Actually I was saved when I was 19 years old, back in May of 1953 after I had attended a Non-Denominatioal Church/Chapel.
For over 3 years I had heard: “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
The message was enhanced to me that night, by hearing: “If you do and go to hell, it will be because you never asked the Lord to save you!” He said, you may be a member of this church, you may be in the choir, or be a deacon, but have never “Called on the name of the Lord,you are not saved but, you can ask the Lord to save you right now,tonight.”
And I did, and I have never had any doubt about the indwelling, and presence of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Praise God, I did not earn, or deserve eternal life, it was by His mercy, grace and his gift that He saved me!”
Tell me how you came to know Jesus Christ as your Saviour! I know you know He (Jesus) added to the church daily such as would be saved.”
Some tell you, you have to be baptized to be saved, and you must be a member of their church to go to heaven. Others say you have to keep the law, and the Sabbath. Others, say you cannot go to heaven, unless you believe the in the literal blood and body is in the elements as you remember Hin in His death.
I’m just so thankful, God in His holy soveriegnty, did not say that in: “To as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.” (John 1:12)
Neither did he add all these in John 3:16-17. Nor in Romans 10:9-10 or Romans 10:13)
Our God said: Receive; believe, repent and call and we shall be saved!
Man (and Satan) make salvation complicated/God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ keeps it simple, where even a child can receive and believe!
We can claim the promise in Phil. 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that He that hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
And we know: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” (1 Peter 1:23)
I was raised in a Christian home and from my earliest memories, i have believed Jesus died for my sins and by the grace of God, i have been reconciled to the Father thru being in Christ. All those who die in Christ will be saved, those outside of Christ will not.
when you say “some say you must be baptized to be saved” are you referring to Jesus, Peter, Luke and Paul as recorded in the Bible? OR are you referring to the Catholic Church which received this from the Apostles?
you seem like a very sincere man, i have a very simple question for you and i hope you think about it before answering. The Apostles and disciples of Christ spread out far and wide in the years after Jesus’s ascension into heaven, preaching the Gospel and adding to the Church all that should be saved. Can you name any Christians after the Apostle John died until the the 16th century that believed Baptism was not how you had your sins washed away and how you were added to the Church? You say Satan makes salavation complicated, but it’s the Holy Spirit that leads the Church into all truth, so it is the pillar of truth. Read Second John verses 9-11, you seem to have a different doctrine than the orthodox, historical Church has received.