I think Lutherans tend to avoid the term "salvation" because it is imprecise and carries somewhat different meanings in different parts of Scripture, as I think Marv was getting at.
As others have pointed out, Lutherans are also guarded about phrases such as "getting saved" because they imply salvation depends on an act of our own will, which, would essentially mean we save ourselves -- a false idea. Properly understood, however, one can say I was saved on [date].
Let me try to explain. Lutherans distinguish between objective and subjective justification. You asked earlier about whether we believe that all are saved. In a sense, we do. Jesus is the Savior of the whole whole world, including unbelievers. Thus, if an unbeliever were to ask you whether he or she has been (past perfect) "saved," you could and should answer "yes." Why, because to answer otherwise might be construed to mean that Jesus' sacrifice was insufficient to save, which is untrue. Objectively speaking, the salvation of the world occurred on that hill outside Jerusalem 2000 years ago, to the extent that, as Marv said, it can be pinpointed, for it was then that God's promise of salvation (if spoken of as satisfaction of our debt on account of sin) was "finished."
That is not, however, the end of the explanation. As LilLamb points out, that is where salvation in the sense of forgiveness was won. But how do we grasp hold of it, make it our own? How do we connect personally, or subjectively, to God? This is where we come to the passages that speak of being "born again," or "adopted," "brought to repentence," "grafted onto the Vine," "regenerated." Note that the questions I asked are asked in a human way: first person active. The Scriptural answers, however, are passive as to us. You have as little to do with being born again as you did with being born. Before conversion, we are dead in sin, unable to repent or rely on God's promise of salvation from the consequences of sin: death.
The best metaphor, then, is a resurrection. God calls us to be alive, just as he called forth Lazarus or the young man of Nain. His command enlivens us. We are made alive through faith (also a gift) which is the ability to grasp God's promise to save. God converts our spriritual heart from one of stone to one of flesh. This we call subjective justification -- salvation in the sense of relying on the promise of forgiveness and deliverence from the punishment of sin, eternal death. Our response, calling on the Name of the Lord, participating in our Lord's life, love and suffering, necessarily flows from our salvation (if spoken of as subjective justification), is necessary for salvation (if spoken of as a future event), but in no way causes our salvation. In this sense, not all are "saved," but only the "regenerate," the "believers," the "repentant," the "born again," etc.
As should be clear from this whole thread, however, none of this is a result of a decision we make, even though the world may see and describe it as a mere exercise of our will. When the world speaks of conversion, it means a change of religious opinion. When Scripture speaks of conversion, it means miracle: a divine act of changing the essence -- creating something new that was not there before by divine Word/command, an act no human could possibly do -- to or for him- or herself.
Hope this helps.
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