[P-Marlowe]

but believing in the salvation that He provides through His word was still ultimately in my hands not His.

You really need to think about that statement for a while.

Do you really believe it? You have made your belief your work (not God's), by taking the ultimate determination as to your eternal destiny out of the hands of God and into your own hands. Are you sure you want to do that?

If salvation is ultimately in your hands and not His, then you are in fact your own savior. Christ then becomes some kind of potential generic savior, but you become the ultimate Savior.

Think about that for a while.

[Uncle Chip]

If salvation is ultimately in your hands and not His, then you are in fact your own savior.

Nope --- your characterization is incorrect. I didn't die for my own sins, but I do believe in the Word of the God who did die for my sins. How does that make me my own saviour??? It no more does than Abraham who believed God and his belief was accounted to him for righteousness. Did that make Abraham his own promise-giver? He believed in the promise of the promise-giver. What's wrong with that???