Am i a christian?

[phlyingpngwyns]

sorry if this is in wrong place. please move it if it is. I need help with my faith. I have alot of doubts. I want to stop doubting the existence of God, not a major problem because I know he is real, but I still have doubts sometimes. my major problem is doubting my faith. I have asked forgiveness for my sins and have prayed to be saved many times, but I doubt my faith. I don't know if I did it just because of fear of Hell or because I really wanted to or just because I knew it was a good thing to do. I want to have faith to know that I really am a true Christian, and I want to love God so much that I feel no regrets about leaving Earthly things/people behind when I die. So, I need help to stop doubting my faith. once again sorry if i posted this in wrong place, i wasnt sure. THanks

 

[Crosssword]

I too have struggled with doubt a great deal of my life. If you would like to list some of the thoughts that cause doubt we can explore them. Sometimes you have get lost before you can be found. Sometimes you need to take a step back to take a leap forward. Indulging in doubts is risky, but if you overcome them you're faith will be that much stronger. I made a bunch of general arguments in the logic thread as well. I would ask that you please debate the subject matter at hand and not resort to insulting, judging, or condemning as it will make you the same as those who stoned the prophets and crucified Jesus rather then converse with them. Such are the root of all evil.

To be clear, I believe all doubts can be confronted and overcome, and that this path is more conducive to faith then attempting to ignore them. It's better to feel sure of your faith then worry that if you read about another with an open mind you would lose it. Those who don't want to read about doubts should leave.

 

[Brother Chris]

Many new Christians do go through doubts. I did. But when I started examining the changes the Lord was doing in my life, it gave me assurance. Of course, I also trust in the promises of salvation in scripture. Also, struggling with sin, or neglecting the bible can cause doubts as well. Read 1 John a few times to have some assurance.

 

[Crosssword]

confronting doubts will help your mind to experience greater faith, but the heart, body, and soul require trusting the lord and growing in that faith. Remember that nothing stays still, everything in life either grows or decays. Another great axiom is that by teaching others we are also teaching ourselves.

Indeed, Brother Chris, trusting the lord he can and will work in our lives. Christianity is all about the heart and the word. In the beginning there was the word, and the word was without form. The word reflects the heart and is spoken out of the heart. For God so loved us that he gave his only son to die for our sins. This selfless gesture touches the hearts of those who care that they have sinned and want to stop.

We begin with Self love and accepting God's love. Out of self love we are to understand that we belong to the lord. Our bodies are his temples. From here we proceed to love our neighbors as ourselves and to love God with all our heart, strength, mind, and soul. All the deadly sins are unhealthy in one way or another and may easily proceed out of self-hate and utter disregard for the health of body, mind, heart and soul. The lord tells us to do what is best FOR us. To sin is to sin against ones very soul.

I mention self-love because without it the whole thing falls apart. My life is a perfect example of how a person without self-love can try his hardest to find God and fail utterly. Self-hate usually stems out of tragedy so he does take this into account. It's like trying to blame a blind man for bumping into people, any man with a heart would instead want to pity him for being blind. Hating the self is similar to denying the self, except that the result will be sinful. In self-hate all seemingly positive things come from ungodly sources, or from running away from our true problems. In self-denial we are practicing moderation and keeping the ways of God. Self-denial taken too far results in hating what God has created.

Evidence of God working in your life: Consider your interactions with people and whether their hearts have been hardened our opened mysteriously. This is one of the mysterious ways he acts. For instance, back in my teen years I was into drugs, I was caught with a whole pound of weed commerically wrapped and I got off scott free because God opened the judges heart and intervened on my behalf. Yeah, it was a first offense but I was 18 and there's no way I should have got away with that.

Here is an excellent article on his mercy and on how he deals with us: http://www.acts17-11.com/mercy.html
And a good one on self-hate http://www.gotquestions.org/self-hatred.html

 

[vespasia]

phlyingpngwyns,

Following Christ is a journey of a lifetime. Each of us can only manage to take one step after another. Faith may come to some as an imeadiate gift from God but for many it takes time to grow.

You can turn to God and ask God's spirit to bless you so that faith takes a deep root within your life, trust the promises Christ made that can be found in the bible for they are good.

Your icon is anabaptist; often this part of Christ's body teach sound scripture in depth. Do you have contact with a fellowship where you live where you could ask questions and where another can be alongside you as you begin to walk in faith holding onto Christs promises?

 

[Peripatetic]

I can tell you this: people with no faith are not as concerned about not having it as you are. The hunger in your heart points out that God is there. Rather than concentrating on feelings (ie. Do I feel saved? Do I feel like a true Christian?), I suggest focusing on God's word. If you don't already have one, get a good study Bible and maybe start to read a daily devotion or two. The more you dig into it, the more your part in this great mystery will make sense.

 

[razzelflabben]

sorry if this is in wrong place. please move it if it is. I need help with my faith. I have alot of doubts. I want to stop doubting the existence of God, not a major problem because I know he is real, but I still have doubts sometimes. my major problem is doubting my faith. I have asked forgiveness for my sins and have prayed to be saved many times, but I doubt my faith. I don't know if I did it just because of fear of Hell or because I really wanted to or just because I knew it was a good thing to do. I want to have faith to know that I really am a true Christian, and I want to love God so much that I feel no regrets about leaving Earthly things/people behind when I die. So, I need help to stop doubting my faith. once again sorry if i posted this in wrong place, i wasnt sure. THanks

This sounds similar though a bit different to my experience, let me share what I learned and see if it helps.

I came to Christ as about 6 years old. To make a long story as short as possible, I came to Christ because I needed His strength. As time moved forward and I saw other people's experience, I began to feel like I was missing something. I too wanted that emotional response to what I knew was a huge deal. So time and time and time again, I prayed the sinners prayer, seeking that same emotional response. Time and time I would return, still seeking, never finding. Then, I slowly began to comprehend that that emotional response was not needed. What I needed was the eyes of faith to see what the eyes of the flesh cannot see.

As time went by, I began to see with the eyes of faith and I began to see the fruit of the Spirit in my own life. One day, I had an experience that would cause me to never turn away, no matter, my faith would be forever etched into my being.

I was sitting sewing when my sister came in and laid on my shoulders. I asked her to move, she refused, I told her to move, she refused. I took hold of her arms and set her off of me. She went crying to my father that I had scratched her and showed him an old wound. My father went nuts and began beating me with a belt. Well, long story short.. That day, the belt never struck me. That day, Jesus literally stood in my place and showed me in a real and tangible way what it means "by His stripes I am healed". Though from the outside looking in you would have seen me being beaten, there was not sting from the belt, and no welts from it either. Jesus took my place.

That reality, that truth was so compelling that I never questioned ever again. I think we too often time go around never really grasping what Jesus did, how much He really loves us, and how amazing His love is. When we finally grasp just a glimpse of who He really is in our lives and how we fit into His plan, we begin to accept the forgiveness He offers and begin to learn and grow and mature into the men and woman He has called us to be..

Just my two cents...I would encourage you to study biblical love and/or humility...they are closely related.

May you find peace in our Lord. Answers to your questions and prayers.

 

[tturt]

When Jesus was on earth and He was tempted, He said, "It is written..." That's what we have to do so when that doubt comes, immediately replace those thoughts with The Word. Here's some Scriptures that you find helpful.

I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Titus 1:2 "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"

Yahweh claims you as His child -

John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

 

[Crosssword]

That's an amazing story Razzel, it reminds me of how I felt Jesus suddenly ordering me to throw away something sinful. I did not even have time to put on shoes, but when I went outside my feet did not feel even a hint of being cold until the very end when I was back at the door, which was to demonstrate the normal level of cold.

There are times I feel him watching over me. Sometimes I just get a flash of him in my standing standing there wearing white, and when he puts his hand on my shoulder I feel a deep sense of peace.

 

[phlyingpngwyns]

Thank you all very much for the replies. Your support and encouragement is helping. I will think about everything you all said and I do have a Bible, so I will look at those verses and try to read it more and think more deeply about what I read. I will also look at those links, Crossword, though I don't think I suffer from self-hate. Thanks again.

 

[Samuel Coleridge]

sorry if this is in wrong place. please move it if it is. I need help with my faith. I have alot of doubts. I want to stop doubting the existence of God, not a major problem because I know he is real, but I still have doubts sometimes. my major problem is doubting my faith. I have asked forgiveness for my sins and have prayed to be saved many times, but I doubt my faith. I don't know if I did it just because of fear of Hell or because I really wanted to or just because I knew it was a good thing to do. I want to have faith to know that I really am a true Christian, and I want to love God so much that I feel no regrets about leaving Earthly things/people behind when I die. So, I need help to stop doubting my faith. once again sorry if i posted this in wrong place, i wasnt sure. THanks

The measure of faith you have comes from God. Doubt comes from a measure of unbelief. So there is something that you do not believe with all your heart that is causing the doubt. I would have to guess somewhere along the way a little of your doubt got mingled in with a little of your faith. To which produces, doubting your faith.

 

[tturt]

phlyingpngwyns, so glad you're encouraged and I hope that you will feel free to ask any questions you have. Welcome to the forums.

 

[Sketcher]

Forget about measuring your faith. Forget it. It's got you barking up the wrong tree. We're not supposed to have faith in our own faith. We're just supposed to have faith in God, and what Jesus Christ did for us. We either believe in him, or we don't. Believing in God is like believing in any old thing: that there's a country you've never been to named China, that the weather is going to be as it was predicted to be, that the chair you're about to sit in will support your weight. Faith in some measure is exercised in each of those situations. You either have it or you don't, and you act on your belief or your disbelief. Faith in God is no different.

 

[Crosssword]

Jesus said you must become as a child again. Hint: children are prone to believe things.

Adults become set in their ways, and set in their rational minds. Adults do not believe in Miracles, they believe in adultery lol.

 

[papaJP]

Adults become set in their ways, and set in their rational minds. Adults do not believe in Miracles, they believe in adultery lol. by Crosssword
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I do not agree that adults do not believe in Miracles. I am a very mature adult who not only believes in Miracles but have seen a great many of them and personally am one myself. Please be careful of generalizations as they cannot be true.

 

[Peripatetic]

Forget about measuring your faith. Forget it. It's got you barking up the wrong tree. We're not supposed to have faith in our own faith. We're just supposed to have faith in God, and what Jesus Christ did for us.

Very well said!

 

[Samuel Coleridge]

Forget about measuring your faith. Forget it. It's got you barking up the wrong tree. We're not supposed to have faith in our own faith. We're just supposed to have faith in God, and what Jesus Christ did for us. We either believe in him, or we don't. Believing in God is like believing in any old thing: that there's a country you've never been to named China, that the weather is going to be as it was predicted to be, that the chair you're about to sit in will support your weight. Faith in some measure is exercised in each of those situations. You either have it or you don't, and you act on your belief or your disbelief. Faith in God is no different.

Let us take a closer look at what you have said here. You stated that "We're not supposed to have faith in our own faith." She did not say she did not have faith in her own faith. She said she had doubt in her faith. And her faith is given to her by God. So to be correct, she has doubt in the faith that God gave her. You can believe in God and still have doubt in what he is doing with and in your life. This is a common thing people struggle with all their lives. Jesus went around preaching about faith, he even marveled at the measure of faith some had or did not have. The disciples even asked Jesus how to increase their faith, and he told them. And believing in God is not like believing in any old thing. Not to her anyway. Are we not suppose to have no doubt in our own faith that God has given us? I could go on but I do think this is enough for now.

 

[razzelflabben]

Let us take a closer look at what you have said here. You stated that "We're not supposed to have faith in our own faith." She did not say she did not have faith in her own faith. She said she had doubt in her faith. And her faith is given to her by God. So to be correct, she has doubt in the faith that God gave her. You can believe in God and still have doubt in what he is doing with and in your life. This is a common thing people struggle with all their lives. Jesus went around preaching about faith, he even marveled at the measure of faith some had or did not have. The disciples even asked Jesus how to increase their faith, and he told them. And believing in God is not like believing in any old thing. Not to her anyway. Are we not suppose to have no doubt in our own faith that God has given us? I could go on but I do think this is enough for now.

I was gonna say something but was afraid if I did it would turn ugly...thanks for speaking up...also, remember Thomas...the doubter....

 

[Brother Chris]

Bottom line, read 1 John to settle any doubts, it's the test of genuine saving faith. If you pass the test, rejoice! If you fail the test, repent and believe!

 

[Samuel Coleridge]

Bottom line, read 1 John to settle any doubts, it's the test of genuine saving faith. If you pass the test, rejoice! If you fail the test, repent and believe!

I will wager all I have, that if you live upon this Earth long enough. You 2 will be re-failing test and re-repenting and re-rebelieving more than you think now.