how to know you're really saved?

[JimboJones]

I mean you are not saved just because of prayed the sinners' prayer once.This doesn't mean you can do whatever you want and you're still saved but how do you know you're really saved? This scares me. There are people saying when you're a christian and still like rock music then you're not saved cause you still love the world and when you love the world you're an enemy of God.
This makes me feel like I can never be sure that I'm really saved and that God won't reject me and tell me he never knew me.
How do you know you love the world? I mean do I have to hate the world and despise things like music or good food or something like this? ´
I mean when I feel like God might not even accept me then this is not really a good foundation.

 

[HankD]

Dear jimbo,

Many Christians suffer from a lack of assurance.
Yet, I believe that they are indeed saved.

Why is it so?

In my case, it was my background and training as a former Catholic.

Here is the Scripture which I meditated upon and full assurance was finally mine:

John 6
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jimbo, in reality, salvation is all of God and none of us, He cannot fail.

That does not mean we don't have a resposibility toward our father in heaven. Besides meditating in His Word, walk in the light and you will be happy.

1 John is the book for you.

HankD

 

[JimboJones]

Okay, thanks.
I simply don't like it when people want to dictate others how real christians have to be. I mean a christian who always hated rock music will definitely say rock music is from the devil, but I think christian rock music is okay. But there are people which even say christian rock music is from the devil...

 

[HankD]

I simply don't like it when people want to dictate others how real christians have to be. I mean a christian who always hated rock music will definitely say rock music is from the devil, but I think christian rock music is okay. But there are people which even say christian rock music is from the devil...

Jimbo, you can never please everyone, the avoidance of some things is obvious, others are not and men will disagree about them till He returns.

Jesus gave Peter some advice in John 21:22

NKJV "...what is that to you? You follow Me."

HankD

 

[steaver]

I simply don't like it when people want to dictate others how real christians have to be. I mean a christian who always hated rock music will definitely say rock music is from the devil, but I think christian rock music is okay. But there are people which even say christian rock music is from the devil...

I understand what you are saying. Other Christians should not dictate, but the word of God should. Those Christians who like to dictate should have scripture which backs their position.

I once loved rock music. If fact I use to DJ it at many local bars and weddings. Now I cannot stand it because I know its origin and that it is not of God. As for mixing rock music with Christianity, I think it is a bit of an oxymoran. All music labeled Christian should glorify Jesus Christ, play to your spirit and worship God. If you just like the sound, then something is amiss.

I find many so called Christian Rock songs simply loud and non-understandable. I don't think these type of songs should be called Christian.

I found that some Christian rock groups can produce some good understandable music which glorifies our Savior, but then to listen to their complete album, most of the songs are, quite frankly, garbage.

God Bless!

 

[Janosik]

Hi guys,

I am new here. Can somebody difine 'saved' for me?

Thanks,

Janosik

 

[JimboJones]

@ Janosik

You are saved when you accept Jesus as your savior. When you repent of your sins and when you ask him to forgive you and when you invite him into your heart and your life.

 

[Gershom]

I like what Romans 8:16 says -

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God"

 

[HankD]

Yes, Gershom this is true.

Taken in somewhat of the context...

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Verse 13 is of most importance.

The promise of the witness of the Spirit is to those who "mortify the deeds of the body".

This is why 1 john is so important to babes in Christ because unlike salvation (a gift of God by grace though faith), fellowship and assurance are conditional.

1 John 1
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

1 John 3
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

HankD

 

[Janosik]

JimboJones,

I thought that Jesus saves. According to what you say, you decide and you are saved. Is there a chance that God says no to your decision? Let's say if you do bad things in your life.

What does it mean that someone is saved? When does it happen?

 

[JimboJones]

Janosik,
God wants to save you.
When you accept him and really want to be saved and when you also know that you're a sinner and repent then you will be saved.
We are saved by grace.God wants to save us, we have to make a choice for Jesus and turn from our wicked ways. We have to really mean it. Simply accepting Jesus and thinking that you can do whatever you want now cause you have your ticket to heaven is wrong.If you truly accept Jesus then your life will change and you will bear fruits.
You have to imagine it this way. Jesus wants everybody to be saved, he died because of this.
He made an offer 2000 years ago. He is there stretching his hands out to us. Either we take it or not. His offer is there, we can accept it and become born again or we can not accept it and then we will perish.The bible says God doesn't want anybody to perish but we have free will, we can say yes or no to Jesus.
If you want to be saved then Jesus will not let you down, you can be assured that when you accept him that you are saved.

Jesus wants you to be saved, you have to accept him, repent and make him Lord of your life.

Look at this:

Romans 3

9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Romans 10

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

John 14

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

[Janosik]

Who are you that you can say '... then you will be saved'. Shouldn't you say '... then I believe you will be saved'. On top of that it would be in sync with your references.

 

[steaver]

Who are you that you can say '... then you will be saved'. Shouldn't you say '... then I believe you will be saved'. On top of that it would be in sync with your references.

He can say that because he knows the Truth. He backed up what he knows with God's Word. He believes and knows it is God's Word because the Holy Spirit testifies to his spirit that it is Truth. If you do not believe there is a Holy Spirit then you cannot receive Him. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If you hear God's call to repentance, you may call on Jesus Christ to save you. If you call on Jesus Christ to save you, you can be sure that He did by the promise we have in His Word. We are standing on the promisses of God!

God Bless!

 

[JimboJones]

Janosik, I'm just trying to help you.... relax buddy....
We are no catholics. We know, that we have safety when we accept Jesus.

 

[BobRyan]

Originally posted by Gershom:
I like what Romans 8:16 says -

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God"

Now we are getting some place. Simply "Telling yourself that you are saved" is not sufficient.

In Matt 7 those who are sent to hell are shown to be "Telling themeselves" that they are saved - but in fact - they are not.

However - to have that Romans 8:16 experience you must encounter God - and as Paul says in 1Cor 15 "I die daily". We need to come daily to the water of life and drink freely. Simply claiming "to have done it a few years ago" will not get that witness "today".

You can be saved and not be "assured" but you can't really be "assured" and not be saved.

In Christ,

Bob

 

[Janosik]

Steaver,

you are right. I agree with you that we stand on the promises of God.

JimboJones,

I am relaxed

I have the same safety as you have

But back to the topic of this thread. How do you know that you are really saved?

My point is that in all the places where you use somebody 'is saved/was saved/will be saved/...' you should go with 'I believe somebody will be saved'. You can say what ever you want the only thing you have is faith.

Or it could be me that I don't understand what you mean when you say 'somebody was saved'. This is my question. What do you mean by that?

 

[HisMercy]

One is saved when Christ chose us before the foundation of the world as one of His. We need to be accepted by Him. He doesn't need our acceptance. The "sinner's" prayer is another example of man's way not God's way.

 

[JimboJones]

Originally posted by HisMercy:
One is saved when Christ chose us before the foundation of the world as one of His. We need to be accepted by Him. He doesn't need our acceptance. The "sinner's" prayer is another example of man's way not God's way.

Do you believe in predestination?
I think everybody can be saved. The bible says God doesn't want anybody to perish.

@ Janosik

I don't really know what you mean.
When you accept Christ and become born again then you are saved and you stay saved unless you decide to turn away from God and to slide back.
Backsliders can lose their salvation. They might not lose it on the first week or the first month but there will be a day when they know that they are acting against God's will and against the holy spirit and when somebody goes on sinning then he'll lose his salvation, but this doesn't mean sinning once it means sinning and going on sinning.

 

[Janosik]

HisMercy,

are you suggesting that everything is predetermined? Are you saying that God will save you against your free will?

 

[Johnv]

How can you know you're saved? If you've had your salvation questioned by a select group of people who post on this board, you're most definitely saved!!!