[George]

Originally Posted by Luke

I know not to trust in feelings, but if I was truly convicted over my sin, and truly believed God's grace, wouldn't I be floored? wouldn't I just be in tears? It never seems to happen.. I want to believe, but it seems as though I just believe it as facts, rather than really truly believing it applies to me.

Aloha brother Luke,

And I do mean BROTHER! I agree 100% with brother Steve (peopleoftheway). I have read most of your Posts brother. Your testimony "rings true". I believe that you are saved, however, if there is any doubt in your heart ask the Lord to save you now. There's no harm in making sure!

I have been saved since 1958 (18 years old) and to my shame, I have seriously backslidden once in every decade since (with the exception of this last decade). One sin or another caused me to "backslide" in the early 1960's; the middle 1970's; the middle 1980's; and the late 1990's.

Each time I "backslid", I "backslid" for a little longer period of time - so I'm NOT recommending it to anyone. I'm NOT making excuses for my sins, I'm just telling you what happened to me.

I don't want to give you a false sense of security, but your concern over your sins is a sure sign that God is working in you - you just have to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.

2 Corinthians 13:3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Brother, there's no harm in examining yourself - whether you are IN the faith or not. If your not sure - "BELIEVE ON the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved".

You "know" the Gospel - BELIEVE it. I don't know of one Christian that I have ever met, who didn't (at least one time in their life) doubt their salvation. If Satan can't prevent you from getting saved, the next thing he will do is to get you to doubt your salvation (doubt God's salvation - Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8); and when he gets you to doubt your salvation, he really is getting you to doubt God's words; doubt God's promises; doubt Christ's finished work. {Yea hath God said? Did God really mean it when He promised you eternal life, if you BELIEVE ON Jesus Christ's FINISHED work?}

Do you see how Satan operates? Here is Satan's modus operandi - his "devices".

1. Prevent people from getting saved. {Get them to DOUBT God's words and promises!}

2. If they get saved - get them to doubt their salvation. {Get them to DOUBT God's words and promises!}

3. If they are saved and are assured of salvation - get them hung up on some carnal sin (either of the flesh or of the mind). {Get them to DOUBT God's words and promises concerning leading an overcoming life.}

If the Lord Jesus Christ's finished work on Calvary isn't enough for our past sins; the sins we commit today; and our future sins; none of us are going to make it brother, for we all sin - every single day! Now there is no excuse for our sinning - but the fact is, while we are in this flesh, we will sin. Read Romans 5, 6, 7, & 8 over and over again. That's where the Christian's battle is, that's why we fail so often, but that's where the POWER is also, and our ASSURANCE.

Paul speaks about: "the infirmity of your flesh" [Romans 6:19]:

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Now if God left it like that we would be in a world of hurt, but Paul finishes up with our WALK in the SPIRIT; our HOPE; AND he closes with our POWER. Read Romans Chapter 8 (I can't quote and comment on the whole Chapter here.) At the end of Romans Chapter 8 is one of strongest, and surest statements in all of God's word attesting to our ASSURANCE of salvation:

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? {The world, the flesh, and the devil}

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Romans 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

By all means, if your NOT "persuaded" - examine yourself: "whether ye be in the faith"; if you are: confess your sins; repent of your sins; pick yourself up; turn away from those things that cause you to sin; and get on with your "walk" with God. And try to always keep in your mind: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." [Philippians 4:13]

If you're not sure you have ever been saved - then BELIEVE ON the Lord Jesus Christ, i.e. the Gospel (I didn't say to "dedicate your life to Christ") and God WILL save you. Don't "stumble" at the simplicity that is in Christ (as the Calvinist do); just simply BELIEVE! God has promised you eternal life.

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 ]

FOR: . . . "with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." [ Romans 10:10]

I personally received complete assurance of salvation about 10 years after I was saved - when I got a hold of John 1:12-13:

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

These verses settled the matter for me (forever). I asked myself:

Was there ever a time when I BELIEVED ON the Lord Jesus Christ? And my answer was YES - in October 1958, and I have the "Journals" I kept in 1959 & 1960 to "prove" it.

Then: Since I surely did BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ - I have RECEIVED Him [That's what God's word says - John 1:12]; and if I have RECEIVED Him - I must be a son of God! I must be "born of God" i.e. "born again" [That's what God's word says - John 1:13]. It's 40 years later, and I still don't profess to understand it all - I just BELIEVE it!}

It really is simple after all: 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Do you have the Son? - then you've got life {Eternal Life}! If you don't have the Son - then you'd better "get Him" today. Don't let all of these "side issues" (Calvinism, repentance, dedication, living it, etc.) "sidetrack" you from the main issue; and that is your need to BELIEVE ON (or IN) the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.