Thinking about Jesus sacrafice

[jari]

Hi
I have been thinking my salvation lately and i don't know what to think of it really. i mean i'm really confused. i'm tangling in the thoughts such as what kinda of attitude i need to have to be saved? Can I just rely on that Jesus died for me. Or can I lose my salvation. If i stray too far from God.
These things make me unease.

I really need help understanding this and prayer.

God bless you

 

[AbbysAunt]

Hi Jari,

When we become saved we take Jesus as our Lord and Savior of our lives and in doing that know that because He loves us so much He laid down His own life so that we might have a way to be reconciled to God through Him which means that though we may die physically our souls will go to be with our Lord and Savior in heaven to live eternally with Him forever.

You ask a few questions and using the very written word of God im going to try my best to answer you. The first one being about what kind of attitude you need to have. The bible has a few answers for this and the first is found in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 4-5 Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.

This is one of most important attitudes we can have if not the most important. To put our Lord and Savior first in everything and in every part of our lives. Loving Him more than we could ever love anyone or anything. Another attitude that goes along with this is Loving one another as He has loved us.

John15:12-15 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has noone than thsi than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant
does not know what his master is doing, But I have called you friends, for all things thqat I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Matt.5:43-48 You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and perscute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethen only, what do you do more than others? Do not even tghe tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Love is the very attitude we are to have jari. Love the Lord our God with all our heart, souls and strength and then that Love with which is given to us from our God we not only can but are commanded to pass on to not only our friends, neighbors and brothers and sisters in our Lord but to our enemies as well. Its easy to love those who love you but what about those who have hurt us at one time or another in our lives, those that have used us or maybe we just don't understand why they do the things they do or live as they do...God commands us to love them, to pray for them because He loves them as He loves us. The love we possess and give to others in not ours jari but is the Love of the very one who saved us when we were lost and unlovable ourselves...It is the very Love of Jesus Christ Himself....He is love and He resides in us.

So, the attitude we are to have is one of Love and forgiveness...Because God Himself Loved and Forgave us.

Now about Salvation...Jari I myself strayed from God at one point in my life. Was born again and in my stubborness turned from God to my own ways and fell very hard, but broken and shattered I ran back to Him and asked Him to take my back that I couldn't do it alone and needed Him. He took me back and by His might and strength I shall not wonder again. Once we are saved we don't want to stray from Him because it is both very cold and lonely. If God can take back this sinner than yep He can surely can take back anyone else that comes back to Him too. Noone is ever to far away jari. As long as we are living and breathing God can and will save us. It is only when a human being in their stubborness decides to keep doing those things they know are wrong can they be in danger of losing their salvation and this is because we are no longer ignorant to the truth and we are to live by that very truth and that truth is Jesus Himself. We die to self and live only for our Lord Jesus and to serve Him.

God loves you jari. He is right there and will never leave you nor forsake you. His precious blood covers you and you saved. So, fear not but lift your head knowing that the God of the universe, the very creator of heaven and earth calls you His son. I will be praying for you my brother and lifting you up to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

God bless you with more blessings than you can even possibly comprehend and may His love and peace fill and surround you now and always.

 

[jari]

Hi abby.

Now about Salvation...Jari I myself strayed from God at one point in my life. Was born again and in my stubborness turned from God to my own ways and fell very hard, but broken and shattered I ran back to Him and asked Him to take my back that I couldn't do it alone and needed Him. He took me back and by His might and strength I shall not wonder again. Once we are saved we don't want to stray from Him because it is both very cold and lonely. If God can take back this sinner than yep He can surely can take back anyone else that comes back to Him too. Noone is ever to far away jari. As long as we are living and breathing God can and will save us. It is only when a human being in their stubborness decides to keep doing those things they know are wrong can they be in danger of losing their salvation and this is because we are no longer ignorant to the truth and we are to live by that very truth and that truth is Jesus Himself. We die to self and live only for our Lord Jesus and to serve Him.

I thank you for the response , its much appreciated. But I can't take any advice as granted without scripture because my doupts always start when I dont have scripture in the first place to my questions. So if you don't have scripture to this it's ok, I still apreciate your response but I would still apreciate scripture it self as I don't want to take anything without it as truth. Because even you would remember reading this I still need to read it and study the word to understand. I hope you understand.

God bless you

 

[Peace Seeker]

Hi abby.

I thank you for the response , its much appreciated. But I can't take any advice as granted without scripture because my doupts always start when I dont have scripture in the first place to my questions.
God bless you

Dear Jari, all of our temptations are the same and we all have doubts and struggles because we are human and insecure. But God is not and loves us more than we could ever comprehend. You are burdened my friend, so tell it to your Lord, He is greatly interested in you!!

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

That's one of the many great things that are Savior has done for us. He made it possible for us to access God in a very intimate and close way. He knows all of our hurts and fears and He is our healer.

Psalms 55:22 Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

Matthew 11:28-30

28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

And please remember, that it is never about how we feel about ourselves, but how God feels about us.

Isa.40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, The Lord, The creator of the ends of the earth, never faints or is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

God never faints or gets weary, we do but not Him! And He never tires of loving us and looking after us and our needs.

Joshua1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

This one is one of my favorites about salvation :

Ephesians 1:13-14 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Gal 2:20

If you have read my profile you know that I had fallen away from the Lord and been under heavy spiritual attack. That placed me under tremendous stress and fear. But God does not want us to fear anything, whether it's losing our salvation, or what we will eat today, or whatever.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1: 7)
Fear is not from God and as you have found, it is tormenting (1 John 4: 18)

Cast your burdens on Christ, Jari, and He will take away your fears and replace them with more comfort and peace than you can imagine! I echo what AbbysAunt said, if God can take me back and show such incredible and unending love for me, He can and will for you and anyone else!

God cares about what's troubling you Jari!

Psalm 46:1-11
1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble.

Here's another of my favorite passages :

Romans 8: 37-39 7Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,39Nor 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.

Amen!!!!

The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy, and his favorite thing to do is to try and get us to doubt our salvation. Resists this thought, Jari! It is not from God !!!

1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

He wants to destroy your faith, just like he tried to destroy mine!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds
5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

All negative thoughts are of the devil and should be cast out of your mind, brother!

Don't let the enemy try to confuse you about what you have in the Lord!

Galatians 5
1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Just remember that God calls you friend and He will never forsake you. He bought you at a great price and He has inscribed your name on the palm of His hands!!

Isaiah 49:16
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands

And He is not about un-engrave you off of His hands!!

Lastly,

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.


You are in the MASTER'S hands, where is there a better place to be in? I am praying for you and you are going to be just fine friend!

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Hi Jari,I know from following your posts that you know the scriptures well.The issue is how to interpret them.
I believe there is confusion due to trying to make all scripture fit into our understanding of matter and time.Sometimes we end up mixing spiritual interpretations with literal and we end up with something that seems right but leads to unending questions.
I use certain facts as my anchor.I learn these facts from scripture.

Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

This verse is famous for it's negative message but it contains an unchanging element of truth.That is that the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world.The only way that could be the truth is that it happened apart from time.Which takes the stress off of me and lets me just relie on God's plan for all mankind.

John 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

If you are his sheep then you are waiting for his voice.
If we are truly searching for the unchanging truth then we may not feel fully satisfied by focusing on that which is temporarily true but subject to change.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The first part of this is true,there are many thieves.However that which is true is subject to change.
The second part of this verse trumps(voids) the first part because it is an unchanging truth.The truth should be our focus not that which is constantly changing.

As far as I'm concerned the concept of "saved" is difficult to for me to put my finger on.
So I focus on the fact that the Lamb of God was slain from the foundation of the earth and that he came that we might have abundant life.If you were not a part of that abundant life you would not be seeking the truth at all.

 

[Brighthouse]

Brother Jari,Hi Bro! With all the scripture you well know,and all the scripture Peace Seeker and AA gave,consider this as well please. You know I have given this scripture many times Philippians 2:12-13 Now what do we as believers have to work out?? What Jesus did for us on the cross was not cheap!!

We know this!! And that is the very point spoken of here! we examine ourselves to make sure we are always as thankful to our Lord as we should be!( 2 Cor 13:5) We know only Jesus Christ can save us!! WE cannot become saved by anything we do,except one thing!!!( rom 10:9-11) And IF!!! we do believe,which I know we do!!Then!! we will have fruit of this!

For the question Jesus asked his disciples we to are asked daily.Who do YOU say that I am?? (Matt 16:13-20)Not just in our words do we speak my brother in Christ,but also by what we do!( james 1:22) for our actions speak to others what we indeed do believe. Notice please in verse 20 brother jari,Jesus said tell no one.amen To me brother, Jesus wanted his disciples to show them how one follows!! as we read just a bit later in Matt 16:24-27)

Since we are believers, since Jesus is Lord of our lives,would we not act like this as well? Jesus said (John 14:12-14) Could we do this without believing? No, we could not,because it is not we who are doing this!! But Christ in us! In whom we believe!!

And since we do indeed believe,then through our Jesus and him alone can we always be so thankful we are saved through,and yes by HIM! amen! Hope this helps you! An expression of thanks is given personaly jari unto each one of us in (1 Cor 1:4-9!!) Because by our testimony we have in us,can Christ become established both in us,and for others. WE can love now,because we are so thankful for HIS love for us first! How else can God's own nature become part of us??( 1 john 4:17-19) We do not have to fear we are saved or not,because we have taken on the very nature of our Father God!! LOVE!! amen!

 

[jari]

thanks for all the replies everyone.

I can't say I am much helped by scripture because I already know the verses you gave me but your prayers are also very welcome.

thanks again still , it just that I cant accept some verses for what they seem to be saying in context of grace. This is what causes me lot of confusion.


God bless everyone

 

[RJ]

thanks for all the replies everyone.

I can't say I am much helped by scripture because I already know the verses you gave me but your prayers are also very welcome.

thanks again still , it just that I cant accept some verses for what they seem to be saying in context of grace. This is what causes me lot of confusion.


God bless everyone

Dear brother Jari,

This is really a time of struggle for you isn't?
So, is it Apostasy ( all out rejection of Jesus) or just doubting your salvation.

First you require scripture but, when you get scripture, you say your are not much helped by it! Welcome to the human race and that hideous word and sin called "doubt"! We all do it and if a person says they have total faith and NEVER doubt, they are in denial and lie to themselves. It takes perfection to be doubtless....none of us are quite there yet....lol!

And, I don't know you all that well but, enough and I have read your many forum threads, so I feel it is safe for me to say that your are definetly not an Apostate! You know me, rejection is akin to falling away and a symptom of never being saved in the first place!

So look up and smile. You are just going through a period of "dry bones" and a moment in the "valley", this will pass. But, do not doubt this, we all have many valleys in store for us.....I promise, you will come through this!.....
John 16:33 Jesus told His followers, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
........and so will you!!!

I am going to go ahead and give you some scripyure that help me through my valleys.

St. Paul is such a great example:

The Apostle Paul was a great hero of the New Testament. If anybody should have received only good things in life, it would have been Paul. But listen to his testimony from 2 Corin 11:24-28:

24. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.
25. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26. in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27. in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness

Talk about struggles and valleys!!! and he was a great teacher chosen by God.

Here is another set of verse that I go back to often, again Paul, struggling with sin this time

<SUP>15</SUP> I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28093 class=versenum>16</SUP> And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28094 class=versenum>17</SUP> As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28095 class=versenum>18</SUP> I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.<SUP class=footnote value='[c]'>[c]</SUP> For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28096 class=versenum>19</SUP> For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28097 class=versenum>20</SUP> Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
<SUP id=en-NIV1984-28098 class=versenum>21</SUP> So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28099 class=versenum>22</SUP> For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28100 class=versenum>23</SUP> but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28101 class=versenum>24</SUP> What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? <SUP id=en-NIV1984-28102 class=versenum>25</SUP> Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! Roman 7: 15-25
And look how he followed up with the first verse in Romans 8:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,<SUP class=footnote value='[a]'>[a</SUP>

And this was a man that wittnessed Jesus on the road to Amaeus and was literally struck blind by his presence!!

And then there was the man that Jesus said was the greatest man to have ever lived....John The Baptist! He spoke to God in the desert and recognized Jesus as the lamb that takes away the sins of the world. What a witness to doubt he is for us!

When John, knowing and seeing all he saw, near his end, as he awaited his for his beheading in jail, sent a messenger to Jesus and asked him if he was truly the Messiah!

So keep prayer, keep reading the Bible and keep looking up!
We are all in the same boat together and if one of us gets out, we will sink!!!

 

[jari]

Hi RJ thanks for your repply

Dear brother Jari,

This is really a time of struggle for you isn't?
So, is it Apostasy ( all out rejection of Jesus) or just doubting your salvation.

Yes been strugles lately.
Not exactly sure what you mean by apostasy... in what sense.

First you require scripture but, when you get scripture, you say your are not much helped by it! Welcome to the human race and that hideous word and sin called "doubt"! We all do it and if a person says they have total faith and NEVER doubt, they are in denial and lie to themselves. It takes perfection to be doubtless....none of us are quite there yet....lol!

I mean scriptures about losing salvation.



thanks for your help bro

 

[RJ]

Hi RJ thanks for your repply





Yes been strugles lately.
Not exactly sure what you mean by apostasy... in what sense.



I mean scriptures about losing salvation.



thanks for your help bro

Apostasy is all out rejection as Jesus as your your Savior.
You never have showed any signs of that, so I beleive, though stuggle as you may, you are still very much saved.

True "born again" Christians do not turn to Apostasy!

Of course, you are saved by grace through faith! And, the Bible says that your faith grows by hearing the word of God.....during these times of struggle stay in the word of God more and your light and life will burn brighter!!!

 

[jari]

Apostasy is all out rejection as Jesus as your your Savior.
You never have showed any signs of that, so I beleive, though stuggle as you may, you are still very much saved.

True "born again" Christians do not turn to Apostasy!

Of course, you are saved by grace through faith! And, the Bible says that your faith grows by hearing the word of God.....during these times of struggle stay in the word of God more and your light and life will burn brighter!!!

Thanks RJ. Yes Bible is what I need among prayer.
And those are what Iv'e been doing lately a lot.

 

[Kit Carson]

Good Morning:


Go read the Chapter of John Chapter 10, versus 27 to 30. Then back up a bit and read Chapter 5 verse 24. Then read the whole book of John.

Forget about loss of salvation once you bow your head and accept Christ. We are a gift from God to his son and no one and nothing can snatch us away.

So relax, and demand the truth and accept salvation with joy.

Let the fears of men be theirs. Enjoy your salvation and accept it with confidence and joy.

God knows we will all stumble and have doubts, that we all cannot be like Job. Job is a teaching parable in any event, it shows perfection in Gods eyes. He has already told us we cannot be perfect so he provided his Son and our Salvation by this means.

Relax. You are fine.

Take Care

Kit

 

[james g]

"If there is a great trial in your life today, do not own it as a defeat, but continue, by faith, to claim the victory through Him who is able to make you more than conqueror, and a glorious triumph will soon be apparent. Let us learn that in all the hard places our Father brings us into, He is making opportunities for us to exercise such faith in Him as will bring about blessed results and greatly glorify His Name."

 

[jari]

Good Morning:


Go read the Chapter of John Chapter 10, versus 27 to 30. Then back up a bit and read Chapter 5 verse 24. Then read the whole book of John.

Forget about loss of salvation once you bow your head and accept Christ. We are a gift from God to his son and no one and nothing can snatch us away.

So relax, and demand the truth and accept salvation with joy.

Let the fears of men be theirs. Enjoy your salvation and accept it with confidence and joy.

God knows we will all stumble and have doubts, that we all cannot be like Job. Job is a teaching parable in any event, it shows perfection in Gods eyes. He has already told us we cannot be perfect so he provided his Son and our Salvation by this means.

Relax. You are fine.

Take Care

Kit

"If there is a great trial in your life today, do not own it as a defeat, but continue, by faith, to claim the victory through Him who is able to make you more than conqueror, and a glorious triumph will soon be apparent. Let us learn that in all the hard places our Father brings us into, He is making opportunities for us to exercise such faith in Him as will bring about blessed results and greatly glorify His Name."

Thanks, brothers.

I still have questions but keeping praying