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)
@stillooking2find@xanga - Actually, there's a the Catholic doctrine of "baptism of desire." If you were unable to be baptized in life but truly desired it, you receive a baptism of desire in death.
I don't know if the original commenter cleared that up already (I don't want to sift through all the comments), but I just wanted to offer a bit of info.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism_of_desire
This has maybe been discussed here already, I haven't read all the comments. Keep your faith. If you sin, you have an advocate with The Father. I can just imagine what you are going through. I have heard, though I have not studied it, that Hinduism in it's purist form is actually Satanism. So you might be under incredible oppression right now most Christians only experience in lesser forms. Satan is pissed he lost you and he hates you like he hates God. Remember God loves you in his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus won't let you down, you are His.
I want to say something about eternal security and the once saved always saved notion. The reason why I believe both are true is that once you are born again then you are on the path for God to show His love for you in a way you can recognise. It's like no other love. You get saved and then you are automatically on a path toward God. You reach out for God and He reaches out for you then and He has you and won't let go. He lets you know that. You won't want to deny Jesus Christ. Most likely you will sin again but maybe you won't. If you do then you have an advocate with the Father. Jesus Christ has so many attributes, one of which is Anchor. Another Is Author and Finisher of Our Faith. It is Jesus whom chose to give you your faith and He will never let you go unless you deny Him outright by saying you don't believe in His sacrifice. But you will love Him so much that you will not want to sin.
Seriously? Did that guy really say that? I can hardly even believe something so blatantly wrong and stupid would issue from a person in some level of authority in a Christian camp.
Of course God takes you back (or really for a first time, since you weren't really saved the first time), that's what the entire story of the prodigal son is all about! I'd say God acceptance of sinners, despite how much or how many times they've messed up, is one pretty basic idea of Christianity. There's no sin too great for God to forgive, and that certainly pertains to turning away from the church. Even if you did this five more times, if you truly repented at the last, God would still forgive you!
Salvation is a work of God alone! The bible teaches that we are all haters of God until He changes that in us. It is the word of God that produces faith in us. So if salvation is a work of God alone, how are we going to get unsaved? Are we more powerful than God who changes our will and desires?
@designandart - I remember experiencing demonic attacks and stuff. I experienced several of those, but I have always remembered one in particular that was so frightening that I don't even like to talk about it.
@hippiechristian73102@xanga - Thanks for sharing that. I don't like talking about evil and Satan either.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son (also known as the Lost Son) illustrates that God cannot help but celebrate when one of his sons (you) come back to him. You can find the story in Luke 15:11-32. :)
What draws you to a religion that demands adherence against pain of fire? That you have a blink of an eye whether to know an eternity of hell or bliss? The very concept is absurd. There are despots on earth that demand the same thing. Dogma is the enemy of the soul's progression. Fear is love's opposition. Grace has always been bestowed through love, not fear. The Universe is not stagnant, but fear is.
@kalidonian@xanga - I agree. I tend to see this route as more realistic to an all encompassing Divine Nature.
Thank you for sharing the true story of your personal experience. I pray that God will give you a deep and satisfying assurance that you are truly one of His Own.
God's peace!
David
It depends who you ask, but I keep my relationship with God, strictly between Him and me. I don't confess my sins to a priest, to my nonno's displeasure, I don't ever go to church either. I take the bible as stories made by men that do it's job in preaching morality.
In my opinion, as long as you are faithful to God and show yourself to be a decent/worthy human being you'll be welcomed into heaven.
Does God welcome back those who have wandered away? Read Luke 15, then see if you can tell me.
Hint: The lost coin, lost sheep, and runaway son in Jesus' parables stands for you. How does God respond when they are found again?
OH don't worry about eternal security, why? What good does it do to worry? LIVE! I am a former Episcopalian now converted to HINDU and I have had many POWERFUL DREAMS and visualizations of GOD. The point is, we are spiritual people, and really the main thing is GOD IS LOVE. I don't want to have to keep coming back here either, but it's just one moment at a time, we EXIST as God's creation. Hare' Krishna!
@Bijouli@xanga - that's what I tried to say, but you said it better. I went to friend you but I see you're never blogging anymore. oK
JESUS said, "I will NEVER leave you, nor forsake you."
To me, that's pretty cut and dry.He didn't say, "I will never leave you nor forsake you unless.............."
The only stipulation in the rule is that you believe that He is the only truth, and the only way to the Father.But, then again, I don't consider myself a 'Christian,' per say. I consider myself a follower of Jesus Christ, simply because I think that His message is the one that matters. He created the new covenant.
Your youth minister, in my opinion, had a warped sense of Christianity - as many Christian people do. It stems from disagreements between denominations, and misinterpretation of scripture. Really, all that is fluff. Most people of the Christian faith have never tried to interpret the text or the message themselves. They simply go to church, listen to what the dude on the podium has to say, and whatever he says goes. Religion gets in the way of truth, and religion gets in the way of the message.It's classic, and it's unfortunate, because the message of Christ, and the path to salvation is the most simple message there is.There is no accepting Christ a second time, because there is definitely NO rejection. Ever. That's ridiculous.
Christ has already accepted you, and there would be no point to salvation in the first place if it could be lost. He has made a promise, and He has opened His arms, and it is up to us to do the accepting.
He will NEVER leave you, nor forsake you. - No matter how many times you screw up, doubt, or walk away from Him.
Doubting your faith, and going through a period of searching is what being human is all about. But, the fact that you ended up coming back to Christ is what matters. He has always been in there somewhere, and it's obvious now, since he has drawn you back to Him.
Ultimately, your relationship with God is between you and Him, and no one else. Don't leave it up to others to decide where you're going. It's not so much about heaven and hell as it is about being in the presence of God. If He is evident and present in your life on Earth, there is no question that you will be in His presence after this life. He makes the rules, not some guy in a church.
I hope you'll find peace in knowing that Christ is yours forever.
-Ellen
@Loonsounds@xanga - How are your dreams and visualizations going to help you when you stand before a holy and just God in your sins? Because He is good and just, He must punish sin wherever it is found! If He didn't He wouldn't be good.