hello all. so im trying to figure out where MY mistake is. keyword is my. so in order to be saved, we must 1. repent, 2. believe that Jesus will save us. and the way to know if you have been saved is to see if 1. your life changes, or 2. you produce good fruit.
One thing that helps me to be clear about what is involved in becoming saved is >
"we who first trusted in Christ" > in Ephesians 1:12.
And Jesus says our Father draws a person to Jesus, teaching us in the process. So, there is learning involved.
And we are turned
"from the power of Satan to God" > in Acts 26:18.
And Jesus says,
"'Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'" (Matthew 11:28-29)
So, God brings a person to Jesus, while God teaches the person so the person is satisfied, and God turns the person from Satan's power, so the person is now with God in sharing with Him in His love (Romans 5:5); and with Jesus we learn so we live in His rest for our souls.
And this involves a lifelong process. So, you might get into being not a "lifelong sinner", but a lifelong process in sharing with God
Our primary identity with Jesus is we are children of God and we are His saints. Yes, we sin, but this does not make "sinner" our primary identity. You breathe, but you do not go around telling everyone you are a breather . . . or a walker, or a talker. But do seek our Father for how He is able to change our character to be like Jesus, so we love like Jesus while pleasing our Father like Jesus is so pleasing > be busy with praying for this; be blessed to seek God for all He means by His word, how He is able to share with us.
Do you get the sharing part? God's love has us in family sharing with Him and one another, in all that is possible with God.
so i have repented numerous times, i do believe everything the Bible tells us about Jesus, i have been baptized, and yet, i know im not saved. howso you ask???
easy, i dont produce good fruit. so, this must mean i have done something incorrectly but i dont know what. any ideas on what im missing???
It is wise to examine ourselves about if we are in the faith >
"faith working through love", our Apostle Paul does say, in Galatians 5:6. Our Apostle Paul, according to how I understand 2 Corinthians 13:5, tells us to examine ourselves. But do this with God, like examining your health by submitting to a doctor and doing what the doctor has you do - - - while the doctor does what the doctor is able to do with you.
And read and feed on His word, trusting Him to have you doing what He means while blessing you the way His word means . . . to Him. And this will have us not only about our own selves being saved and blessed, but we care about others as ourselves, and with Jesus this is with family sharing and relating.
So, possibly, you have been too into yourself. Jesus says,
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (in Luke 9:23)