WHY Do You Believe?

[Rev. G]

Why do you believe in Christ for salvation?
We know that we have believed His Word, etc., but WHY do you believe (whereas others do not)?

 

[Daniel David]

Because I was good enough to use MY wisdom and intellect in choosing God. The way I see it, he gave the plan and wanted my help. I chose to help him out by believing. I guess I am just better than those who don't believe.

 

[Glorious]

This is a thought provoking question!
I sat at my computer screen staring and thinking for ages .... feeling more and more humility before God.
Maybe I chose Him, because somehow in some way He touched my heart and I responded?

I wonder sometimes, if I had been raised in a non christian home, would I have sought Christ for myself? I shudder to comtempmate what the answer might be!

I Believe now because He has captured my heart and shown a love none other will ever match. He gives me comfort and walks beside me 24/7. He promises me eternal life. He saves me from having to make my own decisions and choices as I pass through this life. All I need to do, having accepted his great Gift of salvation, is to repent, obey and love Him.

These words are not very adequate, when I think of Jesus ... maybe I can say Thanks be to God for His UNSPEAKABLE GIFT!

Love in Christ
Glorious

 

[Sovereign Grace]

Preach The Word,

I hope that was sarcasm and not how you really feel.

 

[Glorious]

It WAS a slightly confusing post.

 

[Rev. G]

PTW:

This is a thought provoking question!
I sat at my computer screen staring and thinking for ages .... feeling more and more humility before God. Maybe I chose Him, because somehow in some way He touched my heart and I responded? . . . . I Believe now because He has captured my heart and shown a love none other will ever match.

GLORIOUS: You may think this an inadequate response, but I find it to be glorious (pun well intended) because God touched your heart and captured it!

Rev. G

 

[tyndale1946]

I didn't choose Christ... I was dead according to Ephesians 2:1... He chose me first then by his grace enabled me a poor sinner to follow him!... Brother Glen

 

[Glorious]

Thank you Rev for understanding just what I meant.

Sometimes when our hearts are full, it is difficult to express ourselves.

 

[Rev. G]

Thank YOU for what you said! And, welcome to the Baptist Board!

Rev. G

P. S. (God bless Australia! I love your land and its people!)

[ October 22, 2002, 05:15 PM: Message edited by: Rev. G ]

 

[ForumChaplain]

I just want to thank God that in his wisdom, he chose me. I know that God does not make mistakes, so i know that he got it right when he chose me. Yea, yea, yea, I've been chosen.

The rest of you fellas, yall hate god, i never hated god. yall deserve to burn..

 

[KenH]

(Psa 81:15 NKJV) The haters of the LORD would pretend submission to Him, But their fate would endure forever.

(Rom 5:10 NKJV) For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

We come into this world as haters and enemies of God, even the elect. Christ certainly didn't die for us when we were His friends according to the Scriptures.

 

[Rev. G]

I just want to thank God that in his wisdom, he chose me. I know that God does not make mistakes, so i know that he got it right when he chose me. Yea, yea, yea, I've been chosen.

Chappie:
Rather than making a sarcastic post, would you mind answering the question at hand?

 

[Rev. G]

Ken:

While I don't disagree with your statement about how we enter the world, would you be willing to share WHY you entered into the kingdom? You always seem to have a lot of good things to say, and I'd like to hear your answer on the issue.

Rev. G

 

[KenH]

I believe because of God's grace(giving me what I don't deserve) and mercy(not giving me what I do deserve). I spent most of life lost in the Pelagianism taught in the Church of Christ. I did not leave that false teaching by my own power, smartness, wisdom, or brilliance - I would never claim such.

God drew me to Himself and led me to make a very difficult decision to leave the false religion I was born and reared in - made even more difficult because I a quite shy(shyness doesn't come across on a computer screen

).

It absolutely breaks my heart to read some of the language by some people in this forum who sound like they would rather have me be a lost Pelagian than a saved Calvinist.

But God strengthens me so that I do not lose heart - despite the opposition of those who claim to be followers of Christ and despite my own despicable sinfulness that I still must fight every day.

Blessings to all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[Rev. G]

Ken, thanks for your input to our discussion. May the Lord bless you!

 

[Rev. G]

I just thought you all would like to hear a well known preacher, the "Prince of Preachers" in fact, on WHY he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Born, as all of us are by nature, an Arminian, I still believed the old things I had heard continually from the pulpit, and did not see the grace of God. When I was comming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me...I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul -- when they were, as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron...One week night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, "How did you come to be a Christian?" I sought the Lord. "But how did you come to seek the Lord?" The truth flashed across my mind in a moment -- I should not have sought Him unless there had come some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How come I came to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a momment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day; and I desire to make this my constant confession, 'I ascribe my change wholly to God'."
CHARLES SPURGEON, Autobiography

[ October 24, 2002, 12:35 AM: Message edited by: Rev. G ]

 

[Abiyah]

It has been a long road to our Lord. Keeping
it short, I was reared in such a way that Ii learned
early to hate our God--passionately, vehemently.
But our God's love and compassion would not
allow me to continue in my self-destructive way.

I attached myself to a church (that I had been
attending out of habit), thinking that I had "found
God," but what I had "'found" was merely
"church." It was my god, my idol, and the
object of my worship. My service was for its
glory and approval.

But through marriage, our God led me to a
difficult branch of that church, where a separa-
tion process began. Through difficulties and
horrendous problems, presented by that church,
I began to pull away from it and toward our God.
Thank Him, I quit depending upon that church for
my salvation and He opened my eyes to the true
Source!

While this experience was painful and still quite
fresh, I really am grateful that the pastor excom-
municated me. He did me a truly great service,
freeing me to go where I had been attending
anyway when that church had no services.
While he thought to do me harm, our Lord
worked it for my good. "Praise be to God for
His unspeakable gifts."

 

[Rev. G]

Abiyah:

Thank you very much for your story!

 

[npetreley]

Originally posted by Rev. G:
I just thought you all would like to hear a well known preacher, the "Prince of Preachers" in fact, on WHY he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Born, as all of us are by nature, an Arminian, I still believed the old things I had heard continually from the pulpit, and did not see the grace of God. When I was comming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me...I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths in my own soul -- when they were, as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron...One week night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, "How did you come to be a Christian?" I sought the Lord. "But how did you come to seek the Lord?" The truth flashed across my mind in a moment -- I should not have sought Him unless there had come some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How come I came to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a momment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day; and I desire to make this my constant confession, 'I ascribe my change wholly to God'."
CHARLES SPURGEON, Autobiography

I really enjoyed that passage, thanks.

 

[Abiyah]

Thank YOU, Rev G, for giving me an
opportunity to praise our God!!