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The following is an email sent to a dear brother from a person concerned for his soul.
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Hi
I have been questioning myself and afraid that I don't love Christ. How can I be saved? I DO come from high Calvinism but don't want to blame this for my condemning unbelief. I feel straitjacketed. My sins, the wrath of a holy God, and wondering if there is hope.
I do run to men, they all differ. I am "trying" to read scripture and "see" Christ but get major anxiety when I read. It seems to just point out to me my inability.
Can you offer me any suggestions. Faith works by love. I don't understand a "sincere offer" at all. Would you say God desires to save me?
"John"
Here is a portion of the brother's reply. It is a model of what such a response should look like.
Hi "John",
Some truths:
1 Timothy 2:4 tells us that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." So that includes you.
Hebrews 2:9 tells us that Chirst "tasted death for everyman" That includes you.
1 John 2:2 tells us "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." That includes you.
Yes I know how to hack those texts to death like the hyper Calvinist do, to claim God doesn't mean what He clearly says there. But as Romans 3:4 says "let God be true, but every man a liar".
Know this "John":
Jesus said in John 6:37 "the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." That means Jesus does not refuse anyone who comes to Him for salvation.
Jesus said on the cross "It is finished". The penalty and the guilt of your sin, was paid for "in full" on the cross.
That means "John", you don't have to work up a certain amount of tears in order to be saved. You don't have to feel a certain amount of guilt.
But just believe the truth that Christ has done it all for you.
Salvation really is a free gift.
You will not find any hope in looking to yourself. But your hope is to believe the finished work of Jesus Christ.
If you still doubt that Jesus died for you then He says to you like He did to Thomas: I did this for you "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing"
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Here is a portion of the brother's reply. It is a model of what such a response should look like.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Hi "John",
Some truths:
1 Timothy 2:4 tells us that God "desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." So that includes you.
Hebrews 2:9 tells us that Chirst "tasted death for everyman" That includes you.
1 John 2:2 tells us "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." That includes you.
Yes I know how to hack those texts to death like the hyper Calvinist do, to claim God doesn't mean what He clearly says there. But as Romans 3:4 says "let God be true, but every man a liar".
Know this "John":
Jesus said in John 6:37 "the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." That means Jesus does not refuse anyone who comes to Him for salvation.
Jesus said on the cross "It is finished". The penalty and the guilt of your sin, was paid for "in full" on the cross.
That means "John", you don't have to work up a certain amount of tears in order to be saved. You don't have to feel a certain amount of guilt.
But just believe the truth that Christ has done it all for you.
Salvation really is a free gift.
You will not find any hope in looking to yourself. But your hope is to believe the finished work of Jesus Christ.
If you still doubt that Jesus died for you then He says to you like He did to Thomas: I did this for you "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing"
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