Am I saved?

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Can I really answer this question with certainty? I feel no one can tell you if you are or aren’t saved. The only person who knows whether you are saved is you. It has been important for me to remember that being saved means that I have a close personal relationship with a being far greater than myself. Just as I said in my last paper: God is love. I want to point out that God is love and He loves us. That is what being saved means.

What does it take to be saved? and am I saved? These are important questions to my faith. If you think about it how can I have faith if I can’t answer these questions? It shakes the foundations of my belief, it shakes the foundations of every belief. Why believe if you are not saved, or made better by that belief? If you cannot answer this question about your beliefs maybe you should be the one writing this article. I know there are different beliefs than mine that have vastly different views on a surety after death. Mine, however, are the ones that I know and the ones that have touched my heart, so mine are the ones that I will be figuring out.

To answer our question I need to find out what the Bible says on the matter of Salvation. This take us back to my last article I wrote, and a major verse that I brought out in that article:

“For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”

John 3:17 KJV

I still hold onto my view that this is a better verse for our times than 3:16, but what does it say? God sent Jesus to save the world, and later Jesus tells us what the work of God is:

“Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.’”

John 6:29 KJV

God sent His Son to save the world, and His work is that we would believe in the one He sent. In his letter to the Romans the Apostle Paul sums up the point that Jesus said.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Romans 10:9 KJV

If I believe my God to be the only one, and if I believe the Bible is His unchanging Word, then I can make the conclusion that I am saved. Not everyone can make this conclusion (for their own reasons); not everyone can make the primary leap of faith (that there is one god who is triune – a trinity; three in one). Not everyone can make the second leap of faith either (that the Bible is the true Word of God).

It is not for me to decide what is right for others. All I can do is follow my own heart. This is also key to my salvation. For I have made the conclusion that I am saved, but what does it mean to be saved? If you are, were or know a Christian person you probably know or have hear the term “Walk with God” or “Christian Walk.” This is used all over the New Testament to refer to the way that someone lives (i.e. their walk). Some Christians today call it the “Christian Life” rather than walk.

But, once you have truly made the leap of faith (to become saved) then you must walk the walk. What is the walk? To love, it is that simple. You must love. I quoted 1 John 4:7-8 in my last article which says that Christians must “love one another.” Also the Christian is charged to love his neighbor. It does not say “If your neighbor is a Christian then love him as yourself,” but rather:

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:31b KJV

And if our walk is to love than it is also to have a relationship with God. And a second time I make my end with this verse; but if we love then 1 John 4:7 tells us we will know God:

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.”

1 John 4:7 KJV (emphasis added)

Am I a Watered Down Christian?

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This possibility scares me beyond anything else out there! But I have had to look it in the eye. Am I? Am I someone who is not willing to stand up for their beliefs? I have thought a lot of things over lately and I am writing out a letter to the church (only a format, not really going to send a letter) about what my beliefs are and I have to ask myself. Have I watered down the gospel? Or merely misunderstood Jesus’ teachings?

I have always thought grace and love were the number one call of the Christian. Am I wrong? I have friends who are gay and I know most Christians would condemn them for being so. But I don’t. I love them. I love how accepting they are. Is this wrong of me? I have always been a fervent believer in the love the sinner hate the sin, but is this wrong? I am not the type to go from person to person handing out tracts or sharing the gospel with people.

Every friend I have – be they Christian or non-Christian – knows that I am a believer and I am a Christian, but have I fallen away? Have I misinterpreted God’s word? Have I watered down my testimony for fear of sharing the Bible with people? Have I fled discomfort and settled into a lukewarm state that will bring about no fruit?

I am scared.

Scared of the possibility that I have. Scared that I have given up on my friends.

I have always thought of the Gospel (which means Good News) preached of grace and love for one another. John 3:16 is the most quoted verse but 3:17 seems to be a better verse for our times. Most people who live in the U.S. know that Jesus came and died, but do they know why?

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:17 (KJV)

I can’t tell you how important this verse is to me. Jesus came not to condemn us! He came to save us. My friends who are gay should I condemn them? According to this verse I shouldn’t, but according to Christianity I should. Why has Christ and Christianity differed? What is wrong with those who follow Christ? Why do they then condemn the world when the founder of their religion did not? Why do Christians not follow Christ?

I was told today by someone that they “Hate organized religion.” I have to agree with this person. I do not believe in a religion. I believe in a Savior! The Gospels don’t speak of religion. They only speak of Jesus and his teachings. 1 John 4:7&8 points this out:

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1 John 4:7&8 (KJV)

Why do we then believe that we can condemn people? We even condemn each other! We condemn this Christian for being part of this denomination and that Christian for not believing in this “Biblical Principle”. What Biblical Principle allows those who are not God to condemn anyone? Just as I pointed out before in John 3:17 God doesn’t even condemn us why do we?

I am rambling now. That is all I have to say for now.