Could use some help

[plo1988]

(I posted this on another Christian forum and I'm reposting it here)

In 1 Corinthians 15:3 (NIV) it says, 

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

Is believing that Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them, that He rose from the dead, and that He is Lord enough to be saved? I'm trying to work through my salvation, please tell me anything else I should believe.

Also, is believing that Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them a sufficient understanding of how Jesus paid for my sins? Is there more to it? Do I need to know exactly how Jesus paid for my sins?

Edited May 9, 2019 by LeeGreenForest

[Firm Foundation]

If you truly believe, confess to God you are a sinner in need of a savior.  Confess your faith in Christ for dying to pay the penalty for your sins, and you believe he rose again.  Ask him to come into your heart to be your Lord and Saviour, and serve him.  Do your best to not sin, and if you do, immediately ask God to forgive you and try harder.  You don't need to do anything else.

[GandalfTheWise]

I'm not sure if you are asking how to be saved, or what is necessary to believe after being saved.  I'll try to hit both.

It is not the intellectual assent to certain statements that yields salvation.  It is realizing that we have no power to save ourselves beyond death.  We cannot get ourselves into heaven by our actions or by our own power or by thinking certain things.  It is actually trusting and accepting God's offer of forgiveness and eternal life.   It is our actually asking Him to forgive us and come to live within our hearts.  God's gift to us is two-fold.  First, there is the atoning work of Jesus Christ that puts us in a right relationship with God and makes us adopted children of God.  Second, there is God transforming us into new creations.  This is an actual spiritual process where the Holy Spirit comes inside of us and indeed starts to change us in tangible ways, some of which we are immediately aware and others not.   Becoming a Christian is more than being forgiven and trying hard, it is about being transformed.  Characteristics such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness (see Galatians 5:22-23) are fruit of the Spirit transforming us.  It's not about taking anger management classes to improve our patience.  It's about God changing us into a patient person as we grow spiritually.  

I would liken our Christian walk to growing a garden.  Seeds are planted, the garden is watered, tended, weeds are removed, plants are pruned and cared for, and fruit starts to grow.  It is not so much about stopping sinning but rather becoming a person who naturally does good works which will naturally flow out of us.  

It is God actually doing something inside of us that brings salvation, not holding intellectual opinions.  Christian faith is trust and confidence in God Himself, not eliminating doubts about particular statements.  In our Christian walk, we will learn more and more about God as we walk with Him.  Prayer, bible study, being with other Christians are some of the means that help us grow spiritually.  Much of Christian doctrine is basically a description and explanation of what God has done.  To give you fair warning, there are many issues that Christians do not fully agree on.  However, there is general agreement on the basics.  Such things as God exists, salvation through Christ alone, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Christians, the hope of eternal life, these are some of the basics and main things that all Christians do agree on.   The most important thing is that we are actually spiritually growing and maturing.

 

 

[plo1988]

4 minutes ago, GandalfTheWise said:

I'm not sure if you are asking how to be saved, or what is necessary to believe after being saved.  I'll try to hit both.

I might just be looking for answers to the questions I asked.

[missmuffet]

59 minutes ago, LeeGreenForest said:

(I posted this on another Christian forum and I'm reposting it here)

In 1 Corinthians 15:3 (NIV) it says, 

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

Is believing that Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them, that He rose from the dead, and that He is Lord enough to be saved? I'm trying to work through my salvation, please tell me anything else I should believe.

Also, is believing that Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them a sufficient understanding of how Jesus paid for my sins? Is there more to it? Do I need to know exactly how Jesus paid for my sins?

How can I be saved? Why do I need to be saved?
We are all infected with sin (Romans 3:23). We are born with sin (Psalm 51:5), and we all personally choose to sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8). Sin is what makes us unsaved. Sin is what separates us from God. Sin is what has us on the path to eternal destruction.

How can I be saved? Saved from what?
Because of our sin, we all deserve death (Romans 6:23). While the physical consequence of sin is physical death, that is not the only kind of death that results from sin. All sin is ultimately committed against an eternal and infinite God (Psalm 51:4). Because of that, the just penalty for our sin is also eternal and infinite. What we need to be saved from is eternal destruction (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15).

How can I be saved? How did God provide salvation?
Because the just penalty for sin is infinite and eternal, only God could pay the penalty, because only He is infinite and eternal. But God, in His divine nature, could not die. So God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. God took on human flesh, lived among us, and taught us. When the people rejected Him and His message, and sought to kill Him, He willingly sacrificed Himself for us, allowing Himself to be crucified (John 10:15). Because Jesus Christ was human, He could die; and because Jesus Christ was God, His death had an eternal and infinite value. Jesus’ death on the cross was the perfect and complete payment for our sin (1 John 2:2). He took the consequences we deserved. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead demonstrated that His death was indeed the perfectly sufficient sacrifice for sin.

How can I be saved? What do I need to do?
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). God has already done all of the work. All you must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers (Ephesians 2:8-9). Fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sins. Believe in Him, and you will not perish (John 3:16). God is offering you salvation as a gift. All you have to do is accept it. Jesus is the way of salvation (John 14:6).

https://www.gotquestions.org/how-can-I-be-saved.html

Edited May 9, 2019 by missmuffet

[GandalfTheWise]

3 minutes ago, LeeGreenForest said:

I might just be looking for answers to the questions I asked.

  I try to understand the intent of questions so as to better understand what type of answer may or may not be helpful.  It sounds like you've got the basics down just fine.  Volumes upon volumes of theology books have been written trying to nuance and explain and describe this all in great detail; and yet generations of countless Christians who've never read a theology book live fruitful lives.

[plo1988]

9 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Jesus’ death on the cross was the perfect and complete payment for our sin (1 John 2:2).

So believing Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them is a sufficient understanding of how Jesus paid for my sins? Do I need to believe anything else about how He paid for my sins?

Edited May 9, 2019 by LeeGreenForest

[BeauJangles]

2 minutes ago, LeeGreenForest said:

So believing Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them is a sufficient understanding of how Jesus paid for my sins? Do I need to believe anything else about how He paid for my sins?

1. Yes. 

2. No. 

Lee, you're stressing needlessly bro. Relax and bask in the joy of your salvation. God bless!

Shalom, 

David/BeauJangles

[plo1988]

4 minutes ago, BeauJangles said:

1. Yes. 

2. No. 

Lee, you're stressing needlessly bro. Relax and bask in the joy of your salvation. God bless!

Shalom, 

David/BeauJangles

I've been dealing with things that might be demonic (maybe even demonic possession), so stressing needlessly, I don't know about that. But what you're saying is that believing Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them is a sufficient belief? I don't need to go any further than that?

[BeauJangles]

1 minute ago, LeeGreenForest said:

But what you're saying is that believing Jesus paid for my sins by dying for them is a sufficient belief? I don't need to go any further than that?

Yes, it is more than sufficient. And as Gandalf also stated, you have the basics. And for your present understanding, it's all good, brother. Continue with your studies, and pray for the Lord for wisdom and deeper understanding of His word. He's faithful to do just that, for those like yourself that are open and honestly seeking. Now, you did mention something of demonic 'possession' if I read you right? I've got to ask this question: Have you ever gotten involved with anything to do with the occult? If so, we're starting into another serious issue altogether. God bless. 

Shalom, 

David/BeauJangles