A question for Calvinist (purely friendly)

Hi, for the longest time I've wanted to ask you guys a question so here goes..

I don't personally consider myself saved (and for the thread it would be helpful if we just agree on that)

But for the longest time I've been interested maybe even obsessed about things of God, getting saved etc..I've listened,read,had conversations all about God over and overrrrrrrr,even glued to films like ben hur as a kid.The bottom line is i'm still the same though...Were talking about a period from 8-44..

Now my question is if i'm dead spiritually, what have i been doing all this time, to me it's tryingggg to find God and not succeeding, Is it possible for me to find God?? How can i be totally depraved if i'm so obsessed

NO DEBATE BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS

This is a friendly question asked of a group of people i have a lot of respect for!! And i just want their opinion

cheers

A thought: There are men out there who beat their wives yet say they love them.

Jimmy :)

Strawrifle, I think you have incorrectly labeled the title. You are really asking a question for Christians in general. The Calvinist-Arminian debates are about differences between non-essential doctrines, not differences about justification by faith and salvation.

Now my question is if i'm dead spiritually, what have i been doing all this time, to me it's tryingggg to find God and not succeeding, Is it possible for me to find God?? How can i be totally depraved if i'm so obsessed

It is difficult to know how to respond. I am not entirely sure how you understand your own question. Also, I am not certain what your criteria and expectations are for finding God.

Since we are all spiritually dead to begin with and it is in that state that we are first drawn and led to seek God; moreover, since God has put eternity, as it were, and the knowledge of Himself in our hearts; it is therefore little wonder that you would find yourself mindful of whether or not God exists and who or what He is. The pursuit of God is quite natural and intuitive.

It should also be pointed out that it appears you have misunderstood the meaning of total depravity. If I am following you correctly, the implication is that if you are totally depraved then thoughts and concerns about God should be non-existent. That is not accurate. Total depravity is merely the doctrine that man in his natural sinful state (as distinguished from his original state in the garden prior to the Fall) is entirely incapable of justifying himself before a Holy God. Moreover, prior to the renewing and enlightening of God's Spirit man's heart is stubbornly spiteful of the righteousness and mercy of God. This does not mean that man will never seek for God, even as he seeks for wisdom, but it is only to say that he will never love the God he is ultimately looking for. Such that when God manifests Himself in some way to the seeker is not satisfied; so, instead of turning to glorify God, the man turns aside for something else. For the man, without the grace of God and without a love for the truth he receives, will never value and cherish the things of God. For those are spiritually appraised and he is yet carnally minded (his affections are set upon the things of the earth: those things which perish and are passing away). Thus, things the natural man regards as foolishness are often revealed to be the riches and wisdom of God in Christ.

Now, if you might please clarify your question a bit. You say you are trying to find God but what exactly are you looking for? Or, perhaps more precisely, what evidences are you considering for determining God's existence or for who He is?

And, when you consider such things, what are your expectations? Are you waiting for some kind of divine confirmation (e.g., a burning in your bosom, liver shivers, to be struck by lightning, writing in the sky or some such)? Often people will speak of a great weight being lifted off of their shoulders or a deep sense of peace and assurance when first being found of God (yes, I said, when God finds them, not vice versa — it would be wise for you to consider the implications of that). But none of these expectations are evidences for knowing when one is born again of the Spirit of God or for when one has had a "supernatural experience" (as some excitable persons claim). A side note on that, my point is to emphasize that many persons will often be induced into various altered states of consciousness and ignorantly assume that the sensate experiences of chemical intoxication is evidence for the presence of God or angels. And their reasoning on the matter is no more profound than because it felt good. An unfortunate state of affairs.

To put it simply, there are quite frankly no sensations, no signs, no physical or emotional feelings or such evidences that will guarantee or confirm to any man the existence of God or who He is. These things may certainly be assurances (for they are certainly not contrary to it) but ultimately they are not guarantees. That is the nature of spirit. In theology this is often called the Hiddenness of God. For it seems as if, even with all of our greatest and sincerest efforts, God is completely unattainable and unknowable. (As I said, when God finds us, not vice versa. This is also an extension of the doctrine of total depravity.)

I will leave you with these things to consider, for now. Please let me know your thoughts and, if you would answer some of the questions presented, then, I will do my best to dialogue with you.

Hi thks for the replies..

Firstly i directed the question to one group because i thought it was more their doctrine, and secondly i didnt want the thread to become a debate between the two groups..

Your reply as been very helpful, this section most helpful

(((((It should also be pointed out that it appears you have misunderstood the meaning of total depravity. If I am following you correctly, the implication is that if you are totally depraved then thoughts and concerns about God should be non-existent. That is not accurate. Total depravity is merely the doctrine that man in his natural sinful state (as distinguished from his original state in the garden prior to the Fall) is entirely incapable of justifying himself before a Holy God. Moreover, prior to the renewing and enlightening of God's Spirit man's heart is stubbornly spiteful of the righteousness and mercy of God. This does not mean that man will never seek for God, even as he seeks for wisdom, but it is only to say that he will never love the God he is ultimately looking for. Such that when God manifests Himself in some way to the seeker is not satisfied; so, instead of turning to glorify God, the man turns aside for something else. For the man, without the grace of God and without a love for the truth he receives, will never value and cherish the things of God. For those are spiritually appraised and he is yet carnally minded (his affections are set upon the things of the earth: those things which perish and are passing away). Thus, things the natural man regards as foolishness are often revealed to be the riches and wisdom of God in Christ.))))

I guess the simple question is, does total depravity mean all my efforts to get saved won't move God, if so, what do u do when u cant do anything :p...

How do u make God find u?? Cornelius seemed to move God before he was saved...

What do i want? I want to KNOW God and i want to KNOW that i'm saved...

andy

Do you believe he died and rose again? Do you believe that he took your place on Calvary and stayed the mighty hand of God's wrath against you? Do you believe Jesus can save you? Call out to him for salvation. Do you believe He is the source of eternal life? Ask that he would birth you in the spirit. Have you asked him to save you? Have you placed your faith in Christ? Do you believe Jesus is the way the truth and the life and that no man can come to the Father but by His son?

Simply believe. Put your trust and faith in him to save you from your sin. I could think of no greater tragedy in all Christian history than someone being denied entrance into the heavenly city because they could not settle a theological debate of chicken and egg while in this life.

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." -John 6:36

Come to Jesus, seek his face for salvation...ask him to save you. He will in no wise cast you out. Unto the merciful He will show himself merciful.

"Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." -Acts 16:29-31

"But as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." -John 1:12

"Verily verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." -John 3:5

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only son of God." -John 3:14-18

"And when he (the Holy Spirit) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me..." -John 16:8-9

Is the Spirit reproving you because of unbelief? What then should be your response?

Praying for you.

(((could think of no greater tragedy in all Christian history than someone being denied entrance into the heavenly city because they could not settle a theological debate of chicken and egg while in this life. )))

One point the theological debate to this question isnt why im not saved , i was just wondering if it was the reason God never responded,,i wasnt worried about total depravity at 8 :p...

Honestly ive asked God over and over to save me in the last 30 years..Most nights i spend time pleading with God to do something, and everytime i still feel dead and unchanged, and yes full of unbelief but 30 years of asking and no reponse will do that to you..

One point the theological debate to this question isn't why I'm not saved , I was just wondering if it was the reason God never responded,

I could never claim to speak to the specificity of your situation Strawrifle. All I have to stand on is what the word says. If Jesus tells me he will not cast me out for coming to him, all I can do is believe that.

One more thing to consider...

Romans 6:11 "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ your Lord."

30 years of asking and no response will do that to you..

Again though, you still did not answer the rest of my questions, please forgive my directness. Do you in fact believe all the things I asked you?

hi, if you can believe romans 9:10,11 you can be saved . if you do not have the faith to believe what God says in the bible you will not be saved. it is simple. God put the cookies on the bottom shelf.children can reach them but religious folks ignore them.jimp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEOqxibhCxU

here you have a calvinist preaching

Strawrifle, you said

Honestly ive asked God over and over to save me in the last 30 years..Most nights i spend time pleading with God to do something, and everytime i still feel dead and unchanged, and yes full of unbelief but 30 years of asking and no response will do that to you..

Again, you are expecting some kind of response, some kind of sign or confirmation. And, it would appear, you are judging yourself to be full of unbelief because you still feel dead and unchanged; that is, because there was no confirmation, that you are aware of, to evidence God took notice of your earnest pleas. You are putting the cart before the horse, my friend.

Others here have kindly provided you with some sermons or doctrines about certain beliefs that true believers have. Although there still remains the problem that you seem to be struggling with. For merely assenting to such Christian truths, such as those Areadymind mentioned, does not guarantee one's salvation. The reason for this goes back to what I said about not merely having the truth but much more having a love for the truth that you might be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10). As it is, I think it is safe to assume that after some 30 years of searching, your problem is not whether you have heard or understand the Gospel. Perhaps you even acknowledge it to be true that Jesus, the Christ, died to save you from your sins as an atoning sacrifice, etc. If you did not I would find it strange that you should be so concerned about crying out to God. So it seems to me that the root of your struggle is in recognizing what faith actually is, what faith is grounded in, and how to exercise it.

There are many out there who speak foolishly about the nature of faith. They say faith is "blind." Do not listen to those people. Faith and reason are neither enemies nor mutually exclusive. But faith does extend beyond what human reasoning can grasp. You might imagine this like an arrow that extends upward and points far into the unfathomable depths of the universe beyond our skies. This arrow is the straight and narrow path of all human comprehension and understanding of what is true and reasonable (this would include the knowledge of God in accordance to the general revelation; this is sometimes referred to as intuitive knowledge; see Romans 1:16ff). But the mind cannot extend itself beyond it's natural bounds: it cannot grasp the heavens or tear away the veil to peer into the higher mysteries. This is likewise the limitation and weakness of the branches of philosophy. When we consider such tantalizing questions as what caused the universe (e.g., the Kalam cosmological argument taken together with the ontological argument for God's existence) we find that reason and intuition agree that it seems undeniable that there must be more to everything than brute empirical facts. No doubt to the chagrin of many atheists who fervently wish God would simply vanish in a puff of logic. Yet for all the rationality and for all the compelling arguments for God's existence and that He has revealed Himself through the Christian Bible and in His only begotten Son, none of these testimonies can bring us to that absolute 100% conclusion. In point, only the witness of the Holy Spirit can truly evidence that full assurance; although, even that can be often forgotten or neglected. Such is the nature of sin to dull and harden the hearts of men to the loving-kindness of their Creator.

I say all of these things to make a point. In the end, reason can no more bring us to God than it can motivate us to trust our dearest friend. It can lead us very far and point the way beyond but it cannot provide the reason or the motivation for why we ought to go beyond. Thus faith is entirely reasonable and yet it is more: it is trust. Not the kind of trust a gambler may have. It is the kind of trust found in any good and healthy relationship, such as, a husband who trusts that his wife genuinely loves him and will not betray him, and that trust is mutual. And, indeed, when we speak of Christian faith, we are speaking of a personal relation to a personal God.

So I ask, what manner of sign ought the husband expect from his wife that while she is beyond his immediate perception that she will abide, even abound, in her love for him and remain loyal to their marriage covenant? I dare say he asks for none, much more, he needs none. Why then do we require any more from God who has already given us His Son and all things? Take God at His word. He is faithful and true; He cannot lie. When He says that whosoever believes and trusts in Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, who knew no sin and was made "to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" and thereby be reconciled unto God (2 Corinthians 5:20-21), He means it.

This most profound of truths is not to be found in fuzzy sensation or tingly fingers or heart palpitations; it is not to be found in the blatantly miraculous; it is not to be found in mere mental assent or an emotion. It is only found in a personal and sincere trust between one person and another. Therefore if you can trust God to do what He said He would do then take courage in the words of Christ, who says,

John 14:21. "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose (reveal) Myself to him."

John 15:10. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
12. "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you."
14. "You are My friends if you do what I command you."
17. "This I command you, that you love one another."

And John would go on to later write, in First John, chapter 4,

We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

Matthew 22:36-40
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
And He said to him, " 'you shall love the Lord you God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'you shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

I would also strongly recommend you to consider the Epistle of Second Peter, which declares unto us, that it is only by God's "divine power [that He] has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and virtue. For by these [His own glory and virtue] He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust."

And Peter goes on to say, "for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you."

What then do all of these Scriptures mean? They are the marks of a truly born-again Christian or, as John puts it, one who is born of God. There is much that can be said for why this is the case (it has to do with the nature of man's dependence upon God as the giver of life) but for now it is enough to say that if we love God and love our neighbor with unfeigned hearts and this love is grounded in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (that is, even as Christ so loved us) then we have assurance that God has forgiven our sins, even as He cleanses us from all unrighteousness, and that He has given unto us eternal life in His Son.

hi, if one could stop sinning then he would not need Jesus. repenting is turning the rule of your life over to Christ. the Holy Spirit is the comforter(cum forte)with strength that works within the christian in his sanctifiation as he looks to the finished work of the cross.repent, beieve,confess,receive for JESUS paid the whole price and it is finished.jimp quit confessing a weak redeemer for He is able to save to the uttermost and it has very little to do with you

Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. If you will really believe this amazing thing, and abandon yourself to Him as Lord, you will be saved. In spite of all your seeking you have yet to find Him because you have yet to abandon yourself to Him and follow Him. Start following Him and you will be saved.

If you wait around for some profound mystical experience of what you imagine "getting saved" is like, you will never find the salvation you say you long for. If you wish to find life, pickup your cross and begin to follow. Whoever would lose their life for Him will find it.

But it begins by believing so profoundly in Jesus Christ being alive that you follow Him for who He is: LORD!

Strawlife,

You may have just neglected to mention this but I don't see in any of your posts a repentant heart seeking mercy. I read that you are seeking God. Perhaps you haven't really reached the place of seeing your own sin and repenting before you seek to have God reveal Himself to you as Savior and Lord. Don't know this to be the case for sure though.

For the responders, the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. I can hear the apostle saying "knowing the terror of God I persuade men..."

Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. If you will really believe this amazing thing, and abandon yourself to Him as Lord, you will be saved. In spite of all your seeking you have yet to find Him because you have yet to abandon yourself to Him and follow Him. Start following Him and you will be saved.

If you wait around for some profound mystical experience of what you imagine "getting saved" is like, you will never find the salvation you say you long for. If you wish to find life, pickup your cross and begin to follow. Whoever would lose their life for Him will find it.

But it begins by believing so profoundly in Jesus Christ being alive that you follow Him for who He is: LORD!

Hi thks very much for ur replies you have all been very kind..

I thought i would try and answer some more questions, and clarify some points..

Though through a very kind teacher i was first inspired to know about God at 8...The story really starts at 15, i had a RE teacher who though unsaved was intrigued by Nicky Cruz book, and would read it to us in lessons, i rushed out and bought that book and read it in one sitting that night to say it changed my life is a understatement (Though in someways it was just the begining of my frustrations, from the start i wanted what he got i wanted the experiances)...

Is there anything wrong to think when u meet God the experiance will be glorious? I think not, but to say i was disappointed is a understatement, i felt that getting saved would change me...

I became a member of a local church, which basically believed the "say this little prayer and ur in"...From the start i was rebelious due to being disappointed and never settled in church, i became the member with all the questions and doubts, which im sure wore them out..

Also beside this, i have to confess the start of my "christian life" was also the start of my "sinful behaviour"...I come from a totally unchristian family and friends, and led two lifes sin,drink,drugs,sex and then thinking of God on my pillow, and demanding why He didn't change me, i also out of frustration joint other faiths through this period from Bahai to Islam...

I have become very doubleminded and full of bitterness, and also full of questions, unfortuantly questions that can't be answered this side of heaven ( I am the boat on the waves he speaks about)...

So do i believe everything people have quoted?? On a good day i hope its all true, on a bad day just a million thoughts and grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..

Have i ever felt conviction of sin? Hmmmmmm no i have felt i hope i don't get caught, and the feeling that if i am not convicted thats Gods fault after all hes the person who made me like this and can change me..

Sorry to be blunt but just wanted to be clearer thks

Is there anything wrong to think when u meet God the experiance will be glorious? I think not, but to say i was disappointed is a understatement, i felt that getting saved would change me...

I became a member of a local church, which basically believed the "say this little prayer and ur in"...From the start i was rebelious due to being disappointed and never settled in church, i became the member with all the questions and doubts, which im sure wore them out..

Also side this, i have to confess the start of my "christian life" was also the start of my "sinful behaviour"...I come from a totally unchristian family and friends and led two lifes sin,drink,drugs,sex and then thinking of God on my pillow, and demanding him why he didn't change me, i also out of frustration joint other faths through this period from Bahai to Islam...

Praying a sinner's prayer does not save you. Occasionally, God WILL answer peoples' prayers and they ARE saved and changed into a new creature, but as Paul Washer said, that's in SPITE of this methodology, not because of it.

When you are saved, it is an indescribably significant moment, but don't waste time waiting for "that" day (I don't know I'm trying to get at), don't waste time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzMId-VgdAM

Repent of your sins. Go to your room, lock the door, and ask the Lord to come.

Just one small point i really appreciate all the sermon being posted...

But I've been around the Christian fringe for 30 years..I've heard sermons from Art to Daniels and Washer to Piper and back to Conlon, and read books from M L Jones to Smith Wigglesworth...I'm not sure another sermons going to help...

Hi its andy thks

Hi will take that on board thks...My family though not saved, are very sweet people very kind and great parents, so no involvement in anything of an occult nature..

Just one small point i really appreciate all the sermon being posted...

But I've been around the Christian fringe for 30 years..I've heard sermons from Art to Daniels and Washer to Piper and back to Conlon, and read books from M L Jones to Smith Wigglesworth...I'm not sure another sermons going to help...

Jeremiah 31, 32, Ezekiel 36:25-28, Romans 8...

[By the way, I'm much younger than strawrifle here--is this an improper way to appeal to someone older than myself to trust in Christ?)

hi, if you insist on being lost, you can remain lost and without simple child like faith in what Jesus has done for you,personnally...and spend eternity without Him in torment and win your argument.jimp dumb

Perhaps you haven't really reached the place of seeing your own sin and repenting before you seek to have God reveal Himself to you as Savior and Lord.

This and some other posts give the impression that one must recognize and repent of all sin before God can save you, but biblical repentance to salvation refers to repenting from rejecting Christ as Saviour and Lord. This is an important difference and when we speak to a man who is seeking we should not add confusion and make the path to salvation appear harder than it is! When I came to Jesus I had no idea how much sin was in my life and how it was offending God until the Holy Spirit came in and shed His light on it.

Andy, I feel for you, and I wish there was an easy answer. I want to tell you that I believe you either are or will be saved because "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Rom 10:13, Acts 2:21 Those who are confortable in their ways and do not see a need to call on God are in much greater danger of eternal condemnation than one who wrestles with God all of his life.
My suggestion would be to take a deep breath and relax. Drop your expectations into a mental "drawer" for a while, forget about all the books, sermons, and whatever else the "Christian Media" has to offer but read your Bible daily(mostly NT and Psalms). Offer simple prayers based on the text you have been reading. Seek periods of quietness and solitude and meditate on Jesus. Keep your eyes on Him, Andy, He is your life, He is everything. Try some praise and thanksgiving, you may not feel like you have anything to be thankful for but just thank Him for who He is. You see? Turn your attention away from yourself and to Him. The salvation of your soul is important and precious to the Lord but the Glory of His Name should be your most important goal. God bless you as you seek Him, and don't give up!

Hi thks for the replies, im going to re-read everything, and give it a lot of thought and prayers...

Thks Sola, i spend so much time readind and listening about God and hardly any time reading the bible, so good advice thks

GB all !! andy

Friend, what is your motive for seeking God? There where many people in the Bible and throughout history who were interested in Jesus for the wrong reasons. These people eventually were shown not to be faithful dicsiples. "They went out from us because they were not of us". Many people seek and "accept" Jesus for something other than He is. Many sought Him just because they wanted to see signs and wonders. Many attempt to use Jesus as an accessory to their life in addition to all their others desires and pursuits. An idolatrous heart will use any means, even God and the Gospel in such a way as to twist it into serving self. Receiving Jesus in the wrong way only makes your eternity worse.

Andy, you must receive, by God's grace, through repentance and faith, Jesus Christ for who He is, Lord and Savior, not as anything else. Receive Him as who He is. From your post it sounds as you have for much of your life tried to seek God. I don't want to make you angry, but I must esteem the Word of God more than yours. The Scriptures says that we all like sheep have gone astray and that we as evil people have sought out our own devices. There is none good no not one. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. Dead dead. There is none that seeketh after God.

Friend the in the Bible Jesus says that all who come to me I will in no wise cast out. It says to draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to you. Ask of Him and you shall receive. Drink of Him and thirst no more. Seek Him while he may be found call on Him while He is near. He also allows those who did not seek Him to be found by Him.

God does not lie, if you have not found Him yet it is because you have not truly sought Him in repentance and faith. I do believe that God is sovereign in salvation. True repentance and faith cannot take place without a supernatural work of Almighty God. I say this though not to make you complacent in any way, but rather to give you hope that there is no hope in self but in an all powerful God. IF you truly realize your sinful estate and hopelessness it will give you joy to see that Salvation is of the Lord and not in your own strength. Are you ready to surrender to the King? You indeed must be born again of the Holy Spirit not by the flesh. Andy you, just like me need a new heart from God. One that truly loves Him and hates all evil. Because our natural hearts are deceitfully wicked, all the evil things we think and do proceed from our heart.

As one dear preacher has said cry out to God and repent and believe in Jesus Christ and serve Him alone even if He sends you to Hell because He is WORTHY. Ask God for true conviction of sin, righteousness and judgement. Read Isaiah 6, anyone who truly sees God will be overcome by their sinfulness and terribly estate. But there is cleansing for all sin through Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. He is able to save to the uttermost! Cast yourself upon HIM! Believe and you shall be saved! :) Know that through the cross of Christ God can be just and yet justify the wicked like me and you! You will know when the Love of God is shed abroad in your heart! :)

Andy,

One sure mark of being born again is that you will begin to walk in the Light. No longer in the paths of sin and darkness. Your delight will be in the Lord and you will meditate on His law day and night. You will begin to love the Lord Jesus and desire to honor Him and have fellowship with Him. It is a labor of love, not just a check list to cross off. It is true that easy belivism is not biblical at all; i was not trying to portray that in any way whatsoever. Anyone who trust in a prayer, baptism, ritual or anything but Christ alone is deceived. The grace of God always bears good fruit that continues. Christ within does not create laxity, but rather humility and passion for God. Count the cost Andy, what does it profit to gain the whole world and yet lose your own soul? Give up on self and surrender totally to God. If you are thirsty come to the waters and drink, if you find yourself with out money come to Christ and get milk and honey without cost! Isaiah 55

Warm Greetings strawrifle.

Because I love you,I am answering your question.

I've shared my views and others have identified me as being a Calvinist, though at the time, I never knew anything about Calvin's teachings.

My faith is placed in Jesus, and i am His follower.

No one can be saved by keeping the Mosaic Laws (613 laws in total). In fact, the purpose of the Mosaic Laws was to cause sin to increase, to reveal how weak and flawed we humans really are.

The problem with the Mosaic Laws is that it keeps us focused on sin. Tell a child continuously not to put beans in his ears, and he will eventually put beans in his ears. This is because life is like riding a bicycle or motor cycle - where we continuously look is where we will go. Many addictions flesh is subject to arise because we are so focused on the addictions that we do not want to do.

The Apostle Paul spoke of the Mosaic Laws:

Gal 3:10-14
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM." Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM."

Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us — for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE" — in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. NASU

Rom 5:12-14
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned — for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. NASU

The sin of Adam was imputed to all his offspring. And just as Adam's sin was imputed to all mankind, so Jesus not sinning, but being righteous, his righteousness has likewise been imputed to all mankind, that death should no longer befall us because of Adam. Whereas the sin of Adam separated us from God, the righteousness of Jesus has given us reconciliation with God.

With regard to the Mosaic Law, Jesus kept all of the Mosaic Law on our behalf, he died in our place, bearing the penalty of our sins, for us, that we may live. The 'we' are all who accept God's free gift of salvation and eternal abundantly good life through our acceptance of Jesus blood shed on the cross atones for all our sins, past - present - and future.

God made the Cosmos at the same time He also made the Kingdom, Earth is a fiery furnace through which God removes all our impurities (His work in us) and will enter the Kingdom when Jesus returns for us.

Rom 8:1-11

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Heb 7:11-21

Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. For it is attested of Him,

"YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER
ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment [Mosaic Laws] because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him.

Under the Mosaic Covenant, humans were bound to keeping all 613 laws written therein - a Sisyphean task, that none but Jesus could do. Under the New Covenant, God keeps us through His only begotten Son. When Jesus died on the cross, having kept every jot and title of the Mosaic Law from birth to death, God canceled the Mosaic Covenant, and the New Covenant between God and humans. The Curtain in the temple that separated God and man was torn asunder. It is as if we are now back in the Garden and Eden, in that we have fellowship with God, who now dwells in us via the Holy Spirit.

Look at what God has done for us who believe the gospel of the atoning blood of Jesus that washed away all our sins for all time and whereby we have God dwell in us doing:

1 John 1:5-10
This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

Under this New Covenant (Contract) with God,

We know we will continue to sin throughout our life. We also know when we confess to Him our known sins, God will cleanse us from all our sins, and we believe and trust Him for this. God wants us to take our minds off of ourselves, and to focus on, and fellowship, with Him daily, and loving and being thoughtful of all whom we meet.

And yes, nothing has been left to chance, all who are saved were predestined to be saved, per Ephesians 1 -10. If you wish me to explain this, just ask. This post is long enough.

God is good.

My prayer is that God reveal what He has done for you that your joy be complete.