I believe that true piece can only be found in salvation. When you are sure of your salvation, all parts of life we find difficult to deal with are certain to seem so much less important if you know in your heart that you are saved. I think I am saved, but I am not absolutely certain. I am the sort of person that has a very difficult time trusting and believing in others, cynical by nature, and I question many things, and seem to over analyze everything. I believe in Jesus Christ, I have attended church and went forward to give my life to Christ, been baptized, and raise my children as Christians. Other christians I know seem so certain of there salvation. However, I am not. I want to obtain that piece that comes with ones salvation. I am looking for help from someone to help me obtain that.
2006-09-22 05:49:02 · 16 answers · asked by nice guy 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
As difficult as it may seem, you MUST learn to trust and rely upon God in order to feel safe in your salvation. Unless you trust Him, you cannot believe any of His promises are true, including His promise that He will "never leave you nor foresake you." (Deut. 31:6 and 8, Joshua 1:5).
I suggest you set out to really, really get to know the Lord your God. Start with the OT; study His character and emotions (yes, He has emotions, just like we do!). Look for the promises He makes and see that He always follows through. Then study the NT, again looking for His promises. In fact, the NT is the fulfillment of God's promise at Jer. 31:31, and all the Messianic prophecies, isn't it?
Search your heart to understand yourself better, too. Try to understand why you don't trust others and apply that to your relationship with God.
Peace.
2006-09-22 05:59:07 · answer #1 · answered by Suzanne: YPA 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like you do know what you believe but that you are having a faith problem. Ask God to increase your faith. He will do it! Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Get into the Word and read all of God's promises for you. Don't over analyze God, you cannot even do that. His ways are so much higher than ours and so are his thoughts.
Just accept by faith what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross and live for him.
I hope this helps. I have been walking with him for 14 years and I wouldn't give Him up for the world
Oh and one more thing about the peace you were talking about. One of my favorite verses that helps me through so much. Phillipians 4:7.
2006-09-22 13:08:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Faith (trust and obedience) in Jesus Christ is the only way to glorify the Father, and realize salvation for your soul by what Christ has done for us.
Faith is a choice...nothing more. But, unlike an everyday decision, once made you will see changes in your life. You begin praying with more sincerity, and expectation of outcomes. You seek and align yourself with God's will for your life. You want to go to church and study His Word. Your prayers, when aligned with God's will, start to be answered...and that encourages you more. You have a peace...a peace that does not depend on your lot in life...nor your present circumstances...but a peace in your heart from Jesus. You will discover at least one spiritual gift, and try to use it to bring glory to God. Your focus on just about everything becomes doing your work, your speech, your actions, the things you buy, for the Lord who is your Lord. You are thankful -- profoundly grateful to Christ for what He did for you.
All of these things and more come by the simple decision to have faith. Of course, the idea is you must put your faith to work...look at James. Faith without works is dead. So first comes the decision...then seek the will of God in your life...and act. In time your doubts are mitigated by your fear of the Lord and obedience to Him.
The whole process that will consume the rest of your time on earth is Called Sanctification.
2006-09-22 13:17:26 · answer #3 · answered by BowtiePasta 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your impression is correct.
The only one who decides whether we truly have faith, whether we're sorry for our sins, and whether we're really worthy of heaven is Jesus Christ ... and his judgment occurs only after this life is ended.
Anyone who tells you that your salvation is already assured, is mistaken.
We must all contend with the forces of evil for a lifetime, overcome them by cooperating with God's grace and through repentance, and hope in Christ that we will be invited to spend eternity with him in Heaven.
Most Protestant faiths teach assured salvation and "once saved, always saved" based on their flawed interpretation of scripture and their dubious theological positions.
Only the Catholic church teaches exactly what Christ and his apostles taught, and provides the wide range of grace-giving sacraments and worship that along with Christ, provide a real and effective hope of salvation.
You see, if our salvation was already assured, than real, practical faith would be unneccesary.
Being willing to meet death, with only your belief in the saving work, love, and mercy of Jesus Christ ... now that's a demonstration of true faith!
Read all about it here:
http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm
2006-09-22 22:57:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1John 1:6 Suppose we say that we share life with God but still walk in the darkness. Then we are lying. We are not living by the truth. 7 But suppose we walk in the light, just as he is in the light. Then we share life with one another. And the blood of Jesus, his Son, makes us pure from all sin.
8 Suppose we claim we are without sin. Then we are fooling ourselves. The truth is not in us. 9 But God is faithful and fair. If we admit that we have sinned, he will forgive us our sins. He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure.
New Testament Greek 101:
"Makes us pure" in verse 7 is a present active indicative verb in the Greek text. This form NORMALLY means CONTINUOUS action. That is, the action keeps happening. It is to be translated as a continuous UNLESS THE CONTEXT REQUIRES UNDEFINED ACTION. The version that I pasted uses an undefined form, but this context leads us to believe a continuing action, which can be understood even from the form used in this case, even without an explicit continuation (like "continuously cleanses us") in the English.
...probably more than you wanted to know, but verse 7 was written to give Christians confidence in their salvation. But note, it IS CONDITIONAL. You must KEEP "walking in the light."
2006-09-22 13:10:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Have you developed a relationship with Christ?
Pray to God for humility. Pray that God reveal his will for you. Do this daily, and remain in quiet meditation for a time each day.
When I moved out of the realm of theory and possibility and into a relationship with God, everything changed for me. I did this by praying and meditating, anywhere from half an hour to three hours a day.
The questions I had, I asked God for guidance with. My questions got answered by my running across something by chance; or research; or through other people.
What I did was open my heart, mind, and soul by going to God. Once thus opened and alert/aware, what I had been seeking came to me.
2006-09-22 12:53:52 · answer #6 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you are going through spiritual warfare. That is where Satan battles us, in our minds. Did you know that his name, Satan, means the accuser of the brethren? He instills doubt, just like he has done to you. But, he is a defeated foe. He was beaten at the cross. He is just talking smack!
No one is perfect, but Christ is faithful to forgive, if we confess our sins to Him (hey, I didn't pick my nickname by accident)
Here is my advice, find a quiet place where you can have some privacy, and pray in your own words to Jesus Christ, and ask Him to forgive you and give you the "Blessed Assurance" that only He can give, to remove all your doubts. Don't be in a hurry, just spend some time with Him.
see ya later!
2006-09-22 13:33:04 · answer #7 · answered by Not perfect, just forgiven 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
salvation is giving your life to Jesus Christ and taking His life in you.
part our salvation is our personal experience w/ Him or turning-point.real disciples of Christ have their own personal revealation of God,that is between God and you alone.Revealation comes from GOD given to man not any on this world.
another point is there must be changed of life[2 Cor.5:17]
2006-09-22 13:06:41 · answer #8 · answered by g'Rbec 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One thing you must understand is that God's word is to be believed then understood, and not understood before believed as every inquisitive mind will realise. If u have seen reason in the first place to ask HIM into your life, then see reason to believe that his word is real about the price paid, and dear, come to think of it, was it in vain?
2006-09-22 13:03:04 · answer #9 · answered by dotcom 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you have christ in your life and holy spirit in you you are saved holy spirit is God's seal on you. if you are not sure if you have holy spirit ask God to fill you. being christian should be being friends with God prayer is vital for keeping this relationship going and God wants you to enjoy prayer. Do you pray as a family if you don't maybe you should it is very powerful and amazing when people do that.
2006-09-22 13:04:14 · answer #10 · answered by attb 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋