And I can even give you the date that everlasting life in Jesus was conferred on me freely by His Father instantly upon my full confession of worthlessness, trusting in Jesus alone to rescue me from the grasp of self, sin, and Satan, and that was May 24, 1971 at the age of 34. Life has shown me that I cannot save myself, that Jesus saved me in spite of what I was. Someday He will show me that it was worthwhile to Him, when He perfects what He has begun.
(And I am not a "Protestant," by the way, nor engaged with any denomination.)