Crisis

[Bob8102]

I am having a personal crisis: am I a Christian, or not? Am I willing to do what it takes to become a Christian, or not? Am I willing to live the Christian life, or not?

Sometimes I think I am saved, and at others, not. I can, in my mind, "sincerely" turn to Christ and ask Him to "take me." I've done this over and over. But I realize that that might just be superficial. I might be really clinging to self, not to Christ, even as I go through the motions of a "conversion."

If I am not a Christian, I can imagine that what's holding me back is that requirement to deny self and take up one's cross.

One of my problems is that I seem to able to concentrate on one thing for only seconds at a time. For instance, I will consider a verse, such as, "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might have life in His name." I will take a verse such as that, concentrate on it and start repeating it to myself. But after a few seconds or so, I will lose focus. I will be liable to find myself just repeating it as in a chant, and not getting the meaning of it in my mind or heart. Then I'll realize this, and go back to really trying to "get it" again. But again, that effort will only last for a few seconds. I can go back and forth between seconds of really trying to get it, and seconds of just chanting, over and over for a long time, maybe even hours.

Of course, one doesn't get saved by just believing facts about Jesus. To "believe that Jesus is the Christ" has a deeper meaning than just intellectual assent to facts. One has to turn to Him and give Him their life. I may not be doing this for real; I may be clinging to self. I may be too afraid to deny myself.

 

[Bob8102]

Another thing: I know one can be saved in a moment. A lot of time, I'm thinking, "Salvation is just a moment away." But that moment, as in leading me to permanent assurance of salvation, always eludes me. I may be repeatedly trying an "easy" entrance into the kingdom of God. I may be mixing up "quick" with "quick and easy." Salvation is quick: it can occur in a moment. But it's not easy. That's why my attempts at salvation fail repeatedly.

 

[A_Thinker]

Another thing: I know one can be saved in a moment. A lot of time, I'm thinking, "Salvation is just a moment away." But that moment, as in leading me to permanent assurance of salvation, always eludes me. I may be repeatedly trying an "easy" entrance into the kingdom of God. I may be mixing up "quick" with "quick and easy." Salvation is quick: it can occur in a moment. But it's not easy. That's why my attempts at salvation fail repeatedly.

Salvation is not a momentary experience.

Belief entails living on in accord with your belief.

If you believe that a chair will support your weight, you will sit in it.

True belief means a life of prayer, study of the scriptures, service to others, fellowship with other believers, etc.

True belief will make your life different ...

 

[HTacianas]

I am having a personal crisis: am I a Christian, or not? Am I willing to do what it takes to become a Christian, or not? Am I willing to live the Christian life, or not?

Sometimes I think I am saved, and at others, not. I can, in my mind, "sincerely" turn to Christ and ask Him to "take me." I've done this over and over. But I realize that that might just be superficial. I might be really clinging to self, not to Christ, even as I go through the motions of a "conversion."

If I am not a Christian, I can imagine that what's holding me back is that requirement to deny self and take up one's cross.

One of my problems is that I seem to able to concentrate on one thing for only seconds at a time. For instance, I will consider a verse, such as, "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might have life in His name." I will take a verse such as that, concentrate on it and start repeating it to myself. But after a few seconds or so, I will lose focus. I will be liable to find myself just repeating it as in a chant, and not getting the meaning of it in my mind or heart. Then I'll realize this, and go back to really trying to "get it" again. But again, that effort will only last for a few seconds. I can go back and forth between seconds of really trying to get it, and seconds of just chanting, over and over for a long time, maybe even hours.

Of course, one doesn't get saved by just believing facts about Jesus. To "believe that Jesus is the Christ" has a deeper meaning than just intellectual assent to facts. One has to turn to Him and give Him their life. I may not be doing this for real; I may be clinging to self. I may be too afraid to deny myself.

You're suffering from a classic case of logismoi. Logismoi means "thought". It is a thought in your head that causes you to lose focus while praying. St. John Climacus wrote about it around 600 AD. It's something monks concern themselves with while in prayer. It's described exactly the way you described it. It's common with everyone and is nothing to be worried about.

Logismoi - OrthodoxWiki

 

[dqhall]

Another thing: I know one can be saved in a moment. A lot of time, I'm thinking, "Salvation is just a moment away." But that moment, as in leading me to permanent assurance of salvation, always eludes me. I may be repeatedly trying an "easy" entrance into the kingdom of God. I may be mixing up "quick" with "quick and easy." Salvation is quick: it can occur in a moment. But it's not easy. That's why my attempts at salvation fail repeatedly.

Not worry about tomorrow. Try to find out what God wants you to do today.

 

[Bob8102]

Salvation is not a momentary experience.

Belief entails living on in accord with your belief.

If you believe that a chair will support your weight, you will sit in it.

True belief means a life of prayer, study of the scriptures, service to others, fellowship with other believers, etc.

True belief will make your life different ...

Good works, a life of devotion to God and others, are a result of salvation. They are not the path to salvation. That begs the question: "What is the path to salvation?"

 

[A_Thinker]

Good works, a life of devotion to God and others, are a result of salvation. They are not the path to salvation. That begs the question: "What is the path to salvation?"

Acceptance of the offer of Christ ...

Come to Me, all you who labor and who carry heavy burdens, ... and I will give you rest.

Take my path and learn of Me ... for I am meek and lowly in heart ... and you will find rest for your souls.

For My way is easy ... and My expectations are light.

Matthew 11:28-30

 

[Bob8102]

You're suffering from a classic case of logismoi. Logismoi means "thought". It is a thought in your head that causes you to lose focus while praying. St. John Climacus wrote about it around 600 AD. It's something monks concern themselves with while in prayer. It's described exactly the way you described it. It's common with everyone and is nothing to be worried about.

Logismoi - OrthodoxWiki

That is very notable (I read the linked article). In my path, which may or may not lead to salvation, I will keep that in mind.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Another thing: I know one can be saved in a moment. A lot of time, I'm thinking, "Salvation is just a moment away." But that moment, as in leading me to permanent assurance of salvation, always eludes me. I may be repeatedly trying an "easy" entrance into the kingdom of God. I may be mixing up "quick" with "quick and easy." Salvation is quick: it can occur in a moment. But it's not easy. That's why my attempts at salvation fail repeatedly.

You said "That's why my attempts at salvation fails repeatedly"

I would like to mention, your attempts to save yourself will always fail. They are destined to fail, it's a promise.

Let's turn to Luke 18. There's a couple parables here. First we have in Luke 18:10, the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee thanked God in prayer that he was better than the sinner and that tax collector over there; and the tax collector humbled himself and prayed for God to have mercy on him, a sinner, with such humility he wouldn't even lift his head to God.

Jesus points out that the tax collector is the one who God will exalt, and the arrogance of the Pharisee would be his downfall. Why? Because salvation requires an understanding of what we really are before God - unworthy sinners.

Then we go on to the little children in Luke 18:15-17, and Jesus says we must be like little children, who are innocent and trusting we know, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

So far we have outlined the fact we need an understanding of what we are before God and humble ourselves, then we become innocent and trusting like children as we approach Jesus...

By way of introduction to the next portion, you should understand something clearly. Wealth was seen by the Jews as a sign of God's blessings for someone's righteousness. If you've ever read in the Book of Job you'll see when Job was wealthy all his freinds spoke of his righteousness before God and saw his wealth as blessings for that righteousness, but went he through the troubles and lost everything, his freinds decided Job was in sin and that God was punishing him.

So wealth was associated in ancient Israel with being blessed by God due to the wealthy person's righteousness.

Now we turn to Luke 18:18 where the rich young ruler asks how he could inherit eternal life.

The first thing Jesus says is that No One is "good", that goodness lies with and in God alone and that men, even men of God, can't claim to be good. This is the lead in to the rest, he's telling the wealthy ruler something very important here, especially seeing as how the ruler likely sees his wealth as a blessing from God for his "goodness", or his righteousness, Jesus is saying nope, in his very first sentence.

What Jesus then said to the rich man flew in the face of what everyone believed. The rich man asked what he could do to be saved. After the ruler pointed out that he followed the commandments, Jesus told him to sell all that he had and distribute it to the poor, and then come and follow him.

This is a major development so shocking, because not even the disciples could do that much! That's major and it left Jesus's disciples feeling like they could never be saved, as we later read, because while they had left everything, they certainly could never have done all this that Jesus was saying was a requirement, and they definitely didn't feel as righteous as this rich man who was so blessed by God in their minds.

So as the wealthy ruler walks away saddened and dejected after Jesus tells him it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a wealthy man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus then says something key to these passages.

The people around in hearing distance now feel no one can be saved, how is it that such a righteous and blessed man can be denied eternal life? Certainly now this means they are without hope, since they are by no means, in their minds,righteous and blessed so they ask

"Who can be saved then?"

And Jesus tells them "What is impossible for man, is possible with God."

Jesus is saying, it is 100% impossible to save ourselves, all our hope rests alone in God for salvation. We can't do it, but HE can.

So in summary we see that salvation begins with recognizing our sinfulness and humbling ourselves before God, then coming to Jesus with our full trust, knowing that salvation is dependant upon God alone...

Then and only then do we move on to the next step, giving our all toward becoming a disciple of Christ - but we can't do it before we take those three steps.

You've yet to recognize that salvation is impossible through your own effort, it is only made possible through Gods work. As Jonah says, "salvation is of the Lord" Jonah 2:7-9

We can't save ourselves, we aren't righteous even if it seems like we are, we aren't deserving, we must trust in Christ for our salvation because salvation is not through human effort, it is through Gods. Without absolute trust and humility, we can't go forward to discipleship.

 

[Bob8102]

Acceptance of the offer of Christ ...

Come to Me, all you who labor and who carry heavy burdens, ... and I will give you rest.

Take my path and learn of Me ... for I am meek and lowly in heart ... and you will find rest for your souls.

For My way is easy ... and My expectations are light.

Matthew 11:28-30

But you also have to deny yourself and take up your cross. I think I am hung up there.

Jesus said, "My way is easy," but He also said, 'Narrow is the gate and difficult is the road that leads to life, and few there be that find it."

One can "sincerely" pray a sinner's prayer. But so what? That does not mean their heart has now really become right with God. It is a matter of superficial commitment vs. deep commitment; shallow soil vs. deep soil. I rarely think I am deep soil. Most of the time, I think I am shallow.

Job asks, 'How can a man be right before God?'

 

[Bob8102]

You said "That's why my attempts at salvation fails repeatedly"

I would like to mention, your attempts to save yourself will always fail. They are destined to fail, it's a promise.

Let's turn to Luke 18. There's a couple parables here. First we have in Luke 18:10, the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee thanked God in prayer that he was better than the sinner and that tax collector over there; and the tax collector humbled himself and prayed for God to have mercy on him, a sinner, with such humility he wouldn't even lift his head to God.

Jesus points out that the tax collector is the one who God will exalt, and the arrogance of the Pharisee would be his downfall. Why? Because salvation requires an understanding of what we really are before God - unworthy sinners.

Then we go on to the little children in Luke 18:15-17, and Jesus says we must be like little children, who are innocent and trusting we know, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

So far we have outlined the fact we need an understanding of what we are before God and humble ourselves, then we become innocent and trusting like children as we approach Jesus...

By way of introduction to the next portion, you should understand something clearly. Wealth was seen by the Jews as a sign of God's blessings for someone's righteousness. If you've ever read in the Book of Job you'll see when Job was wealthy all his freinds spoke of his righteousness before God and saw his wealth as blessings for that righteousness, but went he through the troubles and lost everything, his freinds decided Job was in sin and that God was punishing him.

So wealth was associated in ancient Israel with being blessed by God due to the wealthy person's righteousness.

Now we turn to Luke 18:18 where the rich young ruler asks how he could inherit eternal life.

The first thing Jesus says is that No One is "good", that goodness lies with and in God alone and that men, even men of God, can't claim to be good. This is the lead in to the rest, he's telling the wealthy ruler something very important here, especially seeing as how the ruler likely sees his wealth as a blessing from God for his "goodness", or his righteousness, Jesus is saying nope, in his very first sentence.

What Jesus then said to the rich man flew in the face of what everyone believed. The rich man asked what he could do to be saved. After the ruler pointed out that he followed the commandments, Jesus told him to sell all that he had and distribute it to the poor, and then come and follow him.

This is a major development so shocking, because not even the disciples could do that much! That's major and it left Jesus's disciples feeling like they could never be saved, as we later read, because while they had left everything, they certainly could never have done all this that Jesus was saying was a requirement, and they definitely didn't feel as righteous as this rich man who was so blessed by God in their minds.

So as the wealthy ruler walks away saddened and dejected after Jesus tells him it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a wealthy man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.. Jesus says something very important.

The people around now feel no one can be saved, how is it that such a righteous and blessed man can be denied eternal life, certainly now this means they are without hope, since they are by no means in their minds righteous and blessed, and they ask

"Who can be saved then?"

So Jesus tells them "What is impossible for man, is possible with God."

Jesus is saying, it is 100% impossible to save ourselves, all our hope rests alone in God for salvation. We can't do it, but HE can.

The salvation begins with recognizing our sinfulness and humbling ourselves before God, then coming to Jesus with our full trust, knowing that salvation is dependant upon God alone...

Then and only then do we move on to the next step, giving our all toward becoming a disciple of Christ - but we can't do it before we take those three steps.

You've yet to recognize that salvation is impossible through your own effort, it is only made possible through Gods work. As Jonah says, "salvation is of the Lord" Jonah 2:7-9

We can't save ourselves, we aren't righteous even if it seems we are, we aren't deserving, we must trust in Christ for our salvation because salvation is not through human effort, it is through Gods. Without absolute trust and humility, we can't go forward to discipleship.

I understand and agree with all that you wrote. I am as if the rich young ruler neither walked away nor did what Jesus said by selling what he had and giving to the poor. I am as if the rich young ruler, knowing now that he was not headed for heaven, kept hanging around with Jesus and His disciples, hoping for some kind of entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

Another way of putting it is: it's as if I am hanging around the entrance to the kingdom of heaven, pouting because the entrance requirements are so high.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I understand and agree with all that you wrote. I am as if the rich young ruler neither walked away nor did what Jesus said by selling what he had and giving to the poor. I am as if the rich young ruler, knowing now that he was not headed for heaven, kept hanging around with Jesus and His disciples, hoping for some kind of entrance into the kingdom of heaven.

Another way of putting it is: it's as if I am hanging around the entrance to the kingdom of heaven, pouting because the entrance requirements are so high.

The entrance requirements are easy - Jesus said my yoke is easy and my burden light.

We aren't righteous, it is God working in us and through us that creates any righteousness...

In order to be saved the requirement is Faith in the completed work of Christ. True faith is the only requirement of salvation. It is by the Spirit of God that all else is born.

If you want to be saved, trust in HIM completely, go to Him humbly recognising your complete need and dependance in Him, of your necessity for His mercy, and ask Him to save you.

 

[Bob8102]

Another thing...

Some people become Christians the moment they hear the gospel the first time, some never become Christians, and some go through quite a process before they trust Jesus. I guess I'm sort of in the "process." What bothers me about a "process," as opposed to being saved in a moment, is that one may not make it all the way through the process.

One of my sisters said she just woke up one morning, and knew she was born again. I've never heard anyone else claim this. (She also claims to remember being born physically, the first time. I've never heard anyone else claim that, either.) She is unique!

A Christian psychologist that I used to go to said that when he was thirteen, he heard the gospel for the first time, and DING! he was a Christian. I would say to him, what, you don't have an evil, selfish, sinful nature which screams bloody murder at the thought of submitting to God? He became a Christian the instant he heard the gospel. For me, it's been a 45+ year struggle with counting the cost.

 

[Hazelelponi]

Another thing...

Some people become Christians the moment they hear the gospel the first time, some never become Christians, and some go through quite a process before they trust Jesus. I guess I'm sort of in the "process." What bothers me about a "process," as opposed to being saved in a moment, is that one may not make it all the way through the process.

One of my sisters said she just woke up one morning, and knew she was born again. I've never heard anyone else claim this. (She also claims to remember being born physically, the first time. I've never heard anyone else claim that, either.) She is unique!

A Christian psychologist that I used to go to said that when he was thirteen, he heard the gospel for the first time, and DING! he was a Christian. I would say to him, what, you don't have an evil, selfish, sinful nature which screams bloody murder at the thought of submitting to God? He became a Christian the instant he heard the gospel. For me, it's been a 45+ year struggle with counting the cost.

For you it's because your not understanding His part in salvation.. and only seeing discipleship which comes after salvation - but your missing an understanding of Him and His work.

I used to be Muslim although I was born and raised in the United States. I was around Christians, I knew the belief set, but I certainly didn't understand it all.

When I was around 41 or 42 (I'd have to go back and look at dates so this isn't exact), I met a man who was Christian - for some reason I could recognize Christ in him. I had questions about Christianity and was disillusioned with Islam, and somewhere deep inside me I knew this man would have the answers.

So I began asking, and he began answering. We debated and debated, sometimes I would get so angry with his answers I wanted to throw things at him, lol, but he was answering according to the Truth of Scripture.

Well, we fell in love, and so even though I still didn't "get" salvation, we got married and it was about 2 years later, after I had given up ever understanding it, that I was saved.

A true understanding is a gift from God, our intellect can't actually put it together outside of God opening our hearts and minds. Trust me, that I DO know. Some people understand it faster than others, but the one constant is we all come to an understanding when the time is right for us to finally understand.

Never compare yourself to anyone else, but rather, continually ask God for HIS understanding, seek that understanding with your whole self, and eventually when the time is right, God will give you this gift also.

Ask Him, Seek Him, and knock on His door.. remember that, He is waiting. Be Jacob wrestling with the Angel of God until He grants you the blessing of being called Israel.

 

[redleghunter]

Another thing: I know one can be saved in a moment. A lot of time, I'm thinking, "Salvation is just a moment away." But that moment, as in leading me to permanent assurance of salvation, always eludes me. I may be repeatedly trying an "easy" entrance into the kingdom of God. I may be mixing up "quick" with "quick and easy." Salvation is quick: it can occur in a moment. But it's not easy. That's why my attempts at salvation fail repeatedly.

Good day Bob. It is always advisable when we have doubts and struggles to go back to the beginning and start there and review the Story God has revealed to us.

God
The story begins with God, who has always been. He has always existed, and He has always existed exactly as He is now. If it seems confusing, it’s because He’s beyond what anyone can fully comprehend.

Genesis 1:1 Psalms 90:2

Creation
In the beginning, God spoke and everything came into existence. By His command, the entire universe was created and filled with a dramatic display of galaxies, stars, and planets— including Earth, on which was a perfect garden of paradise called Eden. Of all the beauty He created, the masterpiece was a man and a woman. God made Adam and Eve in His image to reflect Him. They were created with the grand purpose of worshipping Him by loving Him, serving Him, and enjoying relationship with Him.

Harmony
By God’s design, all of creation was in harmony and was exactly the way it was supposed to be. During this time there was no pain, suffering, sickness or death. There was complete love, acceptance, and intimacy between God and man, between Adam and Eve, and throughout creation. But something tragic happened...

The Fall

Disobedience
Adam and Eve were far from being equal to God, yet He lovingly placed them in charge of all He had created in Eden. He gave them the freedom to make decisions and govern the earth with one rule: not to eat fruit from a specific tree. One day, God’s enemy, a fallen angel named Satan, wanted to overthrow God so he took the form of a serpent and lied to Adam and Eve. He deceived them into thinking God was not good and did not have their best interest in mind. As a result, they knowingly disobeyed God. In rebellion, Adam and Eve ate the fruit, deciding that they, not God, would determine right and wrong.

Consequence
The consequences of their actions were devastating! Like a virus, sin entered into all of creation and into the hearts of Adam and Eve. Sin, suffering, and pain were passed down from generation to generation; all of creation was distorted from its original design. We have all read or heard the stories of war, poverty, disease, greed, and scandals that plague our world today. Those are all a result of sin.

Romans 3:10 Romans 3:19

Need
When we think about the perfection and love that existed at the beginning of creation, we realize “we are far more flawed and far more sinful than we can dare imagine.” Just think of the grudges we’ve held, the lies we’ve told, the thoughts we’d never dare say aloud. An honest glance into our own hearts reveals the truth: We are all guilty. Everyone has sinned, and the ultimate consequence, even worse than physical death, is eternal separation from a loving God, in terrible misery and unhappiness. Because of all this, we need to consider the questions: Can anything be done? Is there any hope?

The Rescue

Promise made
God removed Adam and Eve from Eden as a result of their sin but left them with a promise of rescue and hope. He promised them one of their descendants would someday rescue mankind from sin. Over the next centuries, God prepared the way for this person who would become the Savior of the world. Exact details of His birth, life, and death were recorded in the Bible many centuries before His coming. In fact, the whole Bible ultimately points to this one person as the focal point of all human history. His purpose in coming was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). So who was He?

Promise kept
The promised Savior, simply, was God. God became human in the person of Jesus Christ almost 2,000 years ago, fulfilling all the predictions in the Old Testament. Jesus’ birth was miraculous since His mother was a virgin. His life was unique: He perfectly enjoyed and obeyed God without sin. This ultimately led to His agonizing death on a cross as He willingly, obediently, and sufficiently died to pay for the sins of mankind, according to God’s plan. In the greatest display of mercy and grace the world has ever known, Jesus’ life and death became a substitute for all who would trust in Him. The perfectly innocent died to rescue the hopelessly guilty from sin and Satan.

But the grave couldn’t hold Jesus. Three days later, Jesus emerged from His tomb, fulfilling His earthly mission to defeat sin by dying on the cross and to defeat death by rising from the dead—just as God promised. Forty days later He returned to Heaven where He reigns as the rightful King.

But the story doesn’t end there...

1 Peter 3:18 Galatians 1:4

The Restoration


All Things New
For all those who trust in Jesus alone, God has also promised He will make all things new. The new heaven and new earth will be completely free of sin and selfishness—a place of perfect friendship with God, others, and all creation. No more shattering earthquakes, devastating tsunamis or violent storms will plague the earth. No more pain, broken hearts, sickness or death to trouble us.

Everything will be restored to the way it was meant to be. The new earth will once again be the perfect home God intended for His creation. God’s original purpose will flourish, as those who trust in His rescue will enter into the grand purpose of worshipping Him by loving Him, serving Him, and enjoying relationship with Him forever.

Revelation 21:4

Forever with God
The most wonderful part of this new world is that we will be with God forever, experiencing complete joy. We will be restored to a perfect relationship with the One who created, loved, and died for us. C. S. Lewis, scholar and children’s author, compared the first step into this new world as “Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

Rescue by Faith Alone
Faith is simple trust in Jesus Christ alone to save you. It means instead of believing you can rescue yourself from the consequences of sin, you transfer your trust to the rescue He purchased for you by His death. Your allegiance is now to Jesus, The King. Those who place their trust in anything other than Jesus will find themselves forever separated from the loving God who gave His one and only Son to set us free from the bondage of sin. This painful separation is called Hell.
Ephesians 2:8–9

Response
God is inviting you to be part of the story He is writing throughout the ages to come. He is offering salvation to you today, which is your invitation to the rescue God offers. You can embrace the rescue of God by simply:

• Admitting your need to God
• Asking Him to forgive you
• Trusting in Jesus alone to rescue you
• Following Jesus Christ, The King of your life, in faith from this day forward

The moment you trust Jesus Christ, you become a CHILD of God and His Spirit begins to LIVE inside of you. You have become part of His story. The more you grow in your relationship with God, the more of His story you will begin to see & understand in your life. All of your sin, past and future, is forgiven, and you now find total acceptance before Him. When you begin this relationship, Jesus promises to be with you through all the UPS and DOWNS and in the joys and difficulties of this life. He loves you with an EVERLASTING, unchanging love. And not only has He promised eternal life, but He came so that you could also experience purpose, fulfillment, and freedom in this life.

John 6:47

 

[redleghunter]

Good works, a life of devotion to God and others, are a result of salvation. They are not the path to salvation. That begs the question: "What is the path to salvation?"

The path to salvation begins with God beginning a work in us to show us, to expose that we are damned destitute sinners in need of the Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ.

We are called by God, convicted of our sin, repent and confess with our mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts He is Risen from the dead. I don't think one can 'obtain' this regeneration, repentance and faith without the unmerited Grace of God moving us. This is the Love of God for His people, a people He sets apart according to His will and purpose, for His Glory.

He loves us so much He even says:

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18)​

That’s a promise for all who believe in Him. They will have everlasting life.

We also see:

2 Corinthians 7: NASB

10For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.​

And:

Romans 10: NASB

6But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “DO NOT SAY IN YOUR HEART, ‘WHO WILL ASCEND INTO HEAVEN?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7or ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”8But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 9that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lordis Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

​

King David when he committed adultery and gave orders for the murder of the husband of Bathsheba was convicted, confronted by God through the prophet Nathan. Here is David’s prayer of repentance.

Psalm 51: NASB

A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
And cleanse me from my sin.

3For I know my transgressions,
And my sin is ever before me.

4Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And blameless when You judge.

5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.

6Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.

7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Make me to hear joy and gladness,
Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

9Hide Your face from my sins
And blot out all my iniquities.

10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.

13Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners will be converted to You.

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;
Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

15O Lord, open my lips,
That my mouth may declare Your praise.

16For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;
You are not pleased with burnt offering.

17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.​

Advice? Pray to our Heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father you have convicted me of my self centered sinful nature. My sins are great and before you. I am a damned and destitute sinner in need of Your Grace. I need Jesus as my champion. You sent Your Son Jesus Christ in Whom you are well pleased to die for my sins, give me His Righteousness and rise from the dead three days later to grant me eternal life with you. It is nothing I could ever do. How can I? You loved me so much that while I was still in my sin a child of wrath and dead in my trespasses, You made me alive together with Jesus Christ. It is by Your unmerited Grace I am saved through faith in the saving Work of Jesus Christ. You will clean me of all iniquity and sin, wiped away. It is nothing I can do or boast of. You will make me a new creation and give me The Holy Spirit as the Promise of the eternal reward. I will be Your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which You God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

 

[Bob8102]

I have read and believe every detail of the above responses. I have turned to Christ to be my Lord and Savior. And I have thanked Him for coming into my life by faith. (That - "Thank Your for coming into my life by faith" - is a quote from Josh McDowell, in a Bible tract I have.)

Now, if I could just get over the feeling that if I sneeze, I lose my salvation.

In a couple weeks, I expect to be starting on my new, increased dosage of my medication for OCD. Maybe that increased dosage will reduce the frequency, severity and long-lastingness of my doubts of salvation.

 

[redleghunter]

Another way of putting it is: it's as if I am hanging around the entrance to the kingdom of heaven, pouting because the entrance requirements are so high.

What if Someone paid for you those entrance requirements? Jesus said after teaching the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5) that we all need to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is Perfect (Matthew 5:48). So that tells me our 'best efforts' at perfection to enter the Kingdom of God is not going to be that narrow path.

Yet there is One Who did meet this Perfection standard. Yes, Jesus Christ. It is through Him, in Him and with Him that we have salvation unto eternal life. It is His Work of taking our due punishment on the cross, suffering and dying a horrible death in His Royal Blood that we have salvation. He took all of our sins on His shoulders and took them far away washing us clean. It was His Perfect Obedience and Righteousness which God reckons (imputes) to us which gives us access to the narrow way and the Kingdom of God. It is His Resurrection from the Dead which justifies us before a Holy God and grants us eternal life as Jesus Christ conquered death. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts of the Apostles 4:12)

We cannot take up our cross and follow Jesus Christ until we come to the foot of the very Cross He was nailed to, shed His Blood for us and died for us. We come to His Cross and Empty Tomb (Resurrection) for Redemption. When God calls us He regenerates us, meaning we are dead in our sins and trespasses but God then makes us alive (Regeneration) makes us alive together with Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10):

Ephesians 2: NASB

1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.​

A good way to get to know Gods Full Provision of Salvation and His Love for us is through what is called "Roman's Road" from the apostle Paul's epistle to the church at Rome (1st century AD).

The first verse on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent. Romans 3:10-18 gives a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives. The second Scripture on the Romans Road to salvation, Romans 6:23, teaches us about the consequences of sin - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!

The third verse on the Romans Road to salvation picks up where Romans 6:23 left off, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 5:8 declares, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus' death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus' resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus' death as the payment for our sins.

The fourth stop on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 10:9, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe in Him, trusting His death as the payment for our sins - and we will be saved! Romans 10:13 says it again, "for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation. Romans 5:1 has this wonderful message, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God. Romans 8:1 teaches us, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. Finally, we have this precious promise of God from Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
What is the Romans Road to salvation?​

 

[A_Thinker]

But you also have to deny yourself and take up your cross. I think I am hung up there.

This is, simply, a committing to His way instead of yours.

Which means that you are going to begin to strive to do things His way ... instead of your way. If you can't do this, ... then perhaps you are not really ready ...

 

[A_Thinker]

Jesus said, "My way is easy," but He also said, 'Narrow is the gate and difficult is the road that leads to life, and few there be that find it."

I think that Jesus is pointing His uniqueness (in the world) as the Way to the Father's life ... and how difficult some may find setting their own egos aside ... so as to find the Way ...