[WorshipJesus]

Originally Posted by taylordyoung

Well, I think I am safe.
I have been reading the New Testament, And I am in the middle of matthew right now.
And I talk to god everyday for at least 10 minutes every night.
I remebr the other night, I KNOW I saw.... Something. Or felt something.
I was sorta just praying and then I KNOW I saw something. It was this bright yellow light, (my eyes were closed) and I felt warm all over. It lasted about 5 seconds then I thought "I wish I could see that forever" and it happened again for about 5 more seconds.
I feel like I talk to god like he is a freind almost. Like I can literally TALK to him in my thoughts.
I dont know if I am just crazy, or if I am just hearing things, or if this is the whole "relationship with god" everyone is talking about. Im glad either way. It really puts me at peace with myself when I talk with him.

I don't know what it was, but remember not to base your salvation wholly on an experience. You must be aligned with what the Bible says: trust Jesus whole heartedly that He paid for your sin on the cross, believe that He rose from the dead in His conquering death, and that nothing else can pay for your sin. Jesus paid it all! He didn't pay for what you couldn't make up on your own. He paid it all! I pray that God continues to draw you to Himself and that you grow in the amazing love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[Nate]

Perhaps Christianity really isn't a religion.

We are pretty much the only modern religion to deny the validity of religious experience.

I'm as much of a skeptic as the next, but you can't deny that we pooh-pooh an awful lot of what was the norm in the Bible.

[tlj009]

I don't know what it was, but remember not to base your salvation wholly on an experience. You must be aligned with what the Bible says: trust Jesus whole heartedly that He paid for your sin on the cross, believe that He rose from the dead in His conquering death, and that nothing else can pay for your sin. Jesus paid it all! He didn't pay for what you couldn't make up on your own. He paid it all! I pray that God continues to draw you to Himself and that you grow in the amazing love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I don't know what basing your salvation "wholly on an experience" would consist of. But in times of doubt it is very good to look back and say "that was real". You can't deny what was real. There is no reason for someone else to believe you but it should be enough to convince yourself. Your experiences with God are a very good thing. Without them, you don't have a relationship with God.

[WorshipJesus]

Originally Posted by tlj009

I don't know what basing your salvation "wholly on an experience" would consist of. But in times of doubt it is very good to look back and say "that was real". You can't deny what was real. There is no reason for someone else to believe you but it should be enough to convince yourself. Your experiences with God are a very good thing. Without them, you don't have a relationship with God.

It would be exactly what you just described. In times of doubt we should be looking to the Word of God as our only source of reassurance. Anything other than that can be very dangerous. The only "experiences" that would qualify as reassurance of a right relationship with God would be growing apart from sin while growing closer to God and seeing the fruit of the Spirit in your life.

There is no reason for someone else to believe you but it should be enough to convince yourself.

I may be over analytical, but this is a dangerous statement. It borders basic postmodernism: "What's true for me is true for me, and what's true for you is true for you."

You can't base the validity of your faith on anything other than what the Word of God tells you. What are the qualifications of salvation? Faith in Jesus Christ. What is the result of a person who has been born again? Sanctification. If you are wholly trusting in Jesus Christ for your salvation and if you are seeing the fruit of the Spirit being practiced more in your life, those are the criteria for checking if you are saved, not a past experience. This is why 1 John was written. 1 John 5:13- I have written these thigs to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.

[CRloveSkillet13]

This has been a big downfall for me in my walk with God. I have asked myself a lot of the same questions that Taylordyoung mentioned at the beginning of the thread. I was a devout Christian for many years (and now I wonder if I truly was one). I haven't read my Bible or prayed in nearly a year and now I don't even consider myself a Christian...

I do not see growing apart from sin evidence of a relationship with God. Sure, I do believe that this must be present in our lives, because if we are truly Christians we will stop sinning and obey God. However, I do not know how one can truly know they have been converted if they have no experience or "sign", that they know beyond a doubt they are saved. I never had that experience...sure, I had some momentary emotional highs, but never had a legitimate change in heart. I am hoping one day I will experience God and know for sure that he is real. I know God has to exist, I mean, it's the only thing that makes sense. But I find it hard to put trust in something that I cannot see or feel...

I'm not saying I'm right or wrong. As I already mentioned, I no longer consider myself saved, so there's probably something I'm missing in this whole search for God. this is just my experience at thinking I was a Christian for 8 years of my life.

[tlj009]

It would be exactly what you just described. In times of doubt we should be looking to the Word of God as our only source of reassurance. Anything other than that can be very dangerous. The only "experiences" that would qualify as reassurance of a right relationship with God would be growing apart from sin while growing closer to God and seeing the fruit of the Spirit in your life.

The Spirit is not something that you simply see the fruit of. The Holy Spirit is within you if you are a Christian. It is what is real that you can hold on to. The Bible is great but the only way that I know it is true is because the Spirit confirms it.

I may be over analytical, but this is a dangerous statement. It borders basic postmodernism: "What's true for me is true for me, and what's true for you is true for you."

No. What is true is true, I just don't have any reason to believe the things that have happened to you. You can tell me that you ate toast this morning, but I don't have to believe it. Even if it is true.

You can't base the validity of your faith on anything other than what the Word of God tells you.

The Word of God tells me that if you are saved, his Spirit will be in you. You will have that relationship with him.

What is the result of a person who has been born again? Sanctification. If you are wholly trusting in Jesus Christ for your salvation and if you are seeing the fruit of the Spirit being practiced more in your life, those are the criteria for checking if you are saved, not a past experience. This is why 1 John was written. 1 John 5:13- I have written these thigs to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Many a lost person can do good things.

Matthew 7[19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[20] Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
[21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The lost can even cast out devils and prophesy but the only way that you know if something is a fruit of the Spirit is if you have the Spirit within you. That is what is real.