I haven't truly repented and I'm not saved. What now?

[Tomm]

What if I cry out to Him to give me true repentance, and it never comes? Then is there any hope left for me?

If you do ask for it, God will grant it to you.
Ask for it.
Fear of hell is a good start, that proves that God still loves you since fear of hell is not possible without His grace.

 

[Just_a_Christian]

If repentance is a requirement for a person's salvation, then there is not a single person besides Jesus who is heaven.

Repentance is most certainty required of us. Jesus, never did repent, never could. He never sinned. One must sin before he can repent.

 

[Danielwright2311]

I've been a "Christian" for over a year now, but in the past few hours, I've just been convicted that I'm not truly saved. I listened to a sermon called Repentance unto Life by Charles Spurgeon, and in it, he said this about false repentance:

"You are afraid of damnation, but you are not afraid of sinning: you are afraid of hell, but you are not afraid of your iniquities; you are afraid of being cast into the pit, but not afraid to harden your hearts against his commands. Is it not true, O sinner, that you are trembling at hell? It is not the soul's state that troubles you, but hell. If hell were extinguished, your repentance would be extinguished; if the terrors awaiting you were withdrawn, you would sin with a higher hand than before, and your soul would be hardened, and would rebel against its sovereign. "

This struck me like a load of bricks, because it describes me to a tee. I've never experienced genuine sorrow over my sin itself, only sorrow over the consequences of it (that is, Hell). I don't know what to do. I know that I can't well up a true repentance inside of myself, so all I can do is beg God to give me that sincere repentance. And that's terrifying, because what if I beg and beg for it, and He doesn't grant it to me? I'm not really sure why I'm typing this out. I'm not sure if it's a cry for advice or comfort, but I need someone to say something because I'm lost.

When Adam and Eve sinned God set up a plan beforehand, Jesus was created before all creation as our savor. What does that mean? Believe in Jesus for all things and live your life for him and not for your self then you will be perfect. Make your whole life Jesus.

People go to God to change them when indeed People don't change them self for God when they have that freedom to do so. It's your move in this chess game of life. Chase after God then God will chase after you. This does not mean you will always be perfect, but you are trying and God sees this.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Judging by your conviction, I'm guessing you are not a part of "once saved always saved". I won't argue that with anyone here. You are on the right track with your concern.

There are a couple types of sin, "wilful" meaning you are always ready and willing to do that sin, and you have to get rid of that attitude. IOW don't plan to go out and sin, and don't have certain sins that are acceptable to you, or best said...don't live in sin/have it as a natural part of your life.

Then there is sin of temptation, something you never expect or plan to do, it just happens out of temptation. God is very forgiving of sin of temptation and will even forgive wilful sin to a point, as least until it comes to the point that I'm guessing it has with you.

Ask for forgiveness for all past sin, and if you are tempted and sin, ask forgiveness and and move on, but never make sin a natural part of every day life.

Hopefully that helps some, and I can assure you there is scripture to back up what I'm telling you but unfortunately I haven't pulled everything together yet so I can quote the scripture. Maybe someone can help me out with that.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Good point on the fact it's your move now, and as also mentioned, it never hurts to ask God for help with that move, but in the end there are some things that are just left up to us.

 

[St_Worm2]

Jesus was created before all creation...

Hi Daniel, while I agree with some of what you said in your post, there are parts of it (especially what you said in bold above) that I do not agree with. Jesus is God and the Creator of all things, except Himself and the other two Members of the Godhead, who are all without end ~or~ beginning (God the Son is, as the Nicene Creed states, "begotten, not made").

Yours and His,
David

John 1
1 IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.​

.

 

[Danielwright2311]

Hi Daniel, while I agree with some of what you said in your post, there are parts of it (especially what you said in bold above) that I do not agree with. Jesus is God and the Creator of all things, except Himself and the other two Members of the Godhead, who are all without end ~or~ beginning (God the Son is, as the Nicene Creed states, "begotten, not made").

Yours and His,
David

John 1
1 IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.​

.

Jesus is the body and God is the spirit, God lives in his perfect son Jesus making them one.

I think many forget Jesus is still in the flesh, he was raised back to life in the same flesh and God who is a spirit living inside of that body.

People make the mistake that Jesus is a spirit but that is not so.

Why is this important?

It's important because we forget that Jesus was born on this earth, and died and was resurrected back to life in the same body.

Now we know that Jesus is Gods son and God is the father, so what makes Jesus God is he carries the father's spirit in him as he is a perfect being.

Why? to live with his creation.

The word Is Jesus as he became flesh and the spirit of God descended into Jesus body.

We both agree completely, you just miss understand my meaning.

 

[d taylor]

Repentance is most certainty required of us. Jesus, never did repent, never could. He never sinned. One must sin before he can repent.

What else do you have on your list do not stop at repentance. If you are going to work your way to heaven then repentance is just one of many works to do.

Salvation is like listening to beautiful music, to hear it all you have to do is listen. Same with salvation to have it all you have to do is believe. (but of course the object of your faith is The Messiah, Jesus)

 

[paul1149]

. I've never experienced genuine sorrow over my sin itself, only sorrow over the consequences of it (that is, Hell). I don't know what to do.

Do what scripture says: "Be faithful with unrighteous riches" (Lk 16.9-11). Plenty of people have been Saved because they fear damnation. This is a very legitimate place to start. When Peter was sinking beneath the waves, he simply called out "HELP!". He didn't go into a long theologically correct prayer.

But fear of hell as a motivator is a lousy place to stay at. You need to seek God's face and seek repentance for your sins, and the transformation of the inner man by the Holy Spirit. Take a look at James 4, which is all about this.

So I wouldn't say your repentance is false, I would say it is incomplete. Keep on keeping on. Stay in the Word daily and in prayer. Persist and persevere, and by patience gain and preserve your soul.

 

[eleos1954]

I've been a "Christian" for over a year now, but in the past few hours, I've just been convicted that I'm not truly saved. I listened to a sermon called Repentance unto Life by Charles Spurgeon, and in it, he said this about false repentance:

"You are afraid of damnation, but you are not afraid of sinning: you are afraid of hell, but you are not afraid of your iniquities; you are afraid of being cast into the pit, but not afraid to harden your hearts against his commands. Is it not true, O sinner, that you are trembling at hell? It is not the soul's state that troubles you, but hell. If hell were extinguished, your repentance would be extinguished; if the terrors awaiting you were withdrawn, you would sin with a higher hand than before, and your soul would be hardened, and would rebel against its sovereign. "

This struck me like a load of bricks, because it describes me to a tee. I've never experienced genuine sorrow over my sin itself, only sorrow over the consequences of it (that is, Hell). I don't know what to do. I know that I can't well up a true repentance inside of myself, so all I can do is beg God to give me that sincere repentance. And that's terrifying, because what if I beg and beg for it, and He doesn't grant it to me? I'm not really sure why I'm typing this out. I'm not sure if it's a cry for advice or comfort, but I need someone to say something because I'm lost.

Continuously pray for Jesus to change your heart. Study His word.

Psalms 51

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

God Bless

 

[d taylor]

He's the only one up there anyway.

John 3:13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Yes that was true when Jesus made that statement but after the resurrection and ascension to heaven he took all believers with him.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Yes that was true when Jesus made that statement but after the resurrection and ascension to heaven he took all believers with him.

The resurrection of the just doesn't occur until the end time, at the return of Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

What if I cry out to Him to give me true repentance, and it never comes? Then is there any hope left for me?

When you cried out to Him and repented, He granted you salvation. Daily.
There are some who cry out to Him,
and they don't repent. They avoid Him. They better turn to Him to be saved.
(their heart was not with their crying out - they just did it for show, to feel better).

Your declared hope in Christ Jesus, from the heart, is eternal hope in God's Grace, through all the fiery trials and sufferings and dealings today,
as He Perfects you in Christ Jesus and draws you and molds you like a potter molding the clay, you are His. He is Faithful and has worked in you and will complete His work for His Own Purpose, in you as you learn to trust Him, as you continue believing in His Name and honor Him. We are His Poem Daily (other translations say "His Workmanship") in Christ Jesus.

 

[redleghunter]

Jesus is the body and God is the spirit, God lives in his perfect son Jesus making them one.

I think many forget Jesus is still in the flesh, he was raised back to life in the same flesh and God who is a spirit living inside of that body.

People make the mistake that Jesus is a spirit but that is not so.

Why is this important?

It's important because we forget that Jesus was born on this earth, and died and was resurrected back to life in the same body.

Now we know that Jesus is Gods son and God is the father, so what makes Jesus God is he carries the father's spirit in him as he is a perfect being.

Why? to live with his creation.

The word Is Jesus as he became flesh and the spirit of God descended into Jesus body.

We both agree completely, you just miss understand my meaning.

The Divine Logos God the Son was not created. He became flesh indeed in One Person Jesus Christ both fully God and fully human.

 

[Danielwright2311]

The Divine Logos God the Son was not created. He became flesh indeed in One Person Jesus Christ both fully God and fully human.

God the father created every thing, I dont care what any one says, He is the father of all, even Jesus. As Jesus many times called him his father.

 

[redleghunter]

God the father created every thing, I dont care what any one says, He is the father of all, even Jesus. As Jesus many times called him his father.

That is a relationship within the Trinity.

The Son of God has always been God even incarnate.

Colossians 2:

9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

 

[Just_a_Christian]

What else do you have on your list do not stop at repentance. If you are going to work your way to heaven then repentance is just one of many works to do.

Salvation is like listening to beautiful music, to hear it all you have to do is listen. Same with salvation to have it all you have to do is believe. (but of course the object of your faith is The Messiah, Jesus)

All one has to do is read the Bible to know that "just" having faith cannot save anyone. The Bible states thay very clearly. It takes as much "work" to have faith as it does to obey God, if not more. One must obey God and come to salvation on His terms, not ours.

 

[Athanasius377]

God the father created every thing, I dont care what any one says, He is the father of all, even Jesus. As Jesus many times called him his father.

Hi @Danielwright2311 perhaps I can help clear things up. First, by Christ calling God the Father "Father" is a statement of relationship not of hierarchy in the sense that God the Father Created Jesus. If Jesus is a created being then He is not God and we are merely awaiting certain death and eternal punishment. But that is a subject for a later discussion.

I would agree with everything @St_Worm2 amd @redleghunter and would add that if you read Genesis carefully you will pick up on something you may have missed before.

Gen 1:1 (ESV)
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

The word for God in Hebrew in the passage is אֱלֹהִים or Elohim which is the plural form of God. Later in the creation account we have this odd expression:

Gen 1:26 (ESV)
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Who is God the Father speaking with? Luckily in our Bibles we have an answer because John picks up on this language in the prologue to his Gospel:

John 1:1-3 (ESV)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Or Jesus' High Priestly Prayer in John 17:1-5 (ESV)

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

I would also point out that historical creeds of Christendom also pick up on this teaching as well:
The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed:
I believe in one God, . . . And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. . . .

From the Athanasian Creed:

Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;
the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,
just as there are not three Uncreated or three Infinites, but one Uncreated and one Infinite.
In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty;
and yet there are not three Almighties but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;
and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.

I may be a bit biased in selecting this one .
There is much more to say but in order to help I linked to the full text of the above creeds so you can read them yourself.

I hope this helps .

 

[d taylor]

All one has to do is read the Bible to know that "just" having faith cannot save anyone. The Bible states thay very clearly. It takes as much "work" to have faith as it does to obey God, if not more. One must obey God and come to salvation on His terms, not ours.

I am curious, where is the list of Gods terms found in the Bible. That list should be in one location given by one of the authors of the Bible so people will know Gods terms (of course this term list could be repeated by several Bible authors and be in more than one location in the Bible).
If this list of terms is not found in one location given by God to a Biblical author and you are taking this scripture and that scripture and creating a list of terms, from your chosen verses. Then you are creating a man made list of terms and then this term list is not from God but of man and is a false work salvation.

 

[Lukaris]

I think the first letter of St. John ( 1 John ) is a good example of how we must overcome sin but will struggle throughout our life. This letter must be read carefully; 1 John 1:5-12 indicates are ongoing predicament while 1 John 3:7-9 seems to vindicate what you fear. The thing is St. John is an Apostle speaking absolute truth which we are called to in the Gospel.This is a lifelong struggle but perseverance is how we fulfill it. We should fear the Lord but by following ( & stumbling often) we are saved by grace, through faith in keeping the Lord’s commandments as best we can ( Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 13:8-10).