I need help...In Religion and all that good stuff...?

Question

I am at the age of 15. I am a member of a Baptist Church. I have been baptizted and "saved" or at least I think. I was about 7. So I dont think I really understood it. And I keep on going back and doing something I shouldnt. We are h aving revival and tonight I felt that I should go and talk with the evangilist. When I became a member of the church I told the pastor that I was saved. And I thought I was. What should I do. Help me!!!

Answer 1

Personally, I think it's all the Christian lingo and "do this and that step-by-step process" jargon that's throwing you into the confusion.

You feel saved because you walked a walk, talked a talk, then got dunked, right? Then you felt that you weren't saved because of your actions. Then there's another moment of emotion... or at least a "something."

I can relate. I remember my baptism, and I know for a fact that when I was baptized, I knew exactly what to say to make people believe I was saved. "I do bad stuff and I asked Jesus to forgive me and come into my heart so I can go to heaven." That was the jist. I could say it perfectly every time. The problem was, I didn't believe it, and I didn't understand it.

You're 15 now, and your best move is to take yourself through God's tests of faith. I'm guessing your biggest question is "how do I know that I'm saved."

I'm sure you've been given the main Bible verses.
John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."
Romans 3:23
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not by works, so that no man can boast."

If there's some of those you haven't heard, that's a good start to put the gospel in a nutshell.

Everyone's a sinner, and God decided that He is too great to be surrounded by sinners. But God DOES want people around Him. So what does He do? Well, in the Old Testament, He told people to sacrifice animals. Perfectly white sheep to be specific. Then a time came when God decided that there should be a single sacrifice to cover all sins past, present, and future. Since there wasn't an animal good enough, He had to have a human die. Since all humans were doomed to sin, He sent His Son, Jesus, to be born as a human, and to live a perfect life, so He could be that perfect sacrifice. When Jesus was killed, that death wasn't yet enough to cover every sin. Death itself had to be broken. Jesus rose again on the third day to fulfill prophecy and to claim victory over death. But there was a catch. Only the people that accept His sacrifice can have forgiveness from their sins.

Accepting His sacrifice usually comes in the form of a prayer, but it doesn't have to be any specific wording. You can say it however you want. "God, I've known that I do bad things. I know that the Bible says I can't make it to heaven on my own. I need Jesus to be the sacrifice for my sins so I don't have to go to Hell." You can add to it, make it as personal as you want. Don't feel foolish. God can hear through your words and hear what your heart is saying.

As for mistakes, everyone still makes mistakes. Ask friends to help you with your sin. Ask trusted people. The Bible has references to a lot of what we go through.

If you have more questions, or if I wasn't clear about something, you can e-mail me at [e-mail]

Acts 2:21
"...whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Answer 2

The Key is Did you have a collision with your old life and Jesus' life and death...Did you have a "Conversion Experience"? A desired change of heart and mind. Did you truly repent: Turn from sin and to God?
It's natural to slip into the mud, we are cursed to carry our old flesh into the christian experience...But a pig lives in the mud... The question is are you a pig that lives in the mud or are you a person that slips and falls while along the way toward Christ-likeness? It's more than praying a prayer or walking an isle...It's life change.

Answer 3

I feel that way at times and know many other Christians that do also. It is normal to question yourself like that. The world is full of things that will try and pull you away from God or make you feel like you are not one of His own.
Talk to your pastor, talk with your parents or your youth leader. If you read in the Ot you will see some people who were very strong in faith who did question and some made bad choices due to their questioning. It is normal, ask the Father to help you and strengthen your relationship. It will all be alright.

Answer 4

All you have to do to get saved is to ask Jesus to forgive your sins, come into your heart and be your Lord and Savior. The Word tells us that He is faithful and just to forgive you of all unrighteousness. You can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are saved if you repent of your sins and ask Jesus into your heart. God does not lie and His Word is very clear on this. It might also help if you talked with the Evangelist. That is what he is there for - to help all who need it. God bless you.

Answer 5

When you actually personally choose to ask the Spirit (who created all things) to become part of your life (it is a personal choice) You will come to know that you are right with the Spirit and will also have the personal and internal reassurance you need. You will also know it is not what you do but why you do it. Some things are natural and you will come to know the Spirit will not condemn you for what you do. Further you will come to know the Spirit forgives.

Answer 6

Admit your sins, wrong doings...what ever you choose to call them. Admit/confess them to God, yourself, and to others if you choose to talk it over with others. Get into something positive. Bible study, talking person to person with a pastor might be a good idea. The Bible teaches that where 2 or 3 are gathered together, in His name, He is there with them. Admit your sin AND turn from, try to not do them anymore. God Bless You.

Answer 7

We all question things when we are young, or unsure
Talk to the Evangelist and tell him what you have said here, he will be able to help you,
don't worry about the pastor, he understands and will be happy that you did this, it is called re dedication
God Bless!

Answer 8

Fret less, for Heaven's sake. Worry less about whether you are (as you sweetly put it) "saved", and more about whether you are being intellectually honest with yourself.

There's nothing wrong or un-Christian about questioning your faith or what your pastor tells you. There's nothing wrong with questioning the pat definition of "salvation" that some evangelical churches espouse either.

Think more, worry less.

Answer 9

Some people don’t get past "square one" because they trust in their feelings rather than God. His promises are true, despite our feelings. If I make a promise to my wife, that promise is true whether she is feeling happy or sad. If she doubts my word, then she brings a slur to my integrity. Anyone who genuinely repents and trusts in Christ will be saved. The Bible makes this promise: "He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" [John 14:21]. There’s the promise, and there’s the condition. Any person who loves and obeys Jesus will begin a supernatural relationship with Him and the Father. He said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3).

That doesn’t mean you will hear voices or see visions. God will instead make you a new person from within. He will send His Spirit to live within you. You will have a new heart with new desires. You will suddenly become conscious of God and His creation. The Bible will open up to you and become a living Word, and you will have an inner witness that you are saved, that your name is written in heaven, and that death has lost its sting (1 John 5:10–12).

A two-year-old boy was once staring at a heater, fascinated by its bright orange glow. His father saw him and warned, "Don’t touch that heater, son. It may look pretty, but it’s hot." The little boy believed him, and moved away from the heater. Some time later, after his father had left the room, the boy thought, "I wonder if it really is hot." He then reached out to touch it and see for himself. The second his flesh burned, he stopped believing it was hot; he now knew it was hot! He had moved out of the realm of belief into the realm of experience.

Christians believed in God’s existence before their conversion. However, when they obeyed the Word of God, turned from their sins, and embraced Jesus Christ, they stopped merely believing. The moment they reached out and touched the heater bar of God’s mercy, they moved out of belief into the realm of experience. This experience is so radical, Jesus referred to it as being "born again." The Bible says that those who don’t know God are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1; 4:18). We are born with physical life, but not spiritual life. Picture unbelievers as corpses walking around who, by repenting and placing their faith in Christ, receive His very life. There is a radical difference between a corpse and a living, breathing human, just as there is when sinners pass from spiritual death to life. The apostle Paul said if you are "in Christ," you are a brand new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Those who now have God’s Spirit living in them will love what He loves and desire to do His will; they will have a hunger for His Word, a love for other believers, and a burden for the lost. The Holy Spirit also confirms in their spirit that they are now children of God (Romans 8:16). Those who believe on the name of the Son of God can know that they have eternal life (1 John 5:12,13).

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, "My speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:4,5). What Paul was saying was, "I deliberately didn’t talk you into your faith, but I let God’s power transform you." He didn’t reach them through an intellectual assent, but through the realm of personal experience.

Suppose two people—a heater manufacturer and a skin specialist—walked into the room just after that child had burned his hand on the heater. Both assured the boy that he couldn’t possibly have been burned. But all the experts, theories, and arguments in the world will not dissuade that boy, because of his experience. Those who have been transformed by God’s power need never fear scientific or other arguments, because the man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument. "For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance . . ." (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

Answer 10

Talk with your parents first. If they can't help you, talk to your pastor.
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