Accept Christ

[ddrgkd]

We cant just come to the realization we are saved all that time and think we just didn't know it. It will not save you if you go to church because your family goes their. You have to know Christ and have a relationship.

MATTHEW 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

If you don't accept Christ and ask for that living water, you will not receive it. You have to ask Christ to come into your heart, like the man on the cross next to Him. It takes action on our part.

MARK 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

Christ was almost tortured to death, then made to carry the cross were He would hang there until dead. Go fight the devil beat him and then raise to life, just for us.

LUKE 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

God created man and He loves you and wants the best for you. If you're not saved today you can use the words below as a guide.

“Dear God, I am a sinner. I’m sorry for my sin; please forgive me. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son and that He died for my sins and You raised Him to life. I want to invite Him into my heart to take control of my life.

In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

Tell a pastor at a Christian Church that you have asked Christ for salvation and go to Sunday school you'll find fellowship to be a great help as you grow as a Christian.

 

[Goodbook]

yea be brave and go to a church to fellowship with other christians.
I know God wanted me to do this after I became one and He directed me to a baptist church, and the bible study there really helped me grow.

I didn't know a soul at first but they were friendly. But more importantly, they followed the Bible.

 

[ddrgkd]

yea be brave and go to a church to fellowship with other christians.
I know God wanted me to do this after I became one and He directed me to a baptist church, and the bible study there really helped me grow.

I didn't know a soul at first but they were friendly. But more importantly, they followed the Bible.

Great, glad to hear it, people don't realize that people in church sin to. They get mad at one thing and just quit going to church.

 

[miamited]

Hi ddrgkd,

I agree. My testimony is that I was raised in 'church' fellowship all of my youth. My family were pretty regular 'church' attenders. My grandfather was a pastor all of his working life. He went to school for the formal training to become a pastor and he pastored pretty much until his death, although the later years were as interim pastor for different fellowships.

However, when I really got down to brass tacks at the age of 40 and got on my knees crying out for God (and no, I was not going through some personal crisis at the time), I realized that I had been playing a game prior to that time. I pretty much accepted, as I believe many do, that just going to 'church' every week made one a Christian. I suppose it does, but it doesn't make one born again. Being a Christian just means that we associate with Christians. Being born again means that we are a child of the one true and living God.

I'd check off 'christian' on personnel forms and such. If asked, I would say I was a Christian and that I believed in Jesus. But when I was born again God began to show me the error of my ways in my previous years. I came to fully realize that what Jesus said about the day of his Father's judgment was true. Many, who the world would call, and themselves self-identify as Christians, will stand before the Lord and cry out to him. Reminding him of all the wonderful things they did in his name.

While my family were pretty regular 'church' attenders through the years that I grew up, I can never recall seeing a bible in our home. I can never recall a time that either of my parents sought to teach me about God. I can never recall 'catching' either of them reading the Scriptures or praying. I honestly believe today that my parents went to worship services because my grandfather was a pastor and so my mother grew up believing that going to 'church' on Sunday was just what you did. She then brought my father into the same kind of relationship with the 'church' when they married.

The end of the story is that my father divorced my mother after 25 years of marriage and four children. He had been having an affair for years during the final years of their marriage with his secretary. A 'good' Catholic girl. He'd also carried on other affairs from time to time during their marriage. After the divorce she refused to marry him unless it was done in the Catholic church and so my father converted to Catholicism and applied for an annulment of his 25 year marriage. It was granted and they married.

Today, as far as I know, my mother isn't so big on going to church although after the divorce she too, studied and became a minister just like her father. I imagine, if there is any truth to the dead knowing what's going on among the living, that he's still turning in his grave over this choice of life that she has made. I know from discussions with her that he was never approving of her career as a minister. I did once see her reading a book, 'When God was a Woman', and I was born again at that time and asked her about it and she alluded that we just haven't understood God correctly. She does seem to have some fairly unorthodox understandings of God and the way of His salvation.

I love my parents, although my father is now dead, but I'm not blinded to the truth because of that love. They did a reasonably good job of raising me up in the world, as many, many parents do, but that they ever sought after the things of God, I can't find any evidence to support that.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[Emmy]

Dear ddgkd. We all are given free will to accept Christ or go our own way. In Matthew 22: 35-40 we are told by Jesus: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
The second is like it: " love your neighbour as yourself." In verse 40 we are told: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters. In Matthew 7: 7-10: we are told: " Ask and you shall receive." We ask God for Love and Joy, then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. We keep asking and receiving, then thank God and share all love and joy with our neighbour.
( our neighbour is all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends)
The Bible tells us: " change from selfish living and wishing, to love and care and be always kind and caring. Love is very catching and we will find that we change gradually from being always wishing and wanting==to loving and caring and be friendly. God will see our loving efforts and God will bless us. The Holy Spirit will help and guide us, and Jesus
our Saviour will lead us all the way: JESUS IS THE WAY. We will find that people will treat us the same as we treat people. Life will be enjoyable and filled with love and joy. Those of us who really try to follow the loving advice of Jesus, will find that love is very rewarding. I say this with love, ddgkd. Greetings from Emmy your sister in Christ.

 

[Goodbook]

interesting testimony Ted.
I don't have much to say except..being born again is a must and I don't suppose everyone who goes to a church service is actually born again.

I know of one couple in my church that split up. It was very sad but she was my neighbour and she met her husband at church. She had four children. But she committed adultery with her husbands best friend (who did come to the same church but I suspected he also was not actually born again or had some struggle and he was married and had children too - and they were 'worship leaders'. )

I've known my neighbours parents and they've always been church goers and christians and I suppose their daughter went along. But I cannot say she is a christian (she left the church, along with the disgraced couple, the wife turned lesbian apparently) after all this.

I've never seen heard her pray in church or read the Bible or do things that point to Jesus like I see and know other people do. Her husband was willing to forgive her if she repented but it seems she is stubborn and doesn't want to. So..I'm just sad for that family as I went to their wedding and her husband always followed God but its a struggle if he has an unbelieving wife who betrays him like that.

some people just go to church for family. While this is a good thing for the children its better if the parents are both believers, and I don't know what a pastor does in situations like that.

Are pastors allowed to marry unequally yoked couples?? (they didn't marry in the church I go to, they married in her parent's church). I really think that, before a couple gets married a minister ought to make sure they know the gospel. The disgraced couple really did bring havoc into the church because of their new hyped up worship music. But I wasn't around when all this happened, I kinda avoided them and they didn't seek me out to chat with.

 

[Bluelion]

Hi ddrgkd,

I agree. My testimony is that I was raised in 'church' fellowship all of my youth. My family were pretty regular 'church' attenders. My grandfather was a pastor all of his working life. He went to school for the formal training to become a pastor and he pastored pretty much until his death, although the later years were as interim pastor for different fellowships.

However, when I really got down to brass tacks at the age of 40 and got on my knees crying out for God (and no, I was not going through some personal crisis at the time), I realized that I had been playing a game prior to that time. I pretty much accepted, as I believe many do, that just going to 'church' every week made one a Christian. I suppose it does, but it doesn't make one born again. Being a Christian just means that we associate with Christians. Being born again means that we are a child of the one true and living God.

I'd check off 'christian' on personnel forms and such. If asked, I would say I was a Christian and that I believed in Jesus. But when I was born again God began to show me the error of my ways in my previous years. I came to fully realize that what Jesus said about the day of his Father's judgment was true. Many, who the world would call, and themselves self-identify as Christians, will stand before the Lord and cry out to him. Reminding him of all the wonderful things they did in his name.

While my family were pretty regular 'church' attenders through the years that I grew up, I can never recall seeing a bible in our home. I can never recall a time that either of my parents sought to teach me about God. I can never recall 'catching' either of them reading the Scriptures or praying. I honestly believe today that my parents went to worship services because my grandfather was a pastor and so my mother grew up believing that going to 'church' on Sunday was just what you did. She then brought my father into the same kind of relationship with the 'church' when they married.

The end of the story is that my father divorced my mother after 25 years of marriage and four children. He had been having an affair for years during the final years of their marriage with his secretary. A 'good' Catholic girl. He'd also carried on other affairs from time to time during their marriage. After the divorce she refused to marry him unless it was done in the Catholic church and so my father converted to Catholicism and applied for an annulment of his 25 year marriage. It was granted and they married.

Today, as far as I know, my mother isn't so big on going to church although after the divorce she too, studied and became a minister just like her father. I imagine, if there is any truth to the dead knowing what's going on among the living, that he's still turning in his grave over this choice of life that she has made. I know from discussions with her that he was never approving of her career as a minister. I did once see her reading a book, 'When God was a Woman', and I was born again at that time and asked her about it and she alluded that we just haven't understood God correctly. She does seem to have some fairly unorthodox understandings of God and the way of His salvation.

I love my parents, although my father is now dead, but I'm not blinded to the truth because of that love. They did a reasonably good job of raising me up in the world, as many, many parents do, but that they ever sought after the things of God, I can't find any evidence to support that.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Ted, the word Christians is an old word which goes back to the early church days, I forget what it was in Greek but very similar. The Term Christians is what they called people who followed the teaching of Jesus. So that is where the word comes from and it does mean a born again soul, not some one who goes to church but follows Jesus.


I can relate to your story, my mom and brother went to church all their lives. When i started going to school for ministry i gained sight in how a person who follows God acts and looks like. I was surprised to find out my mom was and is never saved. See still goes to church but i questioned her about what was taught in her church she could not tell me. I asked her why see was saved what that means, she said she believes Jesus is the son of God but could say nothing else on that matter. When it was challenged that that was not enough she swore at me and yelled and hung up. My brother also goes to church but worships false gods from other religions. But the most telling sign they were not saved was what God showed me. They both hate me and God said any one who says they love God but hates their christian brother is a lair. they are also jealous of me and love is not jealous. When i presented this to my brother he said it was untrue, what God said not that he hated me.

Going to church will not get you into heaven.

 

[98cwitr]

Going to church will not get you into heaven.

Neither will simply praying a prayer. I don't recall Jesus ever saying "invite me into your heart," but He did say "I stand at the door and knock..."


Rev 3

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

If you're not being rebuked and disciplined by the Lord, what should you think about your state (relationship) with Him?

 

[ddrgkd]

People are sinners, we all have a story and thank yall for sharing yours i appreciate it, It helps me to write my message.

 

[ddrgkd]

Neither will simply praying a prayer. I don't recall Jesus ever saying "invite me into your heart," but He did say "I stand at the door and knock..."


Rev 3

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

If you're not being rebuked and disciplined by the Lord, what should you think about your state (relationship) with Him?

Like i have probably told you before, all a person will do is read the first line. If they read the whole thing, it means they want to see what i wrote.

Some don't know how to ask, i put the prayer as a guide. They can get real guidance at church, all they need now is a reason to go.

 

[miamited]

Ted, the word Christians is an old word which goes back to the early church days, I forget what it was in Greek but very similar. The Term Christians is what they called people who followed the teaching of Jesus. So that is where the word comes from and it does mean a born again soul, not some one who goes to church but follows Jesus.


I can relate to your story, my mom and brother went to church all their lives. When i started going to school for ministry i gained sight in how a person who follows God acts and looks like. I was surprised to find out my mom was and is never saved. See still goes to church but i questioned her about what was taught in her church she could not tell me. I asked her why see was saved what that means, she said she believes Jesus is the son of God but could say nothing else on that matter. When it was challenged that that was not enough she swore at me and yelled and hung up. My brother also goes to church but worships false gods from other religions. But the most telling sign they were not saved was what God showed me. They both hate me and God said any one who says they love God but hates their christian brother is a lair. they are also jealous of me and love is not jealous. When i presented this to my brother he said it was untrue, what God said not that he hated me.

Going to church will not get you into heaven.

Hi BL,

I respectfully disagree. The name 'christian' was coined by the unbelievers in referring to those who they saw as being Christ followers. Paul tells us that it was first used by people in Antioch, but the use seems to be referring to others calling the believers Christians, not the Christians actually speaking about themselves. He writes, 'the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch'.

However, when Jesus speaks to the disciples about the final judgment of his Father, he clearly describes those who are crying out to him as Christians. They claim of themselves to have done great things in Jesus' name. No one does such a thing that is not identified as a Christian. You won't find a Buddhist that drives out demons and makes prophecies in Jesus name. You won't find muslims driving out demons and making prophecies in Jesus' name. You won't find atheists doing such things. So, who are these people that Jesus is referring to? I'm pretty sure that we will find that these are people who walked around on the earth who identified themselves as Christians and who were called and seen by others as Christians.

Of course, one can make the claim that he is born again and not be so. But, Jesus spoke of one being born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. He didn't ever say that they had to be Christians, although he did say that we should follow him and because of others seeing people who were striving to follow him, they coined the term Christian. So, my understanding is that Christian is a name that is used to describe Christ followers, but there seem to be people who can be Christ followers that are not going to receive God's promise of eternal life. However, all those who are truly born of His Spirit will. Therefore, I prefer to differentiate between those called Christians and those who are born again.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[98cwitr]

Like i have probably told you before, all a person will do is read the first line. If they read the whole thing, it means they want to see what i wrote.

Some don't know how to ask, i put the prayer as a guide. They can get real guidance at church, all they need now is a reason to go.

If you come to a Baptist forum, and expect that those in Christ will only read the first line, well, you might wanna know your audience. You're preaching to the choir bro!

 

[Goodbook]

Yea, most baptists would have accepted Christ already lol.
Thats why they'd been baptised and you would hope they understood what this baptism meant.

 

[Goodbook]

I think..just thinking out loud here, the problem with SOME baptist churches may be that..they are teaching baptism as an entry into the church rather than a biblical baptism that is in Jesus name and represents his death, burial and resurrection. (this also involves the holy spirit, if no spirit is present, it's just a dunk in water)

Because I don't quite understand why my neighbour would commit adultery like that..I'm not saying christians don't do that..but born again christians would not think about doing that and sin against the Lord. And they would know it!

However, I don't know if she was actually baptised and how old she was and if she made a commitment or anything. She was someone who was raised and grew up in church, so I don't know if they keep records of everyones confession and baptism. Its hard to tell, but certainly its possible that people who attend a baptist church are unbaptised, they may be married to a believer, but that won't save them.
Or they may be baptised under pressure. I.e its wasn't their own decision and they didn't understand what it meant.

anyway, carry on.
I think OP you might want to mention something about baptism, since this IS a BAPTIST forum. And explain what it means. Accepting Jesus is the first step. But in the bible, it wasn't just that. It was always, preach the gospel AND baptise everyone.

 

[Goodbook]

some verses

Mark 16:16 ESV / 146 helpful votes
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 28:19 ESV / 110 helpful votes
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 4:5 ESV / 95 helpful votes
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Romans 6:3-4 ESV / 95 helpful votes
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

 

[EPHESIANS6:10-11]

I want to be baptized at the new church am going to
I want to do it as soon but my husband says am going too fast into doing that
also id like my born again Christian Bio Dad to be there as id like to invite him too it as he missed my wedding
because we lost contact and there was other things going on with his health as well
My Step Dad was there but he died 4 years ago

he lives at the other side of the uk and he has a few health problems including heart problems
but if i had a date for it i can see if he would like to go
i think my mother will not go she is Catholic and am unsure of her views on me being baptized in another church
i know my husband will go with me.

I Have OCD and there are times when i have Blasphemous thoughts all the time
I read the bible and i listen to Christian radio station and pray over and over
thinking it will get me to heaven but maybe am too much of a sinner to go to Heaven
Only God shall know that

 

[mikedsjr]

I'm the "false theology" baptist on this topic of baptism. Mrs. Ephesians6:10-11, When your baptized God works in the water to save. It isn't merely a dunk of symbolic water. It's the miracle of salvation happening in the 3 persons of the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You don't have to wonder if your saved. If you were baptized before, why do a dunk of a water bath again? Just point to your baptism for assurance. There you find God worked in us to save us.

There are countless people who really are clueless about what they are doing at salvation, but that doesn't equate to no faith. God gives the faith you need. Your faith is weak. My faith is weak. There is no way you can get to heaven on your own faith. It will blind us. Our hope is in Christ and his work. That, my friend, is a hope that can be counted on. Our own faith will make us doubt based on our actions. But our actions don't save. God's action on the cross does.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I'm the "false theology" baptist on this topic of baptism. Mrs. Ephesians6:10-11, When your baptized God works in the water to save. It isn't merely a dunk of symbolic water. It's the miracle of salvation happening in the 3 persons of the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You don't have to wonder if your saved. If you were baptized before, why do a dunk of a water bath again? Just point to your baptism for assurance. There you find God worked in us to save us.

There are countless people who really are clueless about what they are doing at salvation, but that doesn't equate to no faith. God gives the faith you need. Your faith is weak. My faith is weak. There is no way you can get to heaven on your own faith. It will blind us. Our hope is in Christ and his work. That, my friend, is a hope that can be counted on. Our own faith will make us doubt based on our actions. But our actions don't save. God's action on the cross does.

This is what some people believe about baptism, but it's not in the Bible. In Acts 2.41 'those who gladly received his word were baptized': they were already trusting and believing in the Lord Jesus's work at the Cross and as a sign of their trust the showed it by being baptised.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I want to be baptized at the new church am going to
I want to do it as soon but my husband says am going too fast into doing that
also id like my born again Christian Bio Dad to be there as id like to invite him too it as he missed my wedding
because we lost contact and there was other things going on with his health as well
My Step Dad was there but he died 4 years ago

he lives at the other side of the uk and he has a few health problems including heart problems
but if i had a date for it i can see if he would like to go
i think my mother will not go she is Catholic and am unsure of her views on me being baptized in another church
i know my husband will go with me.

I Have OCD and there are times when i have Blasphemous thoughts all the time
I read the bible and i listen to Christian radio station and pray over and over
thinking it will get me to heaven but maybe am too much of a sinner to go to Heaven
Only God shall know that

Remember it says:'whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life'. It's Who we know the Lord Jesus to be and trusting what He has done at the Cross that counts for saving faith.

 

[mikedsjr]

This is what some people believe about baptism, but it's not in the Bible. In Acts 2.41 'those who gladly received his word were baptized': they were already trusting and believing in the Lord Jesus's work at the Cross and as a sign of their trust the showed it by being baptised.

Well, your adding the words,"as a sign of their trust they showed it by..."

I completely agree with the Scripture you posted. I'm not in any way disagreeing with it.