Really questioning

[DeerGlow]

People cite my worry as reason not to be worried but honestly, I think I don't have the right heart. I think my fear of hell is stronger than remorse for sin. Like I just don't have the hate of sin and love of God to be saved. Like my heart is too hard, I went too far and my heart feels hard towards God. I want to be saved but I feel like fear is the primary drive. Please pray that my heart will soften and love God and that He will have mercy and give me more chances and more grace to be saved.

 

[ImAllLikeOkWaitWat]

Nah you're fine, if a sinner like me can be saved you are saved as well.

 

[brinny]

Bless yer heart, praying (((hug)))

 

[OldWiseGuy]

People cite my worry as reason not to be worried but honestly, I think I don't have the right heart. I think my fear of hell is stronger than remorse for sin. Like I just don't have the hate of sin and love of God to be saved. Like my heart is too hard, I went too far and my heart feels hard towards God. I want to be saved but I feel like fear is the primary drive. Please pray that my heart will soften and love God and that He will have mercy and give me more chances and more grace to be saved.

God is more concerned with your mind than your emotions. What do you think about God?

 

[DeerGlow]

God is more concerned with your mind than your emotions. What do you think about God?

I'm so confused right now. I don't know what to think about God. I know I'm not universalist or annihilationist, Calvinist Armenian or Wesleyan. I fear though that some people can be hardened or cut off from salvation. I don't think I have the same love of God as when I was a kid. I am afraid my heart has been hardened so that I cannot be saved because of my apostasy and blasphemy and not trying hard enough to not sin. Not being sincere enough in seeking salvation.

 

[Kenny'sID]

I think my fear of hell is stronger than remorse for sin.

God threatens Hell for a reason. One reason may be him saying if you don't have the remorse, here is another incentive to follow me. In other words, he fully expects some people to not have remorse to the same degree as others might, or other feelings for that matter so fear of Hell is what tends to get your attention more...so what?

I've always been of the opinion that those that don't feel a lot of things they think they should is irrelevant, as long as we do as God says. If we do that, we show faith, and maybe the rest will come eventually, maybe not, but you believed enough to try, and to do as he said, and that's all he asks.

There are those that come into this much worse off than you in that area, they are stuffed shirts when it comes to any feelings, they only know that they want it."Whosoever believeth in me" says they can still have it, regardless.

As far as I know, God never demanded you feel to a certain degree what you feel you lack here.

 

[HereIStand]

People cite my worry as reason not to be worried but honestly, I think I don't have the right heart. I think my fear of hell is stronger than remorse for sin. Like I just don't have the hate of sin and love of God to be saved. Like my heart is too hard, I went too far and my heart feels hard towards God. I want to be saved but I feel like fear is the primary drive. Please pray that my heart will soften and love God and that He will have mercy and give me more chances and more grace to be saved.

Peter Kreeft notes that 'fear of hell is not a base motive. God's graciousness accepts even the "low" motive of fear of hell for salvation if that's the best we can muster. His arms are open to all prodigals. He is not high-minded, like some of his detractors.' Our faith may be imperfect. Our love for God may be less than what it could be. God understands and loves us regardless.

 

[DeerGlow]

God threatens Hell for a reason. One reason may be him saying if you don't have the remorse, here is another incentive to follow me. In other words, he fully expects some people to not have remorse to the same degree as others might, or other feelings for that matter so fear of Hell is what tends to get your attention more...so what?

I've always been of the opinion that those that don't feel a lot of things they think they should is irrelevant, as long as we do as God says. If we do that, we show faith, and maybe the rest will come eventually, maybe not, but you believed enough to try, and to do as he said, and that's all he asks.

There are those that come into this much worse off than you in that area, they are stuffed shirts when it comes to any feelings, they only know that they want it."Whosoever believeth in me" says they can still have it, regardless.

As far as I know, God never demanded you feel to a certain degree what you feel you lack here.

But what about all the theology about false believers? You can't be saved without faith, right? So if I fear hell but don't have saving faith what good is it?

 

[HawgWyld]

Nah you're fine, if a sinner like me can be saved you are saved as well.

Same here. I was a flat out, unrepentant rascal and still have plenty of rough edges, but Christ didn't abandon me. All we can do is learn and grow.

 

[Kenny'sID]

But what about all the theology about false believers? You can't be saved without faith, right? So if I fear hell but don't have saving faith what good is it?

What do you mean saving faith? can you define that?

 

[DeerGlow]

Peter Kreeft notes that 'fear of hell is not a base motive. God's graciousness accepts even the "low" motive of fear of hell for salvation if that's the best we can muster. His arms are open to all prodigals. He is not high-minded, like some of his detractors.' Our faith may be imperfect. Our love for God may be less than what it could be. God understands and loves us regardless.

Basically logically of course I can say God is real but I'm afraid I don't believe in my heart. Like intellectual agreement but not quite faith.

 

[HawgWyld]

But what about all the theology about false believers? You can't be saved without faith, right? So if I fear hell but don't have saving faith what good is it?

I think that might be impossible to answer. I was raised in the church, but pretty well ignored it and didn't have faith in much during my 20s. Why did I start going back? My wife made me, that's why. That's it. That was the sole reason. I wasn't fully convinced any of it was real.

However, faith is something I had to learn over time. Christ might hit some of us like a bolt of lightening, but I'm one of those that had to learn. It was a slow process and one that I'm still undergoing.

 

[H4wk]

Basically logically of course I can say God is real but I'm afraid I don't believe in my heart. Like intellectual agreement but not quite faith.

Think about this:
You fear hellfire correct? Someone who doesnt believe has no reason (at least to them) to fear hellfire. That is exactly what tells me you are a believer. I hope that makes sense.

 

[HawgWyld]

Basically logically of course I can say God is real but I'm afraid I don't believe in my heart. Like intellectual agreement but not quite faith.

I've struggled with that very issue off and on for about 18 years now. If you figure it out, let me know!

My problem is, my faith tends to wax and wane like the moon -- at times it is strong, at times it is not. Luckily, I've been on "strong faith" mode for quite some time now (a year or so), but I tend to struggle when (oddly) things are going too well.

 

[ripple the car]

I'm so confused right now. I don't know what to think about God. I know I'm not universalist or annihilationist, Calvinist Armenian or Wesleyan. I fear though that some people can be hardened or cut off from salvation. I don't think I have the same love of God as when I was a kid. I am afraid my heart has been hardened so that I cannot be saved because of my apostasy and blasphemy and not trying hard enough to not sin. Not being sincere enough in seeking salvation.

Hey, friend. Salvation is something that is given, and then lived out daily. Part of our salvation journey is a very real struggle against self, sin, doubt, error, and pride. It's a battle we have to fight daily, but it's winnable, because we have a Conqueror on our side. The desire for salvation, and the longing to be right with God is a gift from God, too. We don't do anything to merit His grace and mercy, but through His grace and if we abide in Him and He in us, we can love Him more, love Him back, bear fruit, repent, and love others.

I try not to study various Protestant theologies of salvation much. It can get kind of confusing and nerve-racking. I look to the Catholic and Orthodox Churches for balanced, nuanced, gracious, and well-rounded understandings of what it means to be saved. I would pray about your struggles, ask Christ for grace and mercy, and take the time to read some Catholic and Orthodox sources on salvation, grace, works, merit, love, and holiness. It's pretty eye opening, and cool.

 

[HereIStand]

Basically logically of course I can say God is real but I'm afraid I don't believe in my heart. Like intellectual agreement but not quite faith.

It sounds like you are being too difficult on yourself. In faith we embrace the righteousness of Christ, not our own. Remember this verse. "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10)."

Also, and this is a problem for me, beware of enjoying your soul searching too much, as Walker Percy once put it. There can be an odd comfort in doubt that's unhelpful to faith.

Try Os Guinness' book God in the Dark. It was helpful to me several years ago. One part that I recall is his discussion of Luke 24:41, when the disciples see the resurrected Christ. 'And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”' Guinness points out that the disciples doubted "for joy," but were not encouraged in this by Christ, who asked them for something to eat to show that he was truly resurrected.

 

[servant of Merciful Love]

God bless you

 

[Sanoy]

Loving God does not come from escaping hell alone but from learning about who God is. Things like God is love, or God is mercy may sound like a catch phrase but it's deeper than that. To take Euthyphro dilemma....

If God is good because He does what is good, then there is a goodness greater than God.
If what is good is good because God commands it then what is good is arbitrary.

This teaches us that Gods nature is the goodness. God is the paradigm to which goodness refers too. When we say something is an inch long we refer to the ruler. When we say something is good we say it is like God. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control...these are not just attributes God has, God's invisible attributes are what these terms refer too.

When you love what is good because it is good you love God, when you love what is right because it is right you love God. Think on those things and you think on God, seek those things in your heart and you seek God even if you cannot fulfill them.

 

[DeerGlow]

Loving God does not come from escaping hell alone but from learning about who God is. Things like God is love, or God is mercy may sound like a catch phrase but it's deeper than that. To take Euthyphro dilemma....

If God is good because He does what is good, then there is a goodness greater than God.
If what is good is good because God commands it then what is good is arbitrary.

This teaches us that Gods nature is the goodness. God is the paradigm to which goodness refers too. When we say something is an inch long we refer to the ruler. When we say something is good we say it is like God. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control...these are not just attributes God has, God's invisible attributes are what these terms refer too.

When you love what is good because it is good you love God, when you love what is right because it is right you love God. Think on those things and you think on God, seek those things in your heart and you seek God even if you cannot fulfill them.

I fear though even when I read the bible, if I am not saved and if I don't have God's Spirit in me, how can I understand it and really change?

 

[Sanoy]

I fear though even when I read the bible, if I am not saved and if I don't have God's Spirit in me, how can I understand it and really change?

This is where faith comes in. Faith is the trust we have in God. We trust Him when he says "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die"(John 11:26) This is not blind faith though, for the Spirit of God testifies to our Spirit that we are sons of God (Romans 8:15).

We are not sons of God by our own merits but by Grace through faith. None of us here have a worthy heart, nor a heart we are proud of. Our work is not to transform ourselves, that is God's work on a willing heart. Our work is to believe in God. "Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."(John 6:29)