How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

[Lauren]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Mahogany, I have two children - a boy, 8 years old, and a girl, 6 years old. And my little girl, she doesn't seem to take the Word of God at this point much, but my son has picked up quite a bit. He told the nurse in the doctor's office the other day that if you get swine flu, it's not a good thing, but if you know God then you will go to heaven if you die.....so he gets it to a certain degree.

And I often wonder if it's time for him to get baptized.....I feel like, how do I know his heart? Maybe he's been born again and here I am not giving him the baptism he should get as a believer. But deep down, I don't think he's born again. I think he's kind of getting the head knowledge right now, not the heart knowledge, know what I mean?

So I keep coming back to the fact that I need to wait on God, trust Him, that He will show me when the time is for my son to be baptized. The human side of me wants to rush right in there and get him baptized "just in case", but (at least in this instance) I know it would be putting faith in a work, my own action, to have him be saved.

 

[MahogonySnail]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

So do we baptize all children, "just in case"? That doesn't seem right to me....as well as my other point in another thread that baptizing infants willy nilly kind of takes the focus off of Jesus.

Haaa, when I wrote that first line, made me think of that new Geico ad....snicker.

Well I don't know, this isn't about baptism I don't think. But since you mentioned it Baptising infants doesn't take the focus off Jesus unless the focus is not on Jesus during the infant baptism. I mean they are believed to be baptised into Christ and into the Church, so the focus is on Jesus for all involved, except the infant of course.

Western society is very individualistic and so I just don't think the view that an infant belonging to one or two faithful believing Spirit-filled parents is a sin-filled devil deserving of hell is quite in line with God's love and nature, neither the view that the child must fend for themselves and figure Christianity out for themselves once they reach a certain "age of understanding".


Put it this way, a child who has been water baptised and prayed for as an infant with faith of parents, god parents and the church behind them, probably has a far better chance at becoming and staying a Christian, than a child who is not taught about Christ until the parent decides they have reached a suitable "age of understanding", whatever they think that might be, usually early teens. Think about it, you have a whole church and priest praying for your child that they would grow up in the faith and believe in Christ , there's something wrong with that?

I was taught about sex at age 6 through the school system. Yet many parents don't teach their kids about Christ until later, age 10-12. Even if they don't understand it, doesn't matter. I didn't understand about sex at age 6, but it gave me a lot to think about. What infant baptism is doing is planting seeds.

And I often wonder if it's time for him to get baptized.....I feel like, how do I know his heart? Maybe he's been born again and here I am not giving him the baptism he should get as a believer. But deep down, I don't think he's born again. I think he's kind of getting the head knowledge right now, not the heart knowledge, know what I mean?

So I keep coming back to the fact that I need to wait on God, trust Him, that He will show me when the time is for my son to be baptized. The human side of me wants to rush right in there and get him baptized "just in case", but (at least in this instance) I know it would be putting faith in a work, my own action, to have him be saved.

I believed in Christ before my parents gave me my first bible and "how to know God personally" booklet at age 12, because I had already been exposed to the faith of my parents and their prayers, the church life, and of course, God, prior to. Baptised or not I don't believe baptism saves a person. I don't believe God is going to send a child to hell who believes and didn't get baptised. Biblical baptism is probably after a person believes though, I was baptised twice, once as infant, once as adult. I still call infant baptism baptism though, because they are immersed into the church and into Christ and they are prayed for and it is truly believed that they are birthed in the Holy Spirit and so if God honors that prayer the Holy Spirit will be in that child's life from that moment onwards. I feel I have a lot to owe infant baptism in my life so I don't count it as nothing. It was a Spirit-filled church with Spirit-filled people and so I really think God honored their prayers and God was with me from that moment on, if He was not before. But it's not magic, infant baptism is not going to do any good if the parents don't honor their committment to bring the child up in the faith.

Some churches/denominations make too many rules about how things should be done and that the Spirit doesn't come upon a person until after they've done this and done that and said this and said that, and they have to be water baptised in the right way in the right pool and with the right amount of water. Well I disagree, and if God wants to send someone to hell because they didn't get fully wet and just sprinkled as a baby well that's His decision. I mean, Jesus didn't die for us only for God to send us to hell if we don't get fully wet with water.

 

[mcap]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

I was saved and baptized three months ago.I am a former atheist and because of some crazy things that have happened I have come to believe in God and have accepted Christ in my life.If I told you my experiences you would not believe me.

 

[SamIam]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

My mom always had other people raise me, because most of the time she was to drunk or high to do so herself, I remember one of my aunts taking me from my mom and bringing me to church once. I remember specifically sitting in a circle with the other children learning about how much god loves us. i really believed it at the time, but as i got older this eventually faded,because i wondered,.... WHY if god loved me so much would he allow the things that he did to go on in my house. By the time highschool came around i had turned out just like my mother. I dropped out of school and did everything i possibly could to ruin and destroy myself... ... I was sent to a group home, that just so happend to have a christian counselor... .. After everything i had done and after i had tried to push god away as hard as i could, she explained that god still loved me... So much he died for me... And if it would have only been me on this earth he would have died for just me alone. I was so overwhelmedl i bowed my head and begged for forgivness, and asked jesus to come in my life and change me. That was the best day of my life, it always will be. I was 19 at the time.

 

[Abing]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

may 2005, i was 15

 

[Lauren]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Well I don't know, this isn't about baptism I don't think.

This is the second time I did this yesterday.....totally off the OP and totally mixed up. Apologies to the OP, apologies to mahogany snail, as you're right, this wasn't about baptism, and I don't know how I got on that track in this thread.

Back to the thread at hand.....

 

[MaggieMye]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

A child may be filled with the Spirit from birth. Its possible. Can you give scripture reference for this?
Nonetheless a child may pray to God. These people who say it cannot happen before they understand, don't understand God is in charge even before the child is born, the CHOICE TO believe and follow Jesus is never forced upon a child. What would be the point? He/she would simply be a robot, not a loving servant. God's timescale is not the same as ours. Seeds may be planted as an infant. Only through prophecy and prayer FOR the infant. Why not try speaking to a newborn and seeing if he/she responds to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Maybe then you'll understand that until they are older they cannot make the CHOICE to follow. "Seeds' in the Bible are metaphors for teachings and revelations; wisdom.
Maggie

 

[MahogonySnail]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

A child may be filled with the Spirit from birth. Its possible. Can you give scripture reference for this?

Well John the Baptist was inthis category. There may be others I dont know.

Nonetheless a child may pray to God. These people who say it cannot happen before they understand, don't understand God is in charge even before the child is born, the CHOICE TO believe and follow Jesus is never forced upon a child.

That's true, but that doesnt mean the Spirit doesn't or cant come upon them before they say yay or nay. John the Baptist and others did not have much choice about being chosen.

What would be the point? He/she would simply be a robot, not a loving servant.

The ability to choose/free will is not over-ridden just because God is in their life from a young age, even infancy.

God's timescale is not the same as ours. Seeds may be planted as an infant. Only through prophecy and prayer FOR the infant.

Or with the infant. Babies hear things, they learn things, they learn where to get fed from their mother, and other things like this. They can learn these things with God too I believe.

Why not try speaking to a newborn and seeing if he/she responds to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Maybe then you'll understand that until they are older they cannot make the CHOICE to follow.

Of course they cannot make a choice to follow until older, that is not what I'm saying here. I'm saying that they are much more likely to make a choice to follow, or find themselves following Christ anyway by nature. In this respect, it is more a choice not to follow, something they already have been exposed to and believe in thanks to the care and nurture of their parents and God etc. Choices to follow Christ is not just a dramatic altar call conversion or sinners prayer, it may simply be the child desiring and choosing to pray and study God's Word at an early age and continue in that as they grow older. The opportunity for choice presents at many times in a persons life.

 

[pickles]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Pickles: I too thought I had a memory of being in my crib in front of the window in the farm house that we lived in when I was about a year-1 1/2 years old. My mom tells me that it never happened. We didn't move to that farmhouse until I was about three years old. It is a false memory, most liikely a dream.
Bottom line is this: Unless you have (and I think you do) a live relationship with Jesus, you are not born again. And while most people can give their age or even a date as to when the transformation began, there are many who just gradually step into a realization of who He is.
Maggie

Hi Maggie, I'm sorry you dont believe what I say. I will add, one does not remember smell, what the light was like, the heat of the tears, ect. I remember this. Even how the air felt. Like I said, I had a tramatic childhood. Maby some choose to forget, I chose to remember. If you dont believe its ok. Jesus knows . Also on the scripture, It is not you who chose me but I who chose you. It is an important statement, it is meant to tell us that the gift of Jesus's love is already there. I believe that is why we say have you accepted Jesus into your heart? If it was something we chose, like, if you asked a person to love you. They could refuse. By God saying this, it is a promise that his love is already given. All we need to do is accept. I ll try to find the scripture again. God bless, pickles

 

[pickles]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

A child may be filled with the Spirit from birth. Its possible.
Nonetheless a child may pray to God. These people who say it cannot happen before they understand, don't understand God is in charge even before the child is born, God's timescale is not the same as ours. Seeds may be planted as an infant.

Thankyou for your post. How sad must it be to our Lord Jesus that some want to decide, or judge wether another christian, is or is not a christian. As children of Christ it is our responsibuility to encourage, even when one in knowlage sins, to support and love each other and yes speak to according to scripture. This is the time to be clear minded so we can pray. It is not those who question that I must prove my faith but through Jesus christ, before Our Father in heaven that I stand, in faith,hope and love. I know for many there is only the word and that our Lord Jesus has called you to this. But Just as I do in all things, be sure in faith before God our father in Our Lord Jesus's name. Because ultimately, that is who is your proof. The difficulty with all of us speaking through a computer is that the evidence is not compleate. We as christians should not have to constantly prove up all to other christians. As I recall didnt Peter have to do this because as he said, due to your lack of faith and foolishness.[ Please find the scripture for me those of you who are well verced] . Just because I have difficuty due to a disabuility{cognitive dislxia} does that mean I can not know Our Lord Jesus? That he could not have spoken to me as a small child, yea even today. Why must we limit the power of our Lord Jesus so. Did he not pour out a portion of his grace upon all of us. If we are to question anything here it would be why would one want to question or dismiss the faith of us as his children? To what perpose? When one has faith, hope, love and accepts Jesus as their Lord and savior why would any want to discourage their faith. I do not think any of us are ill intentioned. Just so fervent that we sometimes forget that it is in the name of our Lord Jesus through God our father that all that has been, is and will be. God bless, pickles

 

[MaggieMye]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Re #49:
John the Baptist is the EXCEPTION, not the norm. His birth was foretold BY AN ANGEL. John is the only one filled before his birth and he was so filled because God created him to be the Forerunner for Christ.

So unless someone's mother has had a visitation from an angel stating that they would become pregnant and their child would be filled while in the womb with Holy Spirit, it has not happened and won't.

Pickles wrote "By God saying this, it is a promise that his love is already given. All we need to do is accept…" Exactly. And a BABY is not able to accept without understanding.
It isn't your faith that I was questioning!
Maggie

 

[MaggieMye]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Did y'all see than when you click on a name and go to their profile is has a listing for "WHEN SAVED" ?? This indicates that, at least by the thinking of the originators of this website, we should all be able to give a date!
Maggie

 

[MahogonySnail]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Re #49:
John the Baptist is the EXCEPTION, not the norm. His birth was foretold BY AN ANGEL. John is the only one filled before his birth and he was so filled because God created him to be the Forerunner for Christ.

And who is to say God hasn't made other exceptions in the past 2000 years? I dont' want to limit God or say what God can or cannot do.

So unless someone's mother has had a visitation from an angel stating that they would become pregnant and their child would be filled while in the womb with Holy Spirit, it has not happened and won't.

Again, I don't want to limit what God can or cannot do. You seem to know what God will or will not do. Yes John the Baptist was someone very special. But since Pentecost God has poured out His Spirit upon all flesh, upon you and your children. What about transferance of the anointing of the Holy Spirit from a Spirit-filled and anointed mother to the child, that is possible.

 

[Lynn141312]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Salty and exciting this one is

I do not wish to continue the banter between infant baptism and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and savior.

But what I would like to know is how does one know that God was waiting around for you to accept Him? I don't believe that one day you can just do that, everything is in God's time, not yours. So what is the obsession with knowing the date you were "saved"?

And if you are saved, and your place in heaven is assured, what is the point of hanging out on Earth? If your saved, it's time to "fall asleep" and to go to Heaven, right?

This is why this way of thinking has never made sense to me. Because if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior and that is all you need to get to heaven, why pray? why help others? And last of all, where do you find this in the bible and where in the bible does it say "by the bible alone" you will find your faith?

And if the whole sola scriptura applies, what about Christians that read the Utmost for His Highest, or the Pilgrims Progress? (FYI- two books that I don't recommend, more for the fact that I'm not in agreement with Luther or Calvin)

 

[loveangel]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

I was 16 when I got saved. It was at Bible School. It was the best thing ever. I will never forget it as long as I live. It was the best feeling in the would. I wanted to go tell everyone that I got saved that night!!!!!! Danielle

 

[MaggieMye]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

And who is to say God hasn't made other exceptions in the past 2000 years? I dont' want to limit God or say what God can or cannot do. . Ps 15 4In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
What about transferance of the anointing of the Holy Spirit from a Spirit-filled and anointed mother to the child, that is possible This type of transference is always done by the laying on of hands. The hands were place either upon the head or the shoulders, NOT over the skin of the belly of the pregnant mother!

 

[MaggieMye]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

the CHOICE TO believe and follow Jesus is never forced upon a child.
That's true, but that doesnt mean the Spirit doesn't or cant come upon them before they say yay or nay. John the Baptist and others did not have much choice about being chosen.
What don’t you understand about free will and choice? Holy Spirit will NOT do anything to a person that that person is not willing for. That does not mean that Holy spirit does not MINISTER to an unsaved person, but He will not infill a person without their consent which an infant is unable to give.
Lynn wrote “But what I would like to know is how does one know that God was waiting around for you to accept Him? Matthew 18:14 "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
I don't believe that one day you can just do that, everything is in God's time, not yours. So what is the obsession with knowing the date you were "saved"? He waits for us: Revelation 3:20 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”
And if you are saved, and your place in heaven is assured, what is the point of hanging out on Earth? To carry out the Great commission, doing the Word of God, ministering Jesus to the lost If your saved, it's time to "fall asleep" and to go to Heaven, right? NO!!!
If everyone did that, then who would spread the Good News??
This is why this way of thinking has never made sense to me. Because if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior and that is all you need to get to heaven, why pray? Why pray?? Prayer is CONVERSATION WITH YOUR CREATOR!! why help others? And last of all, where do you find this in the bible and where in the bible does it say "by the bible alone" you will find your faith? Deut 4:2, Prov 30:6, and Rev 22:18
And if the whole sola scriptura applies, what about Christians that read the Utmost for His Highest, or the Pilgrims Progress? (FYI- two books that I don't recommend, more for the fact that I'm not in agreement with Luther or Calvin) The first is a teaching book and the 2nd is a work of fiction. People read the former so they can glean understanding of spiritual truths (as with all books, non-fiction, written to help us grow spiritually.) and they read the latter for entertainment.
Before you read scripture you should always pray and ask God for revelation and understanding. Read aloud, making it personal and a prayer Eph 1:17-21 and Eph 3:17-21...pray His word back to Him every day!
Loveangel wrote “I was 16 when I got saved. It was at Bible School. It was the best thing ever. I will never forget it as long as I live. It was the best feeling in the would. I wanted to go tell everyone that I got saved that night And THAT, friends is what it is all about!! There is a TRANSFORMATION when one becomes born again/saved. Babies can hardly be transformed when their nature is not even yet developed!
Maggie

 

[MahogonySnail]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

What don’t you understand about free will and choice? Holy Spirit will NOT do anything to a person that that person is not willing for. That does not mean that Holy spirit does not MINISTER to an unsaved person, but He will not infill a person without their consent which an infant is unable to give.

But since John the Baptist was filled from birth, that disproves your point that the Spirit will not infill a person without their consent. Seems like the Spirit does whatever He likes.
Luk 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

And who is to say God hasn't made other exceptions in the past 2000 years? I dont' want to limit God or say what God can or cannot do. . Ps 15 4In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

So you seem to know what God can and cannot do, and what He does and does not do, according to your own beliefs.

What about transferance of the anointing of the Holy Spirit from a Spirit-filled and anointed mother to the child, that is possibleThis type of transference is always done by the laying on of hands. The hands were place either upon the head or the shoulders, NOT over the skin of the belly of the pregnant mother!

lol i dont think it matters where the hands are placed, on the head or shoulders, or on the back or stomach. I don't think the Spirit comes just because of a certain method (eg hands on the head instead of hands on the belly of pregnant mother). The anointing was transferred even in items of clothing remember.

 

[Adelaide]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

I was saved last week
im 17 yrs old

 

[Cookie38115]

Re: How old were you when you became SAVED/accpeted Christ as your Lord & Savior??

Welcome!!! I love you and please believe you have made the right choice. God is an Awsome God and he can and will substain you through it all. I hope you are in a Bible Led Church Family and if you are not, please find one. You are on the winning side and our God is going to work mircles thru you and for you. You are so Loved. I love you and want only the best for you. Please stay in your word and stay close to God so He can lead you in the path He has choosen for you.

I was saved last week
im 17 yrs old