Salvation Doubts...

[BillyL]

Hello Everyone,
For some time now, I have been having doubts about my salvation. Every so often I will make a new profession of faith and believe I am saved; however, soon after, the doubts once again begin to arise as to whether I have truly been born again. I have prayed and studied concerning my situation, and I have come to the conclusion that if I possess a greater understanding of some key doctrines, then perhaps I can make a determination if I am saved or not. I have chosen a few terms of which I would like to possess a greater knowledge, and if anyone will contribute to my better understanding of them, I would sincerely appreciate it. If you would also pray for me as I attempt to settle the matter of my salvation, I would sincerely appreciate it, as well. Thank you so much, and God bless.

Conviction of Sins (John 16:8)
What is it?
When does it take place?

Witness of Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16)
What is it?
How to tell if you possess it?

Repentance (Acts 20:12; Luke 13:3, etc.)
What is it?
How can one repent?

Chastisement of the Lord (Hebrews 12)
What is it?
When does it take place?

Reprobate Mind (Romans 1:28)
What is it?
Is it possible to possess a reprobate mind yet still desire to be saved or have a desire for the things of God?

I am also aware that believing on the Lord (Acts 16:31) is more than just intellectual agreement with what He has accomplished, but what exactly does this believing imply, and how does one go about it? Thanks again.

-BillyL

[deputydog530]

I battled my salvation for the first few years I was saved. The best way I can tell you it to share my story in a nut shell.

I grew up in an alocohic home. took my first drink at 5 yrs old. Got drunk first time at 8 yrs old. And other sins, you get the point. I believed in God, prayed to Jesus for forgivness, but did not understand what I was doing. I always believed I had to be good to get to heaven.

at 24 yrs old I was lead to the Lord by my first Pastor. I was shocked, amazed and happy that salvation as a gift and requred no work. I believed on the Lord and called upon him to forgive me and save me. He did. As time went on, I found I did not want to do the same old sins I did before, yet I would fall in some way (slip of language, bad thoughts, lust, etc. you get the point. So I doubted my salvation. I never doubted God's power to save, I doubted my belief. I realized I was still hanging onto works.

Proofs of slavation.
I desired new things 2 Cor 5:17 new creature
I still made mistakes (sin) but it now upset me. It was things I didnt want anymore yet still fell to them sometimgs.
I desired to go to Church, read my bible, pray, etc. Things that were not important before
My point is there was a change in my life. im not perfect, I still battle sin, but the Lord changed me. 30 days after I was saved, the Lord took away my desire for alcohol.
We still fight sin because there is a war between the spirit and the flesh. Gal 5:17

Conviction is what God brings when we do wrong. Some say it is a guilty conscience but our conscience cant be trusted. If your convicted about sin that used to not bother you, your convicted of God the verse you put is dealing the judgement.

Holy Spirit. Your indweled at salvation and sealed Eph 1:13. The verse u put deals again with judgement.


Repentance. Turning from sin and turning to Christ.


Reprobate mind. Rom 1:28. They willingly turned from God. They are and will be given over to thier sin. Abandoned in sin.

Believing in Christ is believing in faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Its believing in what you know is there by the evidence of the things you cant see. Heb 11:1

It is belief in your heart. You believe the sun will come up tomorrow. Now apply that 100% believe in Jesus Christ and call upon him. Romans 10:9-10

Thats it info I can give you with the info you provided without writing a book. :saint

[BillyL]

deputydog530,
Thank you so much for your post. You certainly helped, and I truly appreciate it.

If anyone else would like to give some input, I would certainly appreciate it as well.

-BillyL

[1Timothy115]

BillyL,
I'll be praying for you to receive God's grace for assurance of salvation. It's who you turn to, as deputydog530 said, "turning to Christ." You must first turn and I believe you have said that. Why did you turn away from sin and in another direction?

I'll take a chance here and say, the root of salvation is faith in Christ, that He is able to perform that which He has promised to you. So, then if faith is the key, it appears to me you're looking for faith in the right place, if you're turning to the Bible. Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." How many times can you find where Christ told someone their faith made them whole?

Was there a time or a date you recall hearing the word, turning from sin and to God? I encourage you to mark that date or time for future reference. There will be many times when you're challenged concerning your salvation by Satan and by men. If you don't have that date or time, mark this time and date as a time you reviewed God's grace, your turning to Christ, and trust in Him. You see, God knows your heart, mind, and spirit to know what you did and on what time or date. His mind holds all time, we however, are not all knowing (remembering). 1 Thessalonians 1:9 "...how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;"

Assurance (these are probably familiar verses):
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Read the Bible daily, pray daily, and confess sin immediately.

[deputydog530]

No Problem Billy. Like 1Tim115 said, be in the word daily. God's word is our greatest weapon against satan. He wants to make as many Christians unfruitful as possible. He will do it in any manner he can get at you. Doubt is a big weapon of his.

The less time we spend in the Word, the more time we spend thinking on wrong things and then doubt enters in. There is a lot of Good Godly people here that will help you. I encourage you to post questions of things you want to discuss.

God Bless

[Madeline]

There are those who think they're saved and are not, and then there are those who think they're not saved but are. Keep in mind that no amount of good work or keeping of the law can merit eternal life, it is solely the work of God purchased by the shed blood of Jesus. It is also bibically true that commandment keeping and good works (not sinlessness) are the manifestations of the Holy Spirit working in us (Phil 2:13). The same with repentance. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. A person who professes to be in Christ and shows no fruits of the spirit such as repentance and lives a life of habitual sin really ought to examine themself to see whether or not they are truly saved (2 Cor 13:5) because nobody wants to stand before God to hear the words ..."I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." echo throughout all of eternity. Doubting whether you are saved can be either a sign that you are not living how God would want you to live, OR....it can be the Holy Spirit drawing you to God to become saved. I really can't say for sure since this is a matter of the heart.

You can know for certain whether or you are truly saved.

1 John 5:13 - These 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.

1). God chastises ALL of His children. If you never receive chastening, then you're not His child. (Hebrews 12:6) Btw, chastening doesn't always come in physical form...there are many ways God can chastise you.
2). Answered prayers is also a sign that you have been born again (Jn 9:31; 14:4; 1Jn 5:14,15).
3). Love of your brothers and sisters in Christ is also a sign that you have been born again (1 Jn 3:14)
4). Your testimony and the witness of the Holy Spirit testifies that you have been born again (Rom 8:16)
5). Your understanding of God's Word (1Jn 5:20).

But don't just go by what I have said in this post...search the scriptures and it will set you free.

John 5:39 - Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Love,
Madeline

[Wilchbla]

The secret I found out when I doubted my salvation was to ask myself what I would be trusting in to get into heaven if I was to die right there sand then. Say God was at that time ask me why he should let me into heaven what would my answer be. I think most folks have doubts because they can't remember the exact date or time they were saved and they think that unless they had written it down then maybe they weren't saved.

Ask yourself. What are you trusting in right NOW for your eternal salvation?

Bill

[1Timothy115]

BillyL,

Did you ever get this most important issue totally resolved?

Dave