struggled with the question

I have struggled with the question, “When was I saved” for many years. I have studied the subject for many years. And have been given much light on the subject.

I believe the Word of God is clear regarding the matter of salvation. Jesus said:

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”…36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him {John 3:18, 36}

This is simply telling us that there are two groups of people in the world today – those who believe on the Son and those who do not. It’s that simple. Those who believe are not condemned; they have everlasting life. Those who believe not on the Son are condemned already, and they shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on them.

If you will notice, the Word of God never says, “simply believe and be saved”; rather, it seeks always to identify the object of faith, which is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the word, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth In Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

It is not enough just to believe; a person must believe “in Him”.

The Philippian jailer asked, “Sir, what must I do to be saved?” The Apostle Paul answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” {Act 16:30, 31}

You see, it is not enough just to believe; a person must believe “in Him”.

If a person is trusting in baptism for salvation, he cannot be trusting “in Him”. Christ is not one way to salvation; He is the ONLY way salvation.

There is no promise in the Word of God to those who believe partially in Christ. In other words we cannot trust in the Lord Jesus 90% and in baptism 10%.

We must trust Christ and what He did at Calvary 100% and nothing else.

Just because you were baptized as a baby does not save you!

You must trust Christ alone.

Conclusion;

All of this begs a question, “when is a person saved”? Let us look to the Scriptures.

Ephesians 1:4-5 “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will”.

So He chose us and before the foundation of the world and predestinated us unto the adoption of children, according to the good pleasure of His will. But we are not saved before the foundation of the word, so when were we saved?

How about  Ephesians 1:13 “In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation”:

What? When? “After that ye heard the word of truth”. Not before! Look at the last half of this verse.

Ephesians 1:13b “in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”.

It seems very simple; ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED!  Not before. And that’s the Baptism that counts; “now repent and be water baptized as a sign of that seal and obedience to a command for new believers.” “And you are a new believer”, “AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED!” 

Our relationship moves to next level

Our relationship moves to next level

   Its funny, right now I can remember every date we ever had in detail. And for the most part our dating was just like every one else’s dating. Nothing special, but every date was special to me and every date brought us a little closer to one another. There are a lot of stories to tell, but I think I’ll just write about the ones that are the most heartfelt memories to me… the ones that mean the most to me. The story I’m about to tell is another thing I’ll never understand. I’m just glad it happened. So here we go.

One day I decided I didn’t want to live without Charlotte. I liked our relationship but “the time had come” so to speak. My mom had asked what my intentions for Charlotte were. I said “Nothing. I like things the way they are." Mom said "Bull****” and "If you keep messing around you’ll lose her." Hummm, right after that I moved a refrigerator for her Mom. And I overheard her mom say, “If you lose him you’re a fool” …so her mom liked me. OK time to test the water. So that evening I asked her “If I were to ask you to marry me, would you?” She said “no” and then gave me a come and get me look. You would have to know Charlotte to understand that and I’m sure if her sisters read this they are laughing right now. So I knew.

Next I had to steal a ring from her without her knowing (for her ring size…I did :)

Next I had a ring made. Two Marquise Rubies and little Diamonds surrounding the center Diamond Yellow Gold Ring. It took awhile to get it and I never told her. But now that I had it, I couldn’t wait. Now comes the part I’ll never understand. Just like not understanding the time with my dad telling me she was the one.

I went over to Charlotte’s house. Ann (her mom) was there. That was not unusual, and I kind of liked it… most of the time, just not this time. Sometimes we'd talk a few minutes and we'd leave for a date and some times she would just leave and Charlotte would fix me something and we would talk and watch TV. Most of the time Ann would leave within 10 to 15 minutes. But not this night… I couldn’t get rid of her. She seemed to know, but how. 
A couple of weeks before I had asked Charlotte what she would say, but later I asked Charlotte and she said, “I never told anybody about that” and besides how could she know this was the night. That ring was burning a whole in my pocket. I got desperate. I had waited a long time for Ann to leave and she wasn’t going to leave. So right in front of Ann I took Charlotte by the hand and said I need to talk to you privately. Right in front of Ann I pulled her daughter in to her bedroom. (I promise you that wouldn’t work for a young man to pull my daughter in to any bed room)…but Ann never said anything. I took her to the end of her bed, got down on one knee and asked, “will you marry me?”… long pause… was she playing me?… then a tear came and she said yes. I stood up, we kissed and hugged and then I pulled out the ring and put it on her finger. She looked at it and lost her breath. We both teared up and kissed again. Remember Ann is still outside of the bedroom. We had to wait a minute, I couldn’t let anybody see me cry…Ann still waiting…and then we came out. When we came out Ann didn’t even look at our faces. We must have been in there for 15min. and went we came out Ann was looking right at Charlotte’s ring finger. They hugged and hugged and then she hugged me. And then she left.

Somehow she knew, and I always wondered how. I even asked, and she said, “I just knew” But how? I’ll never forget that night. But I can tell you this, Ann loved me and I loved her. And this will always be a precious memory…But I’ll never understand how she knew.

49 days, and Charlotte I still love you more than ever. I miss you so much!!!  

     I wrote this over two years ago, it is amazing to me how consistent my thought and feelings about this woman have been.

         

        Today is a day that lives in conspicuous importance, “To me anyway”. Because today is the 30^th anniversary of the day when I married Charlotte Ann Carnell, the most beautiful person I’ve ever known. She has been 100% faithful in every way. She has been faithful to her children. She has been faithful to me. But most of all she has been faithful to her God. And I suppose I love her most of all for that.

     She has always been there for me, she has never given up on me and she has never given me a reason to doubt her. Even when I was not so good to her, she was good to me. When I’ve been down she was there, when the kids have been sick she was there. When someone we know needs help she is there. I think faithful is the best word to describe Charlotte.

      It’s true I married her for her “good looks”, but God has been good to me, because she is so much more. Her faithful character is more beautiful than her “good looks” ever were. And so it’s easy for me to say, “because it true” I love her more to day, than I ever have. After 30 year I find her more exciting today than ever.

      I had the privilege of introducing her to Christ. And since that time I have watch her in amazement as she has become the most godly and God fearing woman I have ever known. And I live with her, I know. And no one will ever appreciate more than I, “never”.

      And so what can I say, except God is been good to me in giving me a faithful wife, whom I love and adore. She makes it ease. And what more can I say. 

Day 42 and I miss her more than ever. 

You were a great mother. And I will always love you.

A friend of mine's wife wrote this

after Charlotte passed.

Thank you Jennifer.

Help me Remember

(Psalm 43:5-8)

The waves you brought have stripped me bare

Torn apart by winds of life

Oh my God my soul is down

Broken, I cry to you

Help me remember

Your lovingkindness in the daytime

And in the night your song

Help me remember

Your tender mercy and faithful leading

Let me hope remain in you

Anger threatens at the door

Questions rage within my mind

Oh my God my soul is down

Sinking, I cry to you

Help me remember

Your lovingkindness in the daytime

And in the night your song

Help me remember

Your tender mercy and faithful leading

Let me hope remain in you

Loneliness—a heavy cloud

Through the fog it's hard to see

Your rainbow shining in the sky

Gently guiding me 

Help me remember

Your lovingkindness in the daytime

And in the night your song

Help me remember

Your tender mercy and faithful leading

Let me hope remain in you

Written by Jennifer Nicole Wenneker on April 31, 2013

Loving memories

The second date; Charlotte was still not too sure about me, but she did agree to a double date with Carl and Barbie. We decided to go to a movie. What movie I can’t remember, it didn’t matter to me, it was our second date and would be our last. (Remember, I had “rules.”) Back in those days you would go to a theater, with only one movie. I remember it was at the Palace Theater in Peoria. I don’t remember the movie, but what a night.

   This is how it started; I was cheap, so we got there a little early so I could park in the street close to the theater. It was cold, and the wind was blowing. You could see little snow trails blowing across the street. Right across from the Palace was a store with a recessed door way. The store was closed, so Charlotte and I stood inside the recess to get out of the wind and wait for Carl and Barbie. It was so cold, that even though she still didn’t trust me, when I opened up my coat she stepped inside of it and I put my arms around her to keep her warm. (I liked that.) From where I was standing, I could see a parking garage. (You know the kind that cost money,) as I looked across the street and saw a little short girl, with little short legs going 90MPH. It was Barbie. Carl was not as cheap as me and had paid to park. (I think Barbie was even shorter than Charlotte) But here is what else I saw. Behind her was a man, a big dude that kind of looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. He was running behind her with a limp. It looked like one leg was 6” shorter than the other. He had one arm up in the air, with his hand in the shape of a claw. It was Carl. I pointed and started laughing, Charlotte turned around and started laughing. When Barbie saw us she (still running) turned and saw Carl. Up came her purse and she started chasing Carl. Carl, his hand still in the air, keeping up the limp, started to run away yelling “help me, help me”. I laughed until I cried. All through the movie, every once in a while I would break into a laugh.

    But here is the problem, I couldn’t watch the movie because when we were together we had fun. And this was our last date. She could see something was wrong, so she asked, “What’s wrong?” I said “nothing”. It was right then that I decided we would go on one more date, nobody knew about the rules but me and so no one would know I was breaking the rules. I was relieved and the rest of the night was a blast.

Those were the day, and I thought they would never end…sounds like a song J

I don’t know why this is such a precious memory, but it is. Maybe it’s because it was the first time I put my arms around her. But I remember it like it was yesterday.

Day 30 and missing her more than ever.

This is a list of questions I ask my self every now and again.

I just ran across it again today.

It’s been a long time since I’ve asked them to my self… and right now

I’m finding it very hard to ask them to my self.

1.What if this isn’t the end but a new beginning?

2. What if the answer to my prayer is just over the next hill?

3. What if this is necessary in order for me to be prepared for the next important chapter in my life?

4. What if God knows exactly what I need at this particular time?

5. What if God is speaking to me through means I would not have chosen for a blessing I cannot see?

6. What does this experience make possible?

7. What will I be tilling my grandchildren that I learned was so valuable in this season of my life?

The reason I’m having a hard time asking these questions to myself is, these question are the question Charlotte and I would ask ourselves when something was going on we had a hard time understanding.  And I’ve never had to ask them by myself before. And how I’m not so sure I like the questions so much anymore.

Day 28 and still missing her…more than ever.

Funny story about Charlotte

One day the sharpest and hardest pain in my abdomen, so I did something I never like to do. I when to the doctor. When I got there I couldn’t even sit down. I just keep pacing around the waiting room. He took me in a room checked me over, handed me a cup and said pee in the cup. I did and then just keep pacing. He said you have a stone we will take you to the hospital. I said I’ll meet you there got in my car and went. When I got there he gave me a shot of (dimmer all) for pain and so I could relax. And put me in a room. (This is the short story) I passed the stone in the bathroom by my self, but I caught it in the bottle they gave me. I screamed in relief. Nurse came running in, I turned away and said “excuse me” she said she was supposed to be there when I did this thing. (Right, no thanks).

So all that to tell you this. The doctor said now you can tell your wife you know what its like to have a baby, passing a stone is the equivalent of having a baby. So when I saw Charlotte I told her doc said, “Passing a stone is the equivalent of having a baby”. With out missing a beat she looked right at me and said “was it as big as a bowling ball!”

Me; lol  …day 21 missing her more then ever.