"You Are Going To Hell, My Friend"

 I'm not talking to you in that title. That is my conscience talking to me.

The other day, the thought popped into my head about whether or not I could only think I am saved.

Hmmm...

That's a thought that will keep you up at night. It sure did cause me to toss and turn. I immediately started checking some resources. I was so frantic that I went online and literally typed into the search: "can you only think you are saved". No question mark needed. 

After checking a couple of overly reassuring pages, I added "Got Questions" to the search and several choices popped up. I chose this one If you doubt your salvation, does that mean you are not truly saved?

I read it, re-read it, printed it out, and read the hard copy, and underlined some parts. The gist of it is:

• Belief alone is not enough. Even demons believe.
• Belief and faith are different things.
• If we have saving faith (belief), we won't willfully continue to sin.
• We will still sin because, well, we are human. As Chuck Missler put it, we are "born this way" and "S-I-N- positive"
• The point is: do we struggle with our sin? (I wasn't struggling with this one particular sin; it was a part of my daily life. I set time aside for it!)
• True belief transforms us from one who happily sins to one who struggles against sin.

So...

I sent an email to end a sort of relationship that I know is not right or honest (none of your business!) and then prayed right then and there for forgiveness and strength. I know that I am going to need to examine my life every now and then.

I am going to continue my Bible studies but, in place of the particular sin I mentioned giving up, I will be using that time to pray about any other sin I am possibly wallowing in.

I just wanted to share this and I hope that you share that Got Question link with everyone you know. I don't want any of us to end up in the Lord, Lord situation. You know, this one:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven..."

The fact that I could have died in my sleep, still in my willing and continual sins, hurts my heart. And it was a warning I needed.

Peace

--Free