How does one get saved?

[bluetrinity]

I consider myself a born-again Christian, but I could never figure out why that happened? Many people have similar stories to mine (messed up life, self-destructive behavior etc), but took a completely different turn. Why did God's call get through to me, but not (yet?) to others?

 

[Christian Dave]

ive allways been told that you dont choose god he chooses you.
Maybe the people you know havent been chosen or maybe its not their time to be "born again" yet.

 

[Swurple]

Yeah many a time Ive heard what Dave said. But also cos different people's heart are different. Some are harder than others, more stubborn.....more proud. A huge chunk of being saved is admitting our sins and repenting. Its human nature to be too proud to admit our wrongs and to submit our lives to this entity whom we call God.

God works in mysterious ways so instead of wondering why the Good News doesnt seem to touch them, maybe we should think about how to touch them and bring them to God. Someone's got to do it. And I say this totally tongue in cheek cos Im not a big fan of evangelising, but its something that we are called to do. Its a clear commandment. So yea... I encourage you to use that energy and compassion to help all the other "lost sheep". The good Shepard awaits their return.

 

[Christian Dave]

Yeah you still have to tell people about the word but would that help if they wernt one of gods chosen people?

 

[Swurple]

If they weren'y chosen by God, they wouldnt even be on earth.

 

[Christian Dave]

Yes but not everyone gets saved. God knowes who will and wont so would telling the word to someone who isnt going to be saved make any difference?

 

[Swurple]

Its not up to you to make that judgement right. You cant just look at someone and go "oh this guy's hopeless. No point telling him about Jesus again.... " How many countless people were saved because other people didnt give up on them.

 

[Christian Dave]

That is very true but not the point im making.
Well not quite but i know what you are getting at.

 

[Swurple]

yeah .... we totally diverted. far out... hehe

 

[straightforward]

I think it has to do with getting to the point where you will open your eyes and see. Most people have there eyes closed tight and say they can't see. God won't force their eye lids up...they have to do that. Look at the story of Lazaras and the rich man. Even if someone came back from the dead to tell them what they were headed for they might choose not to acknowledge it.

 

[bluetrinity]

Today at 03:36 PM Swurple said this in Post #3

Yeah many a time Ive heard what Dave said. But also cos different people's heart are different. Some are harder than others, more stubborn.....more proud. A huge chunk of being saved is admitting our sins and repenting. Its human nature to be too proud to admit our wrongs and to submit our lives to this entity whom we call God.

God works in mysterious ways so instead of wondering why the Good News doesnt seem to touch them, maybe we should think about how to touch them and bring them to God. Someone's got to do it. And I say this totally tongue in cheek cos Im not a big fan of evangelising, but its something that we are called to do. Its a clear commandment. So yea... I encourage you to use that energy and compassion to help all the other "lost sheep". The good Shepard awaits their return.

This is hard to do without sounding like an idiot. When I tell my brother about Christ, I can see his eyes rolling internally. It's like, people just stop listening when they hear about Christ. I don't get it. And maybe I do. I was like that once. Very frustrating. Maybe people are best introduced to Christ by our behavior as an example.

 

[Swurple]

Yeah I totally agree with that as well!! The way we live are powerful testimonies to the unbelievers. Its a pity that some of them use this excuse against us.... like you ever notice how people are so quick to critisize christians but they hardly ever critisize other religions, like bhuddism. tsk,

 

[Gordi]

bluetrinity I'mglad you brought that point up!

The Lord healed me from addictions when I was saved and it happened in the blink of an eye, no joke!

I used to be a drug abuser and a chain smoker, but one of my friends decided to believe that I was mental because I wasn't addicted anymore!  Even though I told him it was the Lord that healed me and not of my own doing, he was so stubborn that, even when faced with this testimony, he didn't want to know and didn't even want to acknowledge what happened.

If going mental = healing and living a more healthy life, then this world badly needs an epidemic.

 

[straightforward]

Amen! But have you noticed that sometimes people need to go a little bit mental before they come to Christ? I mean like getting to the end of the rope before they admit they need help.

 

[Beckijhn]

This is a hot topic for some people. What you mentioned, Dave, is the Calvinist view that God chose certain people and not others. That the people He chose (his elect) will go to heaven and the other people never had a shot.

I believe that He is refering to His elect, his chosen, as those who He called that answered. We all choose whether we answer or not. The Bible says that He holds back on returning to give us time to choose Him. It also says that He does not want even one to perish. Then you remember that He died on the cross to save us from our sins. He loved the WORLD - His creation, mankind.

God's word will not return void! So when those internal eyes are rolling at your expense just know that you are planting a seed.

You may not water or sow it, but you've done as God asked and planted it!

God chose everyone and He does know who will say yes and who will say no but that doesn't lessen His love for them or His desire for them to chose Him. We just have to spread the Gospel and rest assured that God will take care of the rest.

 

[Sharky]

Romans 10:10
"For with a heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God) and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation."


Remember you are saved by Grace. Your works don't go unrewarded in heaven either . Works don't save you. Jesus does.

Hearts do change, some immediately, others take a little more time. God isn't dumb. He knows what's in our heart. If you are truely fair dinkum about repenting your sins, then God will forgive. But He can't accept someone who simply says he's saved but can't be bothered repenting.

 

[bluetrinity]

Yesterday at 05:55 PM straightforward said this in Post #14

Amen! But have you noticed that sometimes people need to go a little bit mental before they come to Christ? I mean like getting to the end of the rope before they admit they need help.

Yeah, I heard this before. It's like one needs extremes to figure it out. Either in plenty or in want one has the best ability to open one's heart. Most people are however somewhere in the middle, just too busy chasing their tails, to even give a thought to anything but the next thing on their crowded to-do lists.