fearfullysad said:
does that mean i am going to hell then because i am not born again? even if i ask god for salvation through jesus i will not recieve it because i havent been born again?
now i am even more depressed. i might as well die now as i am sure to go to hell. how can i ever be born again if i cant get over the saddness i feel that millions of souls are suffering unimagineable torture right now?
I do believe god is love and that he gave up jesus to save us, and forgiveness is there for those who ask it. i know it is not gods fault that these people suffer and that they prought it on themselves, but the fact that they do suffer still saddens me, and the fact that it is eternal depresses me. i often think how find my self imaging how it must be for them and i bring myself to tears.
What does John 3 say?
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things?
11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaventhe Son of Man.
14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
You believe in Jesus, right? Good. Will you stake your soul on that? If so, good. You've asked God to forgive your sins through Jesus, right (verse 14)? Good. Have you asked for the Holy Spirit? If so, you're good to go.
If not, He is just a prayer away. This is a prayer God has promised in advance to say "yes" to.
"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." - John 6:37
The invitation is open to you. Take it. If you already have, relax. He's not going to condemn one of His adopted children.
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." - John 5:24
"
28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." - John 10:28-29
"
13And
you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
14who is a deposit
guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possessionto the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13-14