Are you sure you got saved? Does GOD know that we're Christians?
Many folks answered altar calls but who drew them to the altars? Was it GOD, man, family, friends -- guilt -- but NOT godly sorrow? Truly, all who responded to altar calls aren't saved.
2 Corinthians 7:10 - KJV
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Jesus said these words in John 6:44 - KJV,
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: . . .
2 Timothy 2:19 - KJV
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his, And Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
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Do you understand the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that He rose again -- in the flesh?
I remember when I went to GOD and, in earnest, asked Him to reveal truths to me that I didn't know. I asked Him to expose areas of error and areas of darkness and to reveal MORE truths to me and to others. I asked GOD those things in sincerity and in truth. He assured me that I am His child -- that yes, He drew me . . . He has honored my sincere prayers and since then my love for the Lord has grown deeper, richer and more fulfilling.
Steadfastly living for GOD means transformation, and progressively -- having the mind of Christ -- being conformed to His image. If transformation isn't in formation . . . then folks aren't authentically born again -- or they’ve made choices to displease GOD by NOT steadfastly obeying Him. Certainly, such choices don’t bode well for those who engage in rebellion against the will and ways of GOD because His longsuffering does have expiration dates that ONLY He knows -- and after that -- GOD’s judgments. If you have doubts as to whether you're authentically born again - ask GOD -- in sincerity and in truth, and He'll answer . . .
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Note:
Rick Young submitted comments that struck me so profoundly that I decided to move his comment from the comment section to here. I inserted paragraph breaks for easier reading.
From Rick:
....Aside from the reality that it is merely a modern version of Finney's "anxious bench," it is also depicted in scripture as the 2nd of 4 seeds that are sown in the "Parable of the Sower" in Luke 8:5-8. In this parable the first two seeds never reach true salvation, the second two do.
The FIRST is sown by the wayside. Jesus describes this one as "the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." (verse 12) This represents all of those who allow themselves to be distracted from the truths that God is trying to reveal to them through the "Light of Creation" (Psalms 19:1-3), the "Light of Conscience" (Psalms 8:3-4), and finally, the "Light of Christ" (John 1:1-13). God's wrath is against those who continue to reject what He is trying to show them through this revelation of "Progressive Light," (Romans 1:18-20).
The SECOND is sown on the rock. Jesus describes this one as "those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away," (verse 13). This represents those who make emotional decisions without accepting and/or understanding either their deficiency or the solution for it.
Christianity is the only religion (for lack of a better word) that requires that you make a decision based upon understanding your need, (Romans 3:19-22). Proverbs 2:1-11 exhaustively explains that we are to seek knowledge, wisdom and understanding when making decisions, not emotions.
Emotions can and often are fickle and can never validate truth, and it is truth that makes us free, (John 8:31-32). Because "these" made an emotional decision, they were never rooted and grounded in this truth. Thus when facing "temptations" (Greek "peirazo"- trials) for the Word's sake they "fall away." These, (I see) as exemplified in your modern altar call respondents, some driven by the guilt of Saturday night, Some believing it is only right to tithe this moment to God to make up for the previous week of excluding him in their lives, all of whom are skillfully brought to the apex of an emotional state by the masterful application of an "A Selection" offered by the praise team with a view towards setting the mood so that when the anxious bench call is made, many, blindly driven by emotion with little to no understanding of need, will receive the word "with joy." This is why we often see the same people "getting saved and/or delivered" week after week.
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Note: Below is a link to a Facebook post in a group there. There are some comments posted there relative to this topic.
I don't know how long Facebook keeps posts in their system.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/spiritleaddiscussion/permalink/774889085866393/
Also, here's a link that leads to content relative to two VERY brief YouTube videos that I recorded, titled, "Are You Sure You're Saved?" http://www.missioneagles.blogspot.com/2014/07/are-you-sure-youre-saved.html
Note: On the left side bar of this blog is an archive that has listings of other posts on this blog.
