How to absolutely know for sure you're saved

[Bob8102]

David: I have the same struggle. Only it has been going on four over fourteen years for me. I have religious OCD and it sounds like you might, as well. You might want to go to a psychiatrist (preferably a Christian one) and see if he/she diagnoses you with OCD or some other anxiety disorder. If so, they may be able to prescribe meds. However, in my case, I take meds, but they are not enough. No amount of medication/counseling is going to save my soul. Years ago, on Christian Forums, I posted a link to a poem. I don't for sure remember the title, but the first line is "I gave my life to Christ about a thousand times." Unfortunately, in Googling that line just now, I did not noticeably get a link to that poem. If it is possible to do a search on my posts, which have come under both bob8102 and robert8102, you might find that link. In any case, the poem includes the line, "So I prayed again to firm cement it, making sure I really meant it." The man did this about a thousand times. He finally concludes that he met the real Jesus though reading the Word.

Pastor JD Greear has written a book, Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart: How to know for sure you are saved. I have read this book more than once (it's a relatively short book) and still keep referring to it. One of my recent posts is the complete text of an appendix in this book. I also have, and have read, a book for Christians with OCD, Strivings Within - The OCD Christian, by Mitzi VanCleeve.

Sometimes, I so seriously give my life to Christ that I'm SURE I am saved - for a brief time. Then the doubt returns. I have both OCD and wavering faith. I will give my life to Christ, I think sincerely, and concentrate on Him by a conscious act of my will, for one to a few moments. Then I waver away. That I concentrate on Jesus, by a conscious act of my will, but only for up to a few moments at a time, repeatedly, means that I have severely wavering faith. Did I get saved at one of those brief moments? I don't know.

 

[Bob8102]

Idonjohn, in the post just before mine, talks about trusting what Jesus has done. Parts of JD Greear's book talk about this, as well. When I was baptized, several years ago, after the dipping, a guy met me on the beach, and asked me a question that I had been asked once before. He asked, "If you were to die tonight, and stand before God, and He were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into My heaven, what would you say?" This time I answered with something to the effect of "I gave my life to Christ." He said, 'that's wonderful, but the right answer is "because Jesus died for my sins."' I get the impression that he and others don't think that any answer to that question that begins with "I" or "I did" is a saved person's answer. The answer should be about what Christ did. But I tend to think, whether or not a person is saved, Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. The difference between a saved and an unsaved person is not what Jesus did, but what the person did. The true believer has repented and believed the gospel (Mark 1:15).

 

[Carl Emerson]

Idonjohn, in the post just before mine, talks about trusting what Jesus has done. Parts of JD Greear's book talk about this, as well. When I was baptized, several years ago, after the dipping, a guy met me on the beach, and asked me a question that I had been asked once before. He asked, "If you were to die tonight, and stand before God, and He were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into My heaven, what would you say?" This time I answered with something to the effect of "I gave my life to Christ." He said, 'that's wonderful, but the right answer is "because Jesus died for my sins."' I get the impression that he and others don't think that any answer to that question that begins with "I" or "I did" is a saved person's answer. The answer should be about what Christ did. But I tend to think, whether or not a person is saved, Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. The difference between a saved and an unsaved person is not what Jesus did, but what the person did. The true believer has repented and believed the gospel (Mark 1:15).

There is a third alternative...

Think about Paul's conversion.

How could he ever deny what happened on the road.

Likewise He burst into my broken life and apprehended me - I could never deny this so my hope is in Him and His faithfullness in this life and the next.

 

[JEBofChristTheLord]

No one knows the Father, except the Son reveal Him. If we want to know anything in Spirit and in truth, it will not occur because of reading, or because of church-attendance, or because of anything that we do of our own power. If we want to know anything in Spirit and in truth, it occurs because God puts that knowledge into us, He creates it new in our souls. If we ask, we will receive!

 

[ldonjohn]

Idonjohn, in the post just before mine, talks about trusting what Jesus has done. Parts of JD Greear's book talk about this, as well. When I was baptized, several years ago, after the dipping, a guy met me on the beach, and asked me a question that I had been asked once before. He asked, "If you were to die tonight, and stand before God, and He were to ask you, 'Why should I let you into My heaven, what would you say?" This time I answered with something to the effect of "I gave my life to Christ." He said, 'that's wonderful, but the right answer is "because Jesus died for my sins."' I get the impression that he and others don't think that any answer to that question that begins with "I" or "I did" is a saved person's answer. The answer should be about what Christ did. But I tend to think, whether or not a person is saved, Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. The difference between a saved and an unsaved person is not what Jesus did, but what the person did. The true believer has repented and believed the gospel (Mark 1:15).

Believing the gospel is depending on what Jesus did, not in what the person did.

Regards,
John

 

[JEBofChristTheLord]

The difference between a saved and an unsaved person, is the act of God upon them.

 

[timothyu]

Before we ate of the wrong tree, we had no sense of self, hence no desire to have our identities saved. Why should we concern ourselves over what was not meant to be and the result of original sin? We came from dirt and to dirt we return. It is not our identity that lives on but the spirit of God within us. If we allow that spirit to flourish as God intends then it is saved and not gone to waste. It is this and not flesh that identifies you.