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About Elder Greg Madden
Expertise
I am a born again, Holy Ghost filled minister of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am avalible to answer questions
conserning most all Biblical doctrines, the gifts and fruit of the Spirit, "Pentecostal/Apostolic" issues, and issues that we as christians face in an secular world.
Experience
I gave my heart to the Lord a few months after being married during a revival meeting. A few weeks later I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and I have not been the same since!
In those twenty five years we have only attended one church (Harvest Church), and there I have served there as an Elder for fourteen years. We minister in song with the choir and worship team. I am also the new member’s class coordinator, men's ministry director, and the Harvest Riders motorcycle ministry president.
In 1993 the Lord called me to "...preach the Gospel where ever I open the door..." I have had the privilege of ministering God's Word to churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. In those meetings we have seen the Lord save, heal, deliver, and fill people will His Spirit.
Organizations
I am ordained through Harvest Church, and with the World Harvest Ministerial Fellowship. I also am a licensed minister with the State of Oklahoma.
Education/Credentials
I am currantly enrolled with the Ames Bible College.
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You are here: Experts > Religion/Spirituality > Christian Teens > Christianity -- Christian Living > Born-again/Witnessing
Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 10/30/2009
Question
QUESTION: Hey I have actually 2 questions, hopefully you can answer both as they are pretty close to each other. First let me give you a brief overview of my walk with the Lord. I grew up in a Lutheran home, and didn’t really understand Jesus entirely and I never acted like acted like a Christian at all. But I would say that that was my religion to my friends and everything. It wasn’t until two years ago I said a prayer and invited Jesus into my life. Although of course I kind of did this as an exit to get to Heaven then realizing what it meant 100%. Yet I have to say I felt a sense of peace and warmth when I said the prayer so I can’t say I was saved and got the Holy Spirit that day. My actions continued pretty similar to what it used to be, pornography, video games, movies, rock music etc. About the very end of 2008 I begin to start asking myself is my masturbation acceptable to Jesus, would he approve of this. I would like to think this was the Holy Spirit telling me about this, but I am a worrysome person and sometimes I can’t tell what comes from God and what doesn’t. So anyhow I decided to make 2009 my year I would start making myself “right” with God, again I don’t know why I felt this, I again would like to think it was the Holy Spirit telling me to get right. So this year I have struggled all year trying to break my 10+ years of masturbation and other addictions.
My question firstly is: What do you think person should “experience” when “born-again”? I never had some kind of near-death experience and had no real big life-changer when inviting Jesus into my life. Sometimes I wonder because the way I feel, thus my next question. I believe in God and Jesus and what he did, yet I find myself struggling with sharing the Gospel with encouragement. What do you think about this? Is it my faith? I WANT to do my duty as a Christian, but I just don’t know what to say to people who don’t believe. The “comfort” of witnessing is not there. I begin to question if I am truly saved or something. I wonder also that I have “quenched” the Holy Spirit so much that no “gifts” of the Holy Spirit are present. I know a lot of people have gifts of the Spirit and they say its easy for them to witness with encouragement. I have prayed of course about this, but want to know someone elses opinion. I want to get right with God if there is something I am lacking. Would be great if you could replay, THANKS.
ANSWER: Benjamin,
Did you get a chance to read through the links I sent you below? If so, any questions? If not please take the time to do so and get back with me when you get a chance.
Thanks,
Elder Greg Madden
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Benjamin,
Thank you for your questions and the opportunity to help. First, let me say congratulations upon receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour! This is the most important gift given to lost humanity (that is the gift of salvation through Jesus).
After reading your request, I can tell that there is some doubt as to whether you were/are really saved, correct? There is nothing wrong with this, as the Bible teaches us to "...make our calling and election sure." So to clarify in your own mind and spirit as to whether you are saved, please go to to this link on our personal ministry site. This page will explain salvation and give you a step by step process as to how to receive Jesus. After you have read through this, and have made certain in your heart that you are truly born-again, then continue with the rest of my response...
http://www.forministry.com/USOKPENTEMMM1/HowtobecomeaChristian.dsp
Now that you have made for certain of your salvation, the next most important thing you as a Christian need to understand is how to walk in victory over sin, temptation, and the sin nature. What the Bible call's "sanctification". Because my response to this would be too lengthy to place in this response, I would like you to go to another page on our personal ministry site that will help explain this in great detail. This is a great Bible study about our "Victory Over Sin". Once you have read over this page, then continue to read over the rest of my answer to you...
http://www.forministry.com/USOKPENTEMMM1/VictoryOverSin.dsp
After understanding how you as a Christian can walk in the victory Christ won for us through His finished work on the Cross, the next thing that you need to understand is that Jesus is not only our Saviour, but He is also our baptiser with the Holy Spirit. You mentioned the fact that you received the Holy Spirit when you asked Jesus into your heart. This is absolutely true. However, as I wrote earlier that salvation is the "most important gift given to lost humanity", but the most important gift to the born-again Christian can receive is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. You had mentioned that the gifts of the Spirit were not present in your life. There may be many reasons why this is the case, but one of them may be that you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Jason, this subject may be unfamiliar with you, so once again I am going to suggest you read about this on another page of our personal ministry web site. After you have read over this page, then continue to read over my response to you...
http://www.forministry.com/USOKPENTEMMM1/TheBaptismoftheHolyGhost.dsp
Jason, I am sure after read through these pages that many of your questions were answered. I am also sure that you may have more questions as well. So please feel free to write me and let me know if you do. I am here to help in anyway I can.
God bless!
Elder Greg Madden
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Yes, I believe I done what is required to satisfy the Lord in acknoledging I am a sinner and that I need Jesus to save me from my sins. And that he DID rise from the tomb after 3 days as he said. I guess I should have mentioned that I did seem to conquer my masturbation habit a month ago, hopefully this was the Holy Spirit giving me the power to stop it. After 10+ years and then stopping, it was no small feat for sure. Alot of the worldly things I liked to do are growing uninteresting also, so I think I can only assume the Holy Spirit is to credit for convicting me.
However I do find that I still lack confidence alot, it maybe persuasion from the devil or something. What do you say about this? I think it may be lack of faith since I am still young as a Christian and shedding off the world and the old me.
Also what do you say about salvation being conditional? There are lots of verses in the Bible that seem to hinder my growth I think because I am not sure if I will lose my salvation. Sometimes I worry about the parable of the sower, apostasy, and what seems to be ALOT of parables about Jesus coming back finding a Christian had not accomplished enough for him or was just maybe idle for a while then talking about his salvation and sending him to utter darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Obviously I am still young as a Christian to be worried about having not done anything, but this still seems to bother me and I think it hinders my growth because I can't seem to trust Jesus with all my self, afraid that my salvation may be snatched away. Like I said before my confidence to share the gospel is weak and I just get worried about that. Its probably a faith thing, but what do you say about Eternal Salvation and Once saved always saved. To be quite frank I could care less about the world for the most part, but the parables spoken about in the Bible sometimes make it seem like Jesus is expecting a certain amount of fruit to be produced when he comes back or else you may be hewn down and cast into the fire.
Answer
Benjamin,
Thank you for the reply. However, I am wondering if you did read through the three links I sent you? It seems from your reply that you did not. I could be wrong, and if so the I apologize. But if you have not read through all three of these links then I strongly suggest that you do as I feel that this will help you tremendously.
Now to you question about salvation be conditional. If by this you mean is salvation received under certain conditions, then technically yes. The Holy Spirit must draw one to Christ before one can be saved. Then the individual must receive Gods free gift of salvation by faith, and faith alone. However, works are not in any way necessary for the receiving of God's free gift of salvation. I mean think about it, what could we as poor mortals do to earn salvation? NOTHING! Here is a copy from our "What We Believe" link that I think may help...
THE NEW BIRTH - We believe because of man's total inability to save himself, salvation is by God's grace alone, and the believer in justified through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is received through sincere, godly repentance, and whole-hearted acceptance and confession of Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. Through being born again, we become new creatures in Jesus Christ. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. We are justified; “just as if” we had never sinned. “Sola Gratia” saved by grace alone, and “Sola Fide” justified through faith alone. Scripture References: John 3:3,16; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 2:20: 1 Pet. 2:24, Romans 10:9-10
A Christian is not a religious person, or merely a member of a church; a Christian is one who has been forgiven of his or her sin and has an ongoing personal relationship with God. Not only this, a Christian is someone that Jesus Christ lives in, one that has been born again (John 3.3) and lives in the assurance that Jesus paid the price for them to be right with God and go to heaven
It’s as easy as A.B.C.
A. Acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness .
B. Believe that Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins on the cross.
C. Confess Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.
However Benjamin, if you mean by conditional can a Christian fall from Gods grace after they are saved, then yes. A Christian cannot "loose" salvation, but you can forfeit it. Yes there is a vast difference. To "loose" ones salvation is likened to "loosing your keys" or if you will "miss-placing" something. You don't say "Now where did I lay my salvation at. I know it's got to be here somewhere." This is just silly.
You see, as a "recovering Calvinist" I have heard the doctrine of unconditional eternal security preached so strong that I literally have heard preacher say that those who have been saved, even if they are in the very act of adultery, if the Lord should return at that very moment, that they would be raptured into heaven. This is simply un-Biblical!
On the other hand, the Bible does teach us that every Christian will be persevered unto the end and be saved because of the power of Gods grace pledged for their support. The Bible teaches us that any saved person who has sinned (backslidden), but has a desire to repent, may do so and be restored to God's favor and fellowship. However, since man continues to have free choice, it is possible because of temptations and the weakness of human flesh for him to fall into the practice of sin and to make shipwreck of his faith and be lost once again.
Scripture References: I Timothy 1:18,19; John 15:1-7; Colossians 1:21-23; Hebrews 3:14; 2 Peter 2:20,21
The Bible clearly states that we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) and that the just shall live by faith (Hebrews 10:38; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Habakkuk 2:4). As the believer's salvation is received, not by an act of righteousness but by an act of faith, so the believer's salvation is maintained, not by acts of righteousness but by a life of faith.
His spiritual growth varies in excellence and degree according to the yieldedness and attention he affords to the Spirit who is at work within him. Yet all the while as the perfecting processes go on, he is credited with the perfection through the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. Through the process of "becoming conformed" he is secure; his salvation is sure. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
God does not let anyone go easily. (See Romans 10:21 where Paul was speaking of Israel, but the principle applies.) But a believer can be lost if he disregards the continuing checks of the Holy Spirit and reaches the point where he rejects Jesus as his Savior.
It is possible to believe for a while and in time of temptation to fall away (Luke 8:13). It is possible for the weak brother to perish for whom Christ died (1 Corinthians 8:11). It is possible for a name to be written in the Book of Life and then removed from the Book (Revelation 22:19).
You may be asking "Then at what point does a true Christian then forfeit their salvation?" A Christian forfeits their salvation through the same means they receive their salvation. The Biblical means of salvation is "by grace through faith" (Rom. 10:9,10; Eph. 2:8,9). It is received by believing faith, therefore it is forfeited by unbelief.
However, it is not always possible to determine whether a person has already turned his back on Jesus as his Savior. Therefore it is well to leave judgment of these matters in the hands of the omniscient God. Of this we can be certain, however; if God does not give up in His efforts to bring the prodigal back, neither should the church of Jesus Christ. Too often people write off an individual when God has not written him off at all.
Benjamin, please read throough the three links I sent you in my first reply and get back with me if you have any questions.
Elder Greg Madden
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