Becoming a Christian

[Justasking123]

Hi, from the Scriptures it seems that most who decided to follow Jesus Christ went through these steps, and pretty quickly:

Hearing from the Gospel --> conviction from heart --> repentance and surrender --> faith and accepting Jesus as their Saviour --> baptism and Holy Spirit --> following Jesus, having a relationship with Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
(It was probably not exactly like this for all but I thought those could be the main points)

I was wondering, if man has intellectual knowledge about the Gospel and see it as the word of God but stubbled, had a lot of doubts, was desobedient and did not surrender to God's will, can it be that man will never feel this conviction from the heart and so will never be able to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their saviour?

If repentance and grace are gifts from God, can it be that God cannot give it to us if we did not accept it in the past even if we realise what it means afterwards? Some say it cannot be too late for someone to repent as long as they still live, but what if their heart is so hard and wicked, that they are not able to repent anymore? The Scripture seems to say that it is not always possible to be saved.

Hebrew 10:26-31

John 3:18
"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Of course only God knows who will repent and truly come to him in faith and receive Jesus. I'm just thinking what if it is really too late, what is there left to do, from the Scriptures it seem as though it really is over for this person and man cannot change because man cannot buy grace. What do you think?

 

[Mathetes66]

Mark 10:21-31 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him & said to him, “One thing you lack: go & sell all you possess & give to the poor & you will have treasure in heaven & come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened & he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

23And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again & said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

26They were even more astonished & said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

28Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything & followed You.” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake & for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a 100 times as much now in the present age, houses & brothers & sisters & mothers & children & farms, along with persecutions & in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last & the last, first.”

I Tim 2:1-4 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession & thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings & all those in authority, that we may live peaceful & quiet lives in all godliness & holiness. This is good & pleases God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved & to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Ezek 18:30-32 Repent & turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed & fashion for yourselves a new heart & a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent & live!”

 

[d taylor]

Hi, from the Scriptures it seems that most who decided to follow Jesus Christ went through these steps, and pretty quickly:

Hearing from the Gospel --> conviction from heart --> repentance and surrender --> faith and accepting Jesus as their Saviour --> baptism and Holy Spirit --> following Jesus, having a relationship with Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
(It was probably not exactly like this for all but I thought those could be the main points)

I was wondering, if man has intellectual knowledge about the Gospel and see it as the word of God but stubbled, had a lot of doubts, was desobedient and did not surrender to God's will, can it be that man will never feel this conviction from the heart and so will never be able to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their saviour?

If repentance and grace are gifts from God, can it be that God cannot give it to us if we did not accept it in the past even if we realise what it means afterwards? Some say it cannot be too late for someone to repent as long as they still live, but what if their heart is so hard and wicked, that they are not able to repent anymore? The Scripture seems to say that it is not always possible to be saved.

Hebrew 10:26-31

John 3:18
"He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Of course only God knows who will repent and truly come to him in faith and receive Jesus. I'm just thinking what if it is really too late, what is there left to do, from the Scriptures it seem as though it really is over for this person and man cannot change because man cannot buy grace. What do you think?

You seem a little confused you speak of repenting, but then you post a verse John 3:18 that states when a person believes in Him, is not judged. Nothing in that verse (or the whole book of John about repenting for receiving eternal life) about a person repenting.

Why are they not judged because they have become a child of God because of what they believed in , they are a believer and has received eternal life The Gift of God.

Now if you want to be a christian (a follower of Christ) that requires work, repenting, living a good honest life, commitment, etc...

 

[Albion]

I'm just thinking what if it is really too late, what is there left to do, from the Scriptures it seem as though it really is over for this person and man cannot change because man cannot buy grace. What do you think?

What I think is that history is full of examples of people who could not accept the Gospel or else did so but only in an intellectual way, went on sinning and disbelieving...and yet did have a conversion experience in later life.

 

[Justasking123]

Why are they not judged because they have become a child of God because of what they believed in , they are a believer and has received eternal life The Gift of God.

I assumed that those who believed also repented but maybe I'm wrong. Because how can you have belief as in trust if you have not repented? Or how to you understand the word believe?

 

[Justasking123]

What I think is that history is full of examples of people who could not accept the Gospel or else did so but only in an intellectual way, went on sinning and disbelieving...and yet did have a conversion experience in later life.

Do you have some known examples? I would really like to read about them

 

[Sketcher]

I was wondering, if man has intellectual knowledge about the Gospel and see it as the word of God but stubbled, had a lot of doubts, was desobedient and did not surrender to God's will, can it be that man will never feel this conviction from the heart and so will never be able to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their saviour?

Possible that he will have head knowledge but not saving faith. Doesn't mean he can't have saving faith later. Lots of people come to Christ who started out with that head knowledge but didn't follow him in the past.

If repentance and grace are gifts from God, can it be that God cannot give it to us if we did not accept it in the past even if we realise what it means afterwards?

God isn't that limited.

Some say it cannot be too late for someone to repent as long as they still live, but what if their heart is so hard and wicked, that they are not able to repent anymore?

Besides certain Pharisees, we don't know who those people are. We therefore don't have a reason to believe that it is true of anyone we encounter. Saul of Tarsus was an extreme Pharisee, but God humbled him of all people, and he became Paul, who endured persecution for preaching the Gospel and wrote much of what would become the New Testament.

 

[d taylor]

I assumed that those who believed also repented but maybe I'm wrong. Because how can you have belief as in trust if you have not repented? Or how to you understand the word believe?

If i tell you i am 6' tall you either believe me or you do not.
You do not have to do any other acts or activities to believe (or to not believe) that i am 6' tall, than just to take me at my word.

Do you think God has created a special type of belief for people to believe Him. That is not stated in the Gospel of John.

And do you know the Gospel of John was written specifically to tell people how to have life (eternal life) John 20:31 , No other book (of the Bible) states that

 

[Albion]

I assumed that those who believed also repented but maybe I'm wrong. Because how can you have belief as in trust if you have not repented? Or how to you understand the word believe?

I appreciate your point, but many people "believe" and yet do not have faith--faith that changes lives and trusts absolutely. Yes, there are all sorts of those people and they say they believe but it's on the order of believing that Tuesday follows Monday. It is simply an affirmation of a fact by an onlooker.

 

[d taylor]

A person can repent all they want but repenting does not impart eternal life to an unbeliever.

The only way to receive eternal life, is to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah from Old Testament prophecies and trust in The Messiah for eternal life.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

 

[Justasking123]

I appreciate your point, but many people "believe" and yet do not have faith--faith that changes lives and trusts absolutely. Yes, there are all sorts of those people and they say they believe but it's on the order of believing that Tuesday follows Monday. It is simply an affirmation of a fact by an onlooker.

It must be something beautiful to go from this intellectual belief to the real faith, I pray I can have it some day.

 

[Justasking123]

A person can repent all they want but repenting does not impart eternal life to an unbeliever.

The only way to receive eternal life, is to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah from Old Testament prophecies and trust in The Messiah for eternal life.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

Thank you I will read the Gospel of John again.

 

[Phil W]

It must be something beautiful to go from this intellectual belief to the real faith, I pray I can have it some day.

When you do, you will realize the wisdom of adhering to the apostles' admonissions on repentance from sin and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins.
I pray it is soon.

 

[NBB]

God doens't 'curse' you because of your past unbeliefs, i say he sees people with love and compassion and mercy, like Jesus, when he said, 'he was moved in compassion' because he saw 'people were lost and without pastor' etc.

 

[aiki]

I was wondering, if man has intellectual knowledge about the Gospel and see it as the word of God but stubbled, had a lot of doubts, was desobedient and did not surrender to God's will, can it be that man will never feel this conviction from the heart and so will never be able to repent and accept Jesus Christ as their saviour?

It seems evident to me that the more a person chooses to reject the Gospel, the less and less likely it is he will choose to accept it. Have you heard of "soft libertarianism"? It is a view on human free will that has been explained this way: Our choices at certain points are genuinely free but as we make more and more choices we set ourselves into certain lines of thinking and behaviour that, over time, become harder and harder to shift out of. Our choices set our will such that our choices become increasingly less free as time passes but, rather, ordered and confined by earlier choices. So, there are moments where we do freely choose but after those initial free choices are made, we become set, or hardened in them as we make consequent similar choices. In light of this, if soft libertarianism is true, the longer a man chooses to live contrary to the Gospel, the more difficult it will become for him to live in accord with it.

The setting or hardening of a person into a particular line of living doesn't happen all at once, however. It is a process which can, at the earlier stages, be reversed without too much effort. But such reversal is increasingly more difficult as time passes. Think of the drug addict who could have at one point early on in his drug use have resisted the lure of illicit, addictive drugs, but as he continues to use them, falls more and more under their power until he becomes totally unable to resist using them.

Now, God is in the business of overcoming such things, of freeing sinners from lives hardened in sin. But God will not force a person to embrace the Gospel and salvation. If a man will not trust in Christ, he is always free to do so.

If repentance and grace are gifts from God, can it be that God cannot give it to us if we did not accept it in the past even if we realise what it means afterwards? Some say it cannot be too late for someone to repent as long as they still live, but what if their heart is so hard and wicked, that they are not able to repent anymore? The Scripture seems to say that it is not always possible to be saved.

Have you read the apostle Paul's description of the lost person in Ephesians 2:1-3? He describes people "dead in trespasses and sins," who were living according to the dictates of the World, the Flesh and the devil. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul describes the lost person as alienated from God and an enemy toward Him. (Colossians 1:21) According to Paul, there is no one God saves who is not in some measure already hardened in sin. And yet, God manages to save them. That's a hopeful thought, don't you think?

I would leave you with this other hopeful truth:

Romans 5:20
20 ...But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

 

[Mathetes66]

Thanks for your honesty, Justasking123! You can read the autobiography of Charles Finney, an evangelist in America. He was a lawyer & he grasped the intellectual facts of repentance toward God & the message of the gospel, in having faith in the LORD Jesus Christ. He even sought God earnestly day & night but couldn't find eternal life UNTIL one day...when he experienced the new birth, he was spiritually born of the Spirit, a second time in his life, from God above.

He then went on evangelizing in America, seeing many come to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, being convicted by the Spirit & being spiritually born a second time from above by God.

Here is his autobiography online for you to read.

http://www.ntslibrary.com/PDF Books/Charles Finney.pdf

Another person in the Bible who believed Jesus had come from God but who did not believe Jesus was the Messiah at first nor did he understand at first how one is born again by the Spirit was Nicodemus (John 3; John 7:50-52; John 19:38-42). He was one of the main teachers & leaders in Israel & a member of the Jewish ruling body, the Sanhedrin. Later on we see him defending Christ against the others of the Sanhedrin & again risking all to associate with Joseph of Arimathea & helping him put Jesus' body in a tomb & buying & bringing spices for wrapping the body in for burial.

Another person in history who lived a religious life in the 1700's, even studying at the prestigious Oxford Univ. in England & ordained as a minister--yet was unsaved--was John Wesley. Here is his testimony of how he finally became saved, became spiritually born again, a second time from above by God.

John Wesley had religious zeal, but needed salvation | God Reports

Another to read about in the Bible was the Apostle Paul. He had great zeal for God but persecuted & sought the death of members of the church of Jesus Christ. (see Acts 7; Acts 9; Acts 22; Acts 26; Galatians 1 & Philippians 3 & Romans 10 & Acts 17)

Enjoy!