AM I truly savd

The last couple of months I have been looking at alot of sermons on examining yourself to see that you are in the faith, and true and false conversions, and I am still so confused. I don't know if I have ever been saved. I though that I was but I guess I didn't have the fruits. I have always wondered why I did not have the passion for God like everyone else, I mean, I wanted to so badly to live a life that was pleasing to him. I found my self struggling with the same sins over and over again. So a few nights ago I prayed and cried and asked God to forgive me and change my heart. I want to so bad Love him and for him to change my heart. I hear so many testimonies of people that say when they repented that they felt like a new person inside and that is the work of the Holy Spirit. Well, I didn't feel anything or notice a difference in me. So do I just keep asking God to forgive me and change me. Do I wait on the feeling of a weight being lifted off of me, or do I just by faith belive that God has changed me? I will appreciate any comments. Thanks

Dear Friend,
Welcome here on SI. God has put a spotlight on your soul. Keep on asking, keep on searching until God has revealed to you the reality of your life and His son. Do not fall short or be satisfied until you posses the truth you have heard.
This may or not be accompanied by overwhelming feelings, but do not allow false comfort from man distract you from your path until He has infused truth and life into you.

I am praying for you.

In the book of acts chapter 2,
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off *, even as many as the Lord our God shall call *.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Not everybody has a feeling or super great story to tell about thier experience.

But if we repent, which means change our minds about our way of thinking towards God and are willing to live our lives into submission to His will, then we are saved.
No we are never in total perfect obedience to Christ.
No one is perfect, but we must always be in the posture of submission and confession to our failings and always ready to make changes where we can, if the lord is convicting us of something in our lives He is faithful to empower us to overcome those things if we are truly in submission to Him.
I have things that tempt me, and they are truly hard to overcome because I love that thing that which tempts me, I should hate what tempts me so that I can more easily overcome it.
The Lord is faithful to me by continually convicting me and dealing with me on this area to overcome it.
The Lord helped the israelites overcome Jericho, but after Jericho, they had to take the other citys by force and the Lord was always their to help them and give them strength to overcome the advisary. It was only willful disobedience that caused their destruction.
Keep praying and get with some solid believers and talk it out, and pray it through.
Wait on the Lord and you will see over time, months or a year, you can look back and see how you have grown in the Lord.
If you were not the Lord's, you wouldnt probably be feeling this way, so be prayerfull and seek Him.
God bless.

Thank you, I have had feeling of refreshing before after I have prayed and repented but I don't think that I was saved back then. i am very confused.

Thanks Poet, That's kinda what I was struggling with. I was listening to this video of a guy talking about examining your fruits and he was, in a round about way, saying that you will have a passion to do the will of God and if you don't then you need to examine yourself and I was wondering then where does dying to self come in. For example I might now always feel like getting up and reading my bible but does that mean I am not a christian? Wouldn't that be the time to beat my flesh into subjection and do it anyway even though I don't feel like it. I just pray that God will help me with this. I have been struggling so much on this issue for about 6 months and have had so many sleepless nights over it.

Snufalapagus is right...and some of us, like me, will tell you that they have no idea when they even "got saved." For me this has been somewhat confusing, though I have had moments of spiritual lucidity at times...the fundamental comfort comes like he said...get in the Word, study it relentlessly. Pray as you do, study it on your knees and ask the Spirit to guide you in all truth. Sometimes men can confuse you. I too am praying for you. I honestly wish more people spoke as you do than many who are gallivanting on the wide road thinking they are on the narrow path.

Rom 3:21-24 But now …. righteousness of God has been manifested, …even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; …are justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

Rom 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

First: the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ is manifested for all those that put their thrust in Christ’s redemption. I am justified.

Secondly: because I am justified I have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. I am saved I am not anymore under the wrath of God.

This is the first step and the foundation of God ‘s gift by His grace I am at peace with God no more condemnation.
Now the word of God speak of a “complete” salvation as we grow to the knowledge of Him whom we trusted and are changed according to His image, but the foundation is the same it starts and end with peace with God because what Jesus had done for me.
The Spirit of God does not bring condemnation but conviction.

I just wanted to thank you all for all of your post. Each one has helped me gain a little more understanding. Thanks for all of the scripture references too. I am 7 months pregnant and on complete bedrest I don't know if alot of what I am feeling is due to my hormones or what? Please continue to keep me in your prayers. I really love my brothers and sister in Christ and thank you all again for all of the encouraging words. Love you all. God Bless you!

Drema: Your testimony includes a principle that I have seen helpful as a prayer partner with 4 or 5 Christians.

["I know that sounds so simple. I just said, "Okay, Lord. Thank You for saving me", and I got up."]

I have summarized the principle, for myself as: THANKING IS THE FIRST STEP OF FAITH. An earthly explanation of it is: When someone gives you something, and you receive that gift, you say thank you.

Two example stand out. One was the wife of a minister who periodically doubted her salvation and periodically found her way to a temporary assurance of salvation. This would nearly incapacitate her and was very distressing to her husband who faithfully helped her. She has not had to deal with such doubts for over 10 years and has grown beautifully in the Lord. What a relief and blessing that victory has been to many.

The second one involves someone who, in addition to no assurance, found no freedom from a specific lust of the flesh. As we talked and prayed on the back porch, I was led to Romans 1: 21. and the "thanking" stood out to me. They thanked God for CREATING them and SAVING them.

It was for them, just what you said: "received from that very instant deliverance from certain sins." They experienced freedom from two bondages and a few weeks later called me very excited to say "evolution was a lie." [They were employed in a field of science.]

Needless to say, I consider thanking God (in the closet and in the congregation) for the truth of every revelation of Himself, very important. I could even say it is the beginning of testimony and it is a part of our shield. Many truths about our relationship to God are manifested in thanksgiving. I have found other verses in the Bible that fit with/support this.

I love how God teaches us the same truth in so many ways: like tailor-made grace.

[edit] 2 Cor. 10:5 in relation to Romans 1:21 Imaginations (lies) lift themselves up AGAINST THE [b]KNOWLEDGE[/b] OF GOD! Thanking God is a weapon of warfare.

Hey there Justified,

I know exactly what you are talking about and I did the very thing you described listened to sermons about examining yourself to see whether you are in the faith, I began to question my salvation and have very little rest as you did, for three days I asked for God to expose my heart and on the third day He finally did, but what was scary was He showed me a small glimpse of His holiness and believe you me is scared the dickens out of me. I wrestled with this for about two months before I understood any of what I went through.

God is Holy, Just, Good, Righteous. We as humans are unholy, unjust, bad, unrighteous. This is the heart of man (or at least what God revealed in me) We are the exact opposite of what is required to have fellowship with God, God in His holiness, Justice, Goodness, and Righteous has every right and duty to cast us into hell because we deserve hell.

There is something beautiful about our God that we must not ignore God is Merciful, Love, Graceful. God offers these things to a repented sinner and through the cleansing Blood of the Lamb and submission to Christ and His perfect will, We take part in His Holiness, Justice, Goodness, Righteousness. We must however remember who we were and why we have these things Its only because Christ be in Us a sinner deserving of Hell.

God broke me and showed me these things through the scriptures and the Holy Spirit. As a confused sinner God cleared it all up with one verse 1John 3:3 "Everyone who has this hope in Him (Christ Jesus) purifies himself just as He(Christ Jesus) is pure." *added Christ Jesus*

I look at my heart now and ask Am I going to the Word with the intentions of Purification? Am I striving to be pure as Christ is pure? This is a spiritual test that we can apply to our heart and see salvation. Keep in mind this one thing if you find you fail the test and are deeply troubled by it then there is a good chance that Christ is working in your heart through the Holy Spirit, And HE that began a Good work is Faithful to complete it!

I will be praying for you that you recieve the Witness of the Spirit!

God Bless,
Matthew

Thanks I listened to practically everyone from Paul Washer to ray comfort to Steve Gallagher and am still confused. Thanks anyways. I just need to get in the word of God for myself and pray that God show me where I stand. Thanks anyways.

bibleforlife, thanks for the putting up that link. I spoke too soon. It really did help me gain a more understanding. Probverbs does talk about the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. I don't want to sin because I Love and fear God. I do look at the times when I sinned and really did not have that fear. When I sin now I don't have peace at all until I repent. Thanks again:-)

hey justified,

i hope i'm not too late in this!

obedience and the fruits of the Spirit and the love of your brothers and sisters in Christ are evidences of a person's salvation.

i encourage you with i hope, the love of God, that you compare your current life with what's stated in the Bible, especially in 1 john.

God loves you, justified! count the cost of being a disciple, cry out to Him, fix your eyes on Jesus, rest in Him!