What do you say when asked "are you saved"?

[lak611]

When I say “I have been saved”, Rev,I am referring to that one time only event, when I was baptized!
The graces that were given to me, in the waters of baptism, & the washing away of original sin, is something we don’t repeat over & over . (Although I know several people who have been baptized every time they go to a new church…I think they don’t understand baptism. )
That event was years (decades!) past. Right now, I am, in the words of the Bible, “working out my salvation in fear and trembling”.

The same is true for me also.

 

[lak611]

When I say “I have been saved”, Rev,I am referring to that one time only event, when I was baptized!
The graces that were given to me, in the waters of baptism, & the washing away of original sin, is something we don’t repeat over & over . (Although I know several people who have been baptized every time they go to a new church…I think they don’t understand baptism. )

They don’t understand baptism. Getting rebaptized is un-Biblical.
“(Eph 4:5 DRB) One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

So, anyhow, I have been lurking at another board for a bit…Just passing time.
Only, I noticed that several people asked questions that I knew something about. (Cat care; homeopathic medicine–for humans & pets;Methodist/Wesleyan theological beliefs).
Now, I know I am not in their “target group” which is young mothers, but there are a lot of other people there, too…So, I thought, sign up & talk…
They needed my email address, which is standard…Except, I got this full page letter, which requires me to fill out all the answers, including: “Are you saved? How long have you been a Christian? How do you know that you are a Christian? Please give your testimony.”
Ummmmmm…OK…And then the kicker: “We will get back to you for further details about your answers to these questions”.
Would you just throw up your hands? Would you make them throw up their hands??
Are they too crazy to bother with, or am I being too sensitive? I mean, I just want to post on their dang site; I:nope: wasn’t planning on adopting their children or marrying their brother-in-law…
I said what I have read here, which I feel is very accurate & sensible: I have been saved, I am being saved, & I will be saved…
I have the distinct feeling that it won’t be enough. And I can’t figure out what I am supposed to say any different…

(I don’t know where else to post this; if it needs moving, forgive me. I couldn’t figure where it belonged otherwise…)

No one has ever asked ​

 

[Jerry-Jet]

Are you saved Gottle of Geer?

 

[blackrobe]

I generally reply that I have been justified and my salvation is being worked out. If the questioner is truly interested in an answer, this usually leads to an interesting dialogue on the true nature of justification as opposed to the incorrect Protestant [Lutheran] understanding. It’s one of those “teachable moments.”
JSA

 

[Sabda]

just the standard reply, I have been saved, I am being saved, I have hope of salvation. I am perfectly capapble of frittering away all my free time right here on CA, no need of other discussion forums.

I am reminded of a news story from my old hometown, when my kids were little, about a big fire in an old apartment building. Bystanders and fire fighters managed rescue several of the people living there, but some people did die in the fire. among those rescued was a woman who insisted in running back into the building for some personal possession, her purse, photos, I don’t know just what. She died of course.

Many, but not all, were saved. One was saved, but threw away her salvation thru attachment to material possessions. All could have been saved had the building been equipped with properly functioning smoke detectors and sprinklers. why this sticks in my mind is that the firemen and bystanders who helped were injured as well some badly, one at least on permanent disability. The news story I recall told how they felt their sacrifice had been wasted by the persons who tried to go back into the burning building, yet they rejoiced in those who were saved.

This is one of the best real life examples of salvation that I have ever read. Thank you Puzzleannie. Mind if I save this?

 

[Jerry-Jet]

I reply that I was saved when I was Baptized–I’m being saved now by God’s grace as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling and I will be saved in the future if I continue in that grace and do not die in a state of mortal sin.

 

[Chancellare]

Hi Zooey,

The usage is unfortunately incorrect though, saying “I am in the process of being saved and hope to be saved” is quite sufficient.

To say “I have been saved, I am being saved et al” conflicts.

Saved denotes a past action that has been completed, if your salvation is ongoing and therefore incomplete, it cannot have been completed and still incomplete without one salvation ending and another beginning.

Which would imply the first was lost, and the second begun.

Example:

Say you’re on top of a house and flood water is rising, eventually it’s going to overtake your house and you’re going to drown.

If you see a helicopter, and a man shouts out “Hi there, we’re going to get you out!” you can say “I have been saved”, but if the waters rise before he lowers the ladder, then you haven’t been saved, because now you’re dead. (you were almost saved)

In that situation it’s more accurate to say “I am being saved”, that way, if the waters drown and you die, the process was incomplete and you are unsaved or if you grab the ladder and get into the helicopter, you can say you are saved then.

But to say “I have been saved” implies that while you’re standing there on top of the house waiting for the man in the helicopter to lower the ladder, you recall a time in the past similar to this one when you ‘had been saved’ but now it is over, and this is a new situation, and a new salvation.

In closing, it’s correct to say “I am being saved, and hope to be saved” - to which you can tell people when that process began (baptism, confirmation etc) - rather than saying “I have been saved” which is unfortunately, incorrect.

God Bless,
Rev

The way things stand, it depends if you’re a Protestant(“saved by justification”, one time, no matter if one has sinned again and again) or a Catholic “am being and hope to be saved”).

 

[lak611]

The way things stand, it depends if you’re a Protestant(“saved by justification”, one time, no matter if one has sinned again and again) or a Catholic “am being and hope to be saved”).

Not really. Not all Protestants believe in OSAS.

 

[Syele]

Those questions are some I’d ask of people whom I expected were already protestant. Consider your purpose in answering them. I’d say answer truthfully but differently depending on intent.

If your intent is to be admitted to their forum, recognized as a Christian and be truthful at the same time… Carol Marie’s answer (assuming you agree with it) would be best.

I know this “I was, am being, and hope to be” stuff might make it easy for Catholics, or even make a good in depth explaination when have a detailed debate going, but by itself, it’s just confusing to the average protestant and dosn’t tell them what they really want to know.

 

[SORROWS]

As a Catholic I’ve never understood why anyone would even ask “are you saved”?
We are supposed to be humble. A Catholic would never say Yes because that assurance is up to God alone on judgement day. We can continuously strive to be pleasing to Our Lord but never be so self assured.

My answer would be that as long as I live as a good Catholic and attend regular Confession, my salvation and glory in Heaven may be assured.

Confession is the key.

 

[MarkA16]

As a Catholic I’ve never understood why anyone would even ask “are you saved”?
We are supposed to be humble. A Catholic would never say Yes because that assurance is up to God alone on judgement day. We can continuously strive to be pleasing to Our Lord but never be so self assured.

My answer would be that as long as I live as a good Catholic and attend regular Confession, my salvation and glory in Heaven may be assured.

Confession is the key.

Me too. I don’t feel comfortable saying “yes” or “no” because it’s God’s decision.

But I would say, “I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and I live according to how he tells me to live.”

I like how John Martignoni answers the question “how do you know you will go to heaven?”. It was from one of his debate talks on Sole Fide. He said something like, “you should let me have access to heaven because of what Jesus did for me, and I did what Jesus told me to do. So God, Father, by your Son, open the door.”

Amen!

 

[Jeanette_L]

I think that if I were asked this question in general and earnest conversation and wanted to give an honest answer, I would say that I am a committed Christian, I belong to Christ.

And although I have a strong desire to be transformed into the likeness of Christ, and to live a life that is pleasing to Him, I don’t even know my own heart completely, only He knows me through and through.

And since Christ is the only One appointed as Judge, He alone is qualified to make that determination when I stand before Him on the other side. I will trust in His Mercy for my salvation.

Of course this would not get me a pass onto some of those protestant forums. I would have to resort to saying something like: I am a committed Christian who has experienced several spiritual conversions in my lifetime (and expect there are more to come ).

But, I will save myself the trouble of such contortions and stay right here where the atmosphere is pleasant and I can learn and converse without the fear of being found out and booted because I am Catholic!

 

[Chancellare]

As a Catholic I’ve never understood why anyone would even ask “are you saved”?
We are supposed to be humble. A Catholic would never say Yes because that assurance is up to God alone on judgement day. We can continuously strive to be pleasing to Our Lord but never be so self assured.

My answer would be that as long as I live as a good Catholic and attend regular Confession, my salvation and glory in Heaven may be assured.

Confession is the key.

As a Catholic who values the virtue of humility, this makes sense. But this is different if aside from having a different theology, one’s religion also promotes the ‘bragging rights’.

 

[guanophore]

Hi Zooey,

The usage is unfortunately incorrect though, saying “I am in the process of being saved and hope to be saved” is quite sufficient.

To say “I have been saved, I am being saved et al” conflicts.

Saved denotes a past action that has been completed, if your salvation is ongoing and therefore incomplete, it cannot have been completed and still incomplete without one salvation ending and another beginning.

Which would imply the first was lost, and the second begun.

Example:

Say you’re on top of a house and flood water is rising, eventually it’s going to overtake your house and you’re going to drown.

If you see a helicopter, and a man shouts out “Hi there, we’re going to get you out!” you can say “I have been saved”, but if the waters rise before he lowers the ladder, then you haven’t been saved, because now you’re dead. (you were almost saved)

In that situation it’s more accurate to say “I am being saved”, that way, if the waters drown and you die, the process was incomplete and you are unsaved or if you grab the ladder and get into the helicopter, you can say you are saved then.

But to say “I have been saved” implies that while you’re standing there on top of the house waiting for the man in the helicopter to lower the ladder, you recall a time in the past similar to this one when you ‘had been saved’ but now it is over, and this is a new situation, and a new salvation.

In closing, it’s correct to say “I am being saved, and hope to be saved” - to which you can tell people when that process began (baptism, confirmation etc) - rather than saying “I have been saved” which is unfortunately, incorrect.

God Bless,
Rev

Of course it is correct!

Col 2:10-14

10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
NASU

The work that Jesus did on the cross is already accomplished. And we are baptized into his death. 1 Peter 3:21 " baptism now saves you"