it all out on their own, that they even need salvation at all.
Does that help?
2007-07-29 04:33:45 · answer #2 · answered by JSGeare 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What underlies the idea of asking God to save you is your recognition and admission of your own sinfulness. The fact that I am a sinner is the starting point to my salvation. Because of my sinfulness, I know I need a Savior. So, to answer your question, this is where Jesus comes in. He paid the penalty that you and I should be required to pay. Because of what He did, true Christians claim Him as Savior and Lord and choose to live for Him.
There is another New Testament verse that says that not all those who just call out, "Lord, Lord" will be saved. Sincerity in repentance is what makes the difference.
2007-07-22 15:44:58 · answer #3 · answered by Bob T 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I shall not borrow from what has been said by others, due to the amount of time I would be wasting saying what has already been said. This answer is my own, even if some others have already made some of these statements.
A question that comes to mind regarding the verse you quoted is this: "What is the name of the Lord upon which you must call, in order to be saved?"
His full name includes His title "Lord," which indicates his position over all creation, and not just applied to each indivdual, His given name, Jesus, which, when interpreted in other languages means both Savior and Emmanuel (God with us), and Christ, which means Messiah, our mighty deliverer. (Compare to the O. T. equivalent, Joshua, who led the nation of Israel into the land God had promised Abraham.)
When you place all of these in context with life, there is no way you can separate them from Jesus as Lord and Savior and repentance, as anyone who is in fellowship with Him cannot continue to do things that are displeasing in His sight.
And that road to personal holiness is the best evidence that the gift has truly been offered, received, and deposited in the bank of the human heart.
2007-07-30 15:17:40 · answer #4 · answered by healthsys2 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Salvation comes from true repentance and true belief. A prayer will not save you. It is what's in your heart. Do you truely believe in Jesus Christ and that what He endured on the cross was sufficient to pay for your sins? Are you truely remorseful of you sins that you have commited? Do you know that Jesus's blood is the only payment for those sins and that there is nothing good that you can do for the bible says "All our righteousness is as filthy rags" . God will not accept our good deeds. Do you believe Jesus is the risen saviour? If you truely believe and cry out to the Lord He WILL save you from the bonds of your sins and from Hell.
2007-07-22 15:48:13 · answer #5 · answered by austin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is the same thing that happens over and over in this section - people taking one scripture by itself and trying to understand the whole concept of salvation.
You must take all the salvation scriptures together to know what is required. It also helps to study the Greek renderings in this case since we are talking about the New Testament.
What it boils down to is as follows:
You realize you are a sinner and as such you have offended God by your thoughts, words and actions.
You become sorry for your sins enough to come to God with all sincerity and "humility" and admit your sins to Him and ask His forgiveness. God knows your heart, and knows if you are really sincere in your confession. If you are He reveals Himself to you by His Spirit, washes you in the blood of His Son Jesus Christ and you are saved.
The proof of genuine salvation is devoted service to Jesus through your entire earthly life from that point forward and on into eternity.
If you want to really know as much as possible research the scriptures online. Go to www.crosswalk.com and click on the Bible helps. There is everything in there that you will need to find out anything you want to know about scriptures.
I am also willing to do all I can to help you if you email me.
2007-07-22 16:37:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you need to call on the Lord, repent and ask Jesus to come in and be your Lord and Savior, the born again experience is a spiritual one
you should put all the scriptures together to make a whole
like on salvation, repentance, born again, the new birth and recreation of the mind,
the mind is the thing, receive the mind of Christ
2007-07-22 15:48:52 · answer #7 · answered by Gifted 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, you have to take into account what "calling upon the name of the Lord" really means. It doesn't mean just yelling "GOD! SAVE ME!" If you are calling in earnest on the name of the Lord, you really have to want to be saved. And if you really want to be saved, you'll demonstrate it with your words and actions. This involves being sorry for your misdeeds when they do occur (and being human, however much you want to go to heaven, you will mess up sometimes), and accepting Christ as your Savior.
2007-07-22 16:29:19 · answer #8 · answered by csbp029 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on who you ask, because every brand of Christianity has a slightly different take on the matter. In some, "just asking God to save you" would be sufficient; others would complicate things in various ways. You can find Scripture to suggest any one of a wide variety of interpretations. Paul (e.g.) sometimes states flatly that certain types of people will not inherit the Kingdom; at other times he says that anybody who believes in Christ has eternal life; sometimes he comes dangerously close to admitting that it's actually good to "sin," as long as one repents and is saved, because "where sin abounded, there did grace that much more abound."
2007-07-22 15:40:27 · answer #9 · answered by jonjon418 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
That is an example of where taking verses of scripture out of context gets you into trouble. The writers of the New Testament, in this case, Dr. Luke, assumed that they were writing to Christians who already knew the first principles of the Gospel, being faith, repentance, and the prayer of faith, and baptism; he did not think he had to reiterate everything in every verse. It is like those who take the verse "baptizing in the name of Jesus" out of context and then claim that you do not also baptize in the name of the Father and the Holy Ghost also where it is written elsewhere. It is too bad that people do not know the Word of God.
2007-07-30 10:00:11 · answer #10 · answered by Gma Joan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you repent of your sins with a sincere heart and ask Jesus in your heart, believe and confess Jesus is Lord, and he died and resurrected 3 days later then yes your saved. the only way to God is through Jesus. he is our mediator. we cant go straight to God w/out Jesus. Jesus is like the bridge to cross over. EDIT i see some talking bout "works" as far as salvation. the thing bout that is once you have given your self to him your gonna want to please him. your gonna want to stay away from things that hurts him. he knows were human and gonna fail him, he realizes were here today and gone tomorrow, this is where the blood of Jesus cleanse us of our sins.
2007-07-29 12:55:35 · answer #11 · answered by warrior*in*the*making 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋