Am I truly a christian?

[sunshinegirl2]

Hello

I`m new here at this forum, and I`m sooooo looking forward to read and post many of the post here in the different forums!

I`m not sure if I can call myself a new christian, because I have been a believer for about 3 years now.
I don`t belong to a church or a christian fellowship but I believe in Jesus, pray and read the Bible.
I have a little question that has made me a little confused lately:
Can I really trust and believe that God has forgiven me and that I`m saved?

I truly believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he came to pay all of our sins. And I know that he loves me too. I pray almost everyday and ask for a sign to show me that he hears my prayer.
I guess everyone doubts now and then, but I really need to know if I`m truly saved?

I appreciate if anyone would like to share their thoughts please

 

[snoochface]

Welcome to the forums

God doesn't necessarily give signs.

Matthew 12:
39 He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah..."

No one here is going to be able to tell you that yes you are saved, or no you are not. If you're not seeing evidence of him in your life, it could be because there is sin in your life that you haven't asked his forgiveness for, or it could be because you're not in church worshiping him with other believers. It could be that he is showing you evidence and you're just not seeing it.

My suggestion would be to find a church that you can attend where you can listen to good sound Bible teaching and fellowship with other Christians. Keep reading the Bible and if there is anything you feel you haven't confessed, do so. And of course keep talking to him, and listen for him when he answers you. It could be in ways you don't even realize.

 

[Elijah2]

Hi SSG2,

Do you believe that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of our Almighty God?

Do you believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary?

Do you believe that Lord Jesus Christ walked on this earth?

Do you believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the Cross?

Do you believe that our Lord Jesus Christ died to cleanse you of all sin and to redeem you with our Almighty God?

Do you believe that Lord Jesus Christ rose again on the third day?

Do you believe that our Lord Jesus Christ sits on the right hand side of our Heavenly Father in the Heavenlies?

Do you believe that our Lord Jesus Christ has brought you back from the kingdom of darkness and bondage of Satan?

If you can answer all of those questions with a "YES", then you are "born-again".

Your commandments are to forgive those who sin against you, and to love all people the same as you love our Lord Jesus Christ, and if you are doing that then you are travelling well.

Sorry SSG2, the only sign that you know that you are forgiven, is when you know it in your heart, the spiritual mind, that you are "saved", and you have no unforgiveness in your heart.

Be very careful about "doubt", because "doubt is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man (person) suppose that he (they) will receive anything from the Lord; he is (they are) a double-minded man, unstable in all his (their) ways" (James 1:6-8).

Therefore, be very careful, because "double-mindedness" will cause you to become divided in your thinking, and when you begin to debate with yourself, then it will become a battleground in your carnal mind, which is the enemy's territory.

Always think with your heart.

It will also split your "soul" into two personalities, and then when that happens you will be in constant conflict with yourself.

You do need a church and fellowship with other Christians.

Sadly, my dear sister, you can't test our Almighty God in regards to prayer. Now, possibly HE has given some very simple signs, and you have missed them.

I'll give you an example.

In Australia, we have been experiencing terrible bushfires in Victoria and Tasmania. Two days ago, I hadn't prayed for relief from the fires, I left it to everyone else. Then I called out to our Lord and said, "Lord, I've been slack, and I ask you Lord to put an end to these fires, send rain or anything!"

Australia is in the middle of summer, and Victoria, and Tasmania has plummeted to 14C from 35C, heavy snow has fallen throughout the ranges where the fires are the worse. Now, you don't have snow in the middle of Summer. Now the rain has come.

Now is that a sign, or is it just a coincidence?

Don't let it worry you about where you stand with our Lord Jesus Christ. If you answered all those question with a "YES", and am still concerned, then PM me and we can talk.

Love in Christ

 

[Lisa0315]

Hello

I`m new here at this forum, and I`m sooooo looking forward to read and post many of the post here in the different forums!

I`m not sure if I can call myself a new christian, because I have been a believer for about 3 years now.
I don`t belong to a church or a christian fellowship but I believe in Jesus, pray and read the Bible.
I have a little question that has made me a little confused lately:
Can I really trust and believe that God has forgiven me and that I`m his child?

I truly believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he came to pay all of our sins. And I know that he loves me too.
Sometimes I doubt if he has made a change in me and made me new. What I mean is that I feel different than before I accepted Christ, but I don`t see any signs of him often and it sometimes makes me wonder if he`s really there. I pray almost everyday and ask for a sign to show me that he hears my prayer.
I guess everyone doubts now and then, but I really need to know if I`m truly saved?

I appreciate if anyone would like to share their thoughts please

Hello. May I ask your age? The reason I ask is because I am trying to find out if you are still living at home, driving age, etc. If not, that requires a different answer.

If you are of driving age, and your parents do not object, then, you really need to find a church to attend. Often, assurance comes after we have performed some service for God, and this is often done through the church. Second, other believers will help you when you are filled with doubt.

As for doubt, we all go through it. God veils Himself from us to test our faith. If we purpose in our hearts to believe no matter what "feelings" we have, then, He will reveal Himself to you again, and you will know His presence.

Doubt means two things. One, it can mean a genuine conviction and lead to true salvation. Two, it can mean assurance of our salvation in of itself. Let me say it another way. If you never experienced doubt, it is likely that you are NOT a Christian.

I hope this helps. I will be praying for you, and trust me, we have all been where you have been.

Lisa

 

[sunshinegirl2]

Thanks to everyone for answers!

Elijah2, yes I answer yes on all the questions you listed up!

And when I said that I wanted a "sign" i didn`t mean a big miracle or something like that, but I just desire to have a deeper assurance! I know in my heart that I`m saved
And I also know that I`m a changed person, not the sme as I once was.

Lisa0315, yes I`m at driving age. I also live in my own appartment, so I can easy find a church to attend.
I will for sure try to do that! At least look for some christians where I live. Maybe I`ll join a student-group
All of my friends are non-christians, so it`s not easy to talk with them about what I believe, so I hold it inside and don`t speak about it.
I absolutely don`t need to be ashamed to say that I`m a christian and to talk about it.
But I don`t want to shout it out either, so I`m more comfortable with just show kindness and love to the people around me! "To love my neighbor"! My heart is overflowing with love, and I want to give that love to others more than I have done earlier.
But if somebody asks me, of course I will answer: "Yes, I`m a christian".
But when I talk to my friends religion have not been a subject to talk about actually. And it`s kind of hard to not have people around who believes the same.

But thanks again for your answers, they have helped me a lot!

Now I have to read more on these forums!

 

[Lisa0315]

Thanks to everyone for answers!

Elijah2, yes I answer yes on all the questions you listed up!

And when I said that I wanted a "sign" i didn`t mean a big miracle or something like that, but I just desire to have a deeper assurance! I know in my heart that I`m saved
And I also know that I`m a changed person, not the sme as I once was.

Lisa0315, yes I`m at driving age. I also live in my own appartment, so I can easy find a church to attend.
I will for sure try to do that! At least look for some christians where I live. Maybe I`ll join a student-group
All of my friends are non-christians, so it`s not easy to talk with them about what I believe, so I hold it inside and don`t speak about it.
I absolutely don`t need to be ashamed to say that I`m a christian and to talk about it.
But I don`t want to shout it out either, so I`m more comfortable with just show kindness and love to the people around me! "To love my neighbor"! My heart is overflowing with love, and I want to give that love to others more than I have done earlier.
But if somebody asks me, of course I will answer: "Yes, I`m a christian".
But when I talk to my friends religion have not been a subject to talk about actually. And it`s kind of hard to not have people around who believes the same.

But thanks again for your answers, they have helped me a lot!

Now I have to read more on these forums!

That's wonderful! There are alot of great people here and I think that all of us have found fellowship and friendship here. We have also found purpose in speaking with those who do not believe, and this may be why God has brought you here as well. Stay strong in the Lord, and know that your brothers and sisters love you just as Christ loves you.

Lisa

 

[malckiah]

Hello, Indeed you can be sure that once you have accepted Jesus into your heart.....You are without question saved! You see Jesus paid for the sins of all people in the whole world!- the only way a person can be Not saved is if they do not accept His free gift! So if you believe in your heart that Jesus died for your sins and rose after 3 days, then your are saved! The only thing that can seperate you from God is you.

 

[CffosterAngel25]

Hello


I truly believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he came to pay all of our sins. And I know that he loves me too. I pray almost everyday and ask for a sign to show me that he hears my prayer.
I guess everyone doubts now and then, but I really need to know if I`m truly saved?

I appreciate if anyone would like to share their thoughts please

Church is NOT necessary to be a Christian, yes it will help you to make new friends & learn about God & His people

WELCOME TO CF!

 

[Dark_Lite]

Hello

I`m new here at this forum, and I`m sooooo looking forward to read and post many of the post here in the different forums!

I`m not sure if I can call myself a new christian, because I have been a believer for about 3 years now.
I don`t belong to a church or a christian fellowship but I believe in Jesus, pray and read the Bible.
I have a little question that has made me a little confused lately:
Can I really trust and believe that God has forgiven me and that I`m saved?

I truly believe that Jesus is the son of God and that he came to pay all of our sins. And I know that he loves me too. I pray almost everyday and ask for a sign to show me that he hears my prayer.
I guess everyone doubts now and then, but I really need to know if I`m truly saved?

I appreciate if anyone would like to share their thoughts please

You can make a pretty good guess if you're saved or not. If you've done something horrible enough to cut yourself off from God's grace, then you're not saved. If you haven't done such a mortal sin or if you've repented earnestly of said sin, then you're saved.

By the way, find a church. They're fun.

 

[Lisa0315]

Church is NOT necessary to be a Christian, yes it will help you to make new friends & learn about God & His people

WELCOME TO CF!

Definitely not necessary for salvation, but definitely necessary for growth. Agree?

Lisa

 

[JPH]

Hello Sunshine,
If you accepted Jesus as your lord and saviour then you are a christian.A follower of christ.That means that you believe He is who he said he is and will do what he said he will do.You either are his child or you are not.If you have asked him to forgive you then he has.
You have his promises ,his word. I sense what you are searching for is intamacy with God not signs.Try this,during your prayer time ,worship him a bit and then just talk to him,but take your time and let him talk to you.I have had some wonderful experiences with God during prayer.When He touches you or you feel his presance with you your doubts and worries about your status with him will disappear.
Dont seek a sign or a feeling.Seek Him. Ask him to fill you with his Holy Spirit and see what happens.He loves you ,fall in love with him.
Peace1
J

 

[sunshinegirl2]

Thanks for all of your answers!

Yes, I know that attending a church isn`t neccesary to be a christian, but it will absolutely help to share my faith with somebody who believes the same as me. Especially since my friends are not christian. But of course I won`t stop spending time with them!

I see now that I used the word sign in a wrong way. Because as JPH said, what I actually meant was more intimacy with the Lord and not a big "sign" or something. A deeper and more personal relationship is what I meant!
Since english is not my main language I guess that I can easy express myself wrong, but now I hope that I`ll got it right exactly how I mean and feel about this!

So, thank you to all of you!
I feel much more secure now and can rest in the fact that I`m forgiven and saved!
I guess that one of the reason that I haven`t felt close to God is that I haven`t spent as much time with him as I would have wished.
So, tonight I`m going to have a long conversation with Him and confess all the things that`s on my heart! Lay all my troubles, pain and also gratefulness over to Him. It`s been a while since I`ve done that, so that will be really good!

Take care!

 

[bluethinker]

Why would you not think otherwise. You have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You have found the Love of Jesus in your heart and confessed that you are a sinner. You have accepted that he died on the Cross for your sins, and Yes, you have accepted that he was risen on the third day.

Jesus expects that there may be doubt, but if you look at wonders of world from a rainbow in the sky to an ant near a picnic table, the incredible gift of life came from the Lord, but the greater gift is that he died on the Cross for us and gave us everlasting salvation.

Yes, you are a Christian!!!!

 

[soulsearching1]

Sunshine, definitely go join a church or some sort of Christian group for college students/20somethings. Especially if all of your friends are non-Christians. I have only been a Christian since August, and I can tell you that going to church regularly and getting involved in church activities have helped a lot- I've met a lot of great Christian people and made some new friends, who I can in fact talk to about any of my doubts, questions, etc, which I can't do with my non-Christian friends. (Some of those friends don't even know yet) Also, get involved in some sort of Bible study- it's great to discuss the Word with others and toss ideas and interpretations around and ask questions, so that you can put the pieces together yourself.

And no, you don't have to stop spending time with your non-Christian friends- at least, I have not. My non-Christian friends are pretty "harmless" as far as secular people go; they're not out to corrupt my soul or anything. Some of them I've known since college and are very close to, some I go rock-climbing with (and rock-climbing isn't exactly sinful), etc. They're not crazy partiers or druggies or anything like that.

 

[sunshinegirl2]

Thanks for more reply`s!

Sometimes it`s kind of hard to believe in something I cannot see. But I still believe in God! I no longer doubt about if I`m a christian. But when I don`t talk about my faith very often to other people it`s easy to get a little bit of doubt. So I just felt like posting this thread, to hear if someone had an opinion.
I`m so happy that I registered here!

Have to go now, so take care everyone!

 

[soulsearching1]

No worries- as others have said, if you didn't doubt, you probably wouldn't truly believe. I've been told the same thing, and I've read it in several places, so it makes me feel a lot better when I feel doubt, and I feel doubt quite a bit sometimes! So I think it's pretty normal, especially early on. My ex has been a Christian for 3 years (he grew up Christian, but abandoned it as a teen- he's now 29) and he still feels doubt sometimes. So yeah, it's normal.

 

[bluethinker]

Sunshine, your comment was that it is sometimes hard to believe in what you can not see. Have you ever been to Tokyo or to Paris or London? If not, then how do you know that these cities really exist. You read books and see them on television, but can you say with absolute certainity that those places are really there? You accept because you believe.

If you have accepted and believe that is Jesus is Lord, then look out the window and look at the wonders of His work. The evidence is as real and is stronger than seeing cities referenced in books or depicted on television.

Think about it.

 

[sunshinegirl2]

Thank you, bluethinker, for what you wrote! It`s an interesting thought! It made me think of these words: John 20:29: Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
I have never been to Tokyo, Paris or London. But though I haven`t seen them with my own eyes and haven`t been there I know that they exist!

And also thanks to soulsearching1 for your words!
It`s very true that if I didn't doubt, I probably wouldn't truly believe.
It`s something I will take with me and think about in times of doubt I may have in the future.

Thanks

 

[Dondi]

Read 1 John. There are so many passages for confirming if you are a Christian. It speaks of God's love and how we ought to be loving others. Here are some great nuggets of scripture:

"If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." - I John 1:6-10

"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." - I John 2:1-5

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us." - I John 3:18-24

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. " - I John 4:7-13

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." - I John 5:11-13


How rich God's Word is!

 

[O.F.F.]

When I Say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not shouting, "I am saved!"
I'm whispering, "I get lost!"
That is why I chose this Way.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
And need someone to be my guide.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I am weak
And pray for strength to carry on.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are too visible
But God believes I'm worth it.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
Which is why I seek His Name.

When I say, "I am a Christian,"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I am loved.