Expert: Elder Greg Madden - 2/4/2009

Question
QUESTION: I was thinking today and it bothered me about my salvation because I am unsure about it.

I said the Sinner's Prayer.

I believe and confessed that Jesus is the Son of the only Living GOD and died for my sins and rose again.

I asked Jesus to forgive me.

I do believe that GOD and Jesus exist.

I did this three times.

I confessed all of it with my mouth.

But I did it because I didn't want to go to hell.

I was also baptized when I was younger.

I never really tried to develop a close relationship with Him though nor have I really wanted to but yet I know that He is trying to have one with me.I'm trying to read my BIBLE and I pray every night but I don't know what you call that.I guess you can call it trying to have a relationship with Him.All of this is tearing me up because I don't know anymore and it would grieve me to the upmost if I have never been saved all of this time.I just don't know if I am really trying to have a relationship with Him.I don't know where I am standing with this.It's not that I do't want one with Him but it's not that I exactly do.I am trying to though.

I used to try and read my Bible and go to church and I do pray to GOD every night.I wish that I had a heart to seek Him more but how do I get that kind of heart?

Am I not saved now?

Oh and in your opinion,do you think that Barack Obama is the antichrist or something?

But every time I find myself wanting to draw closer to GOD.I sometimes feel like I do it still because I don't want to go to hell.As I said,I did what it ays in the BIBLE and when I confessed that I believe that Jesus died for my sins and rose again and still lives,I meant it very much because I do know that is what happened.But I still don't know if I want a further relationship with GOD.I asked Him to give me a heart to want to seek Him more.Does this mean that I am not saved?



Well when I confessed my beliefs,I meant it but I also did not want to go to hell.I truly do know and believe that Jesus died for my sins and that He rose again.I'm 13 by the way.I'm not confessing it just to be doing it.I got saved in 2002,2008,and 2009 but now I still feel like it is still not enough.If I am not saved then what's the point of living?I am desperately trying to do everything to get saved.And I am still not saved?I've did what it says in the BIBLE to be saved!I do believe what I am saying when I say it.I just feel like I don't get saved in order to seek GOD but all I know is that I do believe that Jesus died for my sins and that GOD raised Him back up from the dead.And I know that Jesus is still alive too!But the truth is that I confessed what I said in the sinner's prayer because I truly do believe that Jesus died for my sins and rose again and that He still lives and becaus eI didn't want to go to hell.So what is still wrong?



Someone just told me that if I had to ask if I am Saved then obviously I am not. I go to an Apostolic church but I am really Pentocostal.MY beliefs are that if you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and ask Him for forgiveness from your sins then you are saved.But of course different denominations have different beliefs on what actually makes you saved so if I went to a non denominational church it might make me confused. So if you don't mind,I will ask my question again.- Well when I was about 8,I asked for God's forgiveness but at the time,I did it because I didn't want to go to hell.I didn't really love GOD because I didn't really know Him that well.So then like 2 years later,I got the Holy Ghost but then I felt that my church was trying to really push me into it so I just all of a sudden shut down.About a year ago or a couple of months ago,I just decided that I didn't want to go to church anymore.I go once in a while but not every Sunday and I feel that if I am just going to make people happy and just to be there then that's a vain reason to go.If you're not there for GOD then there's no point in goingI tried reading my Bible and I started from the first chapter and tried to read the whole book in order.Well that got boring and I didn't understand anything so I stopped that too.So now,the only thing that I will do is pray and majority of the time,it's to ask for things.I'm not really sure if I love GOD because I haven't really got to know Him nor hae I really tried anymore.I know I have really backslided in that area.Does this mean that I am not saved?Or at least anymore now?So now I am not saved?!?!?!?!?!?!?!Now I might as well kill myself.The thing is that I don't know if my heart was into when I was eight,at the time,I Was a little willing to get to know GOD better but now I am hearing this?What are you saying now.Now I am not saved?Yes I do believe that He is the son of GOD and that He died for our sins so that we can be forgiven.I asked Him for forgiveness.At the time,I didn't want to go to hell but at the time,I was young and I wanted to I guess know Him better.But after that,I just drifted off.But now I don't even know if I am saved.Does it sound like I am saved?If I didn't ove GOD when I got saved then does this mean that I am not saved?Do I need to get saved again? I know this is terribly off subject.But now I am in even worse trouble if I am not saved.I feel even worse.They told me that I have to accept Jesus as my master which is what I thought accepting Him as my Saviour meant.It make sme want to commit suicide even more than before.Maybe my life is just going down the drain.I mean,I have everything academically and school-wise going for me.But everything else is just terrible. I live with my mom and she is on welfare and medical cards but yet my dad is rich.I don't live with my dad.But I live with my mom in an apartment building that my dad owns,he owns a lot. I guess you could say that my mom is middle class because we aren't poor.My dad always gives us the money to pay our bills and buy food and all of that stuff. So does this mean that I am poor? There are days when my mom doesn't have money.But we don't starve or don't have clothes but there are some days that there is nothing to eat (which is rare)because I eat up everything and she doesn't have time to go to the store or my dad hasn't given her the money. I am stuggling with my sexuality.I'm not pretty.I have bad thoughts and can not seem to get my mind together.And now I might not be saved?Please respond!







I don't feel good.I'm not alright.This makes me want to do something drastic.Like suicide!I asked Him into my heart but at the time,it was because I didn't want to go to hell or anything.Am I not saved then?Do I need to get saved again or something?







Also I am wondering if I have blaspemed.Sometimes when I say the word gay or something similar,I suddenly look at a picture of Jesus even though I wasn't talking about Him.Sometimes when I say the word gay or something similar,I suddenly look at a picture of Jesus even though I wasn't particulary talking about Him.And sometimes I think things that are blasphemous.I don't mean to think that way.And if I think,I don't say it.But after I do all of this,I ask for forgiveness.But it says that real Christians don't commit blasphemy so that means that I am not a true Christian and that I was never saved.But that means that I have to get saved all over again and I am getting sick of doing it over and over and over!I don't want to blasphemy either because I know what happens to people that do.So what do I do?Am I not saved or a Christian?And sometimes I think about blaspemy.I don't think that I really mean it if I have ever said or else I wouldn't want His forgiveness.I wouldn't even care for that matter.But I do care.I certainly don't curse GOD outloud habitatly.I do have bad thoughts but I ask for forgiveness right after them because I know that I don't mean to even think them,they just pop in my head.If I have ever said anything against GOD or Jesus,I haven't ever meant it,that's for sure.But it just bothers me.So now I might not even be a Christian?"

I also wonder if I have sold my soul.I sometimes think about selling it.And sometimes I say "If I don't do this then my soul is....."



I don't want to say the rest.I don't know if I have bet on my soul but yet I think that I have but I ask for forgiveness after it.I ask God to forgive me for it.But I don't want to sell my soul.Does this mean that I have?"


ANSWER: CGLLR,

Thank you for your questions, and the opportunity to help.

1. Your questions about salvation...

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.
The Good News of Jesus Christ is . . .
1) God loves everyone and wants them all to live forever in His presence. John 3.16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
2) We are separated from God by sin. The Bible defines sin as things we do that are displeasing to God. As humans, not only have we done things that displease God, we cannot stop doing those things on our own. This is why the Bible calls us "sinners." Many sincerely believe that performing good works or religious acts will cause God to cancel out the wrong things that they have done. Spiritual and physical death came into our world because of sin. Physical death is a separation from loved ones on earth; spiritual death is separation from God. Romans 3.23
3) Sin brings death. Romans 6.23 tells us that " . . . the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Physical death is separation from loved ones on earth; spiritual death is separation from God.
4) Through Jesus, God has provided the way for us to come to Him and be forgiven of our sins. Romans 5.8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God sent His Son, Jesus, to die and pay the price in full for all the wrong things we have done. We no longer have to be separated from God!.
5) We must individually admit to God that we are sinners and in an attitude of repentance (which means that we have changed our minds, the way we think, and turn away from sin to follow Christ), personally ask Him for forgiveness, the free gift of eternal life and to come into to our lives. Romans 10:9,10 says "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Its 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.
Simply talk to God and say something like this: "God, I know that I have sinned and have done things that have hurt You, others and myself. I am a sinner; please forgive my sins. I repent from all my sins, I turn away from my old life, and I ask you to give me the gift of eternal life. Please come into my life and save me from the punishment that I deserve. I put my full trust in what you did for me on the cross, Jesus and I take you as my Savior. Amen."

2. Your question about Obama...

While Obama does possess some traits that are similar to what the Bible says about the antichrist, the same could be said for many of today’s world leaders. Further, there are serious questions regarding whether it is even possible that the antichrist could be a non-Jewish / non-Semitic person. As with many of the powerful people in the world today, the answer to the question, “Is Barack Obama the antichrist?” has to be “wait and see.” Second Thessalonians 2:3 states that the antichrist, “the man of lawlessness,” will be revealed – it will be abundantly clear who he is when the time comes. Rather than speculating and demonizing, our responsibility is to be wise and discerning, based on what the Bible says about the antichrist.

3. Your questions about living for God...

Here is a link to a Bible study titled "Victory Over Sin" that I believe may help...

http://www.forministry.com/USOKPENTEMMM1/VictoryOverSin.dsp

Hope this helps.

Elder Greg Madden

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well I was talking to another expert and she told me what the Holy Spirit said.She said that He said that I have not accepted Him so now I am afraid,scared to death.Oh Lord,I am in trouble.I was never saved?!All I did was try!I tried!I asked GOD for a heart filled with desire for Him and I still don't know if I have it.I ask Him over and over again.It hurts to think that all of this time I was never saved.I'm crying right now,that's how much it hurt.I really wanted to be saved.And I did everything it said in the BIBLE,I did!It's not that I don't want Him in my life,I just don't know how to really love Him or have a relationship with Him and to know that He said that scares me TO DEATH.I just don't know how to have a relationship with Him or if I want one right now.I know that I need Him in my life but this makes me think that I am not saved all of this time then I can't get saved in the future.It's scary and it hurts!I did EVERYTHING it said in the BIBLE in order to be saved.I did it all!I don't know what mor eI could do.I really don't.I talk to GOD a lot and still I don't get a reply.I asked Him to show me if I was saved or not but I guess He just did and that's the answer that I wanted to hear.What if I get left behind?!I can't take it anymore,everyday,I wonder about this.Some people tell me that I am saved and others say no that I am not.I am better off dead than go to hell.I just don't know what to do anymore!I really don't.I know time is running out and I have always tried to make sure that my soul goes to the right place.Always.I can't even breathe.I am just now starting to read my BIBLE.I pray every night.I accepted Jesus Christ.I can't do this anymore.I tried to have a relationship with GOD.I don't know how to hunger after Him with my whole heart and soul because I am never sure.Never.So I have to do everything over again and it just hurts,I wanted to be saved.I really did and still do and now I have to do everything over again.I just can't live with this worry.I literally just can't breathe right now.I asked GOD for a heart filled with desire for Him but I don't know if I have it yet.I wanted to be included in God's people and now I am outside of the circle.Maybe He has just given up on me.I don't know what to think or what to do!But why is there something in the back of my head that tells me that I really didn't want Jesus as my saviour?Is that the devil telling me that? I know that Jesus is the only saviour and I was willing to give Him my life too. I also gto saved because I was interested in getting saved.But I didn't want to go to hell eithe rbut I didn't do it to form a relationshipw tih GOD but now I am trying to form one with Him.No one made me get saved either.I decided to but I wonder if I did that because I didn't want to go to hell.Did I get saved for the wrong reasons and am I not saved? I do believe in GOD and Jesus. I also believe that when I pray that GOD listens. I don't know how to have a close relationship with anything and I asked GOD to give me a heart to desire to seek Him and love Him. I want to have a heart to seek Him and love Him. But sometimes I question myself do I only want a relationship with GOD because I don't want to go to hell.Is that a bad reason? What's happening and am I not saved anymore?And sometimes I feel that I don't want to have a relationship with GOD but I asked Him for a heart filled with desire to seek Him more because I desperately want a heart like that.When I got saved,I got saved because I wanted to be saved and because I didn't want to go to hell.I really want to have a heart filled with desire to seek Him,I really do and I don't know if I have it yet.I didn't really get saved in order to have a relationship with Him,let's be honest but now I want a heart that seeks Him.I jstu want a heart to seek Him and want Him in my life.Every single time I said the Sinner's prayer,I meant it with all of my heart.I know that Jesus died for my sins and rose again from the dead and still lives today.That's what it said that I must do to be save din the BIBLE.I'm sorry,I'm jsut having a hard time dealing with this.I can't deny anything if the Holy Spirit gave you that.And that's what hurts even more,because I know that He is telling the truth and if He said that I am not saved,then I am not saved.What must I do to be saved?I tried every single thing there is to do!I just want to be saved and included in GOD's family.I don't want to go to hell and I am trying to have a relationship with GOD.I really am.I will do anything to be saved,I really would.My soul matters more to me than the earth does.I just can't take not being saved.I am seeking GOD because if I wasn't,I wouldn't be asking Him for a seeking heart.I am just so unsure right now.I'm crying because I never expected it.What does this mean?Please respond quickly!"

ANSWER: CGLLR,

Let not your heart be troubled. If you have truly trusted in Christ for your personal Lord and Saviour then you ARE SAVED! Don't let anyone, or anything convince you otherwise.

Now I suggest that you get your faith rooted and grounded in the Word of God. Here is a link to a great beginners Bible study. After you have read through these studies, if you have any further questions feel free to contact me...

Beginners

http://www.faithworksministries.org/user/download/BibleStudies2/beg.html

Intermediate

http://www.faithworksministries.org/user/download/BibleStudies2/int.html

Advanced

http://www.faithworksministries.org/user/download/BibleStudies2/adv.html

God bless.

Elder Greg Madden

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: But she said the Holy Spirit told her that.
Well this is what she said the Holy Spirit told her to tell me.- My child, you want to belong to my very elite exclusive club, because it has great benefits, eternal life, eternal rewards, Heaven and all it glory,the company of saints,friends and loved ones and my loving presence. To be in my Holy city, to eat on my prepared table, to see the most unimaginable beauty that I have prepared for those who follow and love me with all their minds and souls. Yes i want you to belong, but ...BUT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES> MY RULES!!!! I demand a clean and praiseworthy life. I know that you will make mistakes, but i love you and try very very hard not to do it again. I will forgive when you ask with all of your heart. You definitely know if you are saved when you accept me, and hunger for me, want me in everything, don't push me aside. you will want to seek me in church and my Holy book , the book of life, the Bible. Seek me now that you are young and the rest of your days will be rewarded with blessings. I the Lord am God who made you, apart yourself from all that is evil. CHOOSE NOW. so that you will not be lost in the eternal fire that awaits those that donot want or love me. You said that you have accepted me, but you really have not, if you did you would be after me with great hunger to know me. You would want me to dwell in you, but you don't want me to. seek me now while there is still time, because I tell you we are in the last days. You still have time. when you really and truly accept me as your Lord and savior I tell you this you will not have any fear because I am not the God of fear, I am the God of love , I will give the spirit of love and of a sound mind body and soul.


Should I believe her or should I just ignore her?

Answer
CGLLR,

Understand that you are saved by Gods grace through faith. If you have received Jesus as I described in my first reply to you are a Christian. Don't worry about what anyone says. Only trust in the finished work of Christ on the Cross.

Also, I sense from your questions that you need to have your faith rooted and grounded. Have you read through the Bible studies I sent you yet? If not, then start with the beginners and work your way through them. This will help you tremendously.

As I told you before, if you have trusted in Christ as Lord and Saviour the "Let not your heart be troubled".

Elder Greg Madden