What does it mean to BELIEVE IN JESUS?
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yes that is the asymmetrical part that Calvinists find it hard to accept so they believe in irresistible grace
There are genuine believers and there are make believers who actually consider themselves to be believers. Such people can and have fallen away from their former profession of faith that was not consummated, resulting in salvation, but was spurious. I've had conversations with multiple people over the years who have claimed to at one time been Christians, but no longer are Christians. When I interviewed them and asked them how they became a Christian in the first place, none of them had a satisfactory answer.
"make believers who actually consider themselves to be believers."
How can someone consider themselves believers?
Even when you stop believing, Jesus remains faithful. Once you're in the body of Christ, you are sealed by His Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. It's a future redemption. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that this will happen no matter how far away we may stray.
I've had numerous conversations with people over the years who have stated "they are believers," "they are Christians," yet turn out to be make believers, "nominal" Christians. Such people have even stated they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that His death, burial and resurrection "happened," yet these people ended up demonstrating that they were NOT trusting in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of their salvation, but were instead trusting in works for salvation. Just look at all the false religions and cults in the world that "claim" to be Christian. This should not come as a shock to you.
Again using the model Paul used in Romans 5:12-19, if the first Adam's free gift of sinful nature was so powerful that no one can just give the gift back to Satan, how much more...
You get the point?
I have a friend who is saved, born again, and he stopped believing in Jesus. A close family member was killed and it devastated him. He blamed God. He stopped believing what the Bible said and turned agnostic. Is he saved? I believe he is.
I've seen the best "Christians" fold up at the last minute hating God because they developed cancer after a life spent serving him. Others doing similar when "good" loved ones pass away from terminal illnesses. Jesus says every plant his Father has not planted shall be rooted up.
Oh yah I saw your a calvinist so I'll make this short. I do not believe the TULIP to be true. So we will disagree. Thanks.
So when uou believe. GOD will forced that gift to you even you do not like it anymore?
If you trust in free will to save you it cannot. If you trust in Christ to save you, he will. But unless he first saves you, you cannot trust in the right Christ among many.