Ummmm
Re-read what I said..
Especially the parts about permissible but not beneficial...
HOW CAN I BE 100% SURE THAT I WILL GO TO HEAVEN WHEN I DIE?
- Thread starter seymourclear
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Re-read what I said..
Especially the parts about permissible but not beneficial...
I believe in God whole heartedly and know for a fact that He sent his Son to die for our sins and then rose again 3 days later, and I read bits of the Bible every single day. But aside from the sins that I struggle with over coming there's other ways in which I feel that I'm letting God down as well, like forgetting to pray some days, and not having the motivation to go to church, and not actively spreading the good news like how alot of street preachers do.
It's verses like 2Timothy 2:19 which states that: "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness" that I feel convicted by.
Because if I can't give up basic sins like swearing (only because its become a natural part of my vocabulary now that I'm 40 something) then surely God will turn me away at the gates of heaven regardless of my belief in Jesus won't he? Especially if my last words are "s*** I'm dieing" for instance.
The other thing that I feel convicted by is that jesus explicitly commanded us (his followers) in Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19 & Luke 24:47 to "go into the whole world and preach the the gospel & repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all creation, and to make disciples of all nations." This final directive is known as The Great Commission apparently.
So I always wonder whether God will condemn us to hell for things like forgetting to pray some times (especially giving thanks before meals) or not actively spreading the good news as he has told us to.
What you said in your OP was "I try to live as righteous a life as possible since being baptised and try to live a sinless life. But I still have problems with things like swearing and smoking mainly. I wish God would speak to me directly so I know where I'm at spiritually because if theres no hope in making it to heaven then I may as well just live recklessly right?
Those who are heirs of all things with Christ are those who love God because they believe and acknowledge that He has first loved us, which He has proven by giving Himself for us even when we were rebels against Him and His command to love one another. And those who truly believe this will focus on loving others out of God’s love for us and our love for God. Your OP was all about your concern about you.
We are transformed by gazing at and studying Jesus, not ourselves. Read the gospels. Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the express image of God's person. He loved everyone He lived among and served them all and called them all and died for them all, even though he knew they would kill Him. So, He definitely loves you, despite your swearing and drinking. But unless you respond to His love and service of you by loving Him back and serving Him back and loving and serving others out of love for Him, you will not know any assurance that you belong to Him. We are assured that we have passed from death to life when we are loving others. A person who lives “recklessly" (I resume you mean in sin) would not be loving others.
1Jo 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1Jo 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1Jo 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1Jo 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1Jo 3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
Did it ever occur to you that your honest, searching questions might themselves be the clearest evidence of the Spirit’s work in you? A heart that wants the truth, examines itself, worries about sin, and refuses to settle for empty religion is not the heart of someone abandoned by God. It is the heart of someone being drawn, taught, and awakened. The very fact that you care about where you stand with God may be the sign you’ve been looking for.
Tobacco was unknown in the Middle East, Europe and Asia until sometime after the Americas were discovered, so smoking should not appear in the Bible. As to whether or not it is a sin, I would suggest that the answer lies in degree, rather than something else. Paul urges Timothy to drink wine, Jesus transformed water into wine and there are other positive references to wine in the Bible. But it also warns against being a drunkard, so some alcohol consumption is acceptable but don't go overboard with it. I suspect the same would be true of tobacco use.
But again, we are saved by grace, not works. The actions that God wants from each individual after conversion vary and God will let each individual know what He wants from them, if we listen.
hey Seymour, first welcome to C.C.
God does speak to you through the bible, just do as he asks. All you need to know Jesus spoke about what to do to get to heaven, just listen to him. and no, you cant live recklessly.
study John 3:5, 1st John 5:10 & 13. John 3:5: you said you were baptized but didn't say if you are a born again Christian. if you are not born again, become a born again Christian immediately! John 3:5 teaches us that we MUST BE BORN AGAIN to get to heaven!!! 1st John 5:10 teaches us that he that believeth in the Son hath the witness in himself. the witness is the Holy Spirit, also called the comforter & teacher. the H.S. is the only person, place or thing that reveals the truth of God, Jesus & the H.S. & the Bible. you are correct in trying the best you can be with removing sin in your life. the born again life is a constantly improving life, correcting faults, removing sin as much as possible, growing in grace of our Lord & savior, Jesus Christ & all manner of edification. the devil knows your weakness so you should learn that & not forget it. stop playing the negative failing game. wake up to Jesus!!!!!!!!!! get moving before the devil moves you permanently in the gutter!!!!
then why does scripture say we must live the righteously?
1 Jn 1:6-7
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Lk 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
thks
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 8:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
2 Corinthians 13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.
1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
A person will know if they are saved if they examine themselves.
Do they have the power to be Christlike.
A person will know if they are led of the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity..
1 Corinthians 13:5 thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1 Timothy 2:19 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.
Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
2 Timothy 2:19 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.
If a person does not hate sin, and does not want to abstain from sin the Spirit will not lead them.
A person will know if they are saved if they are honest with themselves and believe the truth to allow the Spirit to lead them to be Christlike.
They will know if they want to be Christlike.
And there is no excuse for a Spirit led person will not fulfill the lust of the flesh and God will give them an excape from temptation.
2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
But millions of people live in sin and do not want to be Christlike but they believe they are saved so it is hard to reach them and preach that affecting millions from the truth.
God said turn away from them for their hypocrisy.
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2 Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2 Peter 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
If a person believes they have to be Christlike to be right with God they have a fighting chance.
But even some of them that did accept the truth get caught in their sins because they died before repenting even though they did believe the truth they have to be Christlike.
Or they stopped believing the truth.
Thank you for your desire to seek answers from the Bible.
Everyone has sins until they leave their body behind. The sin nature is in the flesh. That flesh doesn't change through turning from sins, commitments, witnessing, church attendance or any other good works.
Good works don't pay for sins or out weight wrongdoings.
5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us....
Titus 3
The confusion occurs today just as it did when Christ rebuked the Pharisees. The preachers of that time taught a false gospel that included:
A. Special favor with God due to their physical lineage from Abraham. There are preachers today that say that too.
Jesus and John the Baptist rebuked them on this point.
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Matthew 3
The fact was that Jesus Himself was the seed (singular) of Abraham. Rather than recognizing the Christ, seed of Abraham, they put faith in themselves as a special group through geneologies.
B. They also taught that keeping the law, (another way to say "Repent Of Your sins"), was the means of salvation.
The word Repent does not contain any prefix, suffix nor root for sins. The Lord Himself was the first to repent in the Bible.
Genesis 6
6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth.
The word Repent/repentance usually means a change of mind.
God changed His mind that he had made man, so He destroyed the Earth with the flood.
Please notice how the issue with the Pharisees was their mind or beliefs.
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
They needed to consider that Jesus was the One Who was the Lamb ,(fulfillment and picture of the sacrifices), and put their trust in Him alone. To add works like giving up bad habits, strating a new resolution, turning from sin to obedience to the hundreds of laws, is to place faith in the wrong person....self.
That person we see in the mirror in the morning is a sinner.
That sinner needs to look to Jesus by faith, trusting Him alone.
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Ephesians 2
The word faith is the noun.
Believe is the verb. That is the only action that counts towards salvation from Hell.
It is not a work.
For more on the topic of "what about when I sin(?)", please listen to the following short explanation from God's Word.
It's simpler than it seems.
What about how good or bad?<
I kind of get what your saying but I've still got no reassurances because sin is sin so it's mostly all considered the same to God. And the Bible makes it clear that no-one is guaranteed a place in heaven because "many are called but only few are chosen" and "small is the gate that leads to life" and "many will try to enter and will not be able to."
And no-one told me or gave me the idea btw. It's just the thought that I had yesterday that all my devotion could ultimately come to nothing still. Like a university graduate with many degrees but still ends up unemployable and homeless for instance.
Trust in the shed blood of Jesus for your salvation and not your attempts to live righteously.
What has God done for those who call on Him?
John 17:1-12—
Jesus said these things, then lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him. This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do. Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
“I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word. Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, for the words which you have given me I have given to them; and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. I have kept those whom you have given me. None of them is lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
Who is the son of destruction?
2 Thesselonians 2:3—
Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
How faithful is God to fulfilling his promise to you?
2 Timothy 2:11—
This saying is trustworthy:
“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 can’t deny himself.”
What have you done to qualify yourself as a heir to the heavenly kingdom?
John 3:14—
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God.”
If you loved the darkness, you would hate the light. But now that you are open about your issue, you're coming to the light.
What is faith?
John 1:30—
Jesus answered him, “Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!”
Jesus is there with you presently, like if another person was there. If you're concerned about your salvation, ask Him, and He'll assure you otherwise. If you need time to understand how you are saved, let Him guide you. But don't doubt the very word that establishes faith when it's for your good, even if you don't feel worthy of good.
John 17:1-12—
Jesus said these things, then lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you; even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him. This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do. Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
“I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word. Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you, for the words which you have given me I have given to them; and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. I have kept those whom you have given me. None of them is lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
Who is the son of destruction?
2 Thesselonians 2:3—
Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.
How faithful is God to fulfilling his promise to you?
2 Timothy 2:11—
This saying is trustworthy:
“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 can’t deny himself.”
What have you done to qualify yourself as a heir to the heavenly kingdom?
John 3:14—
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only born Son of God.”
If you loved the darkness, you would hate the light. But now that you are open about your issue, you're coming to the light.
What is faith?
John 1:30—
Jesus answered him, “Because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these!”
Jesus is there with you presently, like if another person was there. If you're concerned about your salvation, ask Him, and He'll assure you otherwise. If you need time to understand how you are saved, let Him guide you. But don't doubt the very word that establishes faith when it's for your good, even if you don't feel worthy of good.
Righteous living is the result of being born again. It is possible to be saved and yet live in gross sin. It is obviously no acceptable, but that is not the issue. For example, Paul rebuked the Corinthians for tolerating someone sleeping with his father's wife. It is probable that it was his stepmother. Even the gentiles disapproved. Such sin brings the church into disrepute. As an aside, it's a shame that more churches fail to discipline those who commit gross sin.
And that is the way believers should be treated. The man repented and was restored to fellowship. That is the intent, so as to protect the church and to convict God's people of unacceptable behaviour.
We can only live righteously as we allow Lord Jesus to live in us and through us. That is a choice that we make.
Yes, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, as long as we walk in the light. Cleansing is required because we still can sin. Anyone who thinks that they quit sinning the moment they are saved is kidding themselves.
Believers need to start from the right premise. We are already righteous and holy in Christ. We are already forgiven. We are new creations, crucified with Christ and raised from the dead with Him. We are partakers of the divine nature. Heaven is our home, not our destination. We then need to live in the light of the great salvation that Lord Jesus bought for us with His life.
Too many Christians act as if they have to achieve righteousness and holiness by self effort. Some of us learn that there is no power in self to live the life that pleases God. Paul recounts his battle in Romans 7. The answer is not to try harder or go through religious gymnastics to force self to comply to God's demands. The answer is Christ.
Paul starts off the letter to the Ephesians telling them the wonderful truths of what God has done for us in Christ. Only then does he tell us how that should inform how we live. If all we do is try to follow Paul's instructions apart from Christ, we will fail.
How many believers can truly love their enemies? It is impossible - for us apart from Christ. Jesus died for those who put Him to death. There is no greater love. What would prefer? To love with the love of Jesus or grit your teeth and try to love that neighbour who hates you?
And that is the way believers should be treated. The man repented and was restored to fellowship. That is the intent, so as to protect the church and to convict God's people of unacceptable behaviour.
We can only live righteously as we allow Lord Jesus to live in us and through us. That is a choice that we make.
Yes, the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin, as long as we walk in the light. Cleansing is required because we still can sin. Anyone who thinks that they quit sinning the moment they are saved is kidding themselves.
Believers need to start from the right premise. We are already righteous and holy in Christ. We are already forgiven. We are new creations, crucified with Christ and raised from the dead with Him. We are partakers of the divine nature. Heaven is our home, not our destination. We then need to live in the light of the great salvation that Lord Jesus bought for us with His life.
Too many Christians act as if they have to achieve righteousness and holiness by self effort. Some of us learn that there is no power in self to live the life that pleases God. Paul recounts his battle in Romans 7. The answer is not to try harder or go through religious gymnastics to force self to comply to God's demands. The answer is Christ.
Paul starts off the letter to the Ephesians telling them the wonderful truths of what God has done for us in Christ. Only then does he tell us how that should inform how we live. If all we do is try to follow Paul's instructions apart from Christ, we will fail.
How many believers can truly love their enemies? It is impossible - for us apart from Christ. Jesus died for those who put Him to death. There is no greater love. What would prefer? To love with the love of Jesus or grit your teeth and try to love that neighbour who hates you?
Because a person needs assurances doesn't necessarily mean that they're self centered or loveless.
For example: When two people take their wedding vows and promise to be together through sickness and health and be faithful and love one another forever. Are those assurances self centered or loveless? Not at all.
In the same way I've given assurance of my allegiance to Jesus and declared my love for him while promising to have faith in him for all eternity. So I would just like His assurance that I am a true child of God. I know He doesn't owe me that because He gave me life and died for my sins but I just really want him to send the Holy Spirit to live inside me so I can feel His presence in my life all the time.
Depends whether your trusting in Jesus for your salvation or your relying on your own attempt at righteousness.
You are in the same boat that nearly everyone else is in.
Who saves you?
Wow that's pretty powerful. I never really thought about like that. And it's reminding me of the Book of Job and all the questions he had to his friends and wondering why his whole world was falling apart but throughout it all he remained faithful until God finally spoke to him giving him reassurance that he will be restored everything and much more and reminding him that this life is just a shadow of what's to come. Thank you for your insight. That's very inspiring and encouraging. May God bless you.
I just wanna add that I'm literally overflowing with love for all humanity even people that have nearly ruined me completely, so when I say I should just live recklessly, I don't mean that I wouldn't be loving towards others. What I mean is to live in a self destructive and self loathing manner by sinning against myself through a sense of worthlessness as I did up until 2 years ago.
