Is there a feeling? I've asked God to save me countless times. Right now I am living in sin with a girl. I know its wrong and I realize this everyday, I can just feel him frowing upon me. But when I hear on the news or read online about "Nuclear war" and things of that sort, it just makes me wonder "Am I REALLY saved" Because lets face it, you only get one chance at it. I honestly do try to live right for God but fail miserably everyday. I don't even go to church anymore because I am afraid that ppl will talk about me because I am living in sin. I live in a small town so that makes things that much worse.
utmstudent,
Firstly, the fact that you know you are living in sin is a step in the right direction. The apostles where asked several times "what must we do to be saved" Their general answer was "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). Again in Acts Peter preached "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given by which we must be saved" (4:12) I believe you already understand the you "have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom3:23) and have need for salvation. Now, you said that you've "asked God to save me" before. Some here will believe that that means you are saved...period, although you willfully live in sin. I do not. In Romans Paul wrote that "The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. You however, are controlled...by the Spirit...and if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." (Rom 8:7-9) So what must you do? First thing is to believe God, believe Jesus died for your sins and is able to take them away from your record. "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." (Rom 4:3) Salvation/rightousness (right-standing with God) is the goal here, no? Believing in God also includes believing that his instructions are good and pure...and trying with all your will to live by them. Living by his instructions does not save us. For we are not saved by works but by faith/belief. "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. For it is with your heart that you believed and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10)
Here's my suggestion to you. Pick up one of the easier to read translations of the Bible (the above quotes are NIV...the New Living Translation [NLT] is also a good one) and read through the book of Romans then Galatians. When you have, sit down...give things a long hard think-over. You can pray that God would even show himself to be 'real' to you. Then make your choice. Live as you have or believe God, his promises, his instructions and warnings are real and begin to live according them. I will not tell you it is easy to walk away from a life of sin...I will tell you that it is beyond worth it.
I'm 20 years old and in college also (I assume you are from your name). I understand your position. As far as being in a small town..I'm come from one of 10,000 and will tell you to forget what people say or think. They cannot save or damn you and in time they will see the intent of your heart. My name is Houston and I visit this forum several times a day so PM me if you have any question or need anymore help. You'll get plenty of responses to this thread and there are some great guys here. Ultimately it will come down to a "life-decision" which I believe you are ready to make.
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Anything I say is my opinion, just that...and only that.
"...and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?
I'm sorry, I totally neglected the first question. Is there a feeling? I don't think I'd call it that. There's a peace though knowing that you are trying to live by His instructions and honestly want to see Him glorified through your life and thoughts. And there's a peace knowing its not what you do or don't do...that you don't have to "measure up" (recall that we are NOT saved by works but by faith alone).
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Anything I say is my opinion, just that...and only that.
"...and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?
Utmstudent, feeling guilty is proof enough that you are saved. The Holy Spirit is convicting you. I believe if you have invited Jesus into your heart and made him the Lord of your life, you are saved, but you have lost the joy of your salvation. When David sinned he had no joy, because he had rebelled against God. (Ps. 51:12). He said, "Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Ps. 51:11). Even though he had committed adultery and had been responsible for an innocent man's death, by this clear statement we are shown that he still had the Holy Spirit. Though punishment came due to his sin, nevertheless God forgave and loved him because David was repentant before the Lord. Being saved does not mean we do not sin, it means we do not continue in sin. By you asking these questions, I believe you are being convicted and encouraged to turn from that sin, and get back to God. He is waiting for you with open arms, just like the story of the prodical son. Bob <><
utm aren't these guys in here great? I have only been on the roadback too my salvation for about 2 weeks now and it is partially because of the help these guys in here have given me. I think this was already said but for an easy way of understanding it and remembering it I read many years ago a few words that have forever stuck with me and I hear them throughout my day and actually use them when I come too a crossroad or am asked to take a path of which I am uncertain...
Your conscience is simply the presence of the Lord within you!
RA
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
As others have said, and rightly so, the fact that you are not able to live with this girl outside of marriage comfortably, is a good indication of your status. But, another facet of that is, that the guilit will only increase and the Scriptures say that, because we are His children, that He will chastise(correct, punish) those of us who are His, and because He has saved us from sin, that we can't simply deliberately continue to do something that He clearly shows as contrary to His will. He is patient, and He is longsuffering, but to be presumptuous toward any known sin, telling yourself that He wil forgive , puts you ina tough spot. Read Hebrews 12:7-12. The analogy of His treating us as sons is both comforting and troubling, because it contains a warning against His loving corrections--they aren't pleasant, but hey are always best fro us,and they also will give you a greater underrstanding of both His compassion and His holiness.
He actually loves you, and the girl, too much to allow you to continue in behavior that is actually self destructive. You may not see it that way, right now, but, just take a good look around you at our society today and the ill effects of , as you termed it, living in sin. Std's, unwanted pregnancies, emotional insecurities, and the sense of disconnectedness, and the distrust that it breeds is just a small sampling , and the most obvious. He cares for you, and doesn't want this for you or others, and is the only reason he forbids it in the first place. He created us and knows better than us as to how we are to function and what works best for us, so He provides these standards for our benefits--not in being some cosmic killjoy, trying to spoil our 'fun'.The life surrenderes to His control is one of constant and ever increasing changes--for the better. he receives us as we are, but He loves us to much to keep us there.
how do you know your saved?
