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How do you know with certainty that you are saved?
- Thread starter StefanM
- Start date
Ahhhh, Ive been there! Is that akin to vulcanizing
Sorry, just trying to make light of a complicated situation. Look, may I suggest a book written by Martyn Lloyd-Jones called SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION-Its causes & cures. It helped me Stefan, perhaps.....
Hi Stefan,
Please go back and read my post concerning Psalm 88 in the Spiritual Dry Times thread.
You will see that the writer seemed to doubt his conversion.
I did as well and this was after finishing my degree at Calvary University.
Later I saw that He had been there all along.
You are not alone, spiritual dry times reach back into OT times (at least).
One of my problems was folks telling me to "snap out of it". Not possible.
NIV Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness
and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Please be patient. The Psalms helped me.
You are on my daily prayer list.
HankD
Please go back and read my post concerning Psalm 88 in the Spiritual Dry Times thread.
You will see that the writer seemed to doubt his conversion.
I did as well and this was after finishing my degree at Calvary University.
Later I saw that He had been there all along.
You are not alone, spiritual dry times reach back into OT times (at least).
One of my problems was folks telling me to "snap out of it". Not possible.
NIV Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness
and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Please be patient. The Psalms helped me.
You are on my daily prayer list.
HankD
The Spirit Himself bears witness to us, and also have the evidence of love for God and His people , and also love for bile, prayer!
Many Christians struggle with self doubt. But they have it just backward.
Jonah 2:9b Salvation is of the LORD.
As Salvation is based on God's Grace and not on our human merit, when we doubt we doubt God. But He is able. He never fails.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hang in there. Things will get better. I promise.
This is about as positive as it gets for me, at least in this scenario. We've tried many, many medications to find the right mix. This one seems ok, minus the emotional flattening. If that would ever subside, then we might be on a good regimen.
But yes, medication does help a lot, but nothing is 100%, so breakthrough symptoms tend to come out periodically.
I suppose I'm having a hard time interpreting/understanding how the Spirit bears witness.
I appreciate your prayers.
He does that by the fruit of loving God/people/Bible/Prayer Just a change of heart/mind!
I'm still a bit confused, but I will take you at your word.
I agree. The verse, as it applies to you, is entirely subjective. The verse quoted has nothing to do with "feeling" saved. The poster took the verse entirely out of context, probably because he does not understand what the verse is saying.
The verse is saying that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Adoption referenced in the preceding context, can give witness, or testify to the fact, that we are saved. The knowledge of this adoption cannot be given by any human or earthly means; it must come from God himself: therefore the αυτο το πνευμα must have reference to the Holy Spirit, by whom alone the knowledge of the adoption is witnessed to the soul of the believer.
God, and God alone, can give testimony of our salvation for He, and He alone, was there to witness our regeneration, He accomplished our regeneration, and only He can know our hearts.
The Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirit has nothing to do with "feeling" saved. It is the Scriptures, inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, that informs us (His Spirit bears witness with our spirit) that we are His children. And that witness is born in the pages of the Scriptures, and the promise of God, Who cannot lie, informs us (bears witness with our spirit - the spirit of understanding given to every new creature in Christ) that we are His children, regardless of how we feel, or even how we act.
God is telling us to "trust Him" and to trust His message to us found in the bible. If you believe Christ died for your sins, according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again from the dead, according to the scriptures, you are saved, regardless of how you feel.
When we are down physically, or emotionally, we are often also down spiritually. But we have the infallible, unfailing word of God to inform us (bear witness with our spirit) that we are, in fact, His much beloved children.
The assurance of our salvation is not found in our feelings. It is found in His Inspired word. His Majestic Promise to us.
Hang in there. This too shall pass. You have a lot of cyber friends here on the Baptist Board who are on your side, and are lifting you up before the Throne of Grace in fervent prayer.
Thank you for the suggestion. It was a good Psalm for me in my personal circumstances.
I agree. The verse, as it applies to you, is entirely subjective. The verse quoted has nothing to do with "feeling" saved. The poster took the verse entirely out of context, probably because he does not understand what the verse is saying.
The verse is saying that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Adoption referenced in the preceding context, can give witness, or testify to the fact, that we are saved. The knowledge of this adoption cannot be given by any human or earthly means; it must come from God himself: therefore the αυτο το πνευμα must have reference to the Holy Spirit, by whom alone the knowledge of the adoption is witnessed to the soul of the believer.
God, and God alone, can give testimony of our salvation for He, and He alone, was there to witness our regeneration, He accomplished our regeneration, and only He can know our hearts.
The Holy Spirit bearing witness with our spirit has nothing to do with "feeling" saved. It is the Scriptures, inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, that informs us (His Spirit bears witness with our spirit) that we are His children. And that witness is born in the pages of the Scriptures, and the promise of God, Who cannot lie, informs us (bears witness with our spirit - the spirit of understanding given to every new creature in Christ) that we are His children, regardless of how we feel, or even how we act.
God is telling us to "trust Him" and to trust His message to us found in the bible. If you believe Christ died for your sins, according to the scriptures, was buried, and rose again from the dead, according to the scriptures, you are saved, regardless of how you feel.
When we are down physically, or emotionally, we are often also down spiritually. But we have the infallible, unfailing word of God to inform us (bear witness with our spirit) that we are, in fact, His much beloved children.
The assurance of our salvation is not found in our feelings. It is found in His Inspired word. His Majestic Promise to us.
Hang in there. This too shall pass. You have a lot of cyber friends here on the Baptist Board who are on your side, and are lifting you up before the Throne of Grace in fervent prayer.
We can "feel.know "the love God has expressed towards us , we can "feel" experince love towards other saints, we can appreciate andstart to apply thescriptures, pray and converse with God now..
The truth is that while we take it on the wordof God are now saved by receiving Jesu as our Lord, does not mean no emotions are involved in that after salvation...
Yep. This is the best assurance.
There is no formula for assurance. It is all faith. If you don't have this, you ask for it. And you keep asking.
And what would you say or do to make your conversion legitimate? Stop worrying about doing or saying the right thing. That is bondage.
What did you do or say for your first birth?
Salvation is Christ's work. It's all His work. Every bit of it. If your faith is weak, ask, and keep asking.
You can know that you aow Saved due to the truth ofthe Bible that if you have receivedJesus thru faith, you are noaved, and you will have something changedin yor life, suc as now lovingte Lord/saints/want to pray/study Bible/ go to church etc!
Trust in Jesus, trust all in Him, as He is the author and finisher of your salvtion. He did all to save you, just trust in Him! Whenever you feel not saved, trust that the Bible is right, and Jesus saves all who call on his nae!
It wasn't a matter of doing or saying the right thing. I was wondering if my past experience wasn't actually an expression of faith. If insincere, then it's not real.
Man, do you love the Lord or not? It's just that simple.
It's not that simple for me. At times, I'd answer definitely yes. Other times I might answer I'm not sure. Other times it feels like he's not even there.
I know that's as close to an answer I can give. At the moment, I'm probably unsure but tilted toward yes.