More afraid than ever before

[Elvis1234]

Hi guys. This will be a long winded post because I am really going through it right now and I need help somehow.

Some backstory:
"Saved" in late 2009 or so. My life changed in a big way. Turned from many sinful ways, began really seeking the LORD, learning a lot very quickly. Growing in faith, grace, and righteousness. Bearing fruit. Hating sin, thirsting after righteousness. Seeing the world for what it is, the lies, deceptions, traps.

I knew and still know that I am not even close to perfect. I feel I am a coward, I am afraid of what man thinks of me (I have Social Anxiety Disorder), I suffer from sexual lust, and I can list more but you get the point. I sin. It has always eaten me up inside. I would confess these things and trust that Jesus had somehow forgiven them and move forward, hoping and trusting that one day Jesus would give victory over them. Maybe a year from now, maybe 20 years, but He would do it. My social anxieties have kept me from a lot but most importantly it has kept me from being in a local body of believers. I have not had anyone who is experienced disciple me and I have not been baptized. I still have had some fellowship with a friend who was saved at the same time as me as well as a woman we met online that we do online bible studies with. My mother was eventually saved as well. So there was fellowship to a limited degree but no Shepherd over me/us. You could say I was discipled by youtube videos and online articles... not good.

I felt I was getting a good grip on what we must do to be saved. What the gospel was, what Jesus did for us, how to live, etc. but in reading scripture the stark warnings throughout always really concerned me and frightened me. However I was able to handle them and remain hopeful somehow.

At the height of my level of trust in Jesus and what He had accomplished for me in His life, death, and resurrection, in late 2012/early 2013 I was having an online bible study and we were reading Matthew 5 together and commenting on it. I had read it many times before but for some reason Jesus' words jumped out at me in a very terrifying way... Jesus was laying out part of what it takes to be saved it seems and it sounded like perfection to me. It shook me to my core...

That night, afraid, I wondered if I had been wrong about the plan of salvation. Does Jesus require literal present perfection in life in order to be saved?? I was aware that there are some on youtube who preach sinless perfection and entire sanctification and I curiously watched some of their video teachings. It sounded more than plausible. I felt that I was lost. How could I be saved? I sin. A lot. I hate it, sure, but that means nothing. I never recovered from the hit my faith and joy in Christ took. I didn't outright stop believing or hoping---not at all. But I took a big hit. I was filled with such dread, loneliness, fear, anxiety, nightmares it was unbelievable. 4 YEARS have passed.

In those 4 years, I went to war against my sexual sin and even had some lasting victory (365 days oddly enough). The failure of falling to that sin again was another big hit to my walk. I studied sinless perfection and have come to a place where it doesn't quite fit the entirety of scripture. I cannot ignore the serious warnings though. I was/am confused about salvation and the gospel and what my responsibilities are in regards to salvation (do we earn it? Do we already have it? Can we lose it? Why am I not growing? Why am I not like this Christian or that?). Overall I tried to remain hopeful, always trying to trust in Christ. I would pray, but that became largely an exercise in going through the motions with the odd nice time of fellowship with God. I would force myself to read the word but would often come away feeling condemned and afraid, or at best just not get much nourishment out of it. In the more recent year+, I stopped watching sermons online and stuck to mostly apologetics videos/debates. I just became distracted overall. I was just floating along day by day.

In the past 6 months or so the intense fear from 4 years ago was back in full effect. Almost worse. It was brought on by a friend sending me a link to a man's website where he made a very good case for the ability to lose your salvation. I knew it would trigger my fear and set me off again but my curiosity got the best of me. He claimed that he was now (fully) obedient to God and had discovered the secret to a Godly life. Whether that is true or not, it drove me to examine those stark warnings in scripture about falling away, what acts will keep you from heaven, the passages in Hebrews, all of it.

I can only conclude that we must indeed repent of ALL of our sins in order to be saved. And I realize that if that is true, I probably will not make it. There is still room for hope, but wow. To be perfectly honest, I am hoping it isn't quite true. Not because I want to keep sinning. I HATE my sin. HATE it. I am hoping it isn't true because I don't see a way of escape. I don't see the blessed hope in Christ. The joy. The peace. The rest. The power to live in holiness...

My days are so bleak. Depression and hopelessness. I cry constantly. I see everyone perishing around me and I can't give them the gospel of peace because I'm not even sure what it is anymore. What is the good news? It IS good news...but in what way? I spend my days fearing sin and trying to constantly be watching bible videos or reading articles, trying to find some hope to get me through the day. I dread the nights because I usually have just read some scripture that scares me and I start thinking about death and hell. Intense loneliness overcomes me. Thankfully I live with my believing mother who I can go to for some company, even late at night. We have begun going to a church but have only been once so far. I hope to build some kind of relationships there but that will be very hard for me. I don't feel as though any person on earth can really help me with this. I have read all the encouragements people give for issues like these. What once gave comfort is now hollow. I don't know what to do. It is as though I am being crushed slowly. LORD help me please. You are the only hope there is. Please hear my prayer. I am sorry.

Thank you for reading. Please pray for me. God bless you all.

 

[Winken]

When you were saved, initially, did you confess Jesus as Savior? Read about it in Romans 10:8-13. If you did that, then you have the confidence found in Romans 8:1, John 5:24, Ephesians 2:8-9. Turn to those right now.

When you slip or drift into sin you step out of fellowship with our Savior. That does not mean that you once again become "lost," or condemned, as evidenced by the above scriptures. Jesus plainly says "I will never leave you or forsake you." In another place He identifies you as "the Righteousness of God." Wow. Once you confess Him as Savior He never leaves. You are occupied by the Holy Spirit, which is the only baptism required. It is the Spiritual transformation, the born-again experience.

NOW ...... how long will you let other scripture confuse you? God is not the author of confusion, you are. You are occupied by the Holy Spirit, the ONLY interpreter and applier of God's Holy Word.

You just have to get out of the way, stop listening to yourself, keep silent before Him, He will direct your Path.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

Hi guys. This will be a long winded post because I am really going through it right now and I need help somehow.

Some backstory:
"Saved" in late 2009 or so. My life changed in a big way. Turned from many sinful ways, began really seeking the LORD, learning a lot very quickly. Growing in faith, grace, and righteousness. Bearing fruit. Hating sin, thirsting after righteousness. Seeing the world for what it is, the lies, deceptions, traps.

I knew and still know that I am not even close to perfect. I feel I am a coward, I am afraid of what man thinks of me (I have Social Anxiety Disorder), I suffer from sexual lust, and I can list more but you get the point. I sin. It has always eaten me up inside. I would confess these things and trust that Jesus had somehow forgiven them and move forward, hoping and trusting that one day Jesus would give victory over them. Maybe a year from now, maybe 20 years, but He would do it. My social anxieties have kept me from a lot but most importantly it has kept me from being in a local body of believers. I have not had anyone who is experienced disciple me and I have not been baptized. I still have had some fellowship with a friend who was saved at the same time as me as well as a woman we met online that we do online bible studies with. My mother was eventually saved as well. So there was fellowship to a limited degree but no Shepherd over me/us. You could say I was discipled by youtube videos and online articles... not good.

I felt I was getting a good grip on what we must do to be saved. What the gospel was, what Jesus did for us, how to live, etc. but in reading scripture the stark warnings throughout always really concerned me and frightened me. However I was able to handle them and remain hopeful somehow.

At the height of my level of trust in Jesus and what He had accomplished for me in His life, death, and resurrection, in late 2012/early 2013 I was having an online bible study and we were reading Matthew 5 together and commenting on it. I had read it many times before but for some reason Jesus' words jumped out at me in a very terrifying way... Jesus was laying out part of what it takes to be saved it seems and it sounded like perfection to me. It shook me to my core...

That night, afraid, I wondered if I had been wrong about the plan of salvation. Does Jesus require literal present perfection in life in order to be saved?? I was aware that there are some on youtube who preach sinless perfection and entire sanctification and I curiously watched some of their video teachings. It sounded more than plausible. I felt that I was lost. How could I be saved? I sin. A lot. I hate it, sure, but that means nothing. I never recovered from the hit my faith and joy in Christ took. I didn't outright stop believing or hoping---not at all. But I took a big hit. I was filled with such dread, loneliness, fear, anxiety, nightmares it was unbelievable. 4 YEARS have passed.

In those 4 years, I went to war against my sexual sin and even had some lasting victory (365 days oddly enough). The failure of falling to that sin again was another big hit to my walk. I studied sinless perfection and have come to a place where it doesn't quite fit the entirety of scripture. I cannot ignore the serious warnings though. I was/am confused about salvation and the gospel and what my responsibilities are in regards to salvation (do we earn it? Do we already have it? Can we lose it? Why am I not growing? Why am I not like this Christian or that?). Overall I tried to remain hopeful, always trying to trust in Christ. I would pray, but that became largely an exercise in going through the motions with the odd nice time of fellowship with God. I would force myself to read the word but would often come away feeling condemned and afraid, or at best just not get much nourishment out of it. In the more recent year+, I stopped watching sermons online and stuck to mostly apologetics videos/debates. I just became distracted overall. I was just floating along day by day.

In the past 6 months or so the intense fear from 4 years ago was back in full effect. Almost worse. It was brought on by a friend sending me a link to a man's website where he made a very good case for the ability to lose your salvation. I knew it would trigger my fear and set me off again but my curiosity got the best of me. He claimed that he was now (fully) obedient to God and had discovered the secret to a Godly life. Whether that is true or not, it drove me to examine those stark warnings in scripture about falling away, what acts will keep you from heaven, the passages in Hebrews, all of it.

I can only conclude that we must indeed repent of ALL of our sins in order to be saved. And I realize that if that is true, I probably will not make it. There is still room for hope, but wow. To be perfectly honest, I am hoping it isn't quite true. Not because I want to keep sinning. I HATE my sin. HATE it. I am hoping it isn't true because I don't see a way of escape. I don't see the blessed hope in Christ. The joy. The peace. The rest. The power to live in holiness...

My days are so bleak. Depression and hopelessness. I cry constantly. I see everyone perishing around me and I can't give them the gospel of peace because I'm not even sure what it is anymore. What is the good news? It IS good news...but in what way? I spend my days fearing sin and trying to constantly be watching bible videos or reading articles, trying to find some hope to get me through the day. I dread the nights because I usually have just read some scripture that scares me and I start thinking about death and hell. Intense loneliness overcomes me. Thankfully I live with my believing mother who I can go to for some company, even late at night. We have begun going to a church but have only been once so far. I hope to build some kind of relationships there but that will be very hard for me. I don't feel as though any person on earth can really help me with this. I have read all the encouragements people give for issues like these. What once gave comfort is now hollow. I don't know what to do. It is as though I am being crushed slowly. LORD help me please. You are the only hope there is. Please hear my prayer. I am sorry.

Thank you for reading. Please pray for me. God bless you all.

Do you believe that Jesus can forgive your sins?
You have to accept that forgiveness and put the past behind you. Look at what Saul did in persecuting God then look at what he did as Paul. Jesus forgave his sins and blessed him, he had to accept both the forgiveness and the Blessings.

That is the hardest thing to do as we do not see how anybody can forgive our sins because we tend not to do so ourselves. But Jesus does.

Yes we can lose our salvation by our choice.

You do not specify what denomination church you are going to, so it may not be a bible believing only church. You need to find a church that Jesus told us would be his remnant at the end of Time.

Revelation 12:17

 

[Adstar]

Hi guys. This will be a long winded post because I am really going through it right now and I need help somehow.

Some backstory:
"Saved" in late 2009 or so. My life changed in a big way. Turned from many sinful ways, began really seeking the LORD, learning a lot very quickly. Growing in faith, grace, and righteousness. Bearing fruit. Hating sin, thirsting after righteousness. Seeing the world for what it is, the lies, deceptions, traps.

I knew and still know that I am not even close to perfect. I feel I am a coward, I am afraid of what man thinks of me (I have Social Anxiety Disorder), I suffer from sexual lust, and I can list more but you get the point. I sin. It has always eaten me up inside. I would confess these things and trust that Jesus had somehow forgiven them and move forward, hoping and trusting that one day Jesus would give victory over them. Maybe a year from now, maybe 20 years, but He would do it. My social anxieties have kept me from a lot but most importantly it has kept me from being in a local body of believers. I have not had anyone who is experienced disciple me and I have not been baptized. I still have had some fellowship with a friend who was saved at the same time as me as well as a woman we met online that we do online bible studies with. My mother was eventually saved as well. So there was fellowship to a limited degree but no Shepherd over me/us. You could say I was discipled by youtube videos and online articles... not good.

I felt I was getting a good grip on what we must do to be saved. What the gospel was, what Jesus did for us, how to live, etc. but in reading scripture the stark warnings throughout always really concerned me and frightened me. However I was able to handle them and remain hopeful somehow.

At the height of my level of trust in Jesus and what He had accomplished for me in His life, death, and resurrection, in late 2012/early 2013 I was having an online bible study and we were reading Matthew 5 together and commenting on it. I had read it many times before but for some reason Jesus' words jumped out at me in a very terrifying way... Jesus was laying out part of what it takes to be saved it seems and it sounded like perfection to me. It shook me to my core...

That night, afraid, I wondered if I had been wrong about the plan of salvation. Does Jesus require literal present perfection in life in order to be saved?? I was aware that there are some on youtube who preach sinless perfection and entire sanctification and I curiously watched some of their video teachings. It sounded more than plausible. I felt that I was lost. How could I be saved? I sin. A lot. I hate it, sure, but that means nothing. I never recovered from the hit my faith and joy in Christ took. I didn't outright stop believing or hoping---not at all. But I took a big hit. I was filled with such dread, loneliness, fear, anxiety, nightmares it was unbelievable. 4 YEARS have passed.

In those 4 years, I went to war against my sexual sin and even had some lasting victory (365 days oddly enough). The failure of falling to that sin again was another big hit to my walk. I studied sinless perfection and have come to a place where it doesn't quite fit the entirety of scripture. I cannot ignore the serious warnings though. I was/am confused about salvation and the gospel and what my responsibilities are in regards to salvation (do we earn it? Do we already have it? Can we lose it? Why am I not growing? Why am I not like this Christian or that?). Overall I tried to remain hopeful, always trying to trust in Christ. I would pray, but that became largely an exercise in going through the motions with the odd nice time of fellowship with God. I would force myself to read the word but would often come away feeling condemned and afraid, or at best just not get much nourishment out of it. In the more recent year+, I stopped watching sermons online and stuck to mostly apologetics videos/debates. I just became distracted overall. I was just floating along day by day.

In the past 6 months or so the intense fear from 4 years ago was back in full effect. Almost worse. It was brought on by a friend sending me a link to a man's website where he made a very good case for the ability to lose your salvation. I knew it would trigger my fear and set me off again but my curiosity got the best of me. He claimed that he was now (fully) obedient to God and had discovered the secret to a Godly life. Whether that is true or not, it drove me to examine those stark warnings in scripture about falling away, what acts will keep you from heaven, the passages in Hebrews, all of it.

I can only conclude that we must indeed repent of ALL of our sins in order to be saved. And I realize that if that is true, I probably will not make it. There is still room for hope, but wow. To be perfectly honest, I am hoping it isn't quite true. Not because I want to keep sinning. I HATE my sin. HATE it. I am hoping it isn't true because I don't see a way of escape. I don't see the blessed hope in Christ. The joy. The peace. The rest. The power to live in holiness...

My days are so bleak. Depression and hopelessness. I cry constantly. I see everyone perishing around me and I can't give them the gospel of peace because I'm not even sure what it is anymore. What is the good news? It IS good news...but in what way? I spend my days fearing sin and trying to constantly be watching bible videos or reading articles, trying to find some hope to get me through the day. I dread the nights because I usually have just read some scripture that scares me and I start thinking about death and hell. Intense loneliness overcomes me. Thankfully I live with my believing mother who I can go to for some company, even late at night. We have begun going to a church but have only been once so far. I hope to build some kind of relationships there but that will be very hard for me. I don't feel as though any person on earth can really help me with this. I have read all the encouragements people give for issues like these. What once gave comfort is now hollow. I don't know what to do. It is as though I am being crushed slowly. LORD help me please. You are the only hope there is. Please hear my prayer. I am sorry.

Thank you for reading. Please pray for me. God bless you all.

If a person believes that eternity with God is dependant on them ceasing to sin then they do not know the Good News (Gospel ) The good news is that Jesus suffered death to pay the penalty for the trangressions of all people who beleve Jesus and trust in the atoneing sacrafice He delivered...

If a person believes that they Must cease sinning to have eternity with God then they are a Works Salvation Believer and as such they have rejected the Atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ..

Galatians 5: KJV
{4} Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

 

[Elvis1234]

I appreciate everyone's input and prayers. But look at the differing responses. One of you says I am saved and can't lose my salvation, the other says I can lose my salvation and wants me to join the "remnant" SDA church (because only they will be saved), the other thinks any consideration that we must be obedient or we will perish is works salvation and I am therefore lost.

Why would anyone be confused about how to be saved? I should stop trying to find the answer from people but it has been years as I said and the LORD hasn't yet rescued me and I can't sit here and stew anymore.

I know you guys are trying to help and are doing so according to your understanding of things. I thank you for that. I don't mean to offend or be rude. I am just frustrated. Forgive me.

 

[Adstar]

I appreciate everyone's input and prayers. But look at the differing responses. One of you says I am saved and can't lose my salvation, the other says I can lose my salvation and wants me to join the "remnant" SDA church (because only they will be saved),

Why would anyone be confused about how to be saved? I should stop trying to find the answer from people but it has been years as I said and the LORD hasn't yet rescued me and I can't sit here and stew anymore.

I know you guys are trying to help and are doing so according to your understanding of things. I thank you for that. I don't mean to offend or be rude. I am just frustrated. Forgive me.

"""the other thinks any consideration that we must be obedient or we will perish is works salvation and I am therefore lost.""""

No.. Let me try to make my point more clearly.. One must be found before one can be lost.. One must be standing on the Rock before one can fall away.. The point i was making is that you probably have never ever known the Good news of the Gospel, That you where introduced or came to believe independently by your own thinking that Works .. (In this case successful Sin avoidance ) was essential to your eternal salvation status..

It is up to you to assess the answers you have been given by reading the Gospel and paying to God for understanding.. Just go to God and tell Him about the different answers you have received and ask Him to guide you into understanding what answer (if any ) is the correct one..

Oh and PS: I have not been offended by your words in this thread.. So no need for any apology as far as i am concerned..

 

[AvgJoe]

I appreciate everyone's input and prayers. But look at the differing responses. One of you says I am saved and can't lose my salvation, the other says I can lose my salvation and wants me to join the "remnant" SDA church (because only they will be saved), the other thinks any consideration that we must be obedient or we will perish is works salvation and I am therefore lost.

Why would anyone be confused about how to be saved? I should stop trying to find the answer from people but it has been years as I said and the LORD hasn't yet rescued me and I can't sit here and stew anymore.

I know you guys are trying to help and are doing so according to your understanding of things. I thank you for that. I don't mean to offend or be rude. I am just frustrated. Forgive me.

Well, that's the nature of CF. It's a very diverse community and you will definitely get conflicting answers from the many different Christian & non-Christian groups that post here.

 

[No Time for Drama]

Praying for you

 

[stuart lawrence]

Hi guys. This will be a long winded post because I am really going through it right now and I need help somehow.

Some backstory:
"Saved" in late 2009 or so. My life changed in a big way. Turned from many sinful ways, began really seeking the LORD, learning a lot very quickly. Growing in faith, grace, and righteousness. Bearing fruit. Hating sin, thirsting after righteousness. Seeing the world for what it is, the lies, deceptions, traps.

I knew and still know that I am not even close to perfect. I feel I am a coward, I am afraid of what man thinks of me (I have Social Anxiety Disorder), I suffer from sexual lust, and I can list more but you get the point. I sin. It has always eaten me up inside. I would confess these things and trust that Jesus had somehow forgiven them and move forward, hoping and trusting that one day Jesus would give victory over them. Maybe a year from now, maybe 20 years, but He would do it. My social anxieties have kept me from a lot but most importantly it has kept me from being in a local body of believers. I have not had anyone who is experienced disciple me and I have not been baptized. I still have had some fellowship with a friend who was saved at the same time as me as well as a woman we met online that we do online bible studies with. My mother was eventually saved as well. So there was fellowship to a limited degree but no Shepherd over me/us. You could say I was discipled by youtube videos and online articles... not good.

I felt I was getting a good grip on what we must do to be saved. What the gospel was, what Jesus did for us, how to live, etc. but in reading scripture the stark warnings throughout always really concerned me and frightened me. However I was able to handle them and remain hopeful somehow.

At the height of my level of trust in Jesus and what He had accomplished for me in His life, death, and resurrection, in late 2012/early 2013 I was having an online bible study and we were reading Matthew 5 together and commenting on it. I had read it many times before but for some reason Jesus' words jumped out at me in a very terrifying way... Jesus was laying out part of what it takes to be saved it seems and it sounded like perfection to me. It shook me to my core...

That night, afraid, I wondered if I had been wrong about the plan of salvation. Does Jesus require literal present perfection in life in order to be saved?? I was aware that there are some on youtube who preach sinless perfection and entire sanctification and I curiously watched some of their video teachings. It sounded more than plausible. I felt that I was lost. How could I be saved? I sin. A lot. I hate it, sure, but that means nothing. I never recovered from the hit my faith and joy in Christ took. I didn't outright stop believing or hoping---not at all. But I took a big hit. I was filled with such dread, loneliness, fear, anxiety, nightmares it was unbelievable. 4 YEARS have passed.

In those 4 years, I went to war against my sexual sin and even had some lasting victory (365 days oddly enough). The failure of falling to that sin again was another big hit to my walk. I studied sinless perfection and have come to a place where it doesn't quite fit the entirety of scripture. I cannot ignore the serious warnings though. I was/am confused about salvation and the gospel and what my responsibilities are in regards to salvation (do we earn it? Do we already have it? Can we lose it? Why am I not growing? Why am I not like this Christian or that?). Overall I tried to remain hopeful, always trying to trust in Christ. I would pray, but that became largely an exercise in going through the motions with the odd nice time of fellowship with God. I would force myself to read the word but would often come away feeling condemned and afraid, or at best just not get much nourishment out of it. In the more recent year+, I stopped watching sermons online and stuck to mostly apologetics videos/debates. I just became distracted overall. I was just floating along day by day.

In the past 6 months or so the intense fear from 4 years ago was back in full effect. Almost worse. It was brought on by a friend sending me a link to a man's website where he made a very good case for the ability to lose your salvation. I knew it would trigger my fear and set me off again but my curiosity got the best of me. He claimed that he was now (fully) obedient to God and had discovered the secret to a Godly life. Whether that is true or not, it drove me to examine those stark warnings in scripture about falling away, what acts will keep you from heaven, the passages in Hebrews, all of it.

I can only conclude that we must indeed repent of ALL of our sins in order to be saved. And I realize that if that is true, I probably will not make it. There is still room for hope, but wow. To be perfectly honest, I am hoping it isn't quite true. Not because I want to keep sinning. I HATE my sin. HATE it. I am hoping it isn't true because I don't see a way of escape. I don't see the blessed hope in Christ. The joy. The peace. The rest. The power to live in holiness...

My days are so bleak. Depression and hopelessness. I cry constantly. I see everyone perishing around me and I can't give them the gospel of peace because I'm not even sure what it is anymore. What is the good news? It IS good news...but in what way? I spend my days fearing sin and trying to constantly be watching bible videos or reading articles, trying to find some hope to get me through the day. I dread the nights because I usually have just read some scripture that scares me and I start thinking about death and hell. Intense loneliness overcomes me. Thankfully I live with my believing mother who I can go to for some company, even late at night. We have begun going to a church but have only been once so far. I hope to build some kind of relationships there but that will be very hard for me. I don't feel as though any person on earth can really help me with this. I have read all the encouragements people give for issues like these. What once gave comfort is now hollow. I don't know what to do. It is as though I am being crushed slowly. LORD help me please. You are the only hope there is. Please hear my prayer. I am sorry.

Thank you for reading. Please pray for me. God bless you all.

I wish you would stop watching videos on the internet of so called preachers. Why are they preaching on the internet and not out in the real world?
Many convince themselves they are sent to be ministers of the word, and post sermons on the internet!

I responded to an altar call at the age of ten. I set out on the Christian walk. I knew sin was the barrier to God, and the Christian was called to live a holy life
And so, my Christianity focused on not committing sin. I entered my teenage years, and with that came impure thoughts/ lust. I feared hell for I was not living a pure and holy life. The harder I tried to be pure for God, the worse the sin got. I became consumed by lust and believed I must be condemned, for i could not live as a Christian is called to live.

But you know, I didn't understand the truth of the gospel message at that time.
I was trying to obey the law to be righteous/ acceptable to God, for lust is breaking the law of God.
I had no saviour, I was my own saviour from sin, either I defeated it or would be cast into hell.

The apostle Paul believed something that baffles most.
He believed If you die to seeking acceptance with God by striving not to commit sin, and live by acceptance with God by faith in Christ who died for you, sin wont be your master.
Why not try it?
When you give in to lust, pray:

I know I am still saved because Jesus is my rightstanding before God, not obeying the law.

It worked for me. I had been a slave of masturbation for six years, but when I finally believed I had a saviour from my sin/ Jesus was my right standing before God, the masturbation soon stopped.
God bless.

And flee internet sermons!!!

 

[stuart lawrence]

I appreciate everyone's input and prayers. But look at the differing responses. One of you says I am saved and can't lose my salvation, the other says I can lose my salvation and wants me to join the "remnant" SDA church (because only they will be saved), the other thinks any consideration that we must be obedient or we will perish is works salvation and I am therefore lost.

Why would anyone be confused about how to be saved? I should stop trying to find the answer from people but it has been years as I said and the LORD hasn't yet rescued me and I can't sit here and stew anymore.

I know you guys are trying to help and are doing so according to your understanding of things. I thank you for that. I don't mean to offend or be rude. I am just frustrated. Forgive me.

Forget us, read Paul's letters. If you want to understand the covenant God has made with you read the book of romans, read well chapters three to eight.
Before you read it, ask God through the Holy Spirit to bring you to understand what is written.
Dont rely on people on the internet.

But understand this.
You CANNOT be good enough for God. God does not want people who think they can be good enough.
He wants people who acknowledge they cannot be good enough, people who will praise and worship him for his unfailing love shown by him sending his son to die for us undeserving sinners.

The SDA church wont help with your problems BTW

 

[Elvis1234]

Well, that's the nature of CF. It's a very diverse community and you will definitely get conflicting answers from the many different Christian & non-Christian groups that post here.

I know. I posted against my better judgement just hoping for prayer or something. I don't know what else to do. It is horrible.

I wish you would stop watching videos on the internet of so called preachers. Why are they preaching on the internet and not out in the real world?
Many convince themselves they are sent to be ministers of the word, and post sermons on the internet!

Agreed. I have since been very careful in what sorts I watch now.

I responded to an altar call at the age of ten. I set out on the Christian walk. I knew sin was the barrier to God, and the Christian was called to live a holy life
And so, my Christianity focused on not committing sin. I entered my teenage years, and with that came impure thoughts/ lust. I feared hell for I was not living a pure and holy life. The harder I tried to be pure for God, the worse the sin got. I became consumed by lust and believed I must be condemned, for i could not live as a Christian is called to live.

But you know, I didn't understand the truth of the gospel message at that time.
I was trying to obey the law to be righteous/ acceptable to God, for lust is breaking the law of God.
I had no saviour, I was my own saviour from sin, either I defeated it or would be cast into hell.

The apostle Paul believed something that baffles most.
He believed If you die to seeking acceptance with God by striving not to commit sin, and live by acceptance with God by faith in Christ who died for you, sin wont be your master.
Why not try it?
When you give in to lust, pray:

I know I am still saved because Jesus is my rightstanding before God, not obeying the law.

It worked for me. I had been a slave of masturbation for six years, but when I finally believed I had a saviour from my sin/ Jesus was my right standing before God, the masturbation soon stopped.
God bless.

And flee internet sermons!!!

See, that makes some sense and doesn't outright ignore the call for holiness. My issue really is how to reconcile the hopeful, grace-filled, peace-with-God, forgiven concepts in scripture with the warnings (those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom). Right now it is like scripture is pitted against itself in my mind and when I try and reach for hope the other scriptures nullify them. I cannot make them fit very well. I either end up in dreadful terror and hopelessness (repent or perish!) or have to turn a blind eye to the warnings.

Forget us, read Paul's letters. If you want to understand the covenant God has made with you read the book of romans, read well chapters three to eight.
Before you read it, ask God through the Holy Spirit to bring you to understand what is written.
Dont rely on people on the internet.

Romans definitely makes it sound amazing. It really does. But the warnings have to factor in somehow.

But understand this.
You CANNOT be good enough for God. God does not want people who think they can be good enough.
He wants people who acknowledge they cannot be good enough, people who will praise and worship him for his unfailing love shown by him sending his son to die for us undeserving sinners.

That was my view before all of this. Perhaps we can be good enough but not by our own power, only His? "Who then can be saved" "with men it is impossible but with God all things are possible." Not of OUR works, but His through us? I don't know...again I am trying to take all of scripture into account. If we can't be good enough yet are called to be good with warnings attached if we fail then there must be something in the middle to make them come together.

The SDA church wont help with your problems BTW

I know. I got mixed up in their teachings early on. Doug Batchelor. Walter Veith. I was a "sabbath" "keeper" but it was neither the sabbath nor was I keeping it as originally prescribed.

I may not respond to the thread more but if you want to continue with me Mr Lawrence we can take it to a PM.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to read and pray and talk with me. More prayers are appreciated.

 

[TravisD]

Hi guys. This will be a long winded post because I am really going through it right now and I need help somehow.

Some backstory:
"Saved" in late 2009 or so. My life changed in a big way. Turned from many sinful ways, began really seeking the LORD

You are not alone in your fears and afflictions. I know through personal experience from the past and present. Name a man in this world who is immune to the temptations that lead to sin. Name a man who will never sin again. You cannot because this person does not exist. Of course Jesus never sinned and we can strive to be like him, but we will never be him. We will never be perfect and sinless while trapped in the flesh. The stronger and closer to God we get, the more Satan and his minions will launch wave after wave of attacks on us.

Oh and what would please Satan more than a successful attack on one of God's children? Causing them to stumble and sin must be a call for rejoice in the underworld, but it doesn't stop there.

The sin itself is bad enough, but the instant guilt and shame that follows is enough to cause further strain on your relationship with Christ. I so regret the countless times I've wallowed in post-sin guilt. These times were as bad as the acts of sin themselves. They kept me separated from the holy spirit and made it easier to fall into further temptation and sin.

Does Satan even attack those who will never see God's kingdom? Does he need to? If someone has taken the position to completely reject Christ for their entire earthly life, would they feel any guilt when they sinned? I can't imagine. They don't have the Holy Spirit, so they don't feel the separation that sin causes. Fear not! I don't believe you are near losing your salvation if you still feel after you sin. The moment you no longer feel any guilt from a life of sins would be the time for fear.

As a parent, I love my children so much! I am God's child and he loves me more than I can love my own kids. This is hard for me to fathom. Our love is limited and I cannot imagine a greater love than what we have for our own offspring. But God allowed his son to be tortured and crucified for us. He loves us more than we love our own children. I don't know that my kids could do anything for me to completely disown them. If I have that heart for my children, then imagine how much God must love you and me.

He doesn't eternally destroy us because of our sin. Jesus paid that price. He will eternally destroy us for the utter rejection of this payment. If we don't accept what was paid, then we pay it. "1 John 5:12"

Always remember that God is not out to destroy us. He wants us to be with him. He loves us more than we can begin to imagine. Do not let Satan cause you to stumble so that you fear your salvation. Don't let him score any more points for that. Your salvation is not something Satan can take from you. He cannot take it, for he does not possess that kind of power. Your acceptance of Christ secured your salvation and you would have to completely reject him to lose it.

The temptation will never stop. I know I will sin again. I don't want to, but I'm only human. I know it pleases the Lord when we fight those temptations and when we do not fall into sin. So we must continue to fight and continue to push forward. Do not let the sin define who you are. You are a Child of God. Love him, praise him, worship him, and continue to seek him out.

Brother I pray that you have strength and wisdom in these difficult times. If you need someone to talk to that has similar afflictions and struggles, then please message me.

 

[chapmic]

Praying for you to have peace over this, you have to take each new day as a clean slate. We all sin and God knows we will fall short, he judges us by our heart. If we keep our mind and heart on Jesus we will not be forsaken. Each day stay focused on loving him. God bless!

 

[vinsight4u]

/nvm

 

[Original Happy Camper]

If a person believes that eternity with God is dependant on them ceasing to sin then they do not know the Good News (Gospel ) The good news is that Jesus suffered death to pay the penalty for the trangressions of all people who beleve Jesus and trust in the atoneing sacrafice He delivered...

If a person believes that they Must cease sinning to have eternity with God then they are a Works Salvation Believer and as such they have rejected the Atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ..

Galatians 5: KJV
{4} Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

Jesus came to save us from our sins not in our sins.

1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

REPENT
noun
1.
remorse or contrition for one's past actions or sins
2.
an act or the process of being repentant; penitence


Repentance goes beyond feeling to express distinct purposes of turning from sin to righteousness; the Bible word most often translated repentance means a change of mental and spiritual attitude toward sin. [Century Dictionary]

 

[Original Happy Camper]

When you slip or drift into sin you step out of fellowship with our Savior. That does not mean that you once again become "lost," or condemned, as evidenced by the above scriptures. Jesus plainly says "I will never leave you or forsake you." In another place He identifies you as "the Righteousness of God." Wow. Once you confess Him as Savior He never leaves. You are occupied by the Holy Spirit, which is the only baptism required. It is the Spiritual transformation, the born-again experience.

So who is Jesus talking to here those that claimed to be saved?

Matthew 7:22-23King James Version (KJV)
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God never leaves us we chose to leave him.

 

[Original Happy Camper]

the other says I can lose my salvation and wants me to join the "remnant" SDA church (because only they will be saved), the other thinks any consideration that we must be obedient or we will perish is works salvation and I am therefore lost.

Rev 12:17
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev 19
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

The remnant church has two identifying characteristics, the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Please tell me of another Church other than the SDA that have a prophet and keep the commandments of God especially the fourth commandment of REMEMBER the Sabbath.

 

[rockytopva]

Father I pray blessings on this request and for deliverance from all evil in Jesus name I pray. Also taking these needs before God in prayer on the 1:15PM bbnradio.org Family Altar program.

 

[Winken]

So who is Jesus talking to here those that claimed to be saved?

Matthew 7:22-23King James Version (KJV)
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God never leaves us we chose to leave him.

This mis-interpretation and mis-application of scripture, applied to the born-again Believer, is at the very center of the many, many debates about our Savior, Jesus Christ. The multiple "belief systems" overflowing around the world, and devastatingly across China, pick and choose their interpretation, getting in the way of the Holy Spirit who is the ONLY interpreter and applier of scripture. It is impossible for those of us who profess our Spiritual birth in Jesus to Spiritually argue and debate what God has caused to be written. I cannot Spiritually "believe" one thing while you Spiritually "believe" another. Impossible. One or both has to be wrong. Debating the Holy Spirit is heresy. Refusing to acknowledge Jesus as Savior prior to death is blasphemy.

The solution? Each of us has to get out of the way. That begins when we confess Jesus as Savior, Romans 10:8-13. Our confidence, our joy, is underlined in Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 8:1, John 5:24, John 3:16-17. We are thusly declared the "Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus," 2 Corinthians 5:21. We can drift away from our confession; we can slip into sinful words and deeds, but we cannot fall from His Amazing Grace, abandoning His imparted Righteousness. Glory to God, 1 John 1:9 is right there for all to behold. When we slip away or drift He stands right there, He, our Rock, having never left, encouraging us to repent, to resume our one-on-one Spiritual relationship with God through Jesus, in the unending Power of the Holy Spirit, with Jesus as the everlasting Mediator.

(Check out "unending" and "everlasting".)

Now......... Matthew 7. The entire Book of Matthew was written directly to the Jews in that day, seeking to point them not to Law but to Grace. Their calling was to receive Jesus as their Promised Messiah, in accordance with the Hebrew Bible, the Abrahamic Covenant. Jesus Himself encapsulated and fulfilled every aspect of the imperatives in the Hebrew Bible.

Many of the Jewish religion did not then and do not now acknowledge Jesus as the Promised Messiah of the Nation of Hebrews as a distinct people group. If the Hebrews in that day had said "YES!" to identifying Jesus as the Messiah Promise, the Hebrew people group would have been saved in that day. IF.

Matthew 7:22-23 refers directly to those of the Jesus-denying Hebrew Nation, now appearing before the Great White Throne Judgment, offering up excuses and pleas.

Commentary included:

22 Many (out of the Hebrew people group, those who were offered the opportunity to acknowledge me as the Promised Messiah of the Hebrew Nation, via the Promise in the Abrahamic Covenant) will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you (you never acknowledged me; you wandered about, taking things into your own hands, absent my Promise). Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.*

*noun

1. immoral or grossly unfair behavior.
   "a den of iniquity"
   synonyms: wickedness, sinfulness, immorality, impropriety;
   vice, evil, sin;
   villainy, criminality;
   odiousness, atrocity, egregiousness;
   outrage, monstrosity, obscenity, reprehensibility;
   turpitude
   "many runaways become the pawns of these merchants of iniquity"
   sin, crime, transgression,
   wrongdoing, violation,
   offenses.

# How many of the Hebrew folk became the pawns of the merchants of iniquity (Hebrew priesthood leadership that urged denial of the Christ and threatened punishment for those who did not.) These are they which appear before the Great White Throne (along with a ton of non-Jews).

Where do those Jews who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, and those non-Jews who confessed Him as Savior, appear? The Judgment Seat of Christ, not for eternal punishment, but for rewards.

 

[Adstar]

Jesus came to save us from our sins not in our sins.

1 John 3:4
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

REPENT
noun
1.
remorse or contrition for one's past actions or sins
2.
an act or the process of being repentant; penitence


Repentance goes beyond feeling to express distinct purposes of turning from sin to righteousness; the Bible word most often translated repentance means a change of mental and spiritual attitude toward sin. [Century Dictionary]

Then you are not saved.. Because you believe that you must cease sinning.. Of course you still sin and thus by your own preaching Jesus has not saved you from your sins and therefore by your own preaching you are not saved..

Unless you are claiming that you are now without sin ????