I believe in Christ. I have been a Christian since July 31, 2002 - almost seven years. But I've always wondered about my eternal security. If I were to die tomorrow, would I really end up in heaven or would I end up in hell? I'm not one to believe that it's possible to lose your salvation. I believe that once you have prayed the salvation prayer and mean it, you are saved.
My problem is this: I am a former self-proclaimed Hindu. Many years ago, at the age of nine, was my initial "acceptance" of Christ. As the years passed, it became more and more obvious that my early "conversion" hadn't been real. I eventually got into Hinduism, really getting into it in about 2000 or so.
Then in 2002, I went to a week-long Christian church camp. Even though I considered myself to be Hindu, I never went to the Hindu temple to make sacrifices or pray or anything like that. Instead, I still hung around the Christian church - even though I hated Christians. So either way, through attending Christian services, I ended up going to Bible camp for a week.
During that week of camp, I attended a class called "Anything Goes" which was a question-and-answer thing. One of my questions was "If you believe in God, but decide you no longer believe, do you still go to heaven?" Long story short, that question was pulled from the hat one night during class. I understood his basic answer to be no, and that even if you return to God and choose to believe again, you're still not saved. It won't do you any good to accept Christ a second time, as you will be rejected.
I remember finding one of my friends in the chapel sanctuary after class and telling her what I had been told, saying that I might as well continue to be a Hindu because accepting Christ a second time wouldn't do me any good.
I ended up accepting Christ a month after camp. But either way, this issue still haunts me seven years later. Anyone have any answers?
Comments (67)
He will ALWAYS take you back, no matter what.
It's just as simple as that.
Of course you have eternal security. Look how greatly you are insulting God by suggesting that you don't. He says anyone who believes in his name will be saved. You believe in his name. Thus you will be saved. Your past life has nothing to do with it. Jesus' blood washes you clean. "where will I go if I die tomorrow" is never a good question to ask, either. Unless God's plan for your life IS for you to die tomorrow, that question is a nonsense question. Rather you should ask, "where will I go when I die?" The answer to that is simple: You are Christ's; he will take you to him. You didn't die when you were a Hindu, did you? No. Christ did not abandon you even when you abandoned him, instead he brought you back to himself. He will not let you die in estrangement from him. Stop crippling yourself and insulting him. You are Christ's; go out and live that in joy.
Dear friend, I am from India and know many Hindus converted to Christ. In fact my Pastor was a Hindu priest.
I tell you, if you have opened your heart to receive Christ and proclaim Him as the Lord of your life, no one can snatch you out of His hand...unless you turn away from Him start worshiping idols again. Please don 't do that because Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Read Romans 8, nothing can seperate us from the love of God. Don 't doubt your salvation, the devil puts such thoughts in our minds to turn us away from the truth.
A person loses his/her salvation if they deny Christ completely.
You state yourself that your initial "acceptance" and "conversion" wasn't real.
You either probably didn't accept Christ during that initial experience or you just went through a period of a lot of doubt.
Having doubts are normal. Satan is a master in attacking you in the most strategic way for you to fall away. Be aware of that.
Just seek and cling to the Lord and when your eyes are set upon him, all doubt will fall away and the truth will be revealed to you. God Bless. =)
@naphtali_deer@xanga - there are "troubling passages" for both viewpoints on this issue. That I will admit.
No one is set for heaven. Period. HOWEVER..God will find a way to your heart. It's your choice if you accept it or not. That's the free choice. If you sin, it is your duty to ask God to forgive you of your sins. Daily [ 1 Corinthians 15:31].
Also, Galations 5:19-21:
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before , as I have also told you in time past , that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Since we ALL fall short of the glory of God [Romans 3:23], we must always ask God to forgive us. No one is saved from hell, but when you are born again and serve the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind, you are saved. You've been bought with a price, but if you don't take care of your relationship with Jesus Christ, you will lose it.
Just another scripture to help out. Matthew 7:21-23
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. 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? And then will I profess unto them , I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Nobody has a guarantee. The teaching that salvation can be guaranteed is wrong because it presumes to know God's intent and it presumes to know someone's heart. All anyone can do is to, like Paul, work out our salvation in fear and trembling.
And idk why this is in italics.
If you believe in God and have been born again/saved, and live according to His word, then yes you can go to heaven. It's not asking us to be perfect, because we all make mistakes, but as long as we're genuinely walking with God, developing our relationship with Him, and do our best to serve Him, we'll be with Him in heaven for eternity.
However, just because someone says a prayer once, but then does not live accordingly, deliberately disobey the bible, or has no desire to serve the Lord, then they are not saved.. and no, they won't go to heaven. I personally believe there is no such thing as eternal security. You are saved by grace, and won't go to hell for making mistakes or falling off track once in a while.. if we get right with God and repent for our wrong-doing. However, if your heart is turned away from God and you're not living for Him, then I personally do believe that we'd be condemned to hell; eternal separation from God.. after all, if you're not serving Him then this makes sense.
Think about it, eternal security would mean anyone could say the prayer to get saved, and then continue to live in sin, be disobedient against God, live for their own selfish will, resent God, or even stop believing in God... and still go to heaven? No. being saved means REPENTANCE, turning from old ways, being re-born in your spirit and living with a desire to please Him and to grow stronger in your relationship with Him.
Just so you know though-- YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK TO GOD. Always, always, always. He will never reject some who has fallen away and then comes back for mercy and forgiveness. There is always grace, and he will take people back. There's always a second chance. Taking this chance to change and being GENUINE is the difference between being saved or not, and going to heaven or not.
Hopefully people will not misunderstand what I've written. I say this with the most sincerity. There's always hope, so don't give up on God. ♥
@LoBornlite@xanga - Being a Protestant, I find those items from the Roman Catholic catechism interesting. Thanks for sharing them. While I don't believe in infant baptism for salvation as I understand the RC Church to believe, I understand better why your comments were made. I mistakenly thought you were espousing the Protestant doctrine that baptism as an adult following one's "conversion to Christ" is a necessity for salvation (which is what I believe to be false teaching).
Thanks again for the clarification. Blessings to you and all who read this in your walk with Christ.
One of my questions was "If you believe in God, but decide you no longer believe, do you still go to heaven?"
I think that the way the question was asked might have been a little confusing. If you use to believe in God and decided to no longer believe, then I do agree with the answer, no, you wont go to heaven. Part of the factors that determines whether one goes to heaven or not is actually believing in God and accepting his son Jesus Christ and also being baptize. So if you dont believe in God, how do you expect to go to heaven? However, if you repent, and accept God again, he will welcome you with open arms. In Luke Chapter 15, the story of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Son are perfect example that if you stray from God and decide to come back to him he will accept and rejoice in your return.
Honey, no matter what you are, you should have realized by this age that there ARE NO guarantees!
All you have to do to be saved (whatever that means) is believe. The thief hanging next to Jesus was never baptized and Jesus saved the man for doing nothing more than standing up for him. There are lots of people that were never baptized and yet will probably be in heaven. But I would say honor Christ's commandments and be baptized but it is not always necessary for salvation.
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You obviously went to Hinduism for some very profound and well thought-out reasons; no person chooses a religion lightly. The fact that you stayed within the Christian community says more about habit and your social life than actual beliefs. Riddle me this: Did Hinduism ever oppress you with guilt and fear the way Christianity is?
@kalidonian@xanga - While you are free to believe whatever you want to believe, what you are saying is not what is written in the Bible.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." Rom 1:20-21
You are right in saying that God is not bound to the laws that the church (man) creates, but how do you know that God won't send a man to hell? You are presupposing that you know the intentions of God and that is a dangerous place to go, especially when what you are saying is not supported in that one avenue (the Bible) where God has provided for us a glimpse of His greater will.
To the author:
Our salvation is dependent solely on our faith in Christ, which is itself a gift from God (Eph 2:8-9). We believe in Christ because God gives us the faith to believe; this is not something that we can create on our own. Christian or not, everyone is born an enemy to God. We are always constantly falling short of God's perfect standards everyday which is why we need the grace of God in the first place (Rom 11:32). If you believe that Christ saved you from the death you deserve because of your sins, then no amount of relapsing will stop God from bringing you back to Him:
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom 8:38-39
You can't be a Christian and be asking yourself that question. The whole foundation of Christianity is based on the belief of eternal salvation and one that cannot be lost.
What confused me was the response to the question pulled from the hat. Belief and acceptance are 2 very different things. A person can believe in the existence of God and Jesus but that doesnt make them a Christian. What makes a Christian is the acceptance of not just the existence of God and Christ but the repentance from sin and acceptance of Christ in your life as your Saviour. Once a person accepts Christ, then they are eternally saved. One cannot lose their salvation! One could not earn salvation, so how can you lose it for bad behaviour?
Don't get me wrong, what we sow is what we reap, so if the Christian acts badly, then they will face the consequences of their actions. But it doesnt mean that God is gonna pull or take away your eternal security from you!
So what of the case of the person who had accepted Christ then turned from Him but then later re-dedicates their life to God? Based on my interpretation of the scriptures, that person never lost their salvation in the first place!!! Further if that same person never re-dedicated their life to God, it doesn't mean their salvation is lost, but you can bet that God will judge them for how they've acted and whatever reproach they have brought to his name.
Read the Bible yourself and find a Bible believing church i.e. one that reads and teaches from the scripture, not one where the pastor/priest gets up and only talks about money or reads a small passage and never refers to it or anything else Biblical for the remainder of the sermon.
I recommend listening to Joel Osteen, he has a website, google him or watch some of the videos on youtube, hopefully that will clear up your confusion!
@i_will_be_ur_thinspo@xanga - I go to Calvary Chapel, but yeah I get what you're saying here.
No one can truly khow God judges...but I've always felt he rewards honesty. Salvation isn't a formula, it's a relationship and a commitment and a belief, yeah?
That is the wonder and joy of real Christianity ..... it doesn't matter what you have done up to the moment of your conversion ..... when you truly see the beauty and glory of Christ, and you fully and wholeheartedly believe what Christ has done for you on the Cross, and His promise to hold on to you, and when at that moment you "repent" ... that is, "turn around" .... you turn away from your old life and give yourself without reserve to Christ .... then a wonder happens....
You become a child of God
And just as a child can never be unmade .... so you cannot lose your salvation because it is God who has hold on you. This does not mean you cannot make mistakes, or that you will not be disciplined (and sometimes severely), or that you will not be "pruned" to make you more fruitful (read John ch.15).
But you are a child of God, and Christ's blood washes away all your sins, and the day will surely come when you will see Christ face to face and be welcomed into heaven.
Don't give up - keep growing by studying the Word, meeting with other Christians and doing any other study you can. To begin, read 1John ... it is a good beginning.
wow, there are a LOT of comments on this! some I flat out disagree with, and others I agree with.
Here's what I believe in the years that I've become a Christian.
1. Salvation is a gift from God. You have done nothing to earn it.
2. The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth and know in your heart that Jesus is Lord, you have been saved.
3. However, the Bible also says that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven.
4. Now, the evidence of true salvation is repentance and a new life. Your character and spirit must be different from before salvation, or at least you should have the desire to seek Him and become more like Him. There will be times when that passion will lag, or you will be stuck in a rut, or you will face a brick wall. That's when Satan comes along with the "are you sure you're saved?" spiel.
5. Bring all your doubts to God. He knows what you are thinking and what you're going through, and He is there to listen and to draw you to Him.
I've been going through some similar doubts myself, but I am seeking Him and constantly asking Him to be at the center of my life and on the throne of my heart. And no matter how much satan may try to pull one on me, I just close my eyes and cling to God's promises.
He'll pull you through. Praying for you!
Everyone doubts. It's painful for a believer, but everyone has moments when they're not sure that what they're believing is correct. God can handle it. And when you return to your faith, it's even stronger than it was before. You haven't lost your salvation by questioning and then deciding it was true. I believe that.
Your question is the fundamental question of the Christian faith which is "Am I saved?".  The Bible says that "if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that God has raised Him [Jesus] from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).  The most powerful tools the enemy has are fear and doubt.  The enemy will use anything to make you doubt your salvation or fear that you have lost it.  Keep seeking God diligently, and don't be afraid. God keeps His promises.
I think if you accept Jesus and truly mean it then you're fine!
I'm sure (at least I hope) that other people have already said basically what I'm about to say, but I feel it is important to say again anyway.
I am so sorry that any Christian authority figure would answer your question in such a way. From what you've said, your story reminds me of one of Jesus' own parables... The Prodigal Son. You at one time claimed to be a Christian, etc.; you then "ran away" to the Hindu faith; now you have "come home," seeked forgiveness, and truly accepted Christ and ARE a Christian. Just as the father welcomed his son with open arms; God rejoices in your return to Him. As long as you have confessed with your mouth and believe in you heart that Jesus is Lord and His resurrection from death on the cross has saved you from your sins, then you ARE saved. God accepts anyone who repents and turns from him; your past beliefs or sins no longer matter. You can be secure in your eternal salvation and life in heaven.
I hope this helps. There are many verses in the Bible that show this. Search it out, pray, but know that you are right in believing that you have the gift of salvation once you believe no matter what your past is.
Wow! There are a lot of confused people on this site! There seem to be a few people who think they will get to heaven by being good. The bible is clear that there are no good people. If you have so much as told one lie that makes you a liar, and all liars will have their part in the lake of fire Rev.21:8 One thing stolen and you are a thief and cannot enter heaven 1Cor.6:10 . 1John 3:3 says sin is transgression of the law or lawlessness. The second of the ten commandments says you shall not make a graven image [this includes with your mind] creating a god in your mind to suit yourself such as in hinduism, which is idolatry and again idolaters shall not inherit the kingdom. This is why we need the savior, we are all law breakers and have violated our conscience. A good judge [God] cannot overlook your sin but must punish it! This is why Jesus went to the cross. The wrath of God was poured out on Him so it didn't have to be poured out on you! He satisfied the righteous requirement by living a perfect life and then gave His life to satisfy Gods wrath against our sin. If you repent [turn from sin] and put your trust in Him, He can then allow you to live and not go to hell which is what we all deserve. Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me. That means He is exclusive. For there is no other name given among men by which you can be saved!! Acts 4:12 That means no Jesus, no salvation!
@merely_a_christian@xanga - well said