Not By Works
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I wrote this last night for Dorothy.
Self examining has its purpose at all stages of walk, but at a certain point, you are grown and mature enough to know very well that neither you nor God aren't going anywhere, and from then on the reasons you examine yourself change.
There are two purposes of warnings. One is for are those who aren't yet certain who they are in Jesus, or their faith hasn't grown strong yet. They examine themselves until they have firm faith in their heart that they are justified in Jesus and that His Spirit lives in them. This took me first several years as a believer, to really get rooted.
Then after we know this, we are examining ourselves because we love Him, it is unthinkable for a born again person to abuse God's grace. Self examining comes from the place of agape love. Not from place of fear. Apostle John wrote that "perfect love casts out fear" and "whoever fears" is "not being made perfect in love". So that was one of the biggest influences for me to decide to trust Jesus when it comes to salvation security. He doesn't want me to be distracted with constant checking if I am still saved because that is me focusing on MYSELF, but our God is a jealous God and wants my undivided attention.
(And I guarantee you, He especially does NOT want people who are prone to anxiety to constantly wonder in their mind if they are still okay with Him, or maybe they have messed up God does not like or want such.
Just believe me on that one...)
I used to think that I would please God better that way (minding salvation loss) and I was very afraid to let go of that control. This didn't help me be more godly. The disturbance that I still stumbled at times was constantly gnawing at me, I was distressed and agonizing about it daily. From a young believer bursting in praise, when I gave my life to Jesus, I gradually became very depressed. I had no hope to continue another day. I would only get some relief reading Psalms, just enough to fall asleep. It was like a balm to hear them. But I still doubted so much about my safety with God. It was so odd, that this David could find refuge in God and that God would endure forever in mercy for him, but somehow it did not apply to me, I could lose salvation. Why did I struggle so much receiving this? What was this iron grip, this fear that held me back and pulled me down? An elder sister in Christ started reading Psalms to me one day, to make me understand, simply saying my name wherever God said "you" in Psalms. I broke down weeping.
The more I read, the more I was realizing the safety was in God's very character. God can be trusted and depended upon and taken refuge in because He cannot lie or take His word back. David leaned in absolute faith on God's promises and magnified God, there was distress when he stumbled and sinned, but he never thought thoughts such as, God might let me go, or I might be unsaved, or God is our refuge but we can't be 100% sure we have refuge until we are dead, there's none of that...
David asks God to examine him for one reason: because he looks forward to being with God and wants to please God and be ready in clean robes. Not because he is afraid that him or God will leave. Same thing as in John.
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ," this is the Scripture that pulled me out of the hellhole, in combination with Psalms. I did not defeat doubt by myself, it was the Word of God taking effect in my life and destroying the enemy. Jesus was always the one who delivered me.
That's my testimony on salvation loss theology and how unprofitable and fruitless it was in my life...
Self examining has its purpose at all stages of walk, but at a certain point, you are grown and mature enough to know very well that neither you nor God aren't going anywhere, and from then on the reasons you examine yourself change.
There are two purposes of warnings. One is for are those who aren't yet certain who they are in Jesus, or their faith hasn't grown strong yet. They examine themselves until they have firm faith in their heart that they are justified in Jesus and that His Spirit lives in them. This took me first several years as a believer, to really get rooted.
Then after we know this, we are examining ourselves because we love Him, it is unthinkable for a born again person to abuse God's grace. Self examining comes from the place of agape love. Not from place of fear. Apostle John wrote that "perfect love casts out fear" and "whoever fears" is "not being made perfect in love". So that was one of the biggest influences for me to decide to trust Jesus when it comes to salvation security. He doesn't want me to be distracted with constant checking if I am still saved because that is me focusing on MYSELF, but our God is a jealous God and wants my undivided attention.
(And I guarantee you, He especially does NOT want people who are prone to anxiety to constantly wonder in their mind if they are still okay with Him, or maybe they have messed up
God does not like or want such.Just believe me on that one...)
I used to think that I would please God better that way (minding salvation loss) and I was very afraid to let go of that control. This didn't help me be more godly. The disturbance that I still stumbled at times was constantly gnawing at me, I was distressed and agonizing about it daily. From a young believer bursting in praise, when I gave my life to Jesus, I gradually became very depressed. I had no hope to continue another day. I would only get some relief reading Psalms, just enough to fall asleep. It was like a balm to hear them. But I still doubted so much about my safety with God. It was so odd, that this David could find refuge in God and that God would endure forever in mercy for him, but somehow it did not apply to me, I could lose salvation. Why did I struggle so much receiving this? What was this iron grip, this fear that held me back and pulled me down? An elder sister in Christ started reading Psalms to me one day, to make me understand, simply saying my name wherever God said "you" in Psalms. I broke down weeping.
The more I read, the more I was realizing the safety was in God's very character. God can be trusted and depended upon and taken refuge in because He cannot lie or take His word back. David leaned in absolute faith on God's promises and magnified God, there was distress when he stumbled and sinned, but he never thought thoughts such as, God might let me go, or I might be unsaved, or God is our refuge but we can't be 100% sure we have refuge until we are dead, there's none of that...
David asks God to examine him for one reason: because he looks forward to being with God and wants to please God and be ready in clean robes. Not because he is afraid that him or God will leave. Same thing as in John.
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ," this is the Scripture that pulled me out of the hellhole, in combination with Psalms. I did not defeat doubt by myself, it was the Word of God taking effect in my life and destroying the enemy. Jesus was always the one who delivered me.
That's my testimony on salvation loss theology and how unprofitable and fruitless it was in my life...
Thanks for this SoulWeaver....it has helped me understand that I still have a lot of growing to do....how can anyone grow without the word of God!.
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How can anyone be saved without the word of God!
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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Not mouthing....can you show me verses in context that states....Jesus comes through our body into our spirits
My bible states we are dead in sins and trespasses and that we must be BORN AGAIN from ABOVE....
I have read through and studied through the bible MANY TIMES and have never seen the words that JESUS COMES THROUGH OUR BODY INTO OUR SPIRITS...
Can you please quote verses that say or imply this?
My bible states we are dead in sins and trespasses and that we must be BORN AGAIN from ABOVE....
I have read through and studied through the bible MANY TIMES and have never seen the words that JESUS COMES THROUGH OUR BODY INTO OUR SPIRITS...
Can you please quote verses that say or imply this?
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No I can’t that he comes through our body.
But I can that he testified to my spirit ,my spirit recognised him straight away...I am his child and I am born again.....
I heard and I committed my life to the Lord 28yrs ago......he took me out of great darkness into his light...and he has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams...my trust is in him and him alone.
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Well that would be based on a really small sample of believers. And I'd agree that this isn't a part of what we teach. There might be some passion going on, but overtime I noticed the tendency in the NOSAS group to deny salvation of us who believe eternal security. I find throwing such judgments lightly, towards fellow believers, disturbing. Some very bad things can be said, and do get said without yelling, and these people also walk away believing their conduct was great (!). But we are specifically cautioned in Romans 10 not to do this to other believers...
What I mean is, none of us is perfect. (Yet.) I would rather that we don't make generalizations based on personal imperfections.
Anyway. About to go to bed. Good night everyone.
What I mean is, none of us is perfect. (Yet.) I would rather that we don't make generalizations based on personal imperfections.
Anyway. About to go to bed. Good night everyone.
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PS I remember hearing a 6 yr old testifying of his salvation and the Gospel in Church one day. An impressive mini-sermon.
In my work as a missionary both in Australia and overseas I've seen some amazing things as God has reached severely mentally ill people and enabled them to understand the Gospel.
I praise Him for it.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
In my work as a missionary both in Australia and overseas I've seen some amazing things as God has reached severely mentally ill people and enabled them to understand the Gospel.
I praise Him for it.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?"
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