About being "Saved"....

[ExiledSoul]

Ok, in the time I've spent on this Forum I've seen alot of people say things like "People who were once saved but then fall out of faith were never saved in the first place". How can that be said??? Where does that put me at? I was Saved 6 years ago, baptized in the Holy Ghost 4 years ago and fell out of faith 2 years ago.

But does everyone believe this nonsense? I fell out of faith because I ended up being a sheep with no shepard and got lost among men. This furiates me now that I've been trying to find my faith again for a month now. This idea is saying that have to get Saved and baptized again? Or maybe this idea doesn't apply to me... Help?

God Bless.

 

[BeLedbyHisSpirit]

Hey dude,

You pegged it correctly. Whatever you read, was in fact nonsense.

The beauty of the Lord Jesus and God the Father, is that He is patient and allows us to experiment with Him. You can screw up, be a lost sheep, wander away, rebel and do every vile thing known to man, and He is going to bring you back in such a way that you realize that He loves you more than you ever realized.

The scriptures are replete with examples and specifics about God's never-ending mercy, and not a one of us could ever stand, save for His Grace! So, if it is His Grace, then it is by no other means.

I love this one (emphasis on the last stanza):

Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Isn't that cool!!!!!!!

Now, about your having been let down by men, it would do you well to know what I wrote in another forum on here. Read these posts of mine. Also, I will be your friend and do for you whatever I can. In Christ.

http://www.christianforums.com/t3106323-truth-regarding-christs-body-ie-church.html


Your post, (to me), is another demonstration of the faithfulness of Christ. The righteous fall seven times, and rise again.

This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.

 

[heymikey80]

Ok, in the time I've spent on this Forum I've seen alot of people say things like "People who were once saved but then fall out of faith were never saved in the first place". How can that be said??? Where does that put me at? I was Saved 6 years ago, baptized in the Holy Ghost 4 years ago and fell out of faith 2 years ago.

But does everyone believe this nonsense? I fell out of faith because I ended up being a sheep with no shepard and got lost among men. This furiates me now that I've been trying to find my faith again for a month now. This idea is saying that have to get Saved and baptized again? Or maybe this idea doesn't apply to me... Help?

God Bless.

(I like your quote, it reminds me of an ancient (to you!) song that was popular when I was a kid, "Doctor, my Eyes")

Well, I believe this, but I don't believe it has to do with the "falling out of faith" that you've experienced. I guess I would say rather that it was disillusionment with your leaders and a loss of that initial enthusiasm that you experienced. Did you see that you lost all your reliance on Jesus Christ, or did you lose what they unreliably taught you?

Your infuriation says to me something inside you has never lost your faith -- it has been deprived and starved by hired shepherds, I fully agree (John 10). Now there's a big catch-up. Maybe you don't see things the way you once thought they worked. But I'd say you see One more and more the same the longer you walk, even when you walk unsteadily.

That's something about my theology's thinking -- that salvation's not about your feelings but about your faith -- that rock-steady undercurrent that is telling you things aren't right, that's steaming you over how badly these shepherds have damaged your own feelings of assurance and relationship with the Savior of the Universe.

I would whole-heartedly say there are plenty of ways you -- any believer's -- feelings are changed, deprived of assurance, and seem to expose you to dangers that your believing heart now sees and seeks to repel. That comes with the territory of faith.

God hasn't tromped off while you were under these people, He was working in you to be angered, to throw off the lies, and to start seeking Him in the Truth, the honesty, the reality of our own condition in His presence. And so I trust that Spirit in you will grow in maturity now. With a clearer picture of Who He is in truth, your feelings and growth in Him will be stronger, more truthful, more reliable.

That's the way I see this idea of having faith -- not that you didn't have faith in the first place, but that now your faith is looking for the God Who is There.

 

[ExiledSoul]

Thank you both for you words.

To make things more clear, all of my faith, saving and baptizing (except water baptizing) was done in an out of state Church that I don't get to vist but a few times a year at best. I really had the heart and faith of a true believer, and could deeply feel God in that building during the services. But back home my mother was taking to another church (when from out of state Non-Denominational to denominational) and I didn't feel God working their or giving me anything in the sermons. So I stopped going (sheep without a shepard) and let myself be influenced by friends and became a heavy partier (lost among men).

 

[Sketcher]

That teaching comes from this verse:

"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." - 1 John 2:19

However, I believe there is a difference between them and the lost son (Luke 15:11-32). John was talking about people who left the faith and became false teachers. The lost son on the other hand, was lost for different reasons and the important part is he came back later. Those who are hardliners for this teaching would say the lost son never lost his salvation. They would say the false teacher never had his.

Anyway, you came back which is the important part. Welcome back.

 

[Catholic Wife]

Ok, in the time I've spent on this Forum I've seen alot of people say things like "People who were once saved but then fall out of faith were never saved in the first place". How can that be said??? Where does that put me at? I was Saved 6 years ago, baptized in the Holy Ghost 4 years ago and fell out of faith 2 years ago.

But does everyone believe this nonsense? I fell out of faith because I ended up being a sheep with no shepard and got lost among men. This furiates me now that I've been trying to find my faith again for a month now. This idea is saying that have to get Saved and baptized again? Or maybe this idea doesn't apply to me... Help?

God Bless.

I don't believe this idea that if you fall out of faith or are led astray that you weren't "saved" the first time. Why?

Think of the prodigal son. When he left his father's house, he didn't stop being the father's son, did he? And look at how the father rejoiced when the son returned! Let's examine Jesus' message within this parable. Sometimes we stray from the Father, but He is always ready to welcome us back with open arms and rejoicing when we are ready. We never stop being His children.

Welcome back into the Good Shepherd's fold!

 

[heymikey80]

That's a great point, PerkyCurlz. It's not the fact that you fail or perform a sin that makes you "without faith" in this scheme. It's not even that you quit going to just any church -- especially one where you can't find the Spirit of God. It's that you come into a relationship with the Spirit of God and walk away permanently. From the Spirit of God. Not some church, and not into some sins. That's what people I know mean when they say the person didn't have faith in the first place.

We failing people often have only the visible facts to go on. When we see someone come into a church and then walk away from a church, we assume that's apostasy -- we don't have anything more to go on. But it could be the church isn't following God's Spirit -- or even that the small group the person is connected to, isn't following the Spirit. In that case the Spiritual person would do well to race out to where the Spirit can be found.

It is not easy for anyone to tell what the deal is. But for young Christians John wrote 1 John to help you check out these different churches. As you grow older, sometimes you will realize ... you're humbly bringing the Spirit to a church starved for Him. But while you find you're still young in the faith, 1 John is a great way to get a handle on what's going on with your mentors and yourself. It sure helped me.

If we say 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. 1 John 1:8-9

 

[unknownchristian]

well i dont have a answer for your question but i can tell you this;
Whatever happens, read the bible everyday and pray everyday. When your in bad times, Thats where God will be with you the most.

 

[Bernergirl]

well i dont have a answer for your question but i can tell you this;
Whatever happens, read the bible everyday and pray everyday. When your in bad times, Thats where God will be with you the most.

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."

- Matthew 5:4 (KJV)

I often find that I feel God's presence very strongly when I am in turbulent times. He is my guiding light amongst the hurt.

You know, it just popped into my head that a prayer journal might really help you. Not necessarily like formal prayers, just sketches or poetry or quotes or things that you like (and maybe the occasional formal prayer if you feel it's right). I know keeping a prayer journal has helped me immensely. Really helps me to feel closer to God.

May you be blessed.

In Christ,

Lissa

 

[Dark_Lite]

Ok, in the time I've spent on this Forum I've seen alot of people say things like "People who were once saved but then fall out of faith were never saved in the first place". How can that be said??? Where does that put me at? I was Saved 6 years ago, baptized in the Holy Ghost 4 years ago and fell out of faith 2 years ago.

But does everyone believe this nonsense? I fell out of faith because I ended up being a sheep with no shepard and got lost among men. This furiates me now that I've been trying to find my faith again for a month now. This idea is saying that have to get Saved and baptized again? Or maybe this idea doesn't apply to me... Help?

God Bless.

Salvation is a lifelong process. I keep no track of any date I was "saved."

 

[Bain_Adaneth]

Ok, in the time I've spent on this Forum I've seen alot of people say things like "People who were once saved but then fall out of faith were never saved in the first place". How can that be said??? Where does that put me at? I was Saved 6 years ago, baptized in the Holy Ghost 4 years ago and fell out of faith 2 years ago.

But does everyone believe this nonsense? I fell out of faith because I ended up being a sheep with no shepard and got lost among men. This furiates me now that I've been trying to find my faith again for a month now. This idea is saying that have to get Saved and baptized again? Or maybe this idea doesn't apply to me... Help?

God Bless.

No, you can't be saved and then not be saved. That's why no one knows for sure if they're saved or not....they believe that they are saved, but only God knows if they truely are or not...so some people might think that they were saved all along, but they may not be saved at all. uhhhh...I think that some of it is the result of people pushing others to ask Christ to be their Savior too soon....I know that it's never soon enough....but take for example my niece, she went to chuch with me, and it happens that her teacher has said a prayer along with her to accept Jesus into her heart and to become her Savior...at first I didn't feel comfortable with it, because my niece is just a child, she has not learned much about Jesus, and I don't even know what she was really thinking as she said those prayers....so know this person may think that they are saved, I may think that they are saved, but only God knows for sure...however let me give you some hints...
when Jesus becomes your personal Savior, the Holy Spirit is given to you....from the Holy Spirit, you are a new you....and you're suppose to change, because your works will show that you are following Christ...with the Holy Spirit, you are a new you...when you follow God with all your heart, you will leave behind earthly things, and want to do His will. So you won't try to do what you want anymore, but what God wants....that's doing His will, not yours....These are just some signs that you see in people, when you know that they have given their life to God....you not only see it in their works, but in their love, life, and wanting to know God more and follow Him....they don't do this to find God, but they do it because they have found God...other people who are doing a lot work, have no faith, do not follow in the word of God (not following God), are just people who are trying to work their way to heaven....they feel like they can do works to be worthy....wrong way to go...a lot of work for nothing....