When Were You Saved?

“When were you saved?” I have been asked this question entirely too many times in my life. It has nearly always been from non-Lutherans of course; people I have met in school or at work. In most cases, they are looking for an answer of when I accepted Christ into my heart, or perhaps a story about answering an alter call. In any case, every time I have been asked this question, the person asking is looking for something I did. As anyone who has ever read this blog would know, this is certainly not the kind of answer they received. There is certainly no scriptural evidence for any of the types of conversion experiences they are expecting me to say. However, I have never been 100% sure how to respond to this question.

There are three answers I have at least contemplated at various stages throughout my life. The first of these answers is: “A little less than 2000 years ago when Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead.” There is really no need to explain this answer. It was on that very first Good Friday that Jesus conquered the unholy trinity of sin, death, and Satan. It was on this day that my sins were paid for. It was on this day that God himself declared “It is Finished” (John 19:30).

The previous answer is a relatively safe one, with Christians anyway (of course non-Christians would likely not ask the question in the first place). Although it is seldom (in fact it has never been as of yet) the answer that the person asking was looking for, it has never drawn serious criticism either. Most just leave it at that. The other two answers I have given have not been so well received.

The second answer I have considered for this question is “In Eternity.” Obviously, this answer is not so well received. My thoughts in this answer are based on verses such as those found in the first chapter of St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians as well as his first letter to Timothy:

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will" [Eph 1:4-5 NIV]

"But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." [2Ti 1:8-9 NIV]"

Even before the beginning of time itself, I was chosen by God as one of his elect. Even in eternity, the saving Grace of Jesus Christ was mine.

The final answer given is “At my Baptism, the Holy Spirit created saving faith in my heart.” Again, this is not a popular answer. There is certainly Biblical evidence that the Holy Spirit is received through Baptism, and in that same Baptism he works saving Faith in us:

"Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." [Act 2:38 NIV]

"He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" [Tit 3:5b NIV]


Obviously, all three of these answers have some credibility, and in reality they cannot be take apart from each other. In Romans 6:23, St. Paul speaks of our salvation as a gift from God. If we think of it in this way it makes perfect sense that the three things, Election, Christ's atoning death and resurrection, and our baptism cannot be separated; in fact they are all part of the same thing, giving a gift.

If are buying a gift for someone, the very first thing we do is determine what the gift will be and who will receive it. This is exactly what God did in his eternal election. He chose the gift of salvation, and he chose us to be “adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:5). He decided in eternity to give me this gift.

After determining the gifts' nature and recipients, the next thing we do is go and purchase the gift. Just as this is our next step, it was God's also. We purchase our gifts with money, God purchased our gift of salvation “not with Gold or Silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.” Jesus death on the cross was the purchase of our gift.
Finally, after we have decided on a gift and recipient, and after we have purchased the gift, we give it. As discussed before, this is exactly what God does for us in our baptism. In Baptism, as well as in the Lord's Supper, this salvation is made mine. It is in the sacraments, as well as the Word of God, that this wonderful gift of freedom from sin, death, and Satan in personalized and given to me.

Although all of these parts are necessary, I suppose that the most correct response to the question of “When were you saved?” is that each and everyone of us was saved in our baptism. The Gift may have been chosen and payed for, but in the sacrament, it is given to me.

SOLI DEO GLORIA