True Believer or Not?

[oswinium]

Is it normal for a true believer to not yet have put all his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? To not yet have repented completely towards Him? To not yet have been radically transformed having the fruits of the Spirit be manifested in his actions? To not yet have forsaken all for Jesus? To not yet truly consider Jesus as his Life and Love?
(PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE provide some Biblical evidence as that would really convince me
Also is it necessary for the above to switch from the negative to the affirmative at some point in life for the believer to be actually saved?

(This describes me and I am wondering if I am really saved or not.)

 

[Brother Mike]

Am I saved.

My question is, that without Jesus, how would one even start to produce fruit. Sounds like the cart before the horse to me.

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

If you accepted Jesus as your Lord, there is work that needs done. Now without doubting, get in your bible, and let the Lord work.

Jesus Is Lord.

 

[David777]

Hello Oswinium.

It is a rather simple answer to a simple question.


John 10:25-29

25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.


26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.


28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.


29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.


30 I and My Father are one.”


Put your trust in Jesus Christ and you have eternal life.


The good shepherd protects His sheep.


You must follow Jesus and not stray or fall behind.


Hope there was not too much theology in that lot Oswinium.

 

[lioncub]

- post deleted -

 

[HisFollower]

Many which profess Christ bypass things required of the Lord, such as repentance, which you have mentioned. But another thing is they have not yet denied their own will, but until now still insist on it. Until then they only know the Lord in part, but not as they ought to know Him.

 

[oswinium]

The reason I am asking this because I know of people, who were unbelievers. Eventually they reached a point in their life (rock bottom) where they gave up everything, looked up to the Lord, cried for help, accepted Him, and got transformed at that instant. True repentance followed.
This was NOT the case for me. I did not reach that place where I give up everything and fall into Jesus' arms. I think that that's the reason why I haven't completely repented. Of course work needs to be done, but (for the above reason) I was wondering if my acceptance of Christ was genuine or not.

 

[strawberry]

Is it normal for a true believer to not yet have put all his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ? To not yet have repented completely towards Him? To not yet have been radically transformed having the fruits of the Spirit be manifested in his actions? To not yet have forsaken all for Jesus? To not yet truly consider Jesus as his Life and Love?
(PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE provide some Biblical evidence as that would really convince me
Also is it necessary for the above to switch from the negative to the affirmative at some point in life for the believer to be actually saved?

(This describes me and I am wondering if I am really saved or not.)

Believe...

You will never be able to save yourself or earn God's love with good works. Never, never, ever! Righteousness is a gift from God. We are all sinners. We all need Jesus.

Believe the blood of Jesus has purchased you forgiveness for all of your sins: past, present, and future. Trust that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross.

For by such grace you have been saved through faith. This does not come from you; it is the gift of God, Ephesians 2:8.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1.

(Ephesians 2) 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful naturea and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

[ActionMike]

Acts 3:19

Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

Acts 3:19 - Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The above three quotes already affirms what you have already stated - a certain level of faith and submission needs to be had on your part.

Philippians 2:12 - So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling

Timothy 4:10 - For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers

This is what is being asked of us. What is being illustrated above is not simply a line to be stepped over or admitting something mentally. Rather, try to think of it as journey - staying on the path as closely as we can until the day we die. Do not try and think of it as your salvation depending solely on the value of your performance but on your willingness to grow. You may not be at all satisfied with your current level of understanding or the rate that you grow but have faith in this promise:

2 Timothy 2:11-13 - It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Romans 5:2 - through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

 

[Ignis_et_Lux]

The reason I am asking this because I know of people, who were unbelievers. Eventually they reached a point in their life (rock bottom) where they gave up everything, looked up to the Lord, cried for help, accepted Him, and got transformed at that instant. True repentance followed.
This was NOT the case for me. I did not reach that place where I give up everything and fall into Jesus' arms. I think that that's the reason why I haven't completely repented. Of course work needs to be done, but (for the above reason) I was wondering if my acceptance of Christ was genuine or not.

I don't think there's a giant transformation right at the moment of acceptance for everyone. Some of us struggle more with ourselves and realizing that we are in need of a savior.

If you believe with all your heart in Jesus Christ, and you follow His will, then it's genuine. If you halfheartedly believe, then you need to look inside yourself and figure out what's preventing you and why.

A relationship with Christ requires constant effort. You must be willing to be honest, and to consistently strive for more knowledge. Read your bible, pray, converse with others, and grow in your faith. But it sounds like you already realize that it requires work.