March 15, 2021 (Monday)
People say it in different ways: “I got saved.” “I was saved.” “I am saved.” They are saying that they accepted Christ as their Savior and at that moment were adopted into God’s family and became a child of God. They became aware that their sin had separated them from God, but God sent His Son to represent them and atone for their sin by dying upon a cross. Jesus Christ is the sinless “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” He rose from the dead. They repented of their sins and believed, stating openly that Jesus is Lord, believing in their hearts that God had raised Him from the dead and so were saved in that moment, fulfilling the Scripture which says, “Whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.”
We hear people arguing that it cannot be that easy. Others say there are strong arguments against the whole idea. I heard a preacher say one day in his sermon, “A man with an argument hasn’t got a chance against a man with an experience.” There was a huge chorus of “Amens” from the congregation, from people with an experience of salvation, people who were born again.
Many people are like Saul of Tarsus who did not believe and went so far as to persecute Christians, but one day the Living Lord met him and Saul heard Him say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Is it hard for you to kick against the goads?” Outwardly, he did not believe, but inwardly he was fighting faith in Jesus as the Messiah, because of what he had observed in Christians willing to suffer for their faith.
And so he believed, and later went throughout the world as the Apostle Paul telling people of his experience on the road to Damascus, saying as it were, “I was there when it happened, and I ought to know.”
Full Screen makes the video better
I WAS THERE WHEN IT HAPPENED
Fern Jones
1955
There are some people
Who say we cannot tell
Whether we are saved or
Whether all is well
They say we only can hope and
Trust that it is so
Well I was there when it happened
And so I guess I ought to know
Yes, I know when Jesus saved me (saved my soul)
The very moment He forgave me (made me whole)
He took away my heavy burden
Oh, He gave me peace within’ (peace within’)
Satan can’t make me doubt it (I won’t doubt it)
It’s real and I’m gonna shout it (I’m gonna shout it)
I was there when it happened
And so I guess I ought to know
I don’t care who tells me
Salvation is not real
Though the world may argue
That we cannot feel
The heavy burdens lifted
And the vile sins go
I was there when it happened
And so I guess I ought to know
Yes, I know when Jesus saved me (saved my soul)
The very moment He forgave me (made me whole)
He took away my heavy burden
Oh, He gave me peace within’ (peace within’)
Satan can’t make me doubt it (I won’t doubt it)
It’s real and I’m gonna shout it (I’m gonna shout it)
I was there when it happened
And so I guess I ought to know
There’s more, if you like:
Jimmie Davis, who was Governor of Louisiana, who wrote, “You Are My Sunshine,” and who died in 2000 at the age of 101, made the first recording of “I Was There When It Happened.” Click here to hear it, if you like.