To me, the exact day isn't important. The fact that Jesus DID die for my sins and was raised from the dead is what is important.

There seems to be so much said about dates, like the fact that Jesus wasn't born December 25th and so on, that some how the importance of what happened sometimes gets lost in it all.
If I didn't know my own birthdate, would it mean I was never born?
Same thing goes with the date you become "born again". Many churches make it a HUGE deal that you are to remember the exact date you did so. It sometimes becomes such a big deal, that a church will try to make you question whether you actually did accept Jesus if you don't recall the date.
I do remember my spirtual birthdate, but I don't think that's so important. The fact that I DID make the choice is what's the big deal for me.
I think sometimes we get so caught up in religion that we forget God.
As I stated previously, I was raised a Jehovah's Witness. We had so many "do's and don'ts" that looking back, many of it doesn't make sense. Yet millions are taught things, and think they are being taught they are truth. Only to be mislead. We "made fun" of how other religions are lead by some "higher authority", and we were not. Yet if you DARED to question the "Watchtower Bible and tract society" (the leading group of the JW's) you would be disfellowshiped. (Kicked out). That is the biggest fear to a J.W. Threaten that, and most will just ignore any REAL truth they find and follow in lock step.
If there are any Jehovah's Witnesses on this site, or any that have loved ones in it, please feel free to ask me questions and I will try to help you any way I can. I sure don't know every answer, but I will try to help you.

Originally Posted by: Cheesey 

I think sometimes we get so caught up in religion that we forget God.

Originally Posted by: Cheesey 

I'd say John 3:16 sums it up pretty well. That scripture alone says what it takes to be saved.

And as far as baptism goes:
If baptism is all it takes, then a person could get dunked, and just go on doing whatever they wanted, with no consequences.
What is flesh, is flesh. To be born in the flesh, well, that is what we are when we come into this world. To be born of the spirt takes an action by us, and that is taking Jesus into your heart.
I think one of the biggest problems mankind has is, they can't comprehend a REAL "free gift". God gives us the free gift of salvation if we accept it. And that is all it takes, acceptance. How many of us can give a gift, and expect NOTHING in return? Even if all we expect is a "thank you"?
I sum it up this way: God's FREE GIFT to us is salvation, our "gift" back is what we do with it.
And that also goes with the "store your treasures up in Heaven" scripture. If you do nothing with your salvation other then taking the free gift, when you get to Heaven you won't get the treasures you could have received had you used your gift the way God wanted you to.
I remember back just after I got saved. I had met up with an old and close friend of mine from high school. I was afraid of what he would think of me if I told him about how I had got saved. That he'd think I had lost my mind.
On the day he was going to go back home to California, where he had moved to, I sat down on a curb with him, and told him about Jesus. I was scared to death! I told him "I always said how I loved you as a friend, and if I do, I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't tell you how to be saved." I didn't look at him while I was saying all this. When I finally DID get the courage to look at him, tears were flowing down his face and he said "Al, if you wouldn't have told me what you just did, you really wouldn't be my friend." He accepted Christ while sitting on that curb.
What a BLESSING it turned out to be for ME! Had I let my fear control me, I would have lost out on that moment.

Originally Posted by: Cheesey 

I believe in God, not religion. The bible, when used correctly is a great teaching tool, but it is also a book written by men over time. It is good to give our children access to multiple denominations and non-denomination interpretations and teachings so when they become of age to be on their own, they have the knowledge to make their own decision on their beliefs. I am no longer a member of any specific church. If I do something wrong and want to ask for God's forgiveness, I can ask for it on my own, I don't need to priest to be a middle man. As long as I am truly sorry for whatever I did, I have faith God will forgive me. to much of what churches care about today has to deal with money. the size and expense of churches that have been built in my lifetime is sickening. I can do more good with my money by giving directly to those I want to help.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins 

I believe in God, not religion. The bible, when used correctly is a great teaching tool, but it is also a book written by men over time. It is good to give our children access to multiple denominations and non-denomination interpretations and teachings so when they become of age to be on their own, they have the knowledge to make their own decision on their beliefs. I am no longer a member of any specific church. If I do something wrong and want to ask for God's forgiveness, I can ask for it on my own, I don't need to priest to be a middle man. As long as I am truly sorry for whatever I did, I have faith God will forgive me. to much of what churches care about today has to deal with money. the size and expense of churches that have been built in my lifetime is sickening. I can do more good with my money by giving directly to those I want to help.

Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins 

Texas, I looked up a few scriptures last night.
Romans 10:9, That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you SHALL be saved.

Romans 10:13 For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

Acts 2: 21 And it shall be, that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

John 5:24 Truely, truely I say to you he who hears MY words and believes Him who sent ME, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life,

1 John 5:13 these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

Now, every one of these verses state HOW to be saved. If salvation was also dependant on baptizm, wouldn't they say that was necessary too? Yet not one of them says "Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord and gets baptized will be saved."
It is this way all through the Bible. Yet throughout the Bible we are told many things we are to do in obedience to the Lord. Yet none of them are necessary to be saved. It is ONLY by grace, not works or ANYTHING we can do to earn it, including being baptized.

And as far as a spiritual "birth", the Bible states ,absent from the body, present with the Lord. So I believe that upon our acceptance of Jesus as Lord, that a "spiritual" birth takes place. We may not realize it, but just like your earthly birth, it happens even though you may not comprehend it.
That's how I see it, at least.

Originally Posted by: Cheesey