Trouble

Hello this is my first post here on chat.

I'm not a Christian (not baptised) because I have never really believed in the good news for me, that my sins are justified through Jesus Christ. I had a lot of doubts in the past and struggle seeing that the Bible and Christianity was the Word of God, but I now know this because God has shown me my sins and answered some of my prayers.

The problem is that I only feel condemned about my sins (mainly being selfish, not loving God, overeating) and it is like a vicious circle. I now have struggle to pray and read the Bible because I have so much sinned against God that I think I'm beyond salvation, fear of judgment day and Hell haunts me everyday.

I find it so beautiful because Chritians seem to have this assurance that they are saved through Jesus Christ and they have a relationship with Him. But I only feel despair and hopelessness, I think this is a result of my hardened heart because of sin. I would like to becomr a Christian and have a relationship with God but cannot be baptised otherwise it would be I like like the Pharisee whi wanted to be saved without believing from the heart.

Do any of you know people like me of have advice?

We have to remember one important thing. None of that "saving" was done on the basis of God evaluating OUR worthiness to have qualified for it. It was strictly because Christ, being the only one who COULD qualify, agreed to go through a bunch of horror FOR us.

So never look at yourself, but look at Jesus' value and worth that He put on the line for us..... and just be grateful we got included.

@Justasking
Jn. 3: 16 For God so loved the world,( this means you too) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever( this again means YOU) beliveth in Him should not perish,but have everlasting life

2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward,not willing that any should perish,but that all should come to repentance.

Praying and Bible reading, etc...…….. ?????? We don't HAVE to do any of it.... We GET to !!!!

@Justasking
2Cor.5:17 Therefore it ANY man be in Christ,he is a new creature; ( creation) old things are passed away; behold all things become new.

@Justasking

2 Tim.2:15 Study to shew yourself approved unto God,a workman that needed not be ashamed,rightly dividing the word of truth.

Jn.14:26 But the Comforter ,which is the Holy Ghost,whom the Father will send in my name,He shall teach you all things,and bring to your remembrance,whatsoever I have said unto you.

James 5:13 Is any among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is any happy? Let him sing psalms.
verse 16 Confess your faults one to another,and pray one for another,that ye may be healed. The effectual feverent prayer of a righteous man availed much.


You have done this,I will lift you in prayer before Him!

What do you mean Ghoti2? Because I use to be happy to do it but now I'm scared to.. thanks for your answers

Thank you

@Justasking
May you find His peace and comfort is my prayer for you!

You are so welcome!
He loves you so very much that He said for YOU,I will drink from the cup and take the curse so you can be right with my Father!
Blessings!

I mean simply that nowhere in the Bible does it say you have to do any of the hundreds of things that, over the years, we have made requisites to being a Christian. It is we, ourselves who have loaded up our backs with burdens of guilt that do nothing but put us into the kind of state you now find yourself in.

Paul. He was attempting genocide of Christian's. Until he got saved. Then he went on to write most of the New Testament.

Really the bible is full of doubters, sinners and screw ups. Peter, one of Jesus 12 closest friends and followers, denied he knew Jesus three times. But God went on to say he was the rock the church would be built on.
Thomas, another of the 12, doubted Jesus resurrection, yet when Jesus appeared to Thomas in the flesh, Jesus called him blessed.
David lust so hard after a woman he had her husband killed. Yet he is a prominent figure of OT faith.
Moses was a murderer and also stuttered. Yet he lead the Jews out of Egypt.
Ever read Psalms?

Yes, those are good exemples, I pray God will forgive me and increase my faith.

if you don't 'increase', then you are beating a dead horse...
we both will pray that you will increase in truth and faith...

The Bible says that when we repent of our sins and ask God for forgiveness, He washes us white as snow. Psalm 103:12 says "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Like other posters have said, God doesn't save us because of anything we've done. No matter how good or bad someone is, we all fall short of the glory of God. Through Jesus, God has given us a way to be saved. All you need to do is accept that you need Jesus because you cannot be saved on your own. From what you have written, you seem to already realize that! If you have acknowledged that Jesus died on the cross and rose again, allowing you to have eternal life, and you have admitted you are a sinner who needs forgiveness, please know that the condemnation you feel is not from God but from Satan. He will use whatever he can against you to keep you away from God's unconditional love. Do you wanna know how unconditional God's love is? He made Paul, a Pharisee who murdered Christians, one of the greatest apostles of all time. Talk about forgiveness! There are many stories of horrible people (murderers, r*pists, abusers) changing their lives and becoming Christian. As crazy as it sounds, God has the power (and even wants) to forgive them! I am certain these people suffer from a lot of shame, but no pain is too strong for Jesus' healing. No matter what you've done (literally, no matter WHAT), God not only has the power to remove your transgressions, but also wants to do that for you! Being a college student who wasn't living a godly life, I've done some pretty sinful things. Like witchcraft sinful. I know you said your heart has been hardened because of sin. I've been there, I understand. I had this moment when I realized that I needed to return to God. While I wanted to do this, my sinful and ugly heart didn't want to stop what it was doing. Every single day I would pray to God "Lord, please help me want to do what it is right." Sure enough, I started wanting to do what was right! It was a miracle! Even though my friends aren't Christian and still live a sinful lifestyle, God has given me the strength and power to trust in Him and do what is right. It took a while, but I got there. I'm sure you can get there too. The fact that you are asking for help shows that you truly want this! I applaud you for that. Try praying "Lord, help me believe" and "help me want to do what is right" every day. I assure you that you will find yourself pleasantly surprised. I also urge you to read Psalms. This book gave me comfort when I was struggling from feelings of shame and condemnation. I pray that this will help ease your heart.