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PJM
Guest
Should ALL Christians be confident of their salvation?
Why?
Why not?
Why?
Why not?
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Daniel_Lysinger
Guest
It is more healthy for all Christians to be concerned for their salvation. That way they are constantly thinking “Is this what Jesus would want me to do?” WWJD forever 
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expounder
Guest
It is more healthy for all Christians to be concerned for their salvation. That way they are constantly thinking “Is this what Jesus would want me to do?” WWJD forever
Better to constantly pursue it than to think you have it because only God will know if you have achieved it.
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Aelred_Minor
Guest
They should be confident that God loves them and has made salvation possible for them, no matter how bad their sins are. So from the perspective of those who think their sins are too terrible even for God to forgive, or whose recurrent falling into mortal sin (or scrupulous misperception of mortal sin) tempts them to despair, a message of confidence in the possibility of salvation is appropriate.
But as long as we are in this mortal life and have the use of reason, it is possible for us to choose to turn away from God and reject that salvation. For this reason we should not be presumptuous about our salvation.
But as long as we are in this mortal life and have the use of reason, it is possible for us to choose to turn away from God and reject that salvation. For this reason we should not be presumptuous about our salvation.
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SaintFrancis333
Guest
I think we should all continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Nothing is promised to anyone. Christ gives us two roads, one to His Church and to Salvation, the other to eternal damnation. We must choose where we walk and we must live (and die) with the consequences of our choices in life. No one is “assured” of salvation. No one who is alive can say, “I AM saved.” All they can do is work hard to be as close to Christ and as loving as they can be.
I disagree with the bolded. Salvation is promised to everyone, though not everyone is saved. The assurance of salvation (grace) is the hope of the regenerate.
Jon
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PJM
Guest
Either or both
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kimg901
Guest
Well lets look at the word Salvation.
sal·va·tion (sl-vshn)
n.
1.
a. Preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil.
b. A source, means, or cause of such preservation or deliverance.
2. Christianity
a. Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption.
b. The agent or means that brings about such deliverance.
Sure Christ died for our sins. But we are sinners all the time. As long as its not a mortal sin then I would say im confident in my salvation.
sal·va·tion (sl-vshn)
n.
1.
a. Preservation or deliverance from destruction, difficulty, or evil.
b. A source, means, or cause of such preservation or deliverance.
2. Christianity
a. Deliverance from the power or penalty of sin; redemption.
b. The agent or means that brings about such deliverance.
Sure Christ died for our sins. But we are sinners all the time. As long as its not a mortal sin then I would say im confident in my salvation.
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PJM
Guest
SORRY; but I don’t get your point?
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Kirovsakya
Guest
There was a time when the Roman Church defined “Sins Against the Holy Ghost”, of which “Presumption of God’s Mercy” headed the list. This appeared in my first 1962 Missal. As a Roman Catholic, I accepted it without question. As an Orthodox Christian, my position remains unchanged. Some things are that simple.
newadvent.org/cathen/12403a.htm
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PJM
Guest
I too recall that
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Well, we should be confident in our Church or denomination that we have the whole truth. If not, why are we still here? Convert alreadyEither or both
As for the confidence of salvation, I guess that too is a big vague. We can be confident in the hope of salvation, which is what Christ offers us. We can’t be confident in a surety, salvation isn’t cut and dry. There isn’t a checklist that we need to do and once we’ve done that list we are guaranteed eternal life.
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PJM
Guest
=ConstantineTG;10756182]Well, we should be confident in our Church or denomination that we have the whole truth. If not, why are we still here? Convert already
Permit to then ask: how can one KNOW if their church is God’s One church?
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ConstantineTG
Guest
Investigation, learning, testing, praying, having faith in God, following your conscience. It is not a science. I wish it was cut and dry, but it isn’t. I’ve said in another thread about people leaving the Catholic Church that we can only do so much and know so much. People have been convincing me to come back to Catholicism by convincing me of the truth of the Papacy. But the reality is for every tract Catholics have, there is a tract the Orthodox has to answer back. How can we really now the truth? Theologians across the centuries debated this matter and the debate 'til today isn’t done, how are we commonfolk able to know which is the truth? The answer is our own very conscience. If our desire is to follow Jesus, if our desire is to be with God for all eternity, there is no fault in that. Only God is perfect, and Christ will fill in the imperfections in us, including our beliefs, if our intentions are pure. This is not a justification for indifferentialism, but rather an acknowledgement that we are only human and there is only so much we can do. These people who are trying to convince me that the Papacy is the true teaching, they honestly believe that. I don’t. And I cannot in good conscience accept that. Will God fault me for that? If I’m wrong, then I will plead for even more mercy. I did my best to know what is true and by my estimation, this is the truth. I have nothing more to do but live my life faithfully as an Orthodox Christian and seek God. Then I rest my hope in God that I am following the truth and that this path is the path to salvation.
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Edward_H
Guest
Be utterly confident that Jesus is saving you at this moment in front of His Father, and Our Father.
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PJM
Guest
Actually MY FRIEND
It is “cut and dry”.
One God
Can only have One set of Faith beliefs
Which He COMMANDS ve taught by His Apostles through His Faith and In His Church.
And yes, i can provide biblical evidence of this; space permitted.
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Publisher
Guest
I think this is where some of us scratch our heads and say “Huh?”
It is not belonging to an organization that brings salvation or what sign is out in front of the building one attends corporate worship in that brings salvation it is Christ and His work of mercy and love done for us that brings salvation.
Finding the “true church” seems to be more important to a lot of people than finding our way to Jesus. He is not confined by our “church names” or “authoritive rites and rituals” only one’s particular church has authority to offer…He is an ever Present Lover. He is the Ever Waiting Father seeking for some far off spec on the horizon of a son or daughter wanting to come Home…and then RUNS to where they are and not waiting for them to come to where He is.
For me trying to convince people of the “truth” of my own particular faith tradition is the way to at least be somewhat confident if they follow all the rules and have the rites and rituals performed for them and to them by “someone” authorized to perform them makes no sense.
It’s Jesus of Nazareth that gives salvation to any who seek Him…He takes us into His arms right where we are at the time…He cleans us up, washes our face, gives us a clean robe to wear and holds us to His breast and whispers words of love and joy that we are His.
Yeah…I’m confident in my salvation because I’m confident in the One who gives it to me because of His grace and mercy He has show thru Christ.
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