Making a decision for Christ

[Kit Sigmon]

We become Christians, just my opinion, when the gospel completely transforms our hearts and mind.

I haven't seen evidence of that in my own life, so I don't believe I am saved. But I am a seeker.

As long you be in your human suit, you not going to be completely transformed into someone who will never sin or struggle in the faith.

take comfort in:
Philippians 1:6
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."
Read:
2 Timothy 2:15.

You read about Thomas in the bible, he was right there along with the other disciples...all of them struggled in the faith and Jesus be there with them in the flesh teaching them.

Put away your own ideas ...cause it don't line up with with:
John 3:16
Acts 16:31
Ephesians 2: 8-9

More on how to be saved here:
How can I be saved?

 

[JESUS=G.O.A.T]

Can you become a christian just by saying a prayer and walking forward at a crusade?

I'm asking because Im sure thats only the start of it and not even all of it. Someone I know wrote that was how she became a christian. Yet she struggles with trusting God even years later. Im just puzzled cos it was not how I was born again.

Maybe shes just having a long apprenticeship I dont know....

nope it takes more then that. Acts 2:38 is the basis for salvation. It's good to accept JESUS....but almost everyone in the USA believes in God so that's just a start. A christian=christ like and the apostles were called that after they got were baptized and received the holy ghost


And I feel you I know a number of people who have done the "accept JESUS" way and they aren't getting anywhere. Ik someone who's done it 10 times until they decided to try it the acts way.

 

[Philip_B]

Is marriage an event or a lifetime?

The moment of decision is very powerful, yet it seems that it is a journey, and lots of expressions make that clear, like walking with Christ, and we should also remember that the early Christians were called 'the people of the way'.

To borrow from my Chinese friends the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

 

[Winken]

Perhaps after one hears the Gospel and responds, as in a Billy Graham Crusade, it is the Holy Spirit in action.

There are other non-Spiritual responses, I'm sure.

My prayer is that the scriptures I post in these forums, along with positive Q&A, lead some to the Cross.

 

[IAMANOBODY2015]

As long you be in your human suit, you not going to be completely transformed into someone who will never sin or struggle in the faith.

take comfort in:
Philippians 1:6
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."
Read:
2 Timothy 2:15.

You read about Thomas in the bible, he was right there along with the other disciples...all of them struggled in the faith and Jesus be there with them in the flesh teaching them.

Put away your own ideas ...cause it don't line up with with:
John 3:16
Acts 16:31
Ephesians 2: 8-9

More on how to be saved here:
How can I be saved?

Thank you

 

[Goodbook]

Thomas in the Bible struggled in the faith, he had doubts lots etc for a long time... and he right there with Jesus teaching The Word.

Thats true some people need an encounter thats really obvious like Jesus showing them where his hands and feet were scarred. But as far as I know she hasn't had an encounter like that.

She's actually a bit more like Peter than the other disciples. We know that Peter was converted after but he was the one that denied Jesus three times. Peter did swear he would follow Jesus around for the rest of his life but when came to the crunch he ran away. He stepped out on the water and was really testing Jesus but then looked down and started sinking. Sometimes she's like that 'oh ye of little faith, why did you doubt?'

 

[Goodbook]

don't know, I will have to research a bit more about how the Billy Graham crusades present the gospel. When she was writing about it she doesn't mention Jesus at all just 'God tugging at my heart' 'at the front I cried. Like the others who went forward I was prayed with, counselled and signed up for follow up. As I went home I didn't feel any different, but I was pleased with what I had done'

then she writes she felt clean and knew God had forgiven her, and now had an idea of her sins, which were gone. 'I knew I was right with God and if I died I'd go to heaven. The idea of dying has never worried me since'.

um..what about Jesus on the cross? No mention of him at all. Repentance? Being baptised? Nothing. She ignores these crucial steps and just goes on living, convinced she's going to heaven.

 

[Jacob Deng]

Can you become a christian just by saying a prayer and walking forward at a crusade?

I'm asking because Im sure thats only the start of it and not even all of it. Someone I know wrote that was how she became a christian. Yet she struggles with trusting God even years later. Im just puzzled cos it was not how I was born again.

Maybe shes just having a long apprenticeship I dont know....

Saying a prayer? i hope your referring to Romans 10:9-10 which is what you do to be born-again and begin your christian journey;
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Now, yes you can be born again anywhere and be a Christian but you must know this, as soon as you are born-again, you are a child or baby in the spirit, no baby (in this physical world) is born speaking fluently, walking, and doing things an adult human being would do, so likewise, this baby needs to grow at home (church), the word of God is food for our spirit and is life, John 6:63 "The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.", so if she's struggling, it may be because she's trying to do things she may not be ready to do yet, there's many things to be learnt but we should always be guided by the holy spirit, who is also here to reveal to us what we have in Christ John 16:13 "However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears,and He will declare to you what is to come."

If she's having trouble believing or having trouble with faith, then maybe she's not hearing the word a lot? if she is, then maybe she's receiving meat instead of a gradual diet of milk to solid food?, all these are assumptions and possible solutions of course, not saying they are the case , aside from all of this; God works with us differently for different purposes so in truth we may not have a place in this but we can always just throw our thoughts out there just in case they do help <3.

Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

1 Corinthians 3:1 "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."

1 Peter 2:2 "Like newborn infants,crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,"

 

[Goodbook]

I am going to ask her what her baptism was like. It could be she was already christened as a baby and was taught she didn't need to be baptised. She mentioned she did go to church and sunday school as a child.

she wrote a curious thing about wanting a swim and being pushed in and having an idea that being a christian was like that, which is a picture of baptism - but then she goes to this billy graham crusade that tells her something different...

?!

Or maybe I'm overthinking it just reading her testimony which is not one glorifying Jesus at all but how she made the step herself and that it was as easy as going forward at a crusade.

I mean if it was as easy at that then anyone who went to a crusade and walked forward can come to believe they are a christian. Sure God will work on them but...seems a bit shallow to me.

 

[JESUS=G.O.A.T]

don't know, I will have to research a bit more about how the Billy Graham crusades present the gospel. When she was writing about it she doesn't mention Jesus at all just 'God tugging at my heart' 'at the front I cried. Like the others who went forward I was prayed with, counselled and signed up for follow up. As I went home I didn't feel any different, but I was pleased with what I had done'

then she writes she felt clean and knew God had forgiven her, and now had an idea of her sins, which were gone. 'I knew I was right with God and if I died I'd go to heaven. The idea of dying has never worried me since'.

um..what about Jesus on the cross? No mention of him at all. Repentance? Being baptised? Nothing. She ignores these crucial steps and just goes on living, convinced she's going to heaven.

Dang well if that's never mentioned at all then yeah your prob right.

Gotta be baptized in JESUS name and repent and be filled with the holy ghost

 

[Goodbook]

Well this happened over 40 years ago and it's like she's STILL a baby christian.

 

[Goodbook]

hmm thinking of maybe ringing her and asking her.

Tell me about your baptism..it could be she is but..I have this inkling she isn't if she didn't even mention it in her written testimony. I know it takes a while for people to obey the Lord in this area because churches seem to teach different things BUT this is in the Bible. Jesus commands it. How can she ignore it??

 

[Leevo]

Can you become a christian just by saying a prayer and walking forward at a crusade?

I'm asking because Im sure thats only the start of it and not even all of it. Someone I know wrote that was how she became a christian. Yet she struggles with trusting God even years later. Im just puzzled cos it was not how I was born again.

Maybe shes just having a long apprenticeship I dont know....

It is one way I think. You have to repent along with the prayer though. Also of note, the Christian life is a constant struggle with sin and doubt, it is not a one size fits all formula.

 

[Goodbook]

what?! the christian life is a constant struggle with sin and doubt? Where in the Bible is that?!

Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. Where does it say he gives us a struggles and doubts?! Uh....

Doesn't Jesus give us HIS life, and where in HIS life did he struggle and doubt? He had complete faith in our Heavenly Father.

 

[Goodbook]

I can understand an unbeliever, or a seeker, obviously having a hard time believing, but someone who is born again..no. No way!

 

[Rescued One]

" That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. "

John 3:3 and the entire chapter explain the dilemma in a more thorough way. 1 John 3:14-15 compares a Christian to a non-Christian. Also, people who teach just "confess with your mouth" don't take into account those who are too embarrassed to not do what their pastor or best friend is pressuring them to do; or that some people just plain lie to get someone off their back.

If we confess with our mouths because we know God changed us, that is another thing, but God does the saving of sinners. We don't cause God to save us!

Ephesians 2
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)

I hope someone can see what I'm saying.

 

[Rescued One]

what?! the christian life is a constant struggle with sin and doubt? Where in the Bible is that?!

Jesus came to give us life and life more abundantly. Where does it say he gives us a struggles and doubts?! Uh....

Doesn't Jesus give us HIS life, and where in HIS life did he struggle and doubt? He had complete faith in our Heavenly Father.

Of course, Jesus had faith. He knew who He was!

We do struggle, but struggling at least means we desire more faith.

Mark 9
4 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

James 1
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

 

[Rescued One]

nope it takes more then that. Acts 2:38 is the basis for salvation. It's good to accept JESUS....but almost everyone in the USA believes in God so that's just a start.

I don't agree with you. Most of my family of origin including grandparents were/are unbelievers.

 

[Goodbook]

Well this isnt america so thats not relevant. Her parents as far as i know were unbelievers but also church goers.

She wrote that it was she who took the step God was waiting all along for her to come to Him. It was like stepping through a door.

I do know Jesus is the door but she doesnt mention anything about him at the crusafe which i found odd just what her life was like after this decision and how God answers her prayers. She does write that a sunday school teacher said she needed to ask Jesus into her heart.

'I didnt want to die and go to hell. I didnt want to take that step of faith. What a problem! So I prayed God would keep me alive till I had taken it.'

She doesnt mention baptism at all.
And i find it strange looking on billy graham website that they dont actually encourage anyone to be baptised!

 

[TurtleAnne]

If you are worried for her, then hook her up with a Bible (or if you cannot afford, then with a website where she can read such as www.biblegateway.com) and encourage her to read the Gospel books for herself, maybe suggest one to her to start with like the book of Mark, since it is short and to the point, and also covers baptism. And let her know that if she wants to discuss it with you, that you will always be happy to talk with her about the scriptures she reads. Then pray for her.

The rest is between her and God, ya know? You can't force her to think or believe anything, or to do anything, but if she is moved to understand for herself, and you give her an easy, straightforward way to get started, then you have done what you can.

Try not to let it get under you skin if it seems like she was taught false or incomplete things, divisiveness between believers is no good. There are plenty of people out there who do and say hateful, false things and claim it is in the name of God, so when put in perspective, your potentially confused but well-meaning friend is among the least of possible offenses out there. Just give her a little nudge and a friendly ear if she needs to talk, hook her up with the Gospels and let her approach on her own.

Per the Gospels, Jesus baptizes people with the Holy Spirit, though Jesus Himself was baptized in water. Many people want both, which I feel similar for myself, but also remember the thief on the cross next to Jesus was never baptized in water, but Jesus saved the man, anyway, because Jesus baptize with the Holy Spirit. So it's possible for different people to get different messages from different ministers, depending on interpretations, etc.

Which is why if she really cares and wants to know, she will look into it for herself, yeah? So hook her up with the scriptures, and leave it between her and God, whether or not she desires to know for sure, for herself. And then be a friend if she has questions or wants to talk about it. Sounds like she has good intentions and desires to be saved, so she is way ahead compared to most people already. So I'd say forgive her on any semantics-disagreements and encourage her to keep reading/exploring.

Oh well if she is 40/50/60+ years old or her first encounter with religion was 40+ years ago, some people are late bloomers, some people take a good while to fully understand, some people never do but at least have the very basics, have faith, which counted a lot to Jesus in the Gospels.

So don't be all freaking out lol, hook her up with the scriptures, be a friend, pray and trust God. Maybe offer testimony of your own experience repenting and being born again in Christ, in a friendly, conversational way, to give her something to consider/compare, see what she thinks.