Featured How do you know you are saved?

The OP has cited some specific songs, and one came to mind (it does borrow from "It is Well with My Soul," so there is a hymn connection): "Bring the Rain" by MercyMe:

"Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain"

This is only one bit of evidence that could be considered, but because of my own experiences and limitations, I find it compelling.

If you can truly, honestly pray for relief from suffering while at the same time pleading with God that he not take away the suffering if the suffering draws you closer to him---that's powerful.

I don't mean a half-hearted "if it's your will" tacked on to the end of a prayer because you think you "have to" say that. I mean being willing to pray with sincerity that you would rather trust in God's will, even if it means great pain, than to have relief from that pain apart from God's will.

 

One hymn I have not sung for years is Oh Where are the Reapers oh Who will Come.

When I have visited churches that used modern "Worship", it seems more like entertainment. My daughter went to the baptism of her nephew in one such church and she said she could not sing most of the songs, they didn't have hymns, as she said "They were mostly about ME."

 

God's word tells us:
" Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." ( 1 John 2:15 ).

What is your definition of "the world", if you don't mind my asking?

As far as I am aware, it's not up for "interpretation".
To me, it should be obvious to any believer.

For example, going out to the bar and hanging out with unsaved people is worldly living.
Committing adultery, fornication and getting drunk are not godly living.
Listening to the world's music with its message of "anything goes" ( and enjoying it ) is not obeying the Lord with regard to separation ( 2 Corinthians 6:17 ) and denying ourselves, taking up our crosses and following Him.

Worldly living is not godly living, ITL.
Take it from someone who was neck-deep in it for more than 20 years after believing on Christ.

 

Sadly, I haven't sung anything in a group of professing believers for well over 3 years now.

I mostly keep to myself and hope that the Lord comes quickly.
I would gladly love to get together and sing hymns with believers, if I could feel confident that anyone in my area, besides the very few that I know personally, would actually listen to God's word and believe all of it.

Except for one that I get together and fellowship with every week, we are spread out over a 25 mile radius and rarely see each other due to difficult circumstances.
But that's for another thread.



I love the old Hymns:

Amazing Grace.
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.
Alas and Did My Saviour Bleed.
Come All Ye Faithful.
Crown Him with Many Crowns.
All Hail the Power.
Rock of Ages.

I've forgotten more of them than I remember.

Responding to the OP:

How do I know that I am saved?
" If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you." ( John 15:18 ).

One of many evidences, despite me trying in the beginning to go against who God made me to be.
I found out the hard way, but it was a necessary learning experience.

 

I really enjoyed what you posted David Kent, I've never heard it before... I know I'm saved because I'm standing On Christ,
The Solid Rock... Brother Glen

 

I was there when it happened so I guess I ought to know.

 

That's strange Salty, Mine too!... What's your section and seat number... Brother Glen

 

I know I'm saved because I have the new birth and faith that God gives to all for whom Christ died. And the scoundrel that I am would never have faith if this were not the case.

 

"I was there when it happened and I guess I ought to know:"

 

In my opinion, the church has simply swapped ditches. They left the ditch of legalism and dove head first into the ditch of greasy grace.

 

I came from a rural and small-town background but I have spent my adult life in these God-forsaken American big cities. I never liked legalism and I agree with you that the church with its silly choruses and what you call "greasy grace" is not much account. Now we are infested with marxianity. But as to my personal Salvation, I have to agree with the very old southern gospel song that says that I was there when it happened and I ought to know. A change that big in your life--the burden of sin lifted away, no more to be heavy laden. "That old account was settled long ago." C.S. Lewis wrote a book about his conversion called Surprised by Joy. When the Holy Ghost comes to live in your heart, and you get a new heart, you do have that joy, joy, joy that you never had before. Southern gospel music was in a golden age 40 years ago and even as far north as Indiana, it taught me a lot. Bluegrass has a lot of solid gospel music also. I thought that the 1970s were a sick and gangrene time in the USA but I think that this era is worse, and the church is too often MIA.

 

God forsaken big cities?
God is very much alive and active in the big city in which I live. We have many people serving and caring throughout the entire metropolis. It saddens me that you think God is not active.

 

Huh?

 

Are you simply ignorant regarding God's work in cities?

 

Huh?

 

You stated:

I and tell you that God is alive and well in American big cities.

You respond with:

That's sad.

 

Why?

Do you know why a give responce was not understood?