Are you certain of going to heaven when you die ?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
May 22, 2020
2,382
358
83
#61
I just worked you out, I think we would all agree you are saved, but there is something skew whiff with you. You seem to doubt others are saved. This is what has caused a little wrinkle in my brow.

But I've got it.

You are trusting doctrines to be saved, correctitude of doctrine is what decides someone's salvation in your mind.

That is wrong

Jesus saves, all who call upon Him to be saved and believe on Him to be saved will be saved. Personally He comes and saves us, He lifts us up and fixes us up.

You can learn the doctrines later. ... some folks never do learn them aright.


You have ...saved...out of context.
If you are living you have not experienced God's judgement yet and He is the one who declares...saved. I doubt He is happy when we preempt His authority.
On this earth we are ...born again...if we have repented, been baptized and are living a righteous life and maintain until the end.
 

Evmur

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2021
5,219
2,618
113
London
christianchat.com
#62
You have ...saved...out of context.
If you are living you have not experienced God's judgement yet and He is the one who declares...saved. I doubt He is happy when we preempt His authority.
On this earth we are ...born again...if we have repented, been baptized and are living a righteous life and maintain until the end.
Then the Apostles must have incurred much ire from God, they were always bragging that they were saved.

If you have not earned salvation yet what are you going to do in your remaining years to earn it? since you believe that salvation is to be earned. If it is a free gift as the bible says then you can receive it today. Then you can start showing others how they can be saved.
 
May 22, 2020
2,382
358
83
#63
Then the Apostles must have incurred much ire from God, they were always bragging that they were saved.

If you have not earned salvation yet what are you going to do in your remaining years to earn it? since you believe that salvation is to be earned. If it is a free gift as the bible says then you can receive it today. Then you can start showing others how they can be saved.

First ...we don't earn our salvation. Where did you get that ?
We qualify for God's grace ...not earn it. I pray daily that I am able...to be judged as righteous.

We must qualify for God's grace. Living more righteous....doing more of God's work.....etc.
I believe God wants us to show Him that we are improving our righteous standard...daily. Remember Job?....God said Job was a perfect servant...not a perfect person.

Sound good?.
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
113
#65
No, Paul knew he could NOT lose his salvation. His sin greatly grieved him like any believer that falls into sin but, never did he believe he could lose his salvation.

Christ and Christ ALONE gets ALL the glory, praise and honor for each Believer's salvation, amen.:love:(y)
1 Cor 4:3-5, Paul says that he doesn't even judge himself saved — only God knows the heart, and so, this judgment is reserved for Him alone: "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart". And then again, he says, "Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast — unless you believed in vain" (1 Cor 15:1-2).
And in 1 Cor 9:27, he adds, "but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified"(1 Cor 9:27). Similarly, in Phillipians 2:1-2, he repeats, "that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own". Without doubt, Paul teaches that a believer can loose his salvation, even considering his own salvation not assured!

The Book of Hebrews issues warnings that salvation can be lost.

Hebrews 6:4-6

New International Version



4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[a] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
113
#66
And don't forget Jesus' parable in the book of Matthew, The Sower and the Seed. Many will joyfully receive the word into their hearts, but the ways of the world will choke them and they will lose their faith and salvation. Jesus warned us of this.
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
113
#67
Jesus alone will judge each one of us as to whether we have been saved. If you are judging yourself as being saved, big mistake. However, if we do follow Jesus' teachings faithfully, we can have trust and hope in Him that He will save us. For those who think that their salvation is guaranteed, no matter what they do or don't do, good luck with that.
 

Evmur

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2021
5,219
2,618
113
London
christianchat.com
#68
First ...we don't earn our salvation. Where did you get that ?
We qualify for God's grace ...not earn it. I pray daily that I am able...to be judged as righteous.

We must qualify for God's grace. Living more righteous....doing more of God's work.....etc.
I believe God wants us to show Him that we are improving our righteous standard...daily. Remember Job?....God said Job was a perfect servant...not a perfect person.

Sound good?.
What a jumble of contradiction ... you don't earn salvation but you must live more righteous, do more good works ...

Jesus Christ is God's standard, He will accept no lower standard whatever. When we receive Christ we receive His righteousness ... if you will not receive Christ you have no hope.

The only basis for salvation is to receive it as a free gift. not sacramentally but actually. When we receive Christ He becomes our righteousness.
 
Dec 17, 2021
34
27
18
#69
What a jumble of contradiction ... you don't earn salvation but you must live more righteous, do more good works ...

Jesus Christ is God's standard, He will accept no lower standard whatever. When we receive Christ we receive His righteousness ... if you will not receive Christ you have no hope.

The only basis for salvation is to receive it as a free gift. not sacramentally but actually. When we receive Christ He becomes our righteousness.
I agree that we receive Jesus’ righteousness when we turn from and repent of our sins and accept Jesus as Lord and savior. God no longer sees our own filth and sin upon us but He sees Jesus’ righteousness. I also agree that Jesus is the perfect standard that God will accept, and He will accept nothing less, which is why we need to accept Christ as Lord and Savior so God will count Jesus’ righteousness as our own. I also agree that the only basis for salvation is to receive it as a free gift by the grace of God.

I would word what you said about good works a bit differently though. When we accept Christ, we must turn from our sin and and resist temptation the best we can. Because we are imperfect and fall short, we will still sin sometimes, so we will have to continue to repent and ask for forgiveness for the rest of our time in this fallen world. Some of us already do what would be considered good works before we are saved, but we weren’t doing them for the right reason. We do good works not because we have to or because we are commanded to, we do it because it is outpouring of the overflowing love we receive from The Holy Spirit (God) Who dwells within us. If we do good works for praise from men or God, they do not count. In Matt. 25:31-46, Jesus tells the sheep that they did good works unto him when they helped those in need, but they did not remember doing it. That is because they did it out of overflowing love, and did not remember doing it because they did not do it for praise.
 
Dec 17, 2021
34
27
18
#71
Jesus alone will judge each one of us as to whether we have been saved. If you are judging yourself as being saved, big mistake. However, if we do follow Jesus' teachings faithfully, we can have trust and hope in Him that He will save us. For those who think that their salvation is guaranteed, no matter what they do or don't do, good luck with that.

*Disclaimer: Any words in all capital letters in my post are not me yelling or angry, I’m just trying to emphasize the word.




I think I may be misunderstanding what you are saying, and I’m a little confused.

As I understand what you said……First you say we can not judge for ourselves if we are saved or not, but then you say people can have trust and hope in Jesus that He will save us ( Does this mean you think we CAN know/judge if we have salvation or not?) But then you say for those who think their salvation is guaranteed no matter what, “good luck with that”.

It seems to me like you are going back and forth and are not certain on your stance. As I said, I could be wrong and just misunderstanding what you are saying.





Here are my thoughts on the matter, and a few of the many Bible verses that have helped me come to my conclusion over the past few years:

I think The Bible, even Jesus Himself, clearly said that we can know if we are saved or not/if we will go to heaven or not in many passages. There are two things we must do: 1.Have faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior and 2.turn from, repent of our sins, and ask for forgiveness when we first turn to Christ and for the rest of our time in this fallen world. When we do these things TRULY, and are faithful to Jesus in our heart, we will be baptized of and receive The Holy Spirit, and can know for certain that we have salvation/eternal life (that we will go to heaven).

Those who TRULY love and have faith in Jesus can NOT go on DELIBERATELY sinning, but because we are still imperfect and in the flesh, we WILL sin. This will not be counted against us if we don’t mean to or don’t realize we have sinned, or if we are too weak to resist temptation (An example is getting angry and losing our temper with someone in the heat of the moment). When we realize we have sinned, we repent and ask for forgiveness. Many people also have certain sins they struggle with and fight their hardest to resist temptation, and they beg God for the strength to overcome the sin, and they constantly repent and ask for forgiveness. (An example is an addiction of some kind before God delivers a person from it). This does not mean they are not saved because it is not a DELIBERATE sin.

The Holy Spirit within true believers also helps to guide us and will convict us of sin that we are tempted to do, or sin we committed (not deliberately/willfully). It’s a deep feeling of guilt before or after doing (and sometimes during) the sin that will not go away until we repent and ask for forgiveness. And even after, sometimes people continue to feel dirty and guilty for their sin because of their deep love for God, even though they are forgiven.

A DELIBERATE sin is when a person does something, and continues to do something, that they know in their heart is against God’s law and offends God, and they may have even been warned it is a sin and rebuked, but they don’t care and they do it anyway (Ex: Sex outside of marriage both heterosexual and homosexual). They may even feel guilty about it before, during and after, but continue reveling in/enjoying the sin, and make it part of their sinful lifestyle. Those who do this are NOT saved and do NOT have assurance of salvation. Those who deliberately sin and live a sinful lifestyle, even though they claim to believe in Christ, do NOT have salvation or assurance of salvation. As Hebrews 10 says, when people deliberately sin and live a sinful lifestyle and enjoy it, but claim to have faith in and be saved by Jesus, they are trampling on Jesus’ sacrifice for us. They do not have salvation, but instead judgment and punishment awaits them. In addition, these kind of people do NOT have The Holy Spirit of God dwelling within them, because if they did they would not be able to willfully/deliberately sin and live a sinful lifestyle and enjoy and revel in it.



Again, I may have misunderstood/confused what you were saying, and I may have even said what you were saying in a more detailed manner. I‘m not trying to attack or correct you, I’m just trying to find clarification on what you are saying and share what I believe according to scripture.



Here are a few of the verses that I referred to:

JOHN 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

JOHN 3:34-36 “For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

ROMANS 10:9-13 “….because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””

ROMANS 8:1-8 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,[c] he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

HEBREWS 10:26-31 “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
 
Dec 17, 2021
34
27
18
#72
LOL. I do love a bit of fishing.
The second death is not something we, as followers of Christ filled with The Holy Spirit, should take lightly or make a joke about.

Jesus never spoke lightly or made jokes about the second death (lake of FIRE, not fish!) and neither should we as His faithful followers. The second death (hell/lake of fire) was and still is something that Jesus is very serious about.

I‘m feeling very concerned for you and where you will spend eternity. Like our Father in heaven, I do not want to see any perish, but I want everyone to receive everlasting life in God’s Kingdom with Jesus and fellow believers.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,655
17,111
113
69
Tennessee
#74
I‘m feeling very concerned for you and where you will spend eternity. Like our Father in heaven, I do not want to see any perish, but I want everyone to receive everlasting life in God’s Kingdom with Jesus and fellow believers.
I want this too for everyone.
 
Jul 23, 2018
12,199
2,775
113
#75
John was not written to you or I. The audience at that time was Israel.

Rom 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
They were to accept their Messiah. But as you read on further into Paul's writings, Israel rejected Christ and so because of their unbelief, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

Rom 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

Now that things have changed you need to believe in Paul's gospel to be saved; 1 Corinthians 15: 3,4.
Blatantly false.
" God so loved THE WORLD....that WHOSOEVER......."

REREAD IT

You were lied to
 
May 22, 2020
2,382
358
83
#76
What a jumble of contradiction ... you don't earn salvation but you must live more righteous, do more good works ...

Jesus Christ is God's standard, He will accept no lower standard whatever. When we receive Christ we receive His righteousness ... if you will not receive Christ you have no hope.

The only basis for salvation is to receive it as a free gift. not sacramentally but actually. When we receive Christ He becomes our righteousness.

You make no sense.
Suggest u study scriptures a little more. I suggest.... I Cor....and be aware of what Paul said.
 
Dec 17, 2021
34
27
18
#77
How is asking Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour going to save you. You need to obey the gospel to be saved according to the scriptures.

2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Unfortunately you are not trusting the gospel given to Paul by Christ.
I am not here to listen to opinions. I tell people the gospel. That Christ died for their sins... If I did not love people I would NOT tell them. I want you to be saved too.

You are miles off the target. You cannot see the light of the gospel I am giving you. It is the gospel of Christ. Stop arguing.

I have read through the entire thread up to #74. I’ve read everything you have said to this point, and I find it very confusing and concerning.

You keep saying that you are here to share the gospel and that many people are not following the gospel you are sharing. You also insist the gospel you share is the correct gospel.

Can you clearly explain in detail what the gospel you are trying to share with us is? According to your gospel, how can one obtain salvation? What does the word “gospel” mean according to you? Can you please quote scripture in context of the whole Bible to support the gospel you are sharing with us?

Also, on your profile, your spiritual status is “not Christian”. I saw where you said that we are not called to be Christians earlier in the thread. How do you define the term “Christian”? And can you explain in detail why you aren’t a “Christian“? Can you please use scripture to support this as well?


I have a few more questions for you:
1. Are you saved?
2. How are you saved, and by Who?
3. When were you saved, if you are saved?
4. If you aren’t saved, can you explain why you aren’t saved?
5. Do you trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
6. Do you believe in The Triune God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
7. Have you read the entire Bible?
8. What is your denomination?
9. Do you study The Bible on a daily basis?


I also want to let you know that if you have any questions or are confused about anything in God’s Word, I am here for you in addition to the family/community of CC. There is nothing wrong with having questions or being confused about God or His Word because as created beings, God is beyond our complete understanding.

There is no shame in admitting that you have misunderstood something or are wrong. When I was a new in Christ, I had already read The Bible a few times over my lifetime, but I began to read The Bible again and I had to devote myself to in-depth study to truly understand the basics of His Word and The Good News. I had many misconceptions and misunderstandings about God and His Word as a new, born-again, Christian. To this day, I continue to read, study, and think deeply about His Word daily. To this day I am still constantly learning new things about God and His Word and new ways to apply Hs Word to my own life.

I would be more than happy to study His Word with you (and anybody else who asks) and to figure out answers to important questions together. I will continue to keep you in my prayers because I truly am concerned about your eternal well-being!
 

Attachments

DLM

Member
Dec 28, 2021
101
20
18
#78
Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
 

Hann57

Junior Member
Jan 2, 2018
270
57
28
#79
I don't need to ask . How can you believe in a man made gospel. Obviously you don't take heed to what the scriptures says regarding the gospel. You have been warned,
The New Earth was never promised to you or me. It is for the Kingdom Gospel Saints
I have read through the entire thread up to #74. I’ve read everything you have said to this point, and I find it very confusing and concerning.

You keep saying that you are here to share the gospel and that many people are not following the gospel you are sharing. You also insist the gospel you share is the correct gospel.

Can you clearly explain in detail what the gospel you are trying to share with us is? According to your gospel, how can one obtain salvation? What does the word “gospel” mean according to you? Can you please quote scripture in context of the whole Bible to support the gospel you are sharing with us?

Also, on your profile, your spiritual status is “not Christian”. I saw where you said that we are not called to be Christians earlier in the thread. How do you define the term “Christian”? And can you explain in detail why you aren’t a “Christian“? Can you please use scripture to support this as well?


I have a few more questions for you:
1. Are you saved?
2. How are you saved, and by Who?
3. When were you saved, if you are saved?
4. If you aren’t saved, can you explain why you aren’t saved?
5. Do you trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
6. Do you believe in The Triune God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
7. Have you read the entire Bible?
8. What is your denomination?
9. Do you study The Bible on a daily basis?


I also want to let you know that if you have any questions or are confused about anything in God’s Word, I am here for you in addition to the family/community of CC. There is nothing wrong with having questions or being confused about God or His Word because as created beings, God is beyond our complete understanding.

There is no shame in admitting that you have misunderstood something or are wrong. When I was a new in Christ, I had already read The Bible a few times over my lifetime, but I began to read The Bible again and I had to devote myself to in-depth study to truly understand the basics of His Word and The Good News. I had many misconceptions and misunderstandings about God and His Word as a new, born-again, Christian. To this day, I continue to read, study, and think deeply about His Word daily. To this day I am still constantly learning new things about God and His Word and new ways to apply Hs Word to my own life.

I would be more than happy to study His Word with you (and anybody else who asks) and to figure out answers to important questions together. I will continue to keep you in my prayers because I truly am concerned about your eternal well-being!
Wow a ton of questions all at once. I cannot answer. Please ask one question at a time.
 

DLM

Member
Dec 28, 2021
101
20
18
#80
You said "How can you believe in a man made gospel" Please explain.