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How do you know you are a christian?

Sharky

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It crosses many minds. Am i saved? Am i really a christian? How do i know i'm not a false christian?

Other thoughts include: Are they really save? How do i know?

What's the one big thing about modern churches these days? I'm guilty of this too (i'm repented ;) ) because i go to such a church as well. It is the salvation factor.

Many people here, even on these forums think they're saved. Right? You said the 'sinner's prayer' you went to church and all that. does that mean your saved?

Friend, the sinner's prayer is just something we invented. No where in teh bible does it say "say the sinner's prayer and you will be saved'. Nowhere. The sinner's prayer is just that. It's a sinner's prayer. It is a guideline for those who don't know what to say to Jesus.

What saved you? It is your faith AND repentance from all sin. It is a command, God isn't asking you, He is TELLING you to repent.

Anyone can say the sinner's prayer. Anyone. It is only those who repent and put their faith in Jesus Christ that are truely saved.

You know the scripture "Many will come to me on the day saying Lord Lord and i will say depart from me all you who do iniquity." Matt 7:22 - 23.

You might think that iniquity are only those who commit physical adultery. No, it is also for those who swear casually, say a few white lies, lust in their eyes etc. If you still do these things, remember, you are that person who Jesus is talking about.

Does that mean true christians are those who never sin? No no, even true christians slip up. What's the difference? True christians, when they sin, they do it unknowingly or unwillfully or both. They don't want sin anymore, its disgusting to them they hate it because they're a new creation.

"We know that anyone born of God does not deliberately and knowingly practice committing sin, but the One who was the begotten of God carefully watches over and protects him..." 1 John 5:18

False christians, that is a majority of us continue to casually swear, blaspheme God's name, hate their brothers, get angry without cause etc, even when we claim to be christians, believers of Jesus Christ.

This is where repentance comes in, repent from your sins. Even if you casually swear, STOP. Even if you lust for other women STOP. If you slip up, ask God for forgiveness and try not to do it again.

Remember what Jesus said. "If you love Me you will obey my commandments."

Hey, that's alot of christians here. Repent, this is a commandment from God. Repent from your sins. Stop hating your brother, stop dishonoring your mother and father. Stop going around pointlessly getting angry at small things. This is what is meant to be saved. Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.


I'm not talking about religiousness or Jew like law keeping. I'm talking about repentance.

If you're not repenting, do it now. Hell is still waiting if you haven't. No this isn't supposed to be a happy factor thread, this is the real deal. :eek:
 
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Ziwei

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Yes, today I brought this issue to my Sunday school teacher only to come with a surprise......he thinks that there is no way to "earn" Heaven. Everyone has been saying this, but lately I think it holds only half its logic as true. I think that there is no way to be good and get to Heaven. As Romans says, we have all fallen short. So how? To accept the grace of God and allow Jesus to save your soul. BUT.....it does not end here. We must continue our love relationship with Christ with the HOPE(word used in Romans) of Heaven. Three factors exist.....faith, love, hope. We have faith which blooms into love and obeydiance, than into hope of Heaven. HOWEVER, this is NOT a ladder. I DO NOT believe that we can earn our way to Heaven. It has been given.

Now, the other approach to take it is GENUINE faith. John 3:16 says faith, but I think it really talked about genuine faith where you actively show you live in seriousness toward God.

I hope this helps......just a collection of thoughts.
 
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repentandbelieve

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Ziwei said:
Yes, today I brought this issue to my Sunday school teacher only to come with a surprise......he thinks that there is no way to "earn" Heaven. Everyone has been saying this, but lately I think it holds only half its logic as true. I think that there is no way to be good and get to Heaven. As Romans says, we have all fallen short. So how? To accept the grace of God and allow Jesus to save your soul. BUT.....it does not end here. We must continue our love relationship with Christ with the HOPE(word used in Romans) of Heaven. Three factors exist.....faith, love, hope. We have faith which blooms into love and obeydiance, than into hope of Heaven. HOWEVER, this is NOT a ladder. I DO NOT believe that we can earn our way to Heaven. It has been given.

Now, the other approach to take it is GENUINE faith. John 3:16 says faith, but I think it really talked about genuine faith where you actively show you live in seriousness toward God.

I hope this helps......just a collection of thoughts.
It seems as though you have a good understanding of faith/works issue that so many people to stumble over. A person is saved by Gods grace through his faith in Christ and faith without works is dead.
 
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ukok

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repentandbelieve said:
It seems as though you have a good understanding of faith/works issue that so many people to stumble over. A person is saved by Gods grace through his faith in Christ and faith without works is dead.
great post :)
 
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DanMan

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No where in teh bible does it say "say the sinner's prayer and you will be saved'.
What about, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is LORD,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved." Romans 10:9? I do agree that it is by faith (as it did say "believe"), but isn't this the sinner's prayer?

BUT.....it does not end here. We must continue our love relationship with Christ with the HOPE(word used in Romans) of Heaven. Three factors exist.....faith, love, hope. We have faith which blooms into love and obeydiance, than into hope of Heaven. HOWEVER, this is NOT a ladder. I DO NOT believe that we can earn our way to Heaven. It has been given.
Great post. I find that many, many people (young and old) miss something very important in Christianity. Especially for other kids in their teens, they think that Christianity is nothing but a bunch of rules that we have to follow. Following rules is a philosophy, but Christianity is a love relationship with our Creator, just like Zewei said. It is a personal and intemite relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is through God's love and mercy that we want to know him, because he first loved us while we were still sinners.
 
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BlestVessel

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The man on the cross next to Jesus didn't exactly quote the sinner's prayer. But God looks to the heart. This man recognized he deserved his punishment, and that Jesus was blameless, and only asked that Jesus would remember him in His kingdom. The real confession is internal, but much of what is within us does not become completely realized until we verbalize it. Like knowing God sees our thoughts as opposed to telling Him all that is on our minds. It is offering up all we can, and by speaking it, we're admitting what our heart is already set on, what we already believe, what we already want.

What a beautiful moment when a longtime pharisee [such as I] is brought to the end of his- or herself, and after so long of knowing OF Him and after being baptized into the church, after hearing the words time and time again, He becomes real! What grace that accepts us... after we can masquerade for even an entire lifetime as His own, only to taste the sweetness of His plan! Just the thought of it, I fall in love with Him all over again!

If there is any doubt in a person that they are a true follower of Christ, draw nearer! He should consume the bulk of your thought life, be the focus and purpose of your days and its activities, He should be the focus of your devotion and love and joy and thanksgiving, He is the reason for it all! The purpose behind our relationships, the desire dear to us in every breath. We speak to Him and listen to Him constantly, pursue Him, perservere for Him, ask Him, look for Him everywhere, search His Word for plans to honour Him in deeper ways. Is there any doubt to the twelve disciples that follow Him from dusk until dawn? No. For they are identified as disciples, as His own, that is their life and existence, as it is to be ours.

Sorry, I just get carried away!
What a God, what a Love! His Truth prevails. :bow:


Excited About Jesus, :pray:
April
 
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