Yet to be saved

[HealthAndHappiness]

I would think it’s fairly straightforward, up until this point of my life I didn’t want anything to do with god or Christ. I believe I spent most of my life actively defying god… so tell me can I really be saved?

Yes, you are closer than most.

The first thing we all need to know is that we are lost in our sins and placing our hope of salvation in the wrong place.
The first part of this verse explains what we have earned from sins.

23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6
It's our experience that we didn't drop over dead when we committed our first sin. If that happened when I lied as an adult, I wouldn't be talking with you now. However, there was a part of us that died when that happened. It was our spirit, the part that communicates with God and can live forever.

This is a description of what happens. It gives a shorter list representative of all sins.

8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 21

Please notice that amongst the real bad murderers, abominable and idolators there are fearful, unbelievers, and ending the list are liars. We probably haven't murdered or done a lot of the abominations in the Word of God. There are plenty of times that I have been unbelieving the promises of God, fearful of the wrong things and have lied out of shame, guilt and things only God could remember. That is a humbling fact isn't it? According to the Bible, we are in need of saving from that awful fate....the second death. The first death occurs in body and the second is the Lake.
I think you already know that, so I'll try to make this real easy as someone did for me one day.

We've all heard euphemisms that are men's opinions. In my former Catholic church I was raised in, we were taught to keep the sacraments to be saved, while some protestants had their abbreviated versions of the same concept. The TV preachers would have half a dozen works of righteousness like, "give your life to Christ", "promise to serve Him all the days of your life", "ask Jesus into your life/heart", "quit walking towards sin and turn from your sins" which is the latest version of keeping the law. See Galatians chapters 1-3 for more on that.
Those are ALL Good Works.
The Bible even has commandments to do good works, like do not bear false witness against your neighbor and hundreds of others.
However, here's the key. Think about this. God has lots of expectations for His family. God had expectations/commands for the people of Moses and the tribes of Israel. Those were not, NOT requirements for salvation from Hell. Those who teach that have a false gospel. Gospel means Good News. The good news is that perfection to keeping the hundreds of commands or euphemisms for men's requirements are null and void. The Bible tells us clearly that it's "5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..."
Titus 3

Check this out and ask God if this is true.
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2

Grace is what God gives that we do not deserve or earn. I think you already said that before. It is true. We don't deserve salvation at all. What DO WE deserve?
A: Hell.
Now is works..... Don't save. That list above and everything else we ourselves could do don't amount to anything worthwhile in God's view. All the sins men turn from and give up in their flesh are things they boast about.
Salvation is a Gift from God.

The GOOD NEWS is that the Father so loved the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVES on HIM should not perish but have everlasting Life.

Here's what the Bible says is truly receiving Jesus as Savior. John 1
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on his name:

The word believe was given to us exactly times in the gospel of John to tell us this. KJV
The one requirement God has of us is to quit trusting in our good works and instead place your trust (faith/believe in) Jesus Christ our Savior. After all, He's the Savior because He gave His life to pay for ALL of our sins past throughout the future. He purchased the special Gift. We can't pay for even one sin.
Let's take care of this right now.
I will make it very simple by leading you in prayer to the Lord.

Dear Jesus,

I understand now that I don't deserve everlasting life. I only deserve Hell, but I want to be saved.
Please save me according to Your promises.
You alone suffered the torture and crucifixion for all of my sins past and future . You were buried in the tomb and arose the third day.
I ask for the gift of everlasting life that You alone paid for.
Thank you Lord Jesus for sharing this precious gift with me now and forever.
Amen.

11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
I John 5

According to the Bible where will you go when you die some day?

 

[DanielNSW]

Yes, you are closer than most.

The first thing we all need to know is that we are lost in our sins and placing our hope of salvation in the wrong place.
The first part of this verse explains what we have earned from sins.

23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6
It's our experience that we didn't drop over dead when we committed our first sin. If that happened when I lied as an adult, I wouldn't be talking with you now. However, there was a part of us that died when that happened. It was our spirit, the part that communicates with God and can live forever.

This is a description of what happens. It gives a shorter list representative of all sins.

8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 21

Please notice that amongst the real bad murderers, abominable and idolators there are fearful, unbelievers, and ending the list are liars. We probably haven't murdered or done a lot of the abominations in the Word of God. There are plenty of times that I have been unbelieving the promises of God, fearful of the wrong things and have lied out of shame, guilt and things only God could remember. That is a humbling fact isn't it? According to the Bible, we are in need of saving from that awful fate....the second death. The first death occurs in body and the second is the Lake.
I think you already know that, so I'll try to make this real easy as someone did for me one day.

We've all heard euphemisms that are men's opinions. In my former Catholic church I was raised in, we were taught to keep the sacraments to be saved, while some protestants had their abbreviated versions of the same concept. The TV preachers would have half a dozen works of righteousness like, "give your life to Christ", "promise to serve Him all the days of your life", "ask Jesus into your life/heart", "quit walking towards sin and turn from your sins" which is the latest version of keeping the law. See Galatians chapters 1-3 for more on that.
Those are ALL Good Works.
The Bible even has commandments to do good works, like do not bear false witness against your neighbor and hundreds of others.
However, here's the key. Think about this. God has lots of expectations for His family. God had expectations/commands for the people of Moses and the tribes of Israel. Those were not, NOT requirements for salvation from Hell. Those who teach that have a false gospel. Gospel means Good News. The good news is that perfection to keeping the hundreds of commands or euphemisms for men's requirements are null and void. The Bible tells us clearly that it's "5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us..."
Titus 3

Check this out and ask God if this is true.
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2

Grace is what God gives that we do not deserve or earn. I think you already said that before. It is true. We don't deserve salvation at all. What DO WE deserve?
A: Hell.
Now is works..... Don't save. That list above and everything else we ourselves could do don't amount to anything worthwhile in God's view. All the sins men turn from and give up in their flesh are things they boast about.
Salvation is a Gift from God.

The GOOD NEWS is that the Father so loved the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVES on HIM should not perish but have everlasting Life.

Here's what the Bible says is truly receiving Jesus as Savior. John 1
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that BELIEVE on his name:

The word believe was given to us exactly times in the gospel of John to tell us this. KJV
The one requirement God has of us is to quit trusting in our good works and instead place your trust (faith/believe in) Jesus Christ our Savior. After all, He's the Savior because He gave His life to pay for ALL of our sins past throughout the future. He purchased the special Gift. We can't pay for even one sin.
Let's take care of this right now.
I will make it very simple by leading you in prayer to the Lord.

Dear Jesus,

I understand now that I don't deserve everlasting life. I only deserve Hell, but I want to be saved.
Please save me according to Your promises.
You alone suffered the torture and crucifixion for all of my sins past and future . You were buried in the tomb and arose the third day.
I ask for the gift of everlasting life that You alone paid for.
Thank you Lord Jesus for sharing this precious gift with me now and forever.
Amen.

11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
I John 5

According to the Bible where will you go when you die some day?

This is the most profound way I have ever examined the topics that plague me most… I indeed followed you in this prayer thank you from the bottom of my heart. Most of what I read only serves to reinforce the idea that I don’t deserve forgiveness or salvation, I will read and pray and meditate on this until it sticks. For I am not deserving and never will be but I can and will continue to try. I’ve never wanted to try and use faith and good works as currency to earn forgiveness, I’ve never thought it even possible I know it’s not, the very idea just feels like a lie and has always made me pull away. Thank you again you’ve given me much to think about. Thank you for taking the time I am in your debt

 

[DanielNSW]

This is the most profound way I have ever examined the topics that plague me most… I indeed followed you in this prayer thank you from the bottom of my heart. Most of what I read only serves to reinforce the idea that I don’t deserve forgiveness or salvation, I will read and pray and meditate on this until it sticks. For I am not deserving and never will be but I can and will continue to try. I’ve never wanted to try and use faith and good works as currency to earn forgiveness, I’ve never thought it even possible I know it’s not, the very idea just feels like a lie and has always made me pull away. Thank you again you’ve given me much to think about. Thank you for taking the time I am in your debt

Rereading my reply it sounds like I’ve taken the wrong message in a way though I have not, I’m just struggling to find the words

 

[Ouch]

I have only recently decided to allow god into my heart, I’ve always believed but have always known that if I choose this path there would be no turning back. That thought frightened me… it still does. My name is Daniel and I accept Jesus Christ as my lord and saviour, I am 40 years old and living in Australia.

That is the first step and the best step in your life.

Second step is get to know the author, you do that by reading Matthew, Mark, luke and John.

His walk on earth was amazing remember we are suppose to be Christ like.

Then read the book of Acts the building of the church.

After the book of Acts comes letters from Paul to the churches he started off the milk and on to the meat.

Please don't listen to men, including me UNLESS what they say lines up with HIS WORD.

Just asking him in your heart doesn't mean you are reborn, it is the first step if you want to see how to be reborn first read the book of Acts.

GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR WALK.

 

[Ouch]

To be clear what I mean is that despite believing in god and Christ for a long time I hardened my heart against accepting their love into my life. Without going into detail I will say I lived and still live a difficult life, for a long time I blamed god but I’m stronger now… time and time again god reached out for me and I slapped his hand away I don’t feel like I have the right to ask his forgiveness or to be saved.

Don't let Satan trick you thinking you can't live for JESUS, he what's you to say with him.

I don't think anyone can be worse than Paul who persecuted Christians, your good to go.

Foundation.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Sin separates us from GOD, how do we get rid of it?

Don't listen to ANY MAN, if you do your following them.

I don't care if they have their own web sight or a mega preacher ONLY listen to HIS WORD.

JESUS LOVES YOU as HE does all of us so follow HIM and OBEY HIM HE'S the one who died for YOU.

If you like, skip Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for now but they are a must read and go to the book of Acts to see what JESUS says on how to be reborn.

JESUS IS THE WORD.

John 1
King James Version
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

I don't want to post it all, it's all good.

One last thing, it's always good to look at surrounding verses which may explain one particular one.

GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR WALK.

 

[DanielNSW]

That is the first step and the best step in your life.

Second step is get to know the author, you do that by reading Matthew, Mark, luke and John.

His walk on earth was amazing remember we are suppose to be Christ like.

Then read the book of Acts the building of the church.

After the book of Acts comes letters from Paul to the churches he started off the milk and on to the meat.

Please don't listen to men, including me UNLESS what they say lines up with HIS WORD.

Just asking him in your heart doesn't mean you are reborn, it is the first step if you want to see how to be reborn first read the book of Acts.

GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR WALK.

Thank you for your reply and your advice… I was unsure if such an attitude was even acceptable and this is indeed how I feel. I want a close relationship with Christ but I won’t put my faith in men nor join any organisation that seeks to limit my education.

 

[DanielNSW]

Don't let Satan trick you thinking you can't live for JESUS, he what's you to say with him.

I don't think anyone can be worse than Paul who persecuted Christians, your good to go.

Foundation.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Sin separates us from GOD, how do we get rid of it?

Don't listen to ANY MAN, if you do your following them.

I don't care if they have their own web sight or a mega preacher ONLY listen to HIS WORD.

JESUS LOVES YOU as HE does all of us so follow HIM and OBEY HIM HE'S the one who died for YOU.

If you like, skip Matthew, Mark, Luke and John for now but they are a must read and go to the book of Acts to see what JESUS says on how to be reborn.

JESUS IS THE WORD.

John 1
King James Version
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

I don't want to post it all, it's all good.

One last thing, it's always good to look at surrounding verses which may explain one particular one.

GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR WALK.

I agree completely, so often reading the surrounding verses puts the message into context rendering the vast majority of referenced arguments not only useless but they become blatant falsehoods, even I can’t imagine a worse sin than twisting the word of god to fit their own narrative. I believe they all know the verses that explain the fate of such people, it’s a trap I don’t want to fall into. Such people were why I lost faith to begin with

 

[pearlspring]

Welcome DanielNSW!

Don't let Satan stop you from learning about God and getting close to Him through obedience to the Spirit! God is the most high and a loving God who wants to lead you in goodness in this life and then give you eternal life in Heaven too!

I can't say I understand everything yet though but if you were ignorant before or have a changed heart now, you don't have to look back to the past! God bless!

 

[andy700700]

John 14:6

New International Version

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 3 16For 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. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son