Not By Works

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Lightskin

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2019
3,165
3,665
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If a Christian has trouble trusting Jesus for the little things, to me it is not surprising if a Christian has trouble trusting in Jesus completely in the bigger things such as salvation. There are a lot of Christians who struggle in the area of assurance of salvation. They have believed on and received Jesus but still have some trouble trusting. This is more where I am coming from.
God’s love and grace is so far removed from our sinfulness that for some it is difficult to comprehend its very magnitude. All the more reason to place one’s hope and faith in God.
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
2,271
1,429
113
It is spiritual .. an affirmation within us that we know we are born again and eternally secure in Him, I just do not think God leaves us guessing on this ...
To be honest, I still struggle in the area of assurance of salvation and I have prayed about it and asked for his help. I may have a form of OCD that involves religion. I used to feel like I had to confess my sins before taking communion and not just confess in my mind but out loud. I know that may sound strange. I think my questioning of salvation has roots as well. I have read many bible verses and it has helped some and at times I have been amazed thinking about some things, but I still get anxiety over it. Still I know there is a plethora of Scripture about trusting God.
 

Lightskin

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2019
3,165
3,665
113
To be honest, I still struggle in the area of assurance of salvation and I have prayed about it and asked for his help. I may have a form of OCD that involves religion. I used to feel like I had to confess my sins before taking communion and not just confess in my mind but out loud. I know that may sound strange. I think my questioning of salvation has roots as well. I have read many bible verses and it has helped some and at times I have been amazed thinking about some things, but I still get anxiety over it. Still I know there is a plethora of Scripture about trusting God.
Read Matthew 11:28-30 and embrace the full scale power, authority, tenderness, love and desire of Jesus for you. ❤️
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
Ok, I think I see your point there. If you have come to Jesus there is a element of trust in Him even if it is small. Am I getting this right?
Yes

in my testimony

i knew god saved me completely

but legalism being forced in me made me question if i was really saved, not that god failed, but that i did. And it caused me to walk away for 5 years,

thats why i am so against legalism of any kind, especially when it comes to salvation, but even lordship issues, which demand rule following not serving others
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
2,271
1,429
113
Yes

in my testimony

i knew god saved me completely

but legalism being forced in me made me question if i was really saved, not that god failed, but that i did. And it caused me to walk away for 5 years,

thats why i am so against legalism of any kind, especially when it comes to salvation, but even lordship issues, which demand rule following not serving others
What helped you get over the legalism?
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
What helped you get over the legalism?
Finding a church that focused on grace, god as an abba father, with a major focus on serving others, but also has discipleship, where we can come and confess our sins and gain healing from them, not condemnation because we do them,

i have witnessed more people find victory over sin, and less people walk away from god than i ever did in my church growing up,
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
I witnessed people who struggles with anger or lying or what many deem small sins, and being told not to worry about it, and the same people, who said do not worry about it, judge a person struggling with sexual sin, amd tell them to stop or else, and when it is suggested they have tried, and how. They say just obey god, he said don't do it so don’t! If you have faih in God you will stop, if you do ‘t you must not have faith, and i wonder if your even saved.

then i saw close friends who also struggled but hid those sins, for fear of judgment, and even others, who seemed like rock hard believers walk away finding out they had a secret life of sexual issues, and never came forward, because of same issue

this is dangerous, it is not christlike, and it leads people to hide son and water down the law. Thinking they are alright because they do not murder, or cheat on their wife. When in reality, they have their own sins, they just refuse to admit it.,
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
2,271
1,429
113
I witnessed people who struggles with anger or lying or what many deem small sins, and being told not to worry about it, and the same people, who said do not worry about it, judge a person struggling with sexual sin, amd tell them to stop or else, and when it is suggested they have tried, and how. They say just obey god, he said don't do it so don’t! If you have faih in God you will stop, if you do ‘t you must not have faith, and i wonder if your even saved.

then i saw close friends who also struggled but hid those sins, for fear of judgment, and even others, who seemed like rock hard believers walk away finding out they had a secret life of sexual issues, and never came forward, because of same issue

this is dangerous, it is not christlike, and it leads people to hide son and water down the law. Thinking they are alright because they do not murder, or cheat on their wife. When in reality, they have their own sins, they just refuse to admit it.,
Yep. I can imagine the same judging also happens with Christians who have trouble with homosexual feelings/urges. How can the church help in this area verses hurt?
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
Yep. I can imagine the same judging also happens with Christians who have trouble with homosexual feelings/urges. How can the church help in this area verses hurt?
Point them to god, And love, no matter what.

we actually have a leader who was a practicing homosexual for years, what helped him overcome was the love that was showed him, sometimes we just have to work things out ourselves, and of course, if discipline happens, it must be done in love as scripturally directed.

imagine if this person was judged by legalism, he never would have found christ, and never would have found healing.
sadly, many churches want to be more like the pharisee than the disciples
 

VCO

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2013
11,995
4,615
113
Yes

in my testimony

i knew god saved me completely

but legalism being forced in me made me question if i was really saved, not that god failed, but that i did. And it caused me to walk away for 5 years,

thats why i am so against legalism of any kind, especially when it comes to salvation, but even lordship issues, which demand rule following not serving others

AMEN, I also knew GOD saved me completely, the NIGHT I was SAVED after my third Attempt at Suicide in a week, the last week of 1977.

We moved a lot to different small towns with few Churches to choose from, so much so that I got used to determining whether they taught like we believed. I would first look at their Doctrinal Statement of Faith, Then I would write down questions to ask a PASTOR about things that were not revealed in a Doctrinal Statement. Then I would make an appointment to go interview the Pastor, to determine, if I would be COMFORTABLE with what they taught from the Pulpit, before I went to CHURCH THERE.

As a result we attended a wide variety of OSAS Churches that taught Lordship Salvation, but nothing like you described. PLEASE EXPLAIN, what you meant, because it is totally foreign to me. The Lordship Salvation was always totally based on Rom. 10:9-10, with almost NOTHING ADDED.

I attended since I was saved:

2 Evangelical Free Churches
2 Bible Fellowship Churches
1 Independent Baptist Church
1 Southern Baptist Church
4 Community Bible Teaching Churches
1 Evangelical Lutheran Church
1 Grace Brethren Church

All of them believed in OSAS and Lordship Salvation, but NONE OF THEM believed what you experienced.
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
AMEN, I also knew GOD saved me completely, the NIGHT I was SAVED after my third Attempt at Suicide in a week, the last week of 1977.

We moved a lot to different small towns with few Churches to choose from, so much so that I got used to determining whether they taught like we believed. I would first look at their Doctrinal Statement of Faith, Then I would write down questions to ask a PASTOR about things that were not revealed in a Doctrinal Statement. Then I would make an appointment to go interview the Pastor, to determine, if I would be COMFORTABLE with what they taught from the Pulpit, before I went to CHURCH THERE.

As a result we attended a wide variety of OSAS Churches that taught Lordship Salvation, but nothing like you described. PLEASE EXPLAIN, what you meant, because it is totally foreign to me. The Lordship Salvation was always totally based on Rom. 10:9-10, with almost NOTHING ADDED.

I attended since I was saved:

2 Evangelical Free Churches
2 Bible Fellowship Churches
1 Independent Baptist Church
1 Southern Baptist Church
4 Community Bible Teaching Churches
1 Evangelical Lutheran Church
1 Grace Brethren Church

All of them believed in OSAS and Lordship Salvation, but NONE OF THEM believed what you experienced.
That does not mean i was wrong

i attended hope baptist church, many of the people i grew to respect suddenly dissapeared, and i came to find out why, my dad was a deacon of that churxh for years, and his self righteous attitude against people who commited certain sins makes me sick to my stomach today,

it was not in every baptist church i went to, but no matter what churxh i went to that taught lordship, they tended to lead to legalism

god wants to be our abba first, thats why we can go to him not in the spirit of fear but with a sound mind no matter what we have done,

yes he is lord, but first he is poppa,
 
Dec 12, 2013
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It’s raining. A neighbor who I don’t know nor do I know which apartment he lives in left a car window open. I minded my own business and walked away rather than checking to see if I could roll up the window, lest someone see me and think I was breaking into his car. Did I sin?
I would have rollled it up or told him because I am a super duper trooper looper extra special Christian hahah (sarcasm alert) ;)
 
Dec 12, 2013
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Saving faith is very simple in the end for sure.... maybe that is why so many miss it?:unsure:
There is a SOLID reason why God inspired -->BE NOT REMOVED from the simplicity found in Christ.....MEN like to hose everything up by over complication, addition and embellishments.....!
 
Dec 12, 2013
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If you do not trust jesus for salvation

your not going to ask for him to save you, your gonna continue to try to do what you think you need to do to save yourself.

thats not coming to god,
You know....honesty with who we really are (I.E. our nature) and the fact that a cursory look at humanity and what God has to say about us leags one to conclude that we are a mess and we do indeed need intervention (I.E. to be born again by faith)......Like Peter said....TO WHOM SHALL WE GO.......NO ONE, NO THING, NO RELIGION, NO WORKS, NOTHING can save but JESUS!
 
Dec 12, 2013
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Ok, I think I see your point there. If you have come to Jesus there is a element of trust in Him even if it is small. Am I getting this right?
And like the smallest seed known to man.....it will (with the smallest trust) burst forth with everlasting life that will grow, mature and come to fruition <--JESUS DOES THIS.....he begins, finishes and COMLETES the work of faith in us
 
Dec 12, 2013
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It is spiritual .. an affirmation within us that we know we are born again and eternally secure in Him, I just do not think God leaves us guessing on this ...
Amen......John said we can KNOW WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.......this is not a game where we guess what is behind door number 3 with Monty Hall.....
 
Dec 12, 2013
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That does not mean i was wrong

i attended hope baptist church, many of the people i grew to respect suddenly dissapeared, and i came to find out why, my dad was a deacon of that churxh for years, and his self righteous attitude against people who commited certain sins makes me sick to my stomach today,

it was not in every baptist church i went to, but no matter what churxh i went to that taught lordship, they tended to lead to legalism

god wants to be our abba first, thats why we can go to him not in the spirit of fear but with a sound mind no matter what we have done,

yes he is lord, but first he is poppa,
And he loves us even while DEAD IN SINS AND TRESPASSES.......
 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
You know....honesty with who we really are (I.E. our nature) and the fact that a cursory look at humanity and what God has to say about us leags one to conclude that we are a mess and we do indeed need intervention (I.E. to be born again by faith)......Like Peter said....TO WHOM SHALL WE GO.......NO ONE, NO THING, NO RELIGION, NO WORKS, NOTHING can save but JESUS!
If you do not think you really need saved, you will never see it. To some people saved is just a religious term, like faith or baptism, they can not comprehend what they truly mean