how can I be assured as a Christian that I am born again ?

Yep; God is a covenant keeping God. "If you, can refer as well to The Lord speaking directly to you " and example would be if you abide in Me and the conditions of this contractual agreement are in the same chapter. "The path to maturity in becoming Christlike" touches on The Lords eternal purpose and He is absolutely committed to it . All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose Rom 8:28 > 8:29 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Everyone is different in their experiences. I remember the LORD telling me not to long ago, I wrote it down, so I will quote it here. It was a soft rebuke, but a point well taken.

“You look for the method by which I have performed in times past. I always do something different each time for each person. This is many a man’s folly because they don’t know My ways. [He uses my name here], you have a knowledge of how I operate, but you struggle to apply it to your own life. You tell others that I do things differently for each person, but you have a hard time applying the same principle.”

Student of the word, I loved your testimony.

My transformation was like your family, over a period of time and still is gradual. PTL

I wanted to clarify the Apostle Pauls words about confessing with your mouth and salvation. It occurs when you have heard the gospel. Someone had to have given the seed somewhere that would get in the heart and grow. It’s very much like getting pregnant. The seed must enter in before any life starts. A woman knows her own body, she knows that a change is taking place, though not immediately, but in time she will know..
I am replying to you, but speaking to the whole online congregation.

Something on the inside of us will blurt out that Jesus Christ is LORD. We can ask anyone on the street who is not a believer and ask, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is LORD”, the replies that I have always received, “yeah sure”. It’s just a mind thing, it’s not coming out of the heart.

I remember years ago over an incident that was so innocent and didn’t require any of what happened next. It was over peanut butter sandwiches. Anyway, to get to that meat of the story, my Aunt chased me from the kitchen to a bedroom with butter knife she started stabbing me with it, digging it into my leg saying, “i hate you, I hate you”. And i said, “Why do you hate me?” and she said, “I don’t hate you”. As if shocked that I would suggest such a thing. But her heart spoke her real hatred for me. When she heard me speak, her mind denied the thought.

With the heart the mouth speaketh. Salvation is voiced from the heart, just as it did for you as the Padre dropped a seed in your ears which sank down into your heart and there it started to grow and the mouth is the outlet by which all things must vomit out.

And I am please to say that my bread is ready to come out of the oven. YUM YUM

This is a 4min video that really shows you what happens when you receive Jesus in your heart and how the veil that was covering your eyes is lifted and you see things and people in a different light ----

The context of the video is ------you have a guy who leaves his house and is angry and frustrated already before he gets into his car -----he has obstacles in his path and this just makes him loose his patience --Then a Guy shows up ---who I say could be an angel or God himself and gives the guy a pair of glasses --this is the right lens that we are experience when the veil is lifted from our eyes and we receive understanding ---this is the Holy Spirit working in us ------

The Holy Spirit is our helper and will be there to guide us to become more Christ like in our Faith walk with Jesus ---and give us the right understanding of the scripture ---

Worth the watch Folks

AworkINprogress ----Thank You for your reply -----like your post so much -----

I totally agree with your post here ------and you are so right ----- the Right Faith comes from hearing the Word -----

We will speak what we believe -----If we have doubt we will be careful about speaking the thing as we are afraid that we might be wrong ------True Belief will just Speak it out with Confidence -------

AworkInprogress -------your statement here ------I wanted to clarify the Apostle Pauls words about confessing with your mouth and salvation. It occurs when you have heard the gospel. Someone had to have given the seed somewhere that would get in the heart and grow.


I say ---we should be aware also that God is the only one who can open our hardened hearts to hearing and receiving the Word ----many heard Jesus preach but only some heard and received understanding ---others heard but did not hear nor did they understand -------Only God can change a hardened heart to a heart of Flesh so the Word can be penetrated by God's Faith ----Only God knows who's heart can be open to hear the message ----our Job is to plant the Seed and the rest is up to God ----

Ezekiel 36:26
King James Version

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

I say ----------This is worth repeating from AworkINprogress's post--------very important for people to get

With the heart the mouth speaketh------

.
• 2Cor 5:11 . . Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;

The Greek word translated "knowing" means to know firsthand, viz: by
experience rather than by education and/or instruction. In other words;
there were incidents at various times in the lives of Paul and his
contemporaries when God frightened them, i.e. scared 'em out of their wits.

Paul's history attests there's nothing like a good old fashioned close
encounter of a third kind to convince even the most dedicated skeptics.

But encounters aren't always scary; for example:

Some 50+ years ago I knelt down at the front rail of a church in Portland
Oregon and, accompanied by elders, prayed a really simple prayer that went
like this:

"God, I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's
death"

A really eerie moment happened while I was saying my brief little prayer. I
got a vivid mental impression of someone there with us. I couldn't see
anything or hear anything, or make out a face or a form. Whatever that
impression was hung around for every last syllable of my prayer, and then it
was gone. I'm not a big fan of paranormal activity but I'm telling you
something was there; and I was young and strong, hadn't been drinking,
wasn't taking any medications, nor have I ever used drugs.

But the thing is; that eerie moment didn't frighten me because I instantly
perceived it was God letting me know that He approved my prayer and
granted my request.

Compare my reassuring moment with God to the moment of terror sure to
be experienced by a number of folks in the future.

• Rev 6:12-17 . . And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo,
there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of
hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the
earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a
mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;
and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

. . And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the
chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free
man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

. . . and said to the mountains and rocks: Fall on us, and hide us from the
face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for
the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
_

How do you know your mother, wife/husband or anyone loves you? Because you can feel it as they show it to you. Just wait, remain in faith ( the conscious decision to believe Him ) and He will show you that He loves you and that you are saved.

Ask God to live in you. He says He will in Jesus Holy Perfect name amen

"how can I be assured as a Christian that I am born again ?". This is something no man can answer for you...oh they will try praise GOD But no one can. Simple questions to ask yourself. Did you come up with the desire to come to Him or did He do it all? No ever word every turn in your life that lead to Him.. He alone did it. For God so loved the world He gave His only son that who ever believes in Him shall not die but have ever lasting life. Believe on Him that Sent Christ.. you shall have ever lasting life. Is a GIFT not something you have to do to get it. He freely gave it.

So read John 3 16 Rom 10 9-10 and like everyone here its all FAITH! We are blessed because we believe and have never seen. That is not easy..its faith. The rest of the walk HE leads you but the sweet holy Spirit Luke 11 13. That what He started in you He will finish. Satan does not go around telling some unsaved person "a your not saved....your not born again". He lies to the one that is saved and says "your not saved..look what you did and thought!" <-- see he can not tell the truth. Faith

Romans 8:15-16

Definately a life long process of one day at a time , letting the lords word change our minds because we’re willing to let his word into us and change our hearts the gospel can don’t grow of we believe his word

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

believing the word changes our Will making us turn against sin in our mind and heart and turn towards what our lord says is true and will save us . The more we abide in Christs words the more assurance we’re going to have and the more change is going to happen inside of us in our mind and heart

he is able to change our core desires and beliefs from sin to righteousness if we believe the gospel of the kingdom the things he taught

it’s much like this life we’re born but we’re not an adult instantly we have to learn and grow and be shaped and disciplined until we learn how to be Gods children in deed and truth

if we have received the Holy Spirit he will not allow us to be comfortable in sin . It’s going to change that factor where we think sin is ok and normal and everybody does it ect

the Holy Ghost is holy and he has spoken The gospel to our salvation who believe

I would say keep Pressing forward but look for your answers on the gospel Jesus taught us to believe and be saved . Hear what he said and taught about salvstion and eternal life and let what you learn be true because Jesus the lord taught it

his word and doctrine gives new birth of The spirit and we don’t have to perfectly
Know everything at once but he’s able to lead us gently and teach us so as we grow we have mercy to cover our issues until we get there to them

“All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:27-30‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6:45‬ ‭KJV‬‬

We just need to let Jesus teach us by what’s already written

.
• Rom 8:9 . . If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not
belong to Christ.

While reading that passage many years ago during the decade of the 1970s,
it occurred to me that if the Spirit of Christ were inside my body, I should
be able to detect it somehow; but I wasn't able to detect it and that made me
wonder if I had somehow become unsaved.

I had come to trust the pastor of a local church whom I listened to on the
radio every Sunday morning; so I made an appointment to see him about
this matter.

Long story short: he pressed me to rely upon one of Christ's virtues that I
would've never thought of on my own had the pastor not led me in that
direction. From then to this day; I never again worried about having the
Spirit of Christ.
_

Born again is a change of the Body not the mind, Let's take a look at this in John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Notice verse 3, except a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. We have just learned something here. If you are not born again you can not see the kingdom of God. As we go further you will understand this. Remember there is a time for everything.

Nicodemus asked a very good question. Take a look at the next set of verses.

John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

In verse 5, born of the water in this case is the Word of God. Notice the Lord mentions the kingdom of God again, but He adds a little more information. He says "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. When he mentions spirit He means exactly that. Watch how the Lord gives something physical to describe exactly what He means.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Notice He made a difference between flesh and spirit. Ask yourself that question, was you born flesh or spirit?

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Notice He compared the wind to a spirit. Can you see the wind? No! We have seen things being blown around by the wind, but we have never seen the wind. If you are born of the spirit you are like the wind. This is when you are truly born again, when you are born of the spirit.

Hi JITK,

I like that you asked this question--some of us who have been Christians a long while forget how precious Salvation is. And we missed out on the joy of the one 'greatly forgiven'--"he who is forgiven much loves much."

" "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Corinthians 6:11. "

How are we washed? Well washed is when we are forgiven, but first we need to REPENT--then we need to BELIEVE . "They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Do you 'hunger and thirst for righteousness' do you enjoy reading your bible? Does it make sense when nothing else does?

Our churches sadly are mostly dead--they look nothing like the first century church and operate more like a business. We R church leaders that believe in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives. It's business as usual in most churches and that sadly influences the believer's walk. Forms and methods in our churches quench the spirit. Focusing on man rather than God quenches the spirit

"If you love me keep my commandments"--too many churches teach that it's all about grace--but we are also called to OBEY. Sin quenches the spirit. .

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God. " Most of us are praying for earthly needs rather than seeking God's will --and I include myself in that group.

So often we feel spiritually empty--but Jesus said 'my nourishment is to do the Father's will."

I'd say if you're filling empty pray God would fill you--pray for an increase in faith and pray for His will and a place to serve--and to be able to surrender--I think most of us fell like we're falling off a cliff if we let go of control but the bible says "He who loses his life for my sake will find it."

Blessings to you,

Laura

"…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.…"--Ephesians 17-19

excuse typos--i need to remember to use the preview feature.

"too many churches teach that it's all about grace--but we are also called to OBEY. Sin quenches the spirit. . "

That is how churches die and go apostate=they say we have to have something in common to talk about to people to convert people=they talk about the things of the world=TV, movies, watching sports, novels, music, video games, computer games and other sinful stuff.
Problems are I assume 99% of the world's population (I know it's vast majority) are nonelects. They become lukewarm church that's worse than unbelievers/atheists outside. My solution=Pray to God to cause events to happen, where you find the other God's elects to fellowship (videos or other ways). Pray to God to use you. Pray to God for everything.

If you find out you are one of God's elect, pray to God for everything=God will causes events to happen to answer your prayers.

If you find you are nonelect, forget everything to do with God and enjoy a normal life as you can.

Bottom info is from https://www.gotquestions.org/calvinism.html

Total Depravity - As a result of Adam’s fall, the entire human race is affected; all humanity is dead in trespasses and sins. Man is unable to save himself (Genesis 6:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-18).

Unconditional Election - Because man is dead in sin, he is unable to initiate a response to God; therefore, in eternity past God elected certain people to salvation. Election and predestination are unconditional; they are not based on man’s response (Romans 8:29-30;9:11; Ephesians 1:4-6, 11-12) because man is unable to respond, nor does he want to.

Limited Atonement - Because God determined that certain ones should be saved as a result of God’s unconditional election, He determined that Christ should die for the elect alone. All whom God has elected and for whom Christ died will be saved (Matthew 1:21; John 10:11; 17:9; Acts 20:28; Romans 8:32; Ephesians 5:25).

Irresistible Grace - Those whom God elected He draws to Himself through irresistible grace. God makes man willing to come to Him. When God calls, man responds (John 6:37, 44; 10:16).

Perseverance of the Saints - The precise ones God has elected and drawn to Himself through the Holy Spirit will persevere in faith. None whom God has elected will be lost; they are eternally secure (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:3-14).

https://christianchat.com/bible-dis...games-and-computer-games-are-all-sins.199859/

If anyone receives Christ (John 1:12), coming to Him and calling on His name for salvation, it automatically excludes them from being of the non-elect (John 6:37, Romans 10:13).

Jhn 1:12, But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Jhn 6:37, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Rom 10:13, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

T.U.L.I.P. is a false doctrine. I suggest you look into apologist David Flowers who used to be a Calvinist. Here's one of his videos.

I know Calvinists who left the faith and no longer believe. One of the problems with Unconditional Election you could question whether you yourself were one of the elect, however when we 'repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ' we are saved and receive the Holy Spirit as the seal and guarantee of our salvation. The only way to no longer be sealed is if a person willfully turns away as Judas did. He was chosen by Christ and Peter said

"…15In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said, 16“ Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”… "--Acts 1:16

Also Irresistible Grace says you can't even respond to God's call--this is false. The bible says 'choose' this day whom you will serve and repeatedly says we must 'repent and believe'--these are acts on our part--these acts are not 'works of the law' no more than walking or breathing would be considered works. God has made us free agents--otherwise the whole thing would be a sham. Also, it has it all backwards---GRACE is the gift, not faith--faith is an action necessary on our part.

"Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “The only work God requires is that you believe in the One He has sent ..."--John 6:28-29

The other problem with this theology is that people would not need to do as Jesus commanded, "Go and make disciples of all nations" if He's already decided. And the most blasphemous of all is that believing this means God has chosen some to be destined to damnation with no choice on their part, even though the most well known verse in the bible John 3:16 says "16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Left this out of my post--we are sealed with the Holy Spirit at our conversion.

"In Christ ye also trusted after ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, in Whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"--Ephesians 1:13

Much of the gospel you hear in churches leaves out repentance--but 'repent' and believe' are inseparable to our salvation. It's vital to understand that Christ died on the cross for your sins and mine. We're mostly taught only to believe--this is truncating the gospel message.