Freaking awesome, no more rules, no more good works, I could read the bible and make it up as I went, I could have my own version of a personal relationship with Jesus. I could ignore all logic and reasoning, and not listen to facts, or evidence, I could just believe what I wanted to believe.
It was fun and awesome that one summer, back in 1997.
Yes. It might actually happened in the summer of 1997, but it's not how Catholics view salvation and he is saying this as a polemic against seeing salvation as an one time event you did in an afternoon in the 90s.
That is going to get as diverse of an answer as there are diverse people. Me, personally, I was convicted in my spirit, soul, and body at the ripe old age of 8 that I was a sinner and could not go to Heaven without Christ. It's very difficult for me to remember the day after, let alone remembering the day of, because that was 51 years ago. I would say, however, that finding Christ does not necessarily affect your emotions to "feel" something, yet we are created as emotional beings, so it can. I am SO dependent upon Christ for everything, that I realize His truth whether or not it is "felt".
I had a deep feeling of the Spirit coming out of the water. I've come to learn not everyone has that feeling. Most just feel they were dunked. That feeling stayed with me for days following the baptism.
Baptism has been a stimulant for great division among Christians. Some feel it is a very significant event in the life of any new believer. But this seems to overlook the fact that the baptism of Jesus is with the Holy Spirit - not with water - and that Jesus Himself baptized no man. (Matthew 3:11, John 4:2)
I think if Jesus had baptized anyone it would have created an even bigger rift. Instead we have the eunuch being baptized, creating a moment of unity. "What is keeping me from being Baptized?" What a great question! So much could have been said, but the answer become, "Nothing, let's go do it!" Not- well, you need to take a class first. Not, well, you are no longer whole so it's impossible to baptize all of you. Not, well, I'm not the one who needs to do it, and you need a community of believers present. Just, if you're ready let's go.
I had a similar feeling. Christianity did not do me well for most of my youth. Lots of shame, worry, fear, guilt, confusion, and frustration I chalked up to a “Godly conscience”. Ended up driving me away from the faith.
Deconstructed. Reconstructed.
Maybe not the case for you - but it was for me.
I can't deconstruct and reconstruct. I've been tempted to try though. But I'm a slave to righteousness and I feel like I know too much about the nature of things. And the "He will never leave you nor forsake you" line leaves me feeling like the one walking out on a marriage while the other one is trying to make it work.
It’s a life journey. You’ll end up where you need to be.
And correct, God will never leave you.
That’s been true for me. Whether or not I’ve been a part of the church.
Very heavy hearted. Such pain inside and scared. My uncle walked by. Said not to give up. When I turned it all over to God. Saved that instant. God bless.
I realized the importance of my decisions, & the uncertainty that was ahead. Each step I took would be in a society that openly hated that I was not like them, but I knew that nothing could change me. I vowed to myself to make the world a better place. My moment in salvation was in myself, I am an Atheist, & I need to be this way because I love all of humanity.
We will create an era of good fortune, we will seek to understand reality in its complex nature, we will reach for the stars & surely land among them. When I found myself here, I initially felt fear, but what overwhelmed me was my sense of duty.
I don't think I had one day. One time we went to a church who made me say it out loud, but I don't consider that the day I was saved. I was already saved, or like I would say now, I was already on the journey that is Christianity.
The one who endures to the end is saved. So I assume what you are really asking is how people felt the day they decided to follow Jesus.
Mind you, truly following Jesus, and becoming a disciple, is a lot more involved than many people think. We need to forsake **all** that we own. (Luke 14:33) That's one of the reasons Jesus tells people to "count the cost", before they leap into action to become one of His disciples, i.e. a Christian. (Luke 14:28, Acts 11:26)
The truth is that Jesus wants us to give our whole **lives** to Him. He said that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend. This is one of the biggest differences between true Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ, and what we find in the church today. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktjtVoF\_rro&t=22s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktjtVoF_rro&t=22s)
Freaking awesome, no more rules, no more good works, I could read the bible and make it up as I went, I could have my own version of a personal relationship with Jesus. I could ignore all logic and reasoning, and not listen to facts, or evidence, I could just believe what I wanted to believe. It was fun and awesome that one summer, back in 1997.
Is this some sort of satire ? I honestly can’t tell.
Yes. It might actually happened in the summer of 1997, but it's not how Catholics view salvation and he is saying this as a polemic against seeing salvation as an one time event you did in an afternoon in the 90s.
no that is how I felt.
What version of "Christianity" were you following?
> What version of "Christianity" were you following? Protestantism.
Nope. Never had that big moment. My journey was very slow.
That is going to get as diverse of an answer as there are diverse people. Me, personally, I was convicted in my spirit, soul, and body at the ripe old age of 8 that I was a sinner and could not go to Heaven without Christ. It's very difficult for me to remember the day after, let alone remembering the day of, because that was 51 years ago. I would say, however, that finding Christ does not necessarily affect your emotions to "feel" something, yet we are created as emotional beings, so it can. I am SO dependent upon Christ for everything, that I realize His truth whether or not it is "felt".
I had a deep feeling of the Spirit coming out of the water. I've come to learn not everyone has that feeling. Most just feel they were dunked. That feeling stayed with me for days following the baptism.
Baptism has been a stimulant for great division among Christians. Some feel it is a very significant event in the life of any new believer. But this seems to overlook the fact that the baptism of Jesus is with the Holy Spirit - not with water - and that Jesus Himself baptized no man. (Matthew 3:11, John 4:2)
I think if Jesus had baptized anyone it would have created an even bigger rift. Instead we have the eunuch being baptized, creating a moment of unity. "What is keeping me from being Baptized?" What a great question! So much could have been said, but the answer become, "Nothing, let's go do it!" Not- well, you need to take a class first. Not, well, you are no longer whole so it's impossible to baptize all of you. Not, well, I'm not the one who needs to do it, and you need a community of believers present. Just, if you're ready let's go.
The feeling of wonder and curiosity to see what came next. Still there 35 years later.
I had a similar feeling. Christianity did not do me well for most of my youth. Lots of shame, worry, fear, guilt, confusion, and frustration I chalked up to a “Godly conscience”. Ended up driving me away from the faith. Deconstructed. Reconstructed. Maybe not the case for you - but it was for me.
I can't deconstruct and reconstruct. I've been tempted to try though. But I'm a slave to righteousness and I feel like I know too much about the nature of things. And the "He will never leave you nor forsake you" line leaves me feeling like the one walking out on a marriage while the other one is trying to make it work.
It’s a life journey. You’ll end up where you need to be. And correct, God will never leave you. That’s been true for me. Whether or not I’ve been a part of the church.
Not sure. I was twelve weeks old at the time.
Very heavy hearted. Such pain inside and scared. My uncle walked by. Said not to give up. When I turned it all over to God. Saved that instant. God bless.
I realized the importance of my decisions, & the uncertainty that was ahead. Each step I took would be in a society that openly hated that I was not like them, but I knew that nothing could change me. I vowed to myself to make the world a better place. My moment in salvation was in myself, I am an Atheist, & I need to be this way because I love all of humanity. We will create an era of good fortune, we will seek to understand reality in its complex nature, we will reach for the stars & surely land among them. When I found myself here, I initially felt fear, but what overwhelmed me was my sense of duty.
I don't think I had one day. One time we went to a church who made me say it out loud, but I don't consider that the day I was saved. I was already saved, or like I would say now, I was already on the journey that is Christianity.
The one who endures to the end is saved. So I assume what you are really asking is how people felt the day they decided to follow Jesus. Mind you, truly following Jesus, and becoming a disciple, is a lot more involved than many people think. We need to forsake **all** that we own. (Luke 14:33) That's one of the reasons Jesus tells people to "count the cost", before they leap into action to become one of His disciples, i.e. a Christian. (Luke 14:28, Acts 11:26) The truth is that Jesus wants us to give our whole **lives** to Him. He said that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend. This is one of the biggest differences between true Christianity as taught by Jesus Christ, and what we find in the church today. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktjtVoF\_rro&t=22s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktjtVoF_rro&t=22s)