Questions about salvation and how to get closer to God

[invisiblenothing]

[FONT=&quot]I have believed in God for less than two years. I can`t remember the first time I said to Jesus I wanted Him into my life, but I have done it a lot, because of doubting my salvation. Why am I doubting? A lot because someone on the internet said something like I`m not true believer. I think that was the motment when I started doubting much more than before, I don`t remember that I had doubted my salvation before I was told on the internet that I was not true believer (I can`t remind the exact words I was told). But I believe there were other doubts before that too. I am doubting my salvation because nothing hasn`t changed since I started believing in God. I`m still living in continual sin. Yes, I know that Christians sin sometimes, but I should not be living in continual sin, right? Also I am still in the chains of mental illness. I am not obeying God and praising God with my life. Although I want to obey Him, I fall for the same sins over and over again. And how can I praise God with my life, when I am the way I am (filled with fear, anxious, depressed, paranoid and so on)?

Here are some questions I have:

1. How to be saved? Is acknowledging that you are a sinner and in need for savior and believing in Jesus Christ is enough? What about repentance?
2. How do I know that I have truly repented?
3. How can I know that I am saved?
4. Is it possible to be saved and live in the continual sin in the same time?
5. Does salvation always change persons life? What about your life?

I also need some advice how to get closer to God. How to stop continual sin and start obeying and praising God with my life? How should I start going to church weekly if I feel extremely anxious there and like a outsider? And the last question: should I be baptized even if I am doubting so much (sometimes even that God exists) and I`m not sure about my salvation?[/FONT]

 

[ChristianLife08]

[FONT=&quot]I have believed in God for less than two years. I can`t remember the first time I said to Jesus I wanted Him into my life, but I have done it a lot, because of doubting my salvation. Why am I doubting? A lot because someone on the internet said something like I`m not true believer. I think that was the motment when I started doubting much more than before, I don`t remember that I had doubted my salvation before I was told on the internet that I was not true believer (I can`t remind the exact words I was told). But I believe there were other doubts before that too. I am doubting my salvation because nothing hasn`t changed since I started believing in God. I`m still living in continual sin. Yes, I know that Christians sin sometimes, but I should not be living in continual sin, right? Also I am still in the chains of mental illness. I am not obeying God and praising God with my life. Although I want to obey Him, I fall for the same sins over and over again. And how can I praise God with my life, when I am the way I am (filled with fear, anxious, depressed, paranoid and so on)?

Here are some questions I have:

1. How to be saved? Is acknowledging that you are a sinner and in need for savior and believing in Jesus Christ is enough? What about repentance?
2. How do I know that I have truly repented?
3. How can I know that I am saved?
4. Is it possible to be saved and live in the continual sin in the same time?
5. Does salvation always change persons life? What about your life?

I also need some advice how to get closer to God. How to stop continual sin and start obeying and praising God with my life? How should I start going to church weekly if I feel extremely anxious there and like a outsider? And the last question: should I be baptized even if I am doubting so much (sometimes even that God exists) and I`m not sure about my salvation?[/FONT]

Wow, i am so sorry for what you're going through. First let me ask, why did this person in the first place accuse or even assume you weren't saved?

Salvation comes by repentance of our sins, and CONFESSION that Jesus Christ raised form the dead and is now LORD. From there, when we acknowledge He is LORD, then by faith in Him and the Spirit working, He convicts us and we obey HIS WAYS, as hard and difficult it may be at times. He gives us strength to do it. Now, we all still commit sin. There's a difference i think of continual sin, and HABITUAL sin. we all will sin continuously til we are with the Lord, and by His grace and blood we can confess our sins and He is faithful and just to forgive us (1 John 1:9). However, as we become His children we GROW. It's a process that takes a life time until we are with Him and then perfected. We will not be perfect in this life, but in our time here we will strive for perfection because we love Him. Which means we will fall at times, but by His grace we can get up again and continue on. You know, we always beat ourselves up for taking two steps forward and four back. but the thing about that is, were at least progressing and continuing forward.

Repentance means that we CHOOSE to change our hearts and minds to serve the Lord and His word, and no longer for ourselves or satan and the world. The word literally means to turn around. no matter the size of repentance, if you know you've done this and have confessed Jesus as Savior and Lord, by Gods authority in His very word you are saved. What then can man accuse you of? NOTHING.

I can see you're struggling here. I attempted to answer quickly and concisely. However, if you wish to continue a conversation, please send me a private message.

Be Blessed,
ChristianLife08

 

[Harry3142]

invisiblenothing-

Our salvation is assured through our accepting what God himself has already done on our behalf through his Son's atoning sacrifice:

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:19-26,NIV)

The fact that our righteousness must be obtained through faith in Jesus Christ's atoning sacrifice, rather than its being obtained through our keeping a certain set of laws perfectly, is further emphasized here:

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written:

"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." (Romans 9:30-33,NIV)

It is only through our putting our trust in God and what he has accomplished on our behalf, rather than our putting our trust in what we might accomplish through our own works, that we have assurance of salvation. And that is due to the righteousness which we need for salvation only being obtained one way, namely, through asking God to give it to us in return for our putting our trust in Jesus Christ as our atoning sacrifice. We cannot earn the righteousness we need as if it were a salary, nor can we purchase it as if it were an asset. Instead, we must accept it exactly as God offers it, as a free gift, totally unearned and undeserved, but available through God's infinite mercy.

As a result of our accepting this gift, we actually receive two gifts. (1) We receive the righteousness needed for salvation, and (2) we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. His indwelling does not exhibit itself through our babbling in unknown tongues or through our performing miracles. It exhibits itself through the motivations which now are the impetus for our interrelationships with both God and those around us. St. Paul made clear what the motivations of a Christian would be, as well as making it clear what the motivations of those who were still being led by their sinful nature would be:

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:16-26,NIV)

The motivations listed as 'the acts of the sinful nature' are those which culminate in the commission of all sinful acts. Likewise, the motivations listed as 'the fruit of the Spirit' are those which culminate in the performance of all righteous acts. For us who are Christians it is not enough to do the right things; we must also do them for the right reasons. And those reasons are the motivations listed as 'the fruit of the Spirit'. They are the 'borders' within which our actions are to originate if those actions are to have assurance of conforming to God's will. They are 'the law written on the heart'. That's why the words which immediately follow their listing are, "Against such things there is no law."

A word of caution: there are denominations/sects which tell anyone who is willing to listen that it is not enough to accept Christ's sacrifice and then receive the indwelling of the Spirit. We must also obey their set of ecclesiastical laws or else we are not truly saved. Some even use a specific action as 'bait' in order to convince the unwary that their church is the only means of anyone's attaining salvation. This 'bait' might consist of their insisting that only baptism by total immersion will offset God's wrath. It might consist of their insisting that we must worship on Saturday instead of Sunday in order to offset God's wrath. It might consist of our needing to speak in unknown tongues (what I call babbling) or else we are not truly saved. It might consist of our needing to accept every story in Genesis as literally true and having actually occurred as described, or else we will incur God's wrath. But if a person accepts these actions as necessary, it is only the beginning of a long list of 'hoops' which they tell him he has to 'jump through' in order to eventually obtain salvation.

As well, in each and every instance where I have had a denomination/sect attempt to convince me that I need to follow their set of ecclesiastical laws (and in my 67 years I've had 4 different denominations/sects attempt this), when closely examined to their conclusion the 'laws' have turned out to be nothing more than manipulative devices. Their 'bottom line' was to convince the members of that church that they needed to obey absolutely and without question whatever agenda the leaders of that church told them to accept. One particular church had a leader who used 'ecclesiastical laws' in an attempt to manipulate the members into accepting both the philosophy and tactics of the Ku Klux Klan as being inspired by God himself.

Stay away from those denominations/sects. Their goal is not to enlighten, but instead to confuse, and then overwhelm. And as a Christian your purpose in life is to follow Christ's teachings, rather than following the teachings of a denomination/sect that is only using the cross of Christ as a smokescreen to hide their desire for absolute power over others.

God bless-

 

[Bible2]

invisiblenothing said in post 1:

Why am I doubting? A lot because someone on the internet said something like I`m not true believer.

A true believer is someone who believes, most importantly, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ and the human/divine Son of God (John 20:31, John 3:36; 1 John 2:23), and that he died on the Cross for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Luke 24:46-47, Matthew 20:19, Matthew 26:28). Do you believe these things?

Once we do believe these things, to help develop and keep up our relationship with God, we should pray to him every day, such as with the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), praising and worshipping him, confessing our sins to him, asking him for what we need today, and thanking him for all that he has given us (Philippians 4:6). And throughout the day we should immediately bring to him in prayer anything that we become worried about at anytime (Philippians 4:6-7).

We should also fellowship with other Christians every day (Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:25), at least in some fashion (Matthew 18:20), such as on this forum, being exhorted by them and exhorting them in turn (Hebrews 3:13).

We also need to examine ourselves to make sure that we're truly in the faith in its entirety (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:5, Proverbs 28:26, Proverbs 14:12). The way to do this is to read every word of the Bible (Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4:4) and see if we accept everything it teaches as having come from God (John 8:47; 2 Timothy 3:16). For just as a true faith will initially come from reading (or hearing) what the Bible teaches (Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 3:15), so we can know that we're remaining in the true faith in its entirety if we continue to believe everything that the Bible teaches came from God (John 8:31b; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 1 Timothy 4:1, Mark 8:35-38).

In order to have any real relationship with Jesus, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), it's very important to believe all the right things about Jesus (John 14:6-7): that he's God the Word made flesh (John 1:1,14), that he's the Christ (1 John 5:1; 1 John 2:22), and that he's the only begotten (only born) Son of God (John 3:16,36; 1 John 2:23), meaning that he's the only person ever born without any human father (Luke 1:34-35). And we must believe that Jesus lived a perfectly sinless life (Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21) and so he could die on the Cross for our sins and rise from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). He rose and will remain forever in an immortal flesh and bones human body (Luke 24:39; 2 John 1:7) as our eternally-human high priest/mediator (1 Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 2:16-17, Hebrews 7:24-26).

Once we come into faith in Jesus, we must obey him, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, by repenting from all of our sins and getting water-immersion (burial) baptized into Jesus (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:3-5, Galatians 3:27). And we must partake of the divine flesh and blood of the bread and wine of communion (John 6:53, Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 11:27-30). And we can get hands laid on us to receive Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 8:17) and one or more of the Holy Spirit's wonderful Spiritual gifts (Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Then, washed from our sins by water baptism (Acts 22:16) and empowered by the Holy Spirit within us (Acts 1:8, Ephesians 3:16), we must each and every day for the rest of our lives deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23; 2 Corinthians 5:15), by continuing in the faith to the end (Hebrews 3:6,12,14, Hebrews 6:4-8, John 15:6; 2 Timothy 2:12), by repenting from every sin we might commit to the end (Hebrews 10:26-29; 1 Corinthians 9:27, Luke 12:45-46), and by doing the particular spiritual works which he has given us as individuals to do to the end (Mark 13:34, Romans 12:6-8, Titus 3:8).

But if we as believers wrongly employ our free will to refuse to do these things, then we can't expect to have any continued real relationship with Jesus, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. For a continued real relationship with them requires that we not only continue to believe in them but also continue to obey them (John 15:10, John 14:21,23). Faith without works is dead (James 2:20) and can't ultimately save us (James 2:14-26, Romans 2:6-8, Matthew 7:21, Hebrews 5:9).

invisiblenothing said in post 1:

How do I know that I have truly repented?

Regarding repenting from a sin (e.g. Acts 8:22; 2 Corinthians 12:21, Revelation 3:19), that means to change one's mind regarding that sin, in the sense of having no plans to ever commit it again, knowing that God has made it possible for believers not to sin (John 8:34-36, Romans 8:2-14, Romans 6:1-23; 2 Corinthians 7:1), even when they're tempted to do so (1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Peter 2:9, Matthew 6:13; 1 Corinthians 9:27, Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:16).

But if, sometime after repenting from a sin, believers nonetheless wrongly employ their free will to commit that sin again, this doesn't mean that they hadn't previously repented from that sin, or that they as continued believers in Jesus Christ and his gospel aren't saved. What they need to do is repent from that sin again and confess it to God, and they will be completely forgiven (1 John 1:9, cf. Luke 17:4).

Satan wants believers to fail to continue to come to Jesus, to think that it's hopeless, that they're just too evil for Jesus, when in fact Jesus is waiting with open arms to forgive them for their sins which weigh down on them so heavily (Matthew 11:28-30).

 

[Emmy]

Dear invisiblenothing. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells a Lawyer: " The first
and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself."
Jesus tells us that on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets, Love is very important to God. God wants our Love involved in all we say or do, all we advise or stand for. God is Love and our Heavenly Father wants our Love freely given, and NO conditions made.
We start by treating all we know and all we meet, friends and not-friends, treat them as we would love to be treated. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. Jesus told us to " ask and
ye shall receive," ( Matthew 7: 7-8) then we carry on asking God and thanking God and sharing all Love and Joy with our neighbour. God will see our efforts, and God will keep Blessing us. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on Loving and Caring.
Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us: JESUS IS THE WAY.
Do this invisiblenothing, and you will be safe with God by your side.
LOVE God and love your neighbour, and God knows that you Love God: How?
You are following God`s Commandments to Love. I say this with love.
Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[paul1149]

1. How to be saved? Is acknowledging that you are a sinner and in need for savior and believing in Jesus Christ is enough? What about repentance?
2. How do I know that I have truly repented?
3. How can I know that I am saved?
4. Is it possible to be saved and live in the continual sin in the same time?
5. Does salvation always change persons life? What about your life?

I also need some advice how to get closer to God. How to stop continual sin and start obeying and praising God with my life? How should I start going to church weekly if I feel extremely anxious there and like a outsider? And the last question: should I be baptized even if I am doubting so much (sometimes even that God exists) and I`m not sure about my salvation?

You need to get the horse in front of the cart. Jesus came and gave Himself for us exactly because we could not save ourselves. We were caught in the ultimate trap, without the necessary virtue to climb out by ourselves. So He came and supplied the virtue for us. Having done that, would it make sense that we then would be required to live the Christian life in our own strength? No, that would be implausible as well as impossible.

You are Saved not be your own works, but simply when you make a sincere Good Confession of Romans 10.6-11:

But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)
“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”​

That turns the whole matter over to Jesus, where it belongs. He is able to bear the load that we cannot carry. So do as Hebrews says and cease from your own works. Cease from placing these burdens upon yourself. Instead, look to Him for everything.

The problem for some of us is that we look at the ruts we are in and conclude we cannot be Saved. How could a Saved person do "....", we ask? So we begin to question whether we've repented enough. We equate repentance with change, which throws the burden right back onto us. Repentance is a change of mind, of perspective, not necessarily of immediate practice. If you have made that Good Confession, that is your bedrock. The voice of doubt is the accuser of the brethren trying to disrupt your walk and steal your fruitfulness. Do as Ephesians 6.10- says, and put on the full armor of God and resist the fiery darts of the evil one.

When you fall, claim 1Jn 1.9 and get immediately back into the fellowship based on grace, not works. Don’t give the devil even a moment of victory by carrying the guilt or shame by yourself. Remember, Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He gave so much to do that, so cooperate with Him by going confidently, even boldly, to the throne of GRACE for help in time of need. Nothing would make Him happier.

That is the essential answer to all your questions. None of us are manifestly perfected yet. But our spirits are, because of their new birth, because they are in covenant, one-flesh union with the Holy Spirit. So can a Christian be failing? Yes indeed, but you will not be at home in it. God will be working in you to perfect and mature you.

The way to start praising God is to start praising God. Mark 11.22 tells us to believe right now, in real time. You are bound neither by circumstances or emotions. Nothing can prevent you from praising and loving God, and from thanking Him for your deliverance even "ahead of time", before it becomes manifest. It comes down to making the decision to do so.

You need to defend that precious incorruptible seed that was planted in you. Let no man trample it down. There are many lying voices of discouragement in the world, but God will never discourage you. Purpose yourself to abide in His peace and love, and you will grow in your faith. If you do that, the externals, such as where to go to church, will work themselves out.

 

[1watchman]

Belief in God is necessary, but a personal relationship with the Savior ---the Lord Jesus, is what saves a soul (read John 1; John 3; John 14 and see).

If you have that, then you can go on your way in communion with Him and be glad (see 1 Jn. 5:10-12) --the Father will give you His Holy Spirit. One should ALWAYS be thanking the Lord Jesus for suffering and dying for one's sins, and making Him your best Friend for peace. Read your Bible daily. Look up always!

 

[insurchoftruth]

When we become born again, from the Holy Spirit, our heart or spirit becomes born again, and it becomes one with the Holy Spirit. Our born again heart or spirit, has the nature of God in it, therefore, it is perfect, can not, and does not want to sin, just because it has the nature of God in it, by being born again. Our heart does not want to sin after it has been born again, but wants to do what is right, in the eyes of God.

But, our sinful nature, lives in our bodies, and pulls us and tempts us to sin.

Our soul or intellect on the other hand, is between our born again spirit or heart, and the sinful nature in our bodies. So, our soul or mind, has to make the choice which one to follow, our born again spirit, or our sinful nature in our body. That is why the Word of God in the book of Romans 12:1,2, says that we have to transform our mind, by the Word of God, so that our mind will start to be more like our perfect born again spirit, and so that our mind will start to agree with our heart or born again spirit.

The Holy Spirit is giving us power or the anointing, to make us able to overcome our sinful nature in our bodies, and to live the Christian live. To live the Christian live, is a miracle in itself. We can not live the Christian live, and stand against temptation, without the help and the power of the Holy Spirit.

All born again Christians sin from time to time, because they give in to the sinful nature, in our bodies. But, they never want to sin on the first place, because of their born again spirit.

If we struggle against sin, and try not to sin, that could be a sign, that we are really born again. The question is not if we sin sometimes, because not a single Christian is perfect. But what is important is, are we struggling not to sin. That desire comes from our perfect born again spirit or heart. The Holy Spirit makes us to desire not to sin, and that is not our desire.

Our born again spirit, has the nature of God. That is why our heart or spirit, does not want to sin.

 

[Emmy]

Dear invisiblenothing. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus tells us what to do, to get closer to God: God wants our Love, freely given and NO conditions asked.
The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. The second is like it: Love our neighbour as ourselves. God is Love, and God wants loving children/sons and daughters. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. What shall we do? Start by loving all we know and all we meet, treat them as we would love to be treated: kindly and always with friendly words. God sees our efforts, and God will bless us. God will know that we Love God, because we are following God`s Commandments to love and to care: all we say and all we do, MUST BE DONE LOVINGLY. Jesus will give us his Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Jesus told us to:
" Ask and ye shall receive," ( Mathew 7: 7-8 then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. We keep asking God and thanking God and sharing all Love and Joy with all around us: our neighbour.
We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us and keep sharing all Love and Joy with our neighbour.
The Bible tells us to " Repent," to change from being selfish and unloving-to become Loving God with all our beings, and loving our neighbour as we love ourselves. Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us all the way: JESUS IS THE WAY. With God by your side who or what could be against you? you will be saved and close to God. I say this with love, invisiblenothing.
Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ. P.S. Love is very catching and God
wants loving men and women.