How do you know that you are saved?

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Chester

Chester

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May 23, 2016
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In I John 5:13 John says that he wrote so that "ye may know that ye have eternal life." I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to on this thread to hear testimonies of how you know that you are saved. ? If you died today, would you go to heaven, and if so, how and why do you know this? If you are still unsure of your eternal salvation, perhaps testimonies written here can be helpful in your journey.
 
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Chester said:
In I John 5:13 John says that he wrote so that "ye may know that ye have eternal life." I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to on this thread to hear testimonies of how you know that you are saved. ? If you died today, would you go to heaven, and if so, how and why do you know this? If you are still unsure of your eternal salvation, perhaps testimonies written here can be helpful in your journey.
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I have confessed with my mouth Jesus is Lord, (God in the flesh) and I believe in my heart He was raised to life on the 3rd day.
 
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Chester said:
In I John 5:13 John says that he wrote so that "ye may know that ye have eternal life." I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to on this thread to hear testimonies of how you know that you are saved. ? If you died today, would you go to heaven, and if so, how and why do you know this? If you are still unsure of your eternal salvation, perhaps testimonies written here can be helpful in your journey.
Click to expand...
Well I find yor question ambiguous. Do you mean to ask how can we assure ourselves, citing whatever scripture we find most comforting, or how can we be as certain as is possible for a flawed, sinful human being such as we are until God perfects us?

I can look throughout scripture can find assurances that can comfort me with their words via traditional understandings, so if I am wrong so are countless others, or I can look at different passages, compare them to what I have personally experienced and recognize that they fit together like a hand in a glove and then rely on both scripture and my own experience and the uncommon experiences of countless others, many of whom tradition claims will not make it.

I prefer the second approach, even as it differs with tradition.
 
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God still shows me heavenly things in my mind despite me having pushd them away, and keeps assuring me I'm saved no matter how I ask.
 
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Chester said:
In I John 5:13 John says that he wrote so that "ye may know that ye have eternal life." I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to on this thread to hear testimonies of how you know that you are saved. ? If you died today, would you go to heaven, and if so, how and why do you know this? If you are still unsure of your eternal salvation, perhaps testimonies written here can be helpful in your journey.
Click to expand...
".....that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

"Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit."

"But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.…"

God's word is your assurance. It is not an intellectual assent to some facts. It is believing in the heart. It is receiving Christ as risen saviour and Lord. Make God's word your authority and you will never doubt.

I struggled with doubt because I trusted my feelings and listened to the devil's lies. Before I was saved, I had no doubt that I was a Christian, is spite of having no idea what that meant. After I was saved, every failure or sin was accompanied by torment. One day, I realised that my salvation was already perfect and complete and had nothing to with me. Lord Jesus said, "It's finished" from the cross. That was nearly 2,000 years ago. I can do nothing to add to salvation and nothing to diminish it. So from that time on, I had no doubts.
 
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Gideon300 said:
".....that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

"Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit."

"But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.…"

God's word is your assurance. It is not an intellectual assent to some facts. It is believing in the heart. It is receiving Christ as risen saviour and Lord. Make God's word your authority and you will never doubt.

I struggled with doubt because I trusted my feelings and listened to the devil's lies. Before I was saved, I had no doubt that I was a Christian, is spite of having no idea what that meant. After I was saved, every failure or sin was accompanied by torment. One day, I realised that my salvation was already perfect and complete and had nothing to with me. Lord Jesus said, "It's finished" from the cross. That was nearly 2,000 years ago. I can do nothing to add to salvation and nothing to diminish it. So from that time on, I had no doubts.​
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Chester said:
In I John 5:13 John says that he wrote so that "ye may know that ye have eternal life." I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to on this thread to hear testimonies of how you know that you are saved. ? If you died today, would you go to heaven, and if so, how and why do you know this? If you are still unsure of your eternal salvation, perhaps testimonies written here can be helpful in your journey.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the answers so far here . . . Different people find assurance in perhaps slightly different ways, but in all cases it is God (through the Holy Spirit) who does the work and who is the "author and finisher of our faith."

For myself, God's grace has done such a deep work in my heart that I absolutely am hanging on to Jesus (believing) in Him, and I praise Him for "for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (II Timothy 1:12)
 
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PennEd said:
I have confessed with my mouth Jesus is Lord, (God in the flesh) and I believe in my heart He was raised to life on the 3rd day.
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That is just one scripture. If that is all it takes why do we have the Bible? God could have given us that in a track. The New Testament has many verses on and about salvation and how to be saved. Romans 10:9-10 is just one of many. God did not put the whole gospel in just one verse and neither did He put the whole plan of salvation in just one verse.

Psalms 119:160 says we are to take the “SUM” of what God says to know the ”truth.” So if we want to know what the Bible says about salvation, we need to look at every scripture that talks about that subject and every Bible example of how people were saved in the New Testament and “put it all together.” See the complete picture.

Start with Romans 10:9-10, believe and confess.
Mark 16:16, Jesus said “believe and be baptized.”
Acts 2:38, When the Jews asked Peter what they must do, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized.”
Acts 22:16 Ananias told Saul to “ Arise, and be baptized…”
1 Peter 3:21, Peter says that “baptism saves us.”
Acts 16:31, Paul told the Jailer to believe to be saved.
Those are all commands found in God’s word. Now put them all together and take the “sum” as the Holy Spirit says to do and you have….
Believe, repent, confess, and be baptized. To the best of my knowledge, this is a faithful account of what God tells you to do to be saved found in the Bible.

When we look at the Bible “examples” of salvation, we don’t see anything different—just people acting out the “commands” that are given in other scriptures.
1) when the eunuch was saved in Acts 8, he believed, confessed and was baptized in water.
2) the Samaritans “believed and were baptized” in Acts 8:12.
3) Simon the Sorcerer believed and was baptized in Acts 8:13.
4) Saul of Tarsus believed and was baptized in Acts 9.
5) Cornelius and his household believed and were baptized in water in Acts 10;48
6) the Jailer believed and was baptized in Acts 16:33.
7) Lydia believed and was baptized in Acts 16:15
8) the Corinthians believing, we’re baptized Acts 18:8.
All Bible examples given by the Holy Spirit on how to be saved, and EXACTLY what Jesus Himself said to do to be saved in Mark 16:16.

Here’s how I KNOW I have been saved:
1) I followed the command in Psalms 119:160 and looked at ALL God said about salvation.
2) then I put it all together and did EVETYTHING that God said to do. I obeyed every command that I found that had to do with Salvation. I believed that Jesus is the Son of God just like the Jews Did on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, I confessed my faith in Him just like the eunuch did in Acts 8, I repented of my sins just like Peter told the Jews to do in Acts 2, and I was baptized for the remission of my sins, washing my sins away just like Saul of Tarsus did and like those 3000 Jews did in Acts 2 and 22:16. In short, I BELIEVED and was BAPTIZED just like Jesus said to do and just like, EVERY person in the New Testament did to be saved; just like the 3000, Saul, the Eunuch, Lydia, the Samaritans, Simon the Sorcerer, Cornelius, The jailer, and the Corinthians.

They did not all do different things. They all DID THE SAME THINGS. Here’s what I know. If God saved them that way, GOd will save ME that way. If I do what they did, I can be assured that I am saved—just like they were saved.

Nowhere did God or the Bible ever teach anyone to say a “sinner’s prayer” to be saved. If you think saying a “sinner’s prayer” will save you, you need to read Matthew 7:21-23.

No where in the Bible ( not even in the book of John) does Jesus or the Holy Spirit ever say you are saved by grace ALONE, through faith ALONE, in Christ ALONE. If you think you are saved by doing that, you need to read James 2:24 and Revelation 22:18-19.

No where in the Bible does it ever teach or say that Holy Spirit baptism SAVES YOU. That was not the purpose of Holy Spirit baptism. Saying that Holy Spirit baptism saves you is based on “ASSUMPTION”, since the Bible does not say so. Most people got the gifts of the Holy Spirit by the apostles laying their hands on them. ( See Acts 8) A MIRACULOUS baptism of the Spirit only happened twice—Acts 2 on the Jews and Acts 10 on the gentiles.

I mention these 3 ways of being saved because they are the most popular with men. But they are commandments of men—not God. Matthew 15:9, “ In vain do they worship me, teaching for DOCTRINE, the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.”

If I am saved the way the BIBLe teaches salvation and if I have done what they did in the New Testament to be saved, then I can know I am saved.
 
Beckworth said:
That is just one scripture. If that is all it takes why do we have the Bible? God could have given us that in a track. The New Testament has many verses on and about salvation and how to be saved. Romans 10:9-10 is just one of many. God did not put the whole gospel in just one verse and neither did He put the whole plan of salvation in just one verse.

Psalms 119:160 says we are to take the “SUM” of what God says to know the ”truth.” So if we want to know what the Bible says about salvation, we need to look at every scripture that talks about that subject and every Bible example of how people were saved in the New Testament and “put it all together.” See the complete picture.

Start with Romans 10:9-10, believe and confess.
Mark 16:16, Jesus said “believe and be baptized.”
Acts 2:38, When the Jews asked Peter what they must do, Peter said, “Repent and be baptized.”
Acts 22:16 Ananias told Saul to “ Arise, and be baptized…”
1 Peter 3:21, Peter says that “baptism saves us.”
Acts 16:31, Paul told the Jailer to believe to be saved.
Those are all commands found in God’s word. Now put them all together and take the “sum” as the Holy Spirit says to do and you have….
Believe, repent, confess, and be baptized. To the best of my knowledge, this is a faithful account of what God tells you to do to be saved found in the Bible.

When we look at the Bible “examples” of salvation, we don’t see anything different—just people acting out the “commands” that are given in other scriptures.
1) when the eunuch was saved in Acts 8, he believed, confessed and was baptized in water.
2) the Samaritans “believed and were baptized” in Acts 8:12.
3) Simon the Sorcerer believed and was baptized in Acts 8:13.
4) Saul of Tarsus believed and was baptized in Acts 9.
5) Cornelius and his household believed and were baptized in water in Acts 10;48
6) the Jailer believed and was baptized in Acts 16:33.
7) Lydia believed and was baptized in Acts 16:15
8) the Corinthians believing, we’re baptized Acts 18:8.
All Bible examples given by the Holy Spirit on how to be saved, and EXACTLY what Jesus Himself said to do to be saved in Mark 16:16.

Here’s how I KNOW I have been saved:
1) I followed the command in Psalms 119:160 and looked at ALL God said about salvation.
2) then I put it all together and did EVETYTHING that God said to do. I obeyed every command that I found that had to do with Salvation. I believed that Jesus is the Son of God just like the Jews Did on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, I confessed my faith in Him just like the eunuch did in Acts 8, I repented of my sins just like Peter told the Jews to do in Acts 2, and I was baptized for the remission of my sins, washing my sins away just like Saul of Tarsus did and like those 3000 Jews did in Acts 2 and 22:16. In short, I BELIEVED and was BAPTIZED just like Jesus said to do and just like, EVERY person in the New Testament did to be saved; just like the 3000, Saul, the Eunuch, Lydia, the Samaritans, Simon the Sorcerer, Cornelius, The jailer, and the Corinthians.

They did not all do different things. They all DID THE SAME THINGS. Here’s what I know. If God saved them that way, GOd will save ME that way. If I do what they did, I can be assured that I am saved—just like they were saved.

Nowhere did God or the Bible ever teach anyone to say a “sinner’s prayer” to be saved. If you think saying a “sinner’s prayer” will save you, you need to read Matthew 7:21-23.

No where in the Bible ( not even in the book of John) does Jesus or the Holy Spirit ever say you are saved by grace ALONE, through faith ALONE, in Christ ALONE. If you think you are saved by doing that, you need to read James 2:24 and Revelation 22:18-19.

No where in the Bible does it ever teach or say that Holy Spirit baptism SAVES YOU. That was not the purpose of Holy Spirit baptism. Saying that Holy Spirit baptism saves you is based on “ASSUMPTION”, since the Bible does not say so. Most people got the gifts of the Holy Spirit by the apostles laying their hands on them. ( See Acts 8) A MIRACULOUS baptism of the Spirit only happened twice—Acts 2 on the Jews and Acts 10 on the gentiles.

I mention these 3 ways of being saved because they are the most popular with men. But they are commandments of men—not God. Matthew 15:9, “ In vain do they worship me, teaching for DOCTRINE, the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.”

If I am saved the way the BIBLe teaches salvation and if I have done what they did in the New Testament to be saved, then I can know I am saved.
Click to expand...
If a prisoner beleives and dies in prison without undergoing all of that, and confesses and does His best to testify the Gospel while he's there, and dies before ever getting out of prison, but had a good heart toward the Lord, and set his Hope on the Cross, is he not saved?

Why would God destory a vessel He's kept the Holy Spirit in? Please explain elaborately how God would reason to destroy someone who's had a litle knowledge and confessed and kept the Faith in His word, over some physical laying on hands and some physical water?

His word is Truth. In His law, the sin of the people had to be atoned for continually, even the sin of the high preist. What about his word, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice"? The ark of the Covenant had a mercy seat, which God would appear above and in between the two cherubs, where He speaks from.
 
Chester said:
In I John 5:13 John says that he wrote so that "ye may know that ye have eternal life." I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to on this thread to hear testimonies of how you know that you are saved. ? If you died today, would you go to heaven, and if so, how and why do you know this? If you are still unsure of your eternal salvation, perhaps testimonies written here can be helpful in your journey.
Click to expand...
I that question the same way Scripture answers it — not by looking inward at my emotions or performance, but by looking outward at God’s promises and Christ’s finished work.
The Bible never grounds assurance in how you feel on a given day; it grounds assurance in what God has said and what Christ has done. Jesus promises that the one who believes has eternal life,
Paul says we are justified by Christ’s blood,
and John writes so that believers may know they have eternal life.
So the confidence of salvation comes from the reliability of God, not the instability of human experience.
You know you are saved because God keeps His word, Christ finished the work, and Scripture declares the result — and none of that depends on human fallibility or fluctuating feelings,
 
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I follow God and do my best to upkeep his commands because I love Him and have repented for my sins. He is Lord over my life completely.
 
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Chester said:
In I John 5:13 John says that he wrote so that "ye may know that ye have eternal life." I thought it would be helpful and inspirational to on this thread to hear testimonies of how you know that you are saved. ? If you died today, would you go to heaven, and if so, how and why do you know this? If you are still unsure of your eternal salvation, perhaps testimonies written here can be helpful in your journey.
Click to expand...

You can be 100 percent sure you go to heaven when you die..

1 admit you are a sinner, needing deliverance

2 know that Jesus died for your sin

3 believe He is God, that He can forgive you

4 ask for salvation from Him
 
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wattie said:
You can be 100 percent sure you go to heaven when you die..

1 admit you are a sinner, needing deliverance

2 know that Jesus died for your sin

3 believe He is God, that He can forgive you

4 ask for salvation from Him
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Amen! And then believing in Him brings the power and life of living by the Holy Spirit! Eternal life is knowing and living in the fullness of Jesus Christ and then being with Him forever in heaven.
 
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Ceph said:
If a prisoner beleives and dies in prison without undergoing all of that, and confesses and does His best to testify the Gospel while he's there, and dies before ever getting out of prison, but had a good heart toward the Lord, and set his Hope on the Cross, is he not saved?

Why would God destory a vessel He's kept the Holy Spirit in? Please explain elaborately how God would reason to destroy someone who's had a litle knowledge and confessed and kept the Faith in His word, over some physical laying on hands and some physical water?

His word is Truth. In His law, the sin of the people had to be atoned for continually, even the sin of the high preist. What about his word, "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice"? The ark of the Covenant had a mercy seat, which God would appear above and in between the two cherubs, where He speaks from.
Click to expand...
Yes, there are many such “what if” , hypothetical, scenarios: “what if” a man believes and repents on his deathbed but can’t be baptized? Willl he be saved? “What if” a man is on his way to be baptized and a tree falls on him and kills him, will he go to hell? Your made up story is “what if” a prisoner believes but dies in prison. Same hypothetical story, just different settings. Thankfully, I don’t have to decide whether such people will be saved or lost.

Jesus answers that question for us for all time.
John 21:21-23. There was a r humor that Jesus was going to let John live and not die. Peter asked Jesus, “What about this man?” The same question you are asking me—“what about this man (in prison).” What does Jesus say? “ IF I WILL THAT HE LIVES UNTIL I COME, WHAT IS THAT TO YOU? Jesus is saying, “that’s not any of YOUR business; that’s “My” business. Jesus is saying, you don’t have to worry about it. I will take care of John. Notice He did not say what would happen to John; He just said, that’s my business and I’ll take care of it. So that is my answer to you about your imaginary prisoner. That’s not my business and neither is it yours. I can’t say the man will be lost and you can’t say the man will be saved. We’ll just have to let Jesus decide. After all, that’s HIS business.

But I can go to the Bible and see if God’s word has anything to say that might give us a clue. I can read about a DEVOUT man in Acts. I know he was a devout man because the Holy Spirit calls him that. The Spirit also describes him as being God -fearing—a BELIEVER. He says this man prayed to God ALWAYS and generously gave money to the needy. Most people would say this man was saved. But he was Not. God sent Peter to him to tell him what he MUST DO! Acts 10:2, 6. In spite of his goodness there were still things he had to do. Thankfully, Peter preached to him and he was baptized.

Another man in the Bible was Devoutly religious, a member of a very strict sect of the Jews. He said of himself, “I thought I should do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” Was he sincere? Yes. He was completely sincere; but he was sincerely WRONG! Acts 26:9. Paul was not saved because he was sincere, and Cornelius was not saved just because he was a good man. Jesus told Paul ( Saul) on the road to Damascus to “go into the city and there you will be told what you MUST DO! There were things Saul had to do, no matter how sincere he was.

Now if you want to take a chance with your soul and base your salvation on what you “THINK” the Lord will do or what “YOU THINK” He ought to do, then that’s your choice. Good luck with that.

Jesus said one more thing to Peter back in John 21. After telling Peter to mind his own business, Jesus said “ YOU follow ME. That’s what I would suggest, also. You and I Know what the scriptures say TO DO. We are not on our deathbed and we are not in prison. We are without excuse because we know and we have the opportunity to do something about it. Jesus might say to us, you know what I’ve said. Now obey me.
 
I have come to Jesus Christ in repentance because I have been drawn by the Father. (John 6:44)

I know I am saved because I have confessed with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead. (Romans 10:9-10)

I have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

I trusted in the Lord, after that I heard the word of truth, the gospel of my salvation: in whom also after that I believed, I was sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13)

God has from the beginning chosen me to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

I have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and have received the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38)

I have been justified by the blood of Jesus Christ and saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9) "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

There is therefore now no condemnation to me because I am in Christ Jesus and walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)

I have the fruit of the Spirit. This includes love, joy peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. (Galatians 5:22-23)

I keep the two greatest commandments. The first and great commandment is, Thou shall love the Lord the God with all thy heart, and with all the soul, and with all thy mind. The second is, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matthew 22:37-39)

I trust in the grace of God. (1 John 1:9) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us ours sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

I am a new creature. (2 Corinthians 5:17) "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

I am denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. (Titus 2:12)

My hope is in the Lord. (Psalm 39:7).

I have forgiven men their trespasses and have been forgiven by my Heavenly Father. (Matthew 6:14)

I am taking heed that no man deceives me. (Matthew 24:4)

I shall endure unto the end and be saved. (Matthew 24:13)

I am studying to show myself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

I am abiding in the doctrine of Christ and have both the Father and the Son. (2 John 1:9)

I know the Lord Jesus Christ because I keep his commandments (1 John 2:3)

I am abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ to bear much fruit. (John 15:5)

I am being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:11)

I have preached the gospel to people. (Mark 16:15)

I know I will experience tribulation in this world. (John 16:33)

I have a work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father. (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

I am a child of the light and of the day. (1 Thessalonians 5:5)

I am of the day and sober. I put on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

I will put on the armour of God each day. (Ephesians 6:13) "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

I keep the commandment to be holy. ( 1 Peter 1:14-16) "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."
 
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Chester said:
Amen! And then believing in Him brings the power and life of living by the Holy Spirit! Eternal life is knowing and living in the fullness of Jesus Christ and then being with Him forever in heaven.
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1 John 5:13 KJV
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
 
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