Hey, Pastor John!
When did the “get saved” doctrine start? I’m sure you’ve said it before. I looked online and couldn’t find anything that really points to a date. Was there a person or event that started it? Thanks!
Leah
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Hi, Leah.
That is an important question, to which there is probably no specific answer. At least, I have never found one. It was probably a process that slowly led up to the “get saved” madness that swept so many believers off their feet in the twentieth century. What we know is that the call of Christian ministers for sinners to “come get saved” was a new phenomenon in the early twentieth century. The following was my father’s experience in 1925, taken from my book about his life:
The early twentieth century was a pivotal time in history for the saints in America. The non-Biblical concept of “getting saved”, now commonly taught and accepted among believers, was just beginning to take root. Clarence had grown up as a Free Will Baptist, and he had never heard the phrase, “getting saved”. Among the vast majority of Christians of the time, conversion was called conversion, or “born again”, but never “getting saved”. The first time Clarence ever heard of someone “getting saved” was during a lecture at the Seminary by a visiting speaker from California. When the speaker claimed that he had “gotten saved”, Clarence turned to his fellow seminarian and good friend, a young man from Florida named I. J. Blackwelder, and asked, “Blackwelder, what’s he talking about when he says that he ‘got saved’?”
Blackwelder replied, “I don’t know, but I think he means ‘converted’.”
Clarence and Blackwelder decided they should do their own study of the Scriptures and see about this new phrase, “getting saved”. They went to the seminary library, did their research, and concluded that the guest speaker was in error. There was no such phrase in the Bible. “Conversion”, they learned, is not a synonym for “salvation”. Conversion is, as they had always heard, an experience to be had now in this life, and salvation is the promised reward to be given to the converted (if they are faithful to Jesus) when the Lord returns. They shrugged off the lecturer’s strange doctrine of “getting saved” and returned to their seminary studies. Neither of them expected that the new doctrine of sinners “getting saved” when they repent would become standard doctrine among evangelicals in their lifetime. At the beginning of the twentieth century; it was not the normal confession of believers. By the end of the twentieth century, “getting saved” had become the very heart of the gospel for many millions of Christians around the world.
Pastor John
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Hey Pastor John
I was listening to the Old Testament* CDs today. We are up to the Law. You said one thing we must know is that The Law is God’s Law not Moses’ Law!!!!
God’s Law is right! Even to the extent earthly nations follow the Law they are blessed! Even to this day! The result of all wrong ideals about the Law has been contempt for all laws.
Christians believe they will be saved no matter how they live! It is contempt for government!!!
Wow Pastor John we see the effect of this doctrine in this country! It is becoming more and more lawless!!!!
Thank you for all your teachings! I love them!!
Sue
* Old Testament Course (Pt. 1) – Going to Jesus.com