How did I become saved. . .
Quite simply back in 1979 I joined a ministry which was founded entirely on the principals of the King James Version of the Bible. They believed this version of the Bible was indeed the actual Word of God as He inspired holy men in old times to write His Word in their own style of speech.
This ministry sounded like the answer to my prayers. I was hungry to learn how to read the Bible. I had looked though not too hard to find an organized religion where I could learn the depth of the Word but there none teaching it. My family had several copies of the Bible in our home. Each was a dusty as the other. One was in Greek and belonged to my father when he lived in Sparta, Greece. Though I had a Greek background through my father who has since passed I never learned how to read Greek. So I could not read his Greek Bible but I did know the names of the usual food items like baklava and gyro’s. I do remember the first time I opened an English translation of the King James Bible and it proved to be as “Greek to me” as the original Greek translation I tried to read earlier.
So when this ministry provided the opportunity to learn how to read the KJV of the Bible I was all onboard. Please understand this. I did not know one version from another. I was happy to be learning whatever version they offered, I just wanted to know God’s Word. I have since found there are actually 50 different versions available on “YouVerse” and at least one more which I have referenced in this book.
I found there were several important takeaway’s from this ministry. One was the knowledge I was now an adopted son of God and Jesus Christ. Which meant that Jesus was my step brother, spiritually speaking. God had chosen me before the foundation of the universe and He knew in His foreknowledge I would make the commitment to follow His Son. I also learned I was saved when I made the commitment to follow Jesus Christ and accept him as my Lord and Saviour and even more. Being saved is another name for salvation. I also believed God raised Jesus from the dead while he was still in the tomb. One of the additional blessings of this commitment is I get to spend eternity with God and Jesus Christ as well as all the other “born again” saints.
Before I go too far it is very important you understand where and how God’s word is made up. In II Peter 1:20”Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.” When you begin any study concerning God’s Word you should understand this one thing “first.” The Bible is made up entirely of “prophecies.” Webster defines this word as “a prediction of things to come.” A great deal of the New Testament was written circa 50 A.D. The second most important fact is, none of the scriptures in the KJV of the Bible are of private interpretation. Meaning young, middle-aged or old people did not just sit around and make up these verses. The next verse is from II Peter 1:2 “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” As I said earlier, these holy men did not sit around the camp fires writing scriptures. These holy men of God were “moved” or inspired by revelation from God to speak exactly the words He wanted them to speak. Then those words were in turn written down just as they were spoken. Keep this in mind pencils and paper as you know them today did not exist so it took some time to acquire parchment and writing instruments.
Now would you like to be saved?
Silly question, of course you want to be saved. God in all His spiritual glory will accept you just the way you are right now. Even though you may be imperfect, a sinner, rejected, confused, lonely, divorced, married, in jail, childless, on whatever drug of choice is happening at the moment. It does not make any difference to God. He does not care what color or race nor ethnicity you are. God does not care about your sexual preferences or your present or past circumstances. He will accept you right now just the way you are and once He accepts you He will love you forever and He will never forsake or leave you. God says all this in His Word, the only hitch is you have to believe what He says.