When Were You Saved?

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Our salvation was secured by Jesus long before we made any decision. Our faith doesn’t save us, or cause God to change his mind about us.

Program Transcript

Before
Christ was crucified, Peter was with him, eating, living, and interacting with him
for at least three years. Yet, when crunch time came, Peter vigorously denied
his Lord three times. Along with all the other disciples, he fled into the
night, leaving Jesus to face crucifixion alone.

Three
days later, the risen Christ appeared to these very disciples; those who had
denied him and run away. Several days later he appeared to Peter, James, and
John while they were casting nets from their fishing boat, inviting them to breakfast
on the shore.

Despite
the faithlessness of Peter and the disciples, Jesus never stopped being
faithful to them.

Here’s
a question. If we had to identify the precise moment when Peter was saved, what
would we say?

Was
he saved when Jesus first chose him as a disciple? Was it when Jesus said, “On
this rock I will build my church”? Or when Peter said to Jesus, “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God”?

Was
he saved at the moment when he was convinced of Jesus’ resurrection? Was it
when Jesus appeared to the disciples on the shore and then asked Peter, “Do you
love me?” and then told him, “Feed my sheep”? Or was it at Pentecost when the
assembled group was filled with the Holy Spirit?

Or
was it none of the above?

One
thing we know: The Peter we see in Acts is definitely a believer—a bold and
uncompromising one at that. But precisely when conversion happened, whether for
Peter, or in comparison—ourselves, is not easy to pin down. We can’t say it
happened at baptism. We get baptized because
we believe, not before we believe. We
can’t even say it happens at the moment
of belief, because it is not our belief that saves us, it’s Jesus
who saves us.

Paul
says it this way in Ephesians 2:4-9: “…because of his great love for us, God, who
is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved…. For it is by grace you have
been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

The
truth is, our salvation was secured by Jesus 2000 years ago—in fact, from the
foundation of the world—long before we ever made any decision. Our faith
doesn’t save us, or cause God to change his mind about us. God always loved us
and he will never stop loving us. We are saved by his grace, and for one reason
only—because he loves us. When we believe, we are simply seeing for the first
time the way things really are. We’re finding out the truth that God loves us,
wants us and includes us in Jesus Christ. We’re finally walking in the Light,
following the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Author of eternal
salvation.

And
that’s good news.

I’m
Joseph Tkach, speaking of LIFE.

Program Transcript

Before
Christ was crucified, Peter was with him, eating, living, and interacting with him
for at least three years. Yet, when crunch time came, Peter vigorously denied
his Lord three times. Along with all the other disciples, he fled into the
night, leaving Jesus to face crucifixion alone.

Three
days later, the risen Christ appeared to these very disciples; those who had
denied him and run away. Several days later he appeared to Peter, James, and
John while they were casting nets from their fishing boat, inviting them to breakfast
on the shore.

Despite
the faithlessness of Peter and the disciples, Jesus never stopped being
faithful to them.

Here’s
a question. If we had to identify the precise moment when Peter was saved, what
would we say?

Was
he saved when Jesus first chose him as a disciple? Was it when Jesus said, “On
this rock I will build my church”? Or when Peter said to Jesus, “You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God”?

Was
he saved at the moment when he was convinced of Jesus’ resurrection? Was it
when Jesus appeared to the disciples on the shore and then asked Peter, “Do you
love me?” and then told him, “Feed my sheep”? Or was it at Pentecost when the
assembled group was filled with the Holy Spirit?

Or
was it none of the above?

One
thing we know: The Peter we see in Acts is definitely a believer—a bold and
uncompromising one at that. But precisely when conversion happened, whether for
Peter, or in comparison—ourselves, is not easy to pin down. We can’t say it
happened at baptism. We get baptized because
we believe, not before we believe. We
can’t even say it happens at the moment
of belief, because it is not our belief that saves us, it’s Jesus
who saves us.

Paul
says it this way in Ephesians 2:4-9: “…because of his great love for us, God, who
is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in
transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved…. For it is by grace you have
been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

The
truth is, our salvation was secured by Jesus 2000 years ago—in fact, from the
foundation of the world—long before we ever made any decision. Our faith
doesn’t save us, or cause God to change his mind about us. God always loved us
and he will never stop loving us. We are saved by his grace, and for one reason
only—because he loves us. When we believe, we are simply seeing for the first
time the way things really are. We’re finding out the truth that God loves us,
wants us and includes us in Jesus Christ. We’re finally walking in the Light,
following the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Author of eternal
salvation.

And
that’s good news.

I’m
Joseph Tkach, speaking of LIFE.

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