how to know you're really saved?

[Janosik]

Johnv,

I like this one

JimboJones,

I tried to understand your definition of the word 'saved'. Let me repeat how I got it and please correct me if it's not what you think.

When you say 'Someone was saved' you mean that person accepted Christ as his/her saviour and became born again and became a child of God.
When you say 'Someone is saved' you mean the person is still child of God. He/she lives in peace with God. He/she is reconciled to God.
When you say 'Someone will be saved' you mean that person will enter into the heaven when he/she dies.

I agree with you that backsliders can lose their salvation. I hear some shots are coming from a select group of people

 

[pinoybaptist]

Originally posted by JimboJones:
@ Janosik

You are saved when you accept Jesus as your savior. When you repent of your sins and when you ask him to forgive you and when you invite him into your heart and your life.

You also need to have a good memory and not forget the gospel. If for some reason you forget what the gospel is, and forget that you accepted Jesus, then you are not saved because of bad memory.

Here's the Scripture:

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1 Cor. 15:1-4 KJV


And I make known to you, brethren, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which also ye did receive, in which also ye have stood,

through which also ye are being saved, in what words I proclaimed good news to you, if ye hold fast, except ye did believe in vain,

for I delivered to you first, what also I did receive, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Writings,

and that he was buried, and that he hath risen on the third day, according to the Writings,
1 Cor. 15:1-4 Young's Literal Translation

Gosh, there goes those with Alzheimer's, and those with the minds of idiots, and those whose diabetes prevents them from remembering the gospel.

 

[HisMercy]

Janosik,

Romans 9 will contradict the teaching of free will. Everything is done according to His will and according to His purpose.

JimboJones,

It is written, "Many are called but few are chosen." Wide is the road that leads to destruction and narrow is the road that leads to life and few find it.

 

[steaver]

I agree with you that backsliders can lose their salvation.

Tell us first what merit(s) are done for God to rebirth us by the Holy Spirit. Then tells us just one demerit that the backslider has committed to lose it the Holy Spirit.

God Bless!

 

[Charles Meadows]

"How can you know you're saved? If you've had your salvation questioned by a select group of people who post on this board, you're most definitely saved!!!"

Good one JohnV!!

 

[pinoybaptist]

Originally posted by HisMercy:
One is saved when Christ chose us before the foundation of the world as one of His. We need to be accepted by Him. He doesn't need our acceptance. The "sinner's" prayer is another example of man's way not God's way.

ah ! somebody is making sense here.

 

[Janosik]

HisMercy,

I read the Romans 9. If you believe that it denies free will it's your choice.
My understanding is that God has power over our free will. He can harden whomever he wills but it does not imply the He is doing it all the time to everybody as you suggest.

Steaver,

the merit is Christ's saving work. Every time when you make a decision that is not inspired by the Holy Spirit you are turning away from God. If you do it more often then the other voice will become more influential inside you. Let me ask you this: Did you wash yourself yesterday? Were you clean yesterday? Why are you going to wash yourself today and tomorrow and day after tomorrow?

 

[HisMercy]

Janosik,

Being saved is based upon His mercy. Romans 9:15-16 "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."

Salvation is a gift. We cannot will it. Salvation is given by His great mercy even though no one deserves it.

Romans 9:23 "and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,"

HE DID IT ALL!

 

[Janosik]

Romans 9:15-16 appears to me in the following way. God will have mercy, will have compassion on whom He wants. His mercy belongs to Him and He can show it to anybody He wants. So then IT(His mercy) is not of anybody of us (of our will). We can not force God to show us His mercy. I agree big time that this is His gift. We don't deserve it.

But I don't see 9:15-16 to talk about our option to say yes or no to the gift.

 

[steaver]

Steaver,

the merit is Christ's saving work.

Then by the merit of Christ alone I am saved? No merits of my own?

Let me ask you this: Did you wash yourself yesterday? Were you clean yesterday? Why are you going to wash yourself today and tomorrow and day after tomorrow?

Yes, Yes, and I am going to wash myself over and over because I keep on getting dirty.

Now what does that have to do with merit?

God Bless!

 

[HisMercy]

Janosik,

Romans 9:21 "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?

He creates vessels(people) unto honor and dishonor to fulfill His purposes.

There isn't an option. We have no say in our salvation.

 

[Janosik]

Steaver,

before we continue I want to understand your definition of 'being saved'. Does this come close?

When you say 'Someone was saved' you mean that person accepted Christ as his/her saviour and became born again and became a child of God.
When you say 'Someone is saved' you mean the person is still child of God. He/she lives in peace with God. He/she is reconciled to God.
When you say 'Someone will be saved' you mean that person will enter into the heaven when he/she dies.

 

[pinoybaptist]

Janosik said:

<snip>
My understanding is that God has power over our free will. He can harden whomever he wills but it does not imply the He is doing it all the time to everybody as you suggest.</b></quote>

You're right, you know. He's not doing it all the time because He doesn't have to. Man's heart is already hardened. Jeremiah 17:9 says, 'the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked....'

What God has to do is to soften one's heart, and He is doing it all the time, to those for whom Christ died, and them only.

 

[Janosik]

HisMercy,

what is salvation according to you?

 

[Janosik]

What God has to do is ...

Are you telling to God what to do?

Take this one easy

 

[HisMercy]

Janosik,

Salvation is the gift of eternal life.

Also look at 2Thess. 2:13 "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning CHOSEN you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:"

 

[Janosik]

If it's a gift so you can chose if you take it or not. Is it true?
An eternal life can be lived anywhere. Is it true?

 

[steaver]

Hi Janosik,

Biblical New Testament "saved" is when one has received the Holy Spirit, being "born again".

This encompasses "has been saved" "is saved" "is being saved" and "will be saved" as outlined in the scriptures.

One event, "born again", is the beginning eternal life of the child of God. This child is now saved, is being saved, and will be saved. Kept by the power of God, not by any power of their own.

God Bless!

 

[HisMercy]

Janosik,

Eternal life is for eternity so yes your present life is part of eternity.

God chooses whom to give the gift to. The recipient doesn't choose to accept or not.

 

[Doubting Thomas]

Originally posted by HisMercy:

God chooses whom to give the gift to. The recipient doesn't choose to accept or not.

[surfacing]
Hmmm...let's see:

"Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD, "Therefore turn and live!" (Ezek 18:31-32)

Looks like the new life is contingent on human response, specifically repentance.

Also regarding the potter-and-clay illustration mentioned earlier, let's see whether or not this really eliminates human choice:

"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the LORD. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel! The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up , to pull down, and destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and plant it, if it does evil in my sight so that it does not obey my voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it." (Jer. 18:5-10)

So in other words, God is the potter and can do as He wishes with the clay, and yet He tells Israel that what He ultimately does with them is contingent on how they respond to Him. This provides a little context to the Romans 9 debate and informs us that the point of Romans 9 is not to eliminate free will, but that mercy is from GOD and can only be obtained on HIS TERMS.
[/submerging]