One of the reasons why so many people have difficulty settling the assurance of their salvation, is simply because they have been wrongly taught how to be saved. I was saved at age 13, but I lived with much fear and uncertainty for the next seven years, because I was wrongly taught to “pray” as part of getting saved. I knew I was a sinner. I understood that Jesus is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Who died on the cross to pay for my sins. I believed that He raised up from the dead, and the best I knew how, I called out silently from within my soul from a church pew for Jesus to save me. I was too shy to go forward during the invitation, so I never talked to anybody about it.
Consequently, I worried from the moment I was saved if I was really saved. What if? What if I go to Hell? What if I miss out on Heaven? What if I missed something? What if I didn't pray right? Those were my worrisome thoughts. I began a quest on my own, reading every religious tract, picking up everything I could find about salvation. I sat on the edge of my seat in church, whenever anything was preached about faith and getting saved. I did learn many things, but not enough to settle my fears. Sadly, few preachers understand the Gospel well enough to preach it accurately. That is why I have dedicated the remainder of my life to presenting the Gospel accurately, that lost sinners may be gloriously saved.
Unfortunately, religious tracts are filled with junk theology, which continued to mislead me. Had someone told me what I am telling you, that all God expects is for us to simply BELIEVE, I wouldn't have doubted for so long. What saith the Scripture? John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
If you are familiar with religious tracts, as I am, then you know that very few tracts properly present THE GOSPEL, by which we are saved (Romans 1:16). That is why I refer to them as religious tracts instead of Gospel tracts! Most tracts subtract the cross, or Christ's bodily resurrection; or they add committing your life to Christ, turning away from sins, confessing Jesus before men, praying a sinner's prayer, or making Jesus the “Lord” of your life to be saved. None of those things comprise The Gospel. You can do all those things and yet never have been saved at all! You get saved by BELIEVING the 'GOOD NEWS' (which is the meaning of 'GOSPEL') of Christ's death on the cross, burial, and bodily resurrection three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.
One of the greatest days of my life was when I learned the wonderful simple truth, that I was saved at age 13 by simply believing on Jesus' name; and that there never was a need for me to pray at all. It was my heart's faith, relying upon the blessed Savior, that saved me. It is not by anything good that I have ever done, nor that I could ever do, that saved me; but rather, it's by the imputed righteousness of God, counted to me by faith in Jesus Christ! I AM ETERNALLY SAVED! Praise God! I have God's written promise on it in His Word! Abraham believed the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-6).
And so I say to you dear reader, there is no need to “pray” or “ask” Jesus to save you, He has already paid your debt of sin in full with His precious blood. All you need to do is receive God's free GIFT of forgiveness of sins and eternal life, by simple childlike faith in Jesus' name. ...
Romans 4:5-6, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,”Isn't that beautiful? GOD IMPUTETH RIGHTEOUSNESS WITHOUT WORKS!!! That means God the Father credits all of His only begotten Son's righteousness to us, simply because we are relying upon Him. Anyone who relies upon Jesus Christ—trusting that He died on the cross, was buried and raised up the third day for us—has their sins remitted and receives eternal life. Acts 10:43, “To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
“Everything that's hard and complicated about salvation is God's side of it!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, a precious quote from the MP3 sermon, “Yea, Yea, And Nay, Nay!”
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