Cyoder

That is very helpful. When people say they love Jesus, I couldn't understand it exactly. I know what love feels like. I don't know how to feel that in my heart for Jesus. That in love feeling. I do believe, and fear God. I believe in God's laws, and I am doing my best to follow them with the Lord's help. When I fail, I ask forgiveness and genuinely try to do better. I pray to Jesus for help, mostly to become a better man. One that is more pleasing to God than I am now. Is that loving Jesus and giving yourself over to him? I've also been working on letting things go, and realizing I am not in control of anything. I ask for help with this all the time. I thought of this as giving yourself over to Jesus as well. I just see so many people casually say these things without really explaining exactly what they mean.

These questions and ideas have been keeping me awake at night. These are just my thoughts on this. I'm not saying they are correct, just what I've been thinking. I hope some of you can enlighten me. Ever since I read The Sermon on the Mount, I am rethinking what it actually means to be saved. I went to church when I was little then lived my entire life pretty much not knowing what I believed in. Over the last few months, I've come to realize that Jesus is the only way to salvation. Until recently, I believed I was a "good person" and didn't deserve hell. Now I know how wrong that is. I've tried to go back over my life and truly repent all of the awful things and even the small things I've done and begged forgiveness. I see so many people that believe if you simply believe in Jesus that you have a golden ticket. I don't know how that could be possible reading the words that Jesus himself spoke. These next lines for example should haunt you: Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Also, not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. This does not sound promising for the overwhelming majority of Christians. He doesn't say if you believe you are saved, he says those who find the way are few. Tell me where I'm not understanding this correctly. (I hope you do) This makes me think that only the truly committed will be saved. The people who literally give up their entire life to preach the word of God. "Normal" people don't seem to have a chance. The Lord's Prayer says God's will be done, not mine. I think this is one key to salvation that I don't comprehend. What is it to do God's will? To just believe, follow his commandments to your ability and repent when you fail? That doesn't seem quite enough. Is it more like asking God in prayer about all aspects of your life, then trying to follow that inner voice to do his will? How do you know which voice is God and which is your own? To truly give yourself to God, would that mean to not compromise on any aspect of your life? Otherwise, aren't you doing your will and not the will of God? This is a terrifying thought. Think about everything in your life you know is not exactly what you believe God would want. Do you do it anyway? I sure do. I'm not even talking about sinful things just more like working for a company that supports Pride month. I don't believe in that, but I still work here. Is that not being luke warm? What does it actually mean to completely surrender to God? These are just my thoughts. I'm very new to this and if I offended anyone, it's not my intention. I'm just really trying to find the truth and understand.