Member
Hello all. Before you respond, I would like you to read all of this. I know I have a bad habit of skimming posts myself, but I truly believe this may be a blessing to some of you who are struggling with assurance and/or salvation.
I think I had been deceived all my life, because last night, I truly trusted in Jesus Christ, despite that I thought I had already been saved for years. The peace of God has been filling me up since then with such joy that I can almost not contain it, and I must share it with people. After truly trusting in Christ, I feel like I need to share this with you all:
If I asked you how you know you are saved, what answer would you give of the following?
1) I know I am saved because I prayed a sinner's prayer.
2) I know I am saved because I am "trying" my best.
3) I know I am saved because I was born in a Christian home.
4) I know I am saved because I was baptized as a child.
5) I know I am saved because I believe that God exists.
6) I know I am saved because I am "trying" to be holy.
7) I know I am saved because I have repented and am trusting in Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross.
According to the Bible, only answer number 7 is the answer that matters. Although striving to be holy is a natural part of the Christian life, and being baptized as a child is not wrong, and neither is confessing your sins to God, on that day, the final day when everyone will stand before God, the only rock we can stand upon is the rock of Jesus Christ. God won't determine our eternal destination by any "ritual" or "good deed" we have done, but by whether or not we have trusted in His Son.
Matthew 7:21 says, "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'"
Before that He says:
"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13)
Many interpret this as, "I must try harder. I must strive harder. I must do something more. Because He called them 'evildoers'." But Jesus makes it very clear when he says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) And Isaiah 64:6 says, "All of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags."
Nothing we do can merit good favor with God. Nothing in our works can make us stand clean before a holy God, who is more righteous than we could ever imagine. Romans 3:20 says, "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight."
When Jesus called them evildoers, then, what did He mean? He meant that, since they were trying to justify themselves through the law, (which is impossible, since the law wasn't designed for anything more than to show people their need of Christ, as it says in Romans 3:20 and Galatians 3:19), they were condemned. They hadn't trusted in Him for salvation. They were trying to prove themselves to Him because of their "casting out demons" and "many miracles" and "prophesying."
"For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:2-4)
IMPORTANT: Although good fruit will be produced by every person who truly trusts in Christ for salvation, it is only the result of salvation! Not the means! Only God can produce that fruit in you, by His power!
One thing that caught me off guard during my unsaved years was focusing so much on the part about "producing good fruit" that I focused only on that and didn't realize my great need for a savior! It became a stumbling block to me for me to trust Christ, and so I went back and forth for a long time. But last night, God opened my eyes to the wonderful truth of Jesus Christ. "Head knowledge" became "heart knowledge," and now I am sure I am saved.
The Narrow Way is not trying to force yourself to obey the commandments of God.
The Narrow Way is not trusting in a prayer that you made.
The Narrow Way is not simply knowing that a God exists. ("Because even the demons believe, and tremble." (James 2:19) )
The Narrow Way is trusting in Jesus Christ crucified, for your sins, as the sacrificial atonement.
Trust in Him alone, and believe that He is enough to save you. Not your righteous deeds, not your going to church on Sundays, not your Bible reading, and not a "sinner's prayer." Although you may pray to confess your sins to God and ask for a new heart, only the final act of trusting in Jesus can save you.
Finally, repentance. Repentance is essential! What does it mean to repent? Repent means "a change of mind." It means to know you are a sinner, to rightly understand your guilt before God, and come to Christ for salvation!
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15)
Thanks to God for His mercy!
I think I had been deceived all my life, because last night, I truly trusted in Jesus Christ, despite that I thought I had already been saved for years. The peace of God has been filling me up since then with such joy that I can almost not contain it, and I must share it with people. After truly trusting in Christ, I feel like I need to share this with you all:
If I asked you how you know you are saved, what answer would you give of the following?
1) I know I am saved because I prayed a sinner's prayer.
2) I know I am saved because I am "trying" my best.
3) I know I am saved because I was born in a Christian home.
4) I know I am saved because I was baptized as a child.
5) I know I am saved because I believe that God exists.
6) I know I am saved because I am "trying" to be holy.
7) I know I am saved because I have repented and am trusting in Jesus Christ's finished work on the cross.
According to the Bible, only answer number 7 is the answer that matters. Although striving to be holy is a natural part of the Christian life, and being baptized as a child is not wrong, and neither is confessing your sins to God, on that day, the final day when everyone will stand before God, the only rock we can stand upon is the rock of Jesus Christ. God won't determine our eternal destination by any "ritual" or "good deed" we have done, but by whether or not we have trusted in His Son.
Matthew 7:21 says, "Not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.'"
Before that He says:
"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13)
Many interpret this as, "I must try harder. I must strive harder. I must do something more. Because He called them 'evildoers'." But Jesus makes it very clear when he says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) And Isaiah 64:6 says, "All of our righteousnesses are like filthy rags."
Nothing we do can merit good favor with God. Nothing in our works can make us stand clean before a holy God, who is more righteous than we could ever imagine. Romans 3:20 says, "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight."
When Jesus called them evildoers, then, what did He mean? He meant that, since they were trying to justify themselves through the law, (which is impossible, since the law wasn't designed for anything more than to show people their need of Christ, as it says in Romans 3:20 and Galatians 3:19), they were condemned. They hadn't trusted in Him for salvation. They were trying to prove themselves to Him because of their "casting out demons" and "many miracles" and "prophesying."
"For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:2-4)
IMPORTANT: Although good fruit will be produced by every person who truly trusts in Christ for salvation, it is only the result of salvation! Not the means! Only God can produce that fruit in you, by His power!
One thing that caught me off guard during my unsaved years was focusing so much on the part about "producing good fruit" that I focused only on that and didn't realize my great need for a savior! It became a stumbling block to me for me to trust Christ, and so I went back and forth for a long time. But last night, God opened my eyes to the wonderful truth of Jesus Christ. "Head knowledge" became "heart knowledge," and now I am sure I am saved.
The Narrow Way is not trying to force yourself to obey the commandments of God.
The Narrow Way is not trusting in a prayer that you made.
The Narrow Way is not simply knowing that a God exists. ("Because even the demons believe, and tremble." (James 2:19) )
The Narrow Way is trusting in Jesus Christ crucified, for your sins, as the sacrificial atonement.
Trust in Him alone, and believe that He is enough to save you. Not your righteous deeds, not your going to church on Sundays, not your Bible reading, and not a "sinner's prayer." Although you may pray to confess your sins to God and ask for a new heart, only the final act of trusting in Jesus can save you.
Finally, repentance. Repentance is essential! What does it mean to repent? Repent means "a change of mind." It means to know you are a sinner, to rightly understand your guilt before God, and come to Christ for salvation!
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15)
Thanks to God for His mercy!
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