Here's a discussion starter. I know the exact day of my salvation - April 19, 1979. Time-wise it was about 8:00 pm. I was 14 years old. It was that evening that I came to the realization that Eternal Life was a free gift from God and that my own works and merit had absolutely nothing to do with my entering God's Heaven. I trusted in Jesus Christ as my Savior.
Now, I realize that many Believers can't point to the exact timing of their salvation - why? Because salvation is received the moment a person repents - changes their mind - realizing that salvation is the Grace-full free Gift of God and not something that can be earned by self-effort. God knows the exact nanosecond when that event occurs in each believer’s life, even if the believer can't articulate exactly when it occurred. Every believer, prior to their moment of belief, had seed planted and watered through exposure to varying facets of Biblical truth. It is at the moment of salvation that God gives the increase. The believer is born again.
I think the analogy or comparison of the physical birth with Spiritual birth would break down due to the fact of the 9 months in the womb. Therefore, I would personally equate the Spiritual birth with the physical conception - the moment that God grants life. John 3:3 "born" - Greek:gennaw gennao ghen-nah'-o ---> to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate:--bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring. Thus, Nicodemus' question of entering back into the womb - how could he be conceived again?
My discussion starter is this... can you point to scriptural accounts of believers' moments of Salvation? I initially present the following for consideration:
The Samaritans - John 4:42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Martha -
John 11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John -
John 20:8-9 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Peter -
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Mark 8:29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. Luke 9:20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. John 6:68-69 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
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