Some Christians will ask, \u201cwhen were you saved?\u201d. Generally, the people who ask this question have experienced a time in their lives when they felt a profound conversion in their lives and gave their lives over to Christ. This is when they believe they were saved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The terminology of \u201cbeing saved\u201d has solid roots in the Bible. Jesus himself says to people, \u201cYour faith has saved you.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another phrase to consider here is \u201cborn again.\u201d\u00a0 It comes from Jesus\u2019 meeting with Nicodemus at the beginning of chapter 3 in the Gospel of John<\/a>.\u00a0 In verse 3, Jesus speaks of being \u201cborn from above.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Nicodemus mistakenly interprets this as \u201cborn again\u201d with one reentering their mother\u2019s womb to be born again.\u00a0 Jesus corrects Nicodemus to understand \u201cborn from above<\/em>\u201d as \u201cbeing born of water and spirit.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 These verses as I have quoted them are from the New American Bible Revised Edition<\/em>, the official translation by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops<\/a>.\u00a0 If one looks at other translations, one can see that the terminology of \u201cborn again\u201d is carried throughout the passage (for example, see John 3 in the King James translation<\/a>). \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using the King James translation, one can readily see a basis for speaking of the need \u201cto be born again.\u201d\u00a0 Returning to the New American Bible Revised Translation,<\/em> Jesus says, \u201cAmen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit<\/em>\u201d (John 3:5<\/a>).\u00a0 If we want to enter Heaven, we need to be \u201cborn of water and Spirit.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The question is how is this experienced by us in this world. Those who ask, \u201cwhen were you saved\u201d look to a distinct moment of conversion. What about a person who has been a faithful Christian their entire life? They have not experienced a specific time of conversion in their lives. Are they saved? <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are looking for a particular moment when one is \u201cborn of water and spirit<\/em>,\u201d one needs to look no further than Baptism. At Baptism, we are born of water as water is poured over us as we are cleansed of our past sins and receive the gift of eternal life. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down upon him as the Holy Spirit comes down us in our baptism. We are \u201cborn of water and spirit<\/em>\u201d at Baptism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The question I am really interested in today is Baptism a guarantee that we will go to Heaven.\u00a0 Those who ask \u201cwhen were you saved\u201d might <\/em>reply here, \u201conce saved, always saved.\u201d\u00a0 Does this mean that once you have experienced this profound conversion, your future sins do not matter?\u00a0 I think a better way of seeing how they understand it would be to say that if you have given your life to Christ, you aren\u2019t going to sin (see 1 John 3:4-10<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Without question, when we turn our lives to Christ, our goal should be to sin no more (just as Jesus tells the woman caught in adultery to do, John 8:11<\/a>).\u00a0 As Catholics, when we go to confession in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we say an Act of Contrition that includes us saying that we firmly resolve to sin no more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, we may repeat our sins.\u00a0 Here, we find hope in Matthew 18:22<\/a> where Jesus says that we need to keep forgiving over and over.\u00a0 Every time we come to Jesus with a truly repentant heart, we will be forgiven.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7<\/a>), Jesus says, \u201cI tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance<\/em>\u201d (Luke 15:7<\/a>).\u00a0 Of course, God desires that we never sin again but God is a loving father who is eager to forgive us (Parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32<\/a>).\u00a0 We were once lost in sin but are found in Christ when we turn to him with repentant hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ezekiel 33:10-20<\/a> offers us important guidance and comfort<\/em>.\u00a0 In verse 11, we read, \u201cAs I live\u2014oracle of the Lord\u00a0God\u2014I swear I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 God does not want us to die in sin.\u00a0 He wants us to turn from our sinful ways to live in the life He offers us.\u00a0 Jesus himself assures us of this when He says, \u201cFor God so loved the world that he gave\u00a0his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.\u00a0 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn\u00a0the world, but that the world might be saved through him<\/em>\u201d (John 3:16-17<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Ezekiel 33:11<\/a>, we read \u201cThe justice of the just will not save them on the day they sin; the wickedness of the wicked will not bring about their downfall on the day they turn from their wickedness.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 Just because we live most of our lives according to the Lord\u2019s justice<\/em>, does not guarantee our salvation if we choose <\/em>to sin at the end.\u00a0 In the same way, one could live a sinful life but at the end, turn their hearts to God and be saved.\u00a0 Being saved, receiving our place in Heaven, is not a question of having done more good than bad.\u00a0 It is a matter of what is in our hearts at the moment we face our judgment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you seek a place in Heaven because it is better than Hell?\u00a0 Or do you seek a place in Heaven because you truly believe Jesus is the way and the truth and the life<\/em>\u00a0 (see John 14:1-6<\/a>)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trust in Jesus and He will<\/u><\/em><\/strong> save you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peace,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Some Christians will ask, \u201cwhen were you saved?\u201d. Generally, the people who ask this question have experienced a time in their lives when they felt a profound conversion in their lives and gave their lives over to Christ. This is when they believe they were saved. The terminology of \u201cbeing saved\u201d has solid roots in …<\/p>\n