Romans 10:9-10 proclaims, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (NIV) As many times as I have heard this scripture and the message of salvation preached, I have at times asked myself, am I saved?
I am at a point in my life and my walk with God that I no longer ask that question but I remember this being something that I would often ponder because of the many things that seemed to get me off track of what I knew to be called, “being saved”.
When I first got saved at age 10, something that I believe I truly was, I was completely sold out for Jesus. How hard could it have been at age 10 to stay saved other than to be obedient to my parents and teachers? However, by the time I reached my teens and discovered boys, cussing, and many other things that were not considered sanctified, I swayed and I felt I was so far away from a saved life.
Even as an adult, I dealt with struggle after struggle from promiscuity, partying, drinking, and other things inconsistent with a life of salvation that even though I was going to church, I had to keep asking myself was I saved?
How was it that I kept slipping and falling if I was supposed to be saved? I never stopped believing in Jesus is Lord and that He was raised from the dead, even in my sins, but I kept asking God and myself, am I saved?
I was not looking for a free pass for my sins but I was truly concerned about my salvation and if I would find myself in an eternal hell or resting at the feet of my Father. I had done so much since age 10, I thought there was no way I was saved.
I used to always hear folks say, “Once saved, always saved,” not having a clue what that really meant because I knew I was a sinner so how in the world could I be saved all these years.
It wasn’t until I got into my Word and in a relationship with the Father that I began to understand that at age 10, I was saved. God had already started my rescue process at that age to set me up for where I am now.
Religion and people have defined what being saved is but Webster’s dictionary defines saved as, “set aside, retain, preserve, conserve, keep safe or rescue from harm or danger; to preserve a person’s soul from damnation.”
All that time, I was saved. God set me aside years ago to ensure that I would be kept safe and rescued from danger. He retained and reserved me for such a time as this so I can not only preach the Gospel but so I can witness to others of His goodness. I never stopped professing with my mouth my faith in the Father and therefore, He never left me. It is because of Him that I have survived all that I have and that I am still here and able to say he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I know He preserved my soul all of those years from damnation because I did not die in my mess.
Am I saved? Yes, I am!
Meet the Contributor
Deborah Woolard is a single mother of three from Raleigh, NC and she currently resides in Charlotte, NC. She is an ordained & licensed minister and she serves as the Youth Director at R5 Church. Her love for writing, especially poetry is one of the many ways God allows her to use her gifts for His glory. Her poetry can be viewed at https://m.facebook.com/gracefullydsignedbydeborah/.