Can you explain why you believe?

[Lifelong_sinner]

Hello all. A happy new years to everyone. I was talking to my mother the other day, and i asked her a question about assurance. I asked her, what would it take for her to have 100% assurance of salvation. She has been thinking about that ever since, as have I.

But i realized that maybe a better question is, why do you believe? If you do believe in God, why?? I have no idea how to answer that. I was raised on christianity, i’ve never had a time where i questioned my belief. I’ve always just accepted it as truth. But for those who are genuinely saved, why do you believe?? Has something happened that made you 100% sure of your belief?

 

[Wrangler]

The Holy Spirit sealed my salvation.

When one has the experience of the Holy Spirit reaching out to you, how could there be doubt?

 

[Lambano]

But i realized that maybe a better question is, why do you believe? If you do believe in God, why?? I have no idea how to answer that. I was raised on christianity, i’ve never had a time where i questioned my belief. I’ve always just accepted it as truth. But for those who are genuinely saved, why do you believe?? Has something happened that made you 100% sure of your belief?

Why do I believe? Because Preacher-Man (who had authority and was presumed to know) said that if I didn't believe in Jesus, God was going to burn me in the flames forever and ever. That made a big impression on a 12-year-old boy. So, I spent 30 years believing, but not trusting. How do you trust someone who says, "love me, or I'll burn you"? It took several years of Bible study in a loving Christian small group, a caring pastor, a complete spiritual breakdown, and a special encounter with God during a period of intense prayer in which He wanted to know why I didn't trust Him, to help me find a loving God and see a loving Savior who can relate to the sinful, to the outcast, to "the last, the lost, and the least". That's me.

And now I know who I can trust.

 

[Fether]

Because I want to, and my life experience leads me to believe. I don’t know there is a God. I don’t know Christ died for my sins. But I do know that I am happiest when I choose faith. I am experience blessings and miracles when I choose faith. I experience guidance in prayer, some guidance more profound and prophetic than other.

 

[Lifelong_sinner]

Because I want to, and my life experience leads me to believe. I don’t know there is a God. I don’t know Christ died for my sins. But I do know that I am happiest when I choose faith. I am experience blessings and miracles when I choose faith. I experience guidance in prayer, some guidance more profound and prophetic than other.

when you go outside and look around, do you just think that everything popped out of thin air?? Or do you look and say, there was a Creator who made all of this?
Do you doubt that you’re a sinner?? Have you ever told a lie, stole something, lusted, been jealous of someone? Once you understand that you’re a sinner, you understand the need for a Saviour, Jesus.

 

[michaelvpardo]

Why do I believe? Because Preacher-Man (who had authority and was presumed to know) said that if I didn't believe in Jesus, God was going to burn me in the flames forever and ever. That made a big impression on a 12-year-old boy. So, I spent 30 years believing, but not trusting. How do you trust someone who says, "love me, or I'll burn you"? It took several years of Bible study in a loving Christian small group, a caring pastor, a complete spiritual breakdown, and a special encounter with God during a period of intense prayer in which He wanted to know why I didn't trust Him, to help me find a loving God and see a loving Savior who can relate to the sinful, to the outcast, to "the last, the lost, and the least". That's me.

And now I know who I can trust.

Thank you for your testimony. Of the people that I've known personally, all the ones that struggle with trusting God and the "assurance " of salvation are religious people.

A man named John Bunyan wrote an allegorical tale called "The Pilgrim's progress", back in the 17th century, that describes the journey of a religious seeker's search for salvation. Bunyan was a "poorly educated" lay preacher who even spent time in prison for his unauthorized preaching, but almost 400 years later his book is still widely read by Evangelicals because it describes the common experiences of people who fear God out of a knowledge of condemnation and seek Him. The stumbling points and distractions experienced by seekers are well described and make the story relatable to people even in our industrialized information age.

Bunyan also struggled with assurance for a long time over the passage in Hebrews chapter 6 (Hebrews 6:4-8), but eventually was able to reconcile it to the promises of Jesus despite his poor hermeneutics.

I think that there are many of the religious bent on this site that would benefit by reading Bunyan's books, being of the same carnal mind set.

 

[michaelvpardo]

I don't think that my experience is common, but I believed the Lord as a child, loving His teaching from the limited gospel readings that I heard in RC masses. This love lead me to read the Bible while still very young and I did love passages in the psalms and book of Isaiah which I understood to be about Him. However, my carnal mind was unable to receive Jesus as the God of the Old Testament, and scripture itself created doubts in my mind.
It wasn't until I was 39 years old that a faithful brother in Christ patiently gave sound interpretation to harmonize what I saw as conflict between different passages, and I was able to see the Bible as in full agreement with itself. It wasn't until I believed the Bible that I was ready to see my own sin and receive the gospel.

 

[Ferris Bueller]

But for those who are genuinely saved, why do you believe?? Has something happened that made you 100% sure of your belief?

The sure and indisputable voice and testimony of the Holy Spirit showed me the gospel of Jesus really is true. That's why...that's how I believe the gospel. God showed me it was true.

"6 ...it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth." 1 John 5:6​

 

[Lambano]

Thank you for your testimony. Of the people that I've known personally, all the ones that struggle with trusting God and the "assurance " of salvation are religious people.

A man named John Bunyan wrote an allegorical tale called "The Pilgrim's progress", back in the 17th century, that describes the journey of a religious seeker's search for salvation. Bunyan was a "poorly educated" lay preacher who even spent time in prison for his unauthorized preaching, but almost 400 years later his book is still widely read by Evangelicals because it describes the common experiences of people who fear God out of a knowledge of condemnation and seek Him. The stumbling points and distractions experienced by seekers are well described and make the story relatable to people even in our industrialized information age.

Bunyan also struggled with assurance for a long time over the passage in Hebrews chapter 6 (Hebrews 6:4-8), but eventually was able to reconcile it to the promises of Jesus despite his poor hermeneutics.

I think that there are many of the religious bent on this site that would benefit by reading Bunyan's books, being of the same carnal mind set.

That's the second recommendation I've seen for "Pilgrim's Progress" this week. I may have to check it out.

 

[michaelvpardo]

That's the second recommendation I've seen for "Pilgrim's Progress" this week. I may have to check it out.

Its a pretty easy read with no deep theology, but enjoyable.

 

[michaelvpardo]

The sure and indisputable voice and testimony of the Holy Spirit showed me the gospel of Jesus really is true. That's why...that's how I believe the gospel. God showed me it was true.

"6 ...it is the Spirit who testifies to this, because the Spirit is the truth." 1 John 5:6​

Amen brother. In the end this is always true.

 

[michaelvpardo]

The Holy Spirit sealed my salvation.

When one has the experience of the Holy Spirit reaching out to you, how could there be doubt?

Most evangelical teachers would say that attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to " the air " (imagination ) is the unforgivable sin (blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.)
It's hard for a believer to imagine a person hearing God and rejecting Him, but many heard Jesus and didn't believe.

 

[ScottA]

Hello all. A happy new years to everyone. I was talking to my mother the other day, and i asked her a question about assurance. I asked her, what would it take for her to have 100% assurance of salvation. She has been thinking about that ever since, as have I.

But i realized that maybe a better question is, why do you believe? If you do believe in God, why?? I have no idea how to answer that. I was raised on christianity, i’ve never had a time where i questioned my belief. I’ve always just accepted it as truth. But for those who are genuinely saved, why do you believe?? Has something happened that made you 100% sure of your belief?

I had no Christian upbringing, but life happens, and after a complete downward spiral to the bottom and the end of myself, as a last resort I cried out to God whom I didn't know-- and He answered!

I was caught up in the spirit and...well, it's a long story. But it left me not "believing", but knowing God.

 

[PinSeeker]

That's the second recommendation I've seen for "Pilgrim's Progress" this week. I may have to check it out.

My goodness. Yes, please do; it's a great work. I would suggest getting Max McLean's recording of his reading of it: click here. He's a stage actor, and he brings it even more to life.

Be careful, though, because you just might become one of those dreaded Calvinists <snicker> some folks think to be such heretics... :)

Grace and peace to you.

 

[amadeus]

That's the second recommendation I've seen for "Pilgrim's Progress" this week. I may have to check it out.

It is certainly worth your time to check it out.

 

[Lambano]

My goodness. Yes, please do; it's a great work. I would suggest getting Max McLean's recording of his reading of it: click here. He's a stage actor, and he brings it even more to life.

Be careful, though, because you just might become one of those dreaded Calvinists <snicker> some folks think to be such heretics... :)

Grace and peace to you.

It'll never happen. (But I'm already a heretic, and it's nice to meet a fellow golfer.)

 

[PinSeeker]

Its a pretty easy read with no deep theology, but enjoyable.

With all due respect, Michael, the "no deep theology" thing is totally not the case. Pilgrim's Progress literally ~ well, figuratively speaking :) ~ drips of biblical truths about God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and about man and his place in relation to God.

Grace and peace to you. And keep going toward the Celestial Gate despite all obstacles you might find along the way, Pilgrim!

 

[PinSeeker]

It'll never happen.

That's too bad. But certainly not disqualifying. :)

...it's nice to meet a fellow golfer.

Same here! May your golfs always find the short grass, as my father used to say... :)

 

[amadeus]

@Lifelong_sinner
I could write a book and truly on forums like this I already have done so but then also over the years are a multitude of verbal testimonies given. I could fill a very large book with them.

Very simply at this point my God is my Life. I cannot meet the day each day without Him. So, with Him each morning when I rise, my time with God is my very first and highest priority.

In the past when I have stumbled or delayed for any reason the time which I had already promised to God my heart smote me. I could not proceed without Him.

 

[Lambano]

That's too bad. But certainly not disqualifying. :)


Same here! May your golfs always find the short grass, as my father used to say... :)

And may you never get the shanks!