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I'll try to make this as short and to the point as possible. I was raised in a Baptist church. Their belief is that to be saved, one must confess their sins and ask Jesus to come into their hearts. Baptism follows.
I left the Baptist church years ago because I thought they were a bit strict and condemning on many issues and I stayed out of church for 30+ years.
A few years ago, I wanted to get myself right with God and so I did. I have been attending a Church of Christ church. I assumed they believed the same way I did because the pastor teaches the scripture and as long as someone does that, I'm okay with it. Now, for some reason, I'm reading their belief system and there seems to be a difference in opinions of salvation. I've never given this much thought until today but I'm going to ask a couple of my C of C friends what their opinion of salvation is.
I was invited to a Lutheran church and I attended it yesterday for the first time. I've read up some on how the Lutherans believe and I'll probably end up talking to the pastor also. The Lutherans believe, (from what I'm understanding) that salvation is obtained through baptism.
I'm a bit confused as I've always thought that there is only one way to get salvation and that is to ask forgiveness and invite Christ into your heart but these other two denominations call themselves Christians and they seem to think differently on salvation.
So the question is, how do we know we have true salvation? I know I do. Could all these denominations be right?
It's confusing to me as I've been taught a certain way all my life and I know what I believe but the Lutherans are the oldest protestant church around and I was thinking that maybe some of these other denominations broke off from them.
I've asked a couple questions yesterday to some ladies at potluck after the service and the answers are sufficient as far as how they do communion but I don't get the salvation through baptism only issue.
I was wondering how there could be so many interpretations of the Bible.
Jesus didn't. He saved the man on the cross next to Him without baptism.
Um, Finn... How do you know for sure that the man on the cross hadn't been baptized? I'm not saying he wasn't, but just because someone has been baptized, that doesn't mean he can't later commit a crime. Check out the prisons throughout the United States and see how many of the inmates have been baptized.
Um, Finn... How do you know for sure that the man on the cross hadn't been baptized? I'm not saying he wasn't, but just because someone has been baptized, that doesn't mean he can't later commit a crime. Check out the prisons throughout the United States and see how many of the inmates have been baptized.
Jesus did not ask about his baptism, he simply said "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise" after the man had repented.
I know about your beliefs that one cannot be saved without baptism, and that you baptize even for the dead, but I do not agree with that belief.
Jesus did not ask about his baptism, he simply said "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise" after the man had repented.
I know He didn't. Maybe He knew something about the man you don't know. At any rate, nobody can say for sure whether the man had been baptized or not.
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I know about your beliefs that one cannot be saved without baptism, and that you baptize even for the dead, but I do not agree with that belief.
Fair enough.
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At any rate, nobody can say for sure whether the man had been baptized or not. 
