How does one get saved?

[pattyjo]

This just may be one way of God getting me back on the righ track. i feel like the lost lamb who the shepherd went out to find. i have not been to church for so long because organized religion confuses me i know thats not an excuse I admit im just lazy and have moved so many times in the last several years that I have not joined a church. I have been confused about so many issues. I have one Christian friend who insists if I dont speak in tongues then I am not truly saved. i have read the Bible and searched the scriptures so many times on ths issue and have not found any evidence to support it. she would not agree to the idea that I vape even tho she wouldnt judge me for it

In this forum I dont have to prove anything to anyone. I feel comfortable here and Jesus did say "When two or more of you are gathered in my name there IAM in your midst."

 

[Blue Knight Max]

Pattyjo,

I really don't know where your friend is getting hisher info from with regards to talking in tounges and being saved.

Look...You do not have to be speaking in tounges to be saved!!

From the Bible that I read, if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior...You are saved.

Although talking in tounges does have it's benefits, it is not a requirement to be saved.

I'm glad that you like the fact that you can gather with us here. I was moved by the Holy Spirit to begin this forum and I am glad that I did. You can thank the Holy Spirit for that.

However, this forum can never be a substitute for actually being gathered in a Bible based Church and hearing the word of God.

You need to hear the word. It is our bread. It will give your Spirit strength. Faith comes from hearing the word of God. But you also need to read the word of God as well. That is why I put up the daily word everyday.

Pray that you can find a Church that you can call home. The spirit will guide you there.

Thanks for joining.

Max

 

[Dawnfox]

This just may be one way of God getting me back on the righ track. i feel like the lost lamb who the shepherd went out to find.

Same here! I've been...."straying" for a few months now. And then this group pops up! It never ceases to amaze me how He will seek you out (always knocking, thank goodness).

 

[Vince1]

God is not an author of confusion, If He has something to say,To you, or, Through you, there will be no misunderstanding of words or question of what was said. Why would anyone speak to you in a language they know you don't understand?

 

[pwholmes]

I remember years ago sitting in the meeting and an older guy behind me saw me reading the Living Bible and told me I couldn't be saved unless I read the King James Version.

Long before this, after a youthful bout with drugs and craziness and then coming back to the Christian roots I had been brought up in, I decided to read the Bible from cover to cover over and over again. From that experience I began to understand that so many doctines and so much confusion came from men. Teachers and Preachers can be wonderful individuals and we can learn much from them, but never accept anything from someone without having a conviction that it is Biblical.

What Blue Knight Max said about accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior is fundamental. When you look at what the Apostles like Paul taught the early believers it was mainly about being unselfish. The only "rules" they made for the unbelievers were to abstain from fornication and eating meat sacrificed to idols. Now meat sacrificed to idols may mean nothing to us today and at one point Paul even said eat all things with a good conscience, but abstain if another believer told you the meat had been sacrificed to idols. What I get out of this is that they were basically trying to stay away from loading down believers with rules and doctrines, but be considerate of those who felt certain things were evil, even if they weren't.

I steer away from anyone who starts telling me that if I smoke, if I don't speak in tongues (I do), if I don't read the King James Bible then I'm going to hell. On the other hand I feel sorry for some that believe that having accepted Jesus as their Savior they can live anyway they want. If you have felt the love of God and also develop the "fear of the Lord" you can find a wonderful balance in which He will guide you through the pitfalls of life one by one. And when you fail, and we all do, He's ready to forgive and help you back on the path.

Paul

 

[wanderlust]

Pattyjo, I believe Paul pretty clearly addressed the "gift of tongues" in I Corinthians 14 and it's relevance in regard to the great commission. Glad you're here!

 

[Blue Knight Max]

PW brought up some good points.

Accepting Jesus as your Lord and savior is the most important step. Afterwards, one needs to walk the walk and that is a journey in itself.

Accepting Jesus as your Lord and savior then the next day you go on with life like if it never happened is imo not just going to cut it.

I believe that being a Christian is one of the most challenging things to be. How many times do we have to bite our tounges at that moment when we are about ready to go "worldly" and "secular" on everyone.

Man it's tough, trust me I know. While working for the NYPD, around my 10th year, I got saved and it was very difficult for me to walk the walk while being exposed to the worst things New York City has to offer.

Then along came 9-11. It was here that all the teachings from my pastor came into play and if it was not for Jesus, I would've lost it like many others. Instead, I used what I knew then of the bible to help all those that needed a shoulder to cry on. Yes, I was in the middle of all that mess and it is one hell of a story to tell. When it was all over, I thanked God for my life and for being saved.

It is so sad that among us Christians there are debates about which bible is the correct one, whether or not you speak in tounges, how much fruit have you bore etc etc. I say, what counts is in your heart. If in your heart you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and savior, then you are saved. Fall deeper in love with him. As your relationship grows, one will start to notice that things we used to do that are not in line with the word, we no longer do. And we change our ways because of the love that we have for Christ, not because it comes from one of the many different bible translations that are out there.

I read from the NKJ, NIV and Amplified bibles. Although you'll find different wordings every now and then, I have found that sometimes that is a good thing for it has shown me a different perspective on several things.

God Bless

 

[QueenInNC]

I grew up Baptist. My Grandfather was a Baptist minister and I was never exposed to "speaking in tongues". Can someone fill me in?

 

[Blue Knight Max]

Speaking in tounges is a very spiritual thing. When the Holy Spirit rains down on us, some of us are so over taken that we start to speak the heavenly language that we call "tounges"

Many Charismatic and pentecostal churches are heavy into speaking in tounges. But not everyone does.

The bible mentions about speaking in tounges believe it or not 35 times.

The Apostle Paul writes, "He who speaks in tongues edifies himself...I would like every one of you to speak in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:4,5)

Edifying ourselves is like the ultimate spiritual high. We are so engulfed in the Holy Spirit that it recharges are spiritual batteries (better than our e-cig batteries )

It is God's language. it is not something that can be taught. But if you are ultra sensitive to the spirit and allow the spirit to overtake you, you will be speaking in tounges.

Anyone else care to comment??

 

[Mrs. CaSH]

I am a Christian and I have never spoken in tongues. I also grew up in a Baptist church where no one spoke in tongues. I am also confused by it. I have read in the Bible where the apostles were preaching to a large group of people where many did not speak their language, so the Lord filled them with the Holy Spirit and they spoke in tongues which allowed everyone to understand them somehow. (Correct me if I'm wrong there)

I just don't understand the use of it if no one around you can understand what you're saying . Its almost like gibberish. And if God is not the author of confusion, then why would he cause you to speak something that you don't understand. It's almost the same as when you watch TBN and the pastor touches the person and they fall to the ground. Is that just an act? I've never felt compelled to fall backwards because I'm so consumed with the Holy Spirit. I'm not trying at all to judge this behavior. Just trying to understand it, and the purpose of it.

 

[QueenInNC]

I am a Christian and I have never spoken in tongues. I also grew up in a Baptist church where no one spoke in tongues. I am also confused by it. I have read in the Bible where the apostles were preaching to a large group of people where many did not speak their language, so the Lord filled them with the Holy Spirit and they spoke in tongues which allowed everyone to understand them somehow. (Correct me if I'm wrong there)

I just don't understand the use of it if no one around you can understand what you're saying . Its almost like gibberish. And if God is not the author of confusion, then why would he cause you to speak something that you don't understand. It's almost the same as when you watch TBN and the pastor touches the person and they fall to the ground. Is that just an act? I've never felt compelled to fall backwards because I'm so consumed with the Holy Spirit. I'm not trying at all to judge this behavior. Just trying to understand it, and the purpose of it.

I am with you on this post 100%!!!

 

[CaSHMeRe]

Love ... Speaking in tongues in not supposed to be understood by anyone except you and God.

I, like many here, grew up a Baptist. In highschool, I used to go to Malibu Vineyard Church in Malibu, CA on Friday Nights. AMAZING Church, and they believed in speaking in tongues. They didn't believe that you wouldn't be accepted in to the kingdom of heaven if you didn't, just that it built a closer relationship with your Lord and Savior.

I never did understand, and they would actually have prayer sessions in the midst of singing and people would start speaking in tongues. I look at it as verbal prayer/a conversation with the Lord that only you and him can understand

EDIT: I would also like to add, the band "Lifehouse" used to be the worship band for Malibu Vineyard. The MUSIC WAS AMAZING !!!!!

 

[pwholmes]

I think tongues is just that kind of issue that Satan uses to divide us. My mother was the first to speak in tongues when the Charismatic movement first began to blossom. My father never has, yet they are both wonderful, loving Christian people who have served God to the best of their abilities.

Again, I always say, read the Bible for yourself. God can show you what is important for your life. Don't let anyone's doctrines propagandize you. I think of Billy Graham who God has used unlike almost any man in the last century and yet he never spoke in tongues.

For me it was an experience that did make God more real to me. It didn't make me better or more holy, because soon afterwards I went into the worst stage of my life, but no matter how I rebelled against God, that experience was one of the things I couldn't deny and thus made it all the harder to jettison God from my life. (And thank God for praying parents).

Paul

 

[pwholmes]

Blue Knight Max

Edifying ourselves is like the ultimate spiritual high. We are so engulfed in the Holy Spirit that it recharges are spiritual batteries (better than our e-cig batteries )

LOL, Blue Knight! Obviously your priorities are in the right place!

Paul

 

[wanderlust]

Yes it was one of the spiritual gifts prevelant in the early church. As Paul continues in I Corinthians 14:3,4 "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church." And in v. 5 Paul goes on to suggest that an interpreter should idealy be present when tongues are used in the church. Often I have heard of Charismatic's having their own prayer language and see nothing amiss in such use. Does the gift of tongues remain today? Although I have not experienced that gift I would assume it does through the Holy Spirit. And many would testify to its value.

 

[Vince1]

I don't think God makes anyone speak in tongues, It is just the persons choice to do this if they are trying to put their self in touch with things that are so spiritual that they are overwhelmed by the power of it. While it may be a spiritual experience, A lot of people prefer a more calm approach to a connection to their higher power that involves total clarity and understanding.
I think if something is between you and God, then you should not do it in front of a large group of people. I'm not doubting anyone's convictions, Just pointing out that this tongues thing is not for everybody and in no way effects your "saved" status.

 

[Blue Knight Max]

To clarify things you don't need to speak in tounges to be saved. Speaking in tounges is a form of praise and worship that no one is suppose to understand other than God.

Not everyone will be able to speak in tounges. Those that do does not make them any better or worst than those that don't.

In all the years I have been a Christian I actually spoke in tounges twice. Both times there was just an incredibly strong presence of God in the house that I was very sensitive to and it overtook me. Not only was I dancing in the crowd but began speaking in tounges then BAM lights out for me, I was floored.

My guess is that you have to be willing to allow the spirit to overtake you like that and have faith that it is possible.

Let's take for instance Benny Hinn. When I first saw him on TV and saw how so many people were being "slained", I said to myself "ah that's bogus". But God does have a sense of humor. The following Sunday while my Pastor was praying for me She asked me "do you believe?" I said yes. Then she asked me "are you ready?" Then I said ready for what? Then she touched my forehead with just the tip of her finger while praying and the next thing I know 5 minutes or so later, I was getting up off the floor!

I never criticized Benny Hinn again.

Now my take on things all boils down to your faith. Bible says that faith the size of a mustard seed is all it takes to move mountains.

I have decided long ago that if I were to come across something,someone or even a church that are doing things or make claims that normally I would second guess, I don't. I will trust in God that what I am seeing is by his will then I move on. If what I'm seeing is a bogus scam going on (and unfortunatly a lot of that happens giving our faith a bad rep) then those involved will have to answer to God sooner or later so I leave it in his hands.

So speaking in tounges is a language, it is a heavenly language that only God understands and it is a form of praise and worship.

Yes God is not a God of confusion. The enemy is the one that confuses us all with doubt about the things of God. Speaking in tounges is not from the enemy, it is the confusion and doubts about it that is from the enemy.

Amen

God Bless

Max via Verizon Blackberry

 

[Blue Knight Max]

To clarify things you don't need to speak in tounges to be saved. Speaking in tounges is a form of praise and worship that no one is suppose to understand other than God.

Not everyone will be able to speak in tounges. Those that do does not make them any better or worst than those that don't.

In all the years I have been a Christian I actually spoke in tounges twice. Both times there was just an incredibly strong presence of God in the house that I was very sensitive to and it overtook me. Not only was I dancing in the crowd but began speaking in tounges then BAM lights out for me, I was floored.

My guess is that you have to be willing to allow the spirit to overtake you like that and have faith that it is possible.

Let's take for instance Benny Hinn. When I first saw him on TV and saw how so many people were being "slained", I said to myself "ah that's bogus". But God does have a sense of humor. The following Sunday while my Pastor was praying for me She asked me "do you believe?" I said yes. Then she asked me "are you ready?" Then I said ready for what? Then she touched my forehead with just the tip of her finger while praying and the next thing I know 5 minutes or so later, I was getting up off the floor!

I never criticized Benny Hinn again.

Now my take on things all boils down to your faith. Bible says that faith the size of a mustard seed is all it takes to move mountains.

I have decided long ago that if I were to come across something,someone or even a church that are doing things or make claims that normally I would second guess, I don't. I will trust in God that what I am seeing is by his will then I move on. If what I'm seeing is a bogus scam going on (and unfortunatly a lot of that happens giving our faith a bad rep) then those involved will have to answer to God sooner or later so I leave it in his hands.

So speaking in tounges is a language, it is a heavenly language that only God understands and it is a form of praise and worship.

Yes God is not a God of confusion. The enemy is the one that confuses us all with doubt about the things of God. Speaking in tounges is not from the enemy, it is the confusion and doubts about it that is from the enemy.

Amen

God Bless

Max via Verizon Blackberry

 

[wanderlust]

Acts 16:30 "...what must I do to be saved?" 31 "...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

 

[pattyjo]

Than you all so much for your words of encouragement, I have been saved since 1985, I have backslidden many times because of these issures, i get so discouraged as a result of that i have at times gone baack into the world and behave as tho i had never been
saved, I know that i am though. Funny how God works, first he directed me to find vaping thru a kiosk in the mall because he knew i was struggeling with the idea of going back to smoking and lo and behold BlueKnight starts this community that has a whole bunch of brothers and sisters in Christ. It just amazes me and restores my faith

I am not going to worry about the tongues issue I think BlueKnight clarified this for me like no one else has

Thank You