How do you know you are saved!

[Mr. M]

11 minutes ago, FreeGrace said:

Again, praying will not cause anyone to believe.  Because belief comes from the heart (Rom 10:10) and God does not force anyone to believe.

Your scripture citation and giving of the sense is inadequate.

Romans 10:

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

So first of all we are trying to change the confession of people's mouth by "speaking the truth in love". No one has said that God will force anyone to believe, so your statement is just words falling to the ground. The objective is to effect a "change of heart" in another, and that can only be accomplished by the Lord. Thus, we address our prayers to the only one who can fulfill OUR hearts desire, to see others saved.

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God

for Israel is that they may be saved.

The evidence of a heart change is in the confession of the mouth.

[Vine Abider]

49 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

One is saved when they are born anew via the specific call from the Holy Spirit to the individual saved by God, enabling the individual's  heart (And mind) to be changed, turned about from sin against God to worship of Him in the name of Yeshua,  as made possible by the Holy Spirit.

Man does not save himself from God's just wrath, it is of God alone and His mercy from everlasting to everlasting. He saves whom He will when He wills in the manner He wills, all foreknown and predestined. And no that does not make the individual saved a robot, not at all.

why it is said that some even have been struck dumb and blind while walking down the road during a mission to rail against God's son, and were turned about

 I know another that had no interest whatsoever in God and was turned about by an angel before they could end their own life. All happening because of God's faithfulness to answer prayer of those that believe on his Son as their Lord. No matter how long it may take to see it,  He remembers, He has already answered, and it will be done, for it already has been set. It was always to be.

And the specifics of how we are saved is this - His Spirit enlivens our spirit: "That which is born of Spirit is spirit." "He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit with Him."  John 3:6 & 1 Cor 6:17

So the question of @backontrack was "How do you know if you are saved!"? There will be some manifestation of His Spirit living in and through us - even in this:  Once saved we can turn away from the indwelling Spirit and not let Him operate (or at least, slow His operation down), and thereby may even get to the point that we are essentially living in darkness, totally unaware of God.  This happened to me after my initial salvation when I was around 10 years old - over the next few years I got so lost that I wound-up in a pit of despair and debauchery, so that when I was 18 I was driven to call out, "God if You're real, You have to make Yourself real to me!" And boy did He ever, in that very instant!

Now I see it was the work of the Holy Spirit to bring me so low during that time, that I had no where to turn but back to Him (as I have heard many, many testify similarly).  But even during that dark time as a teenager, before I cried out, the Lord was still in me and one with my spirit.  

So the evidences of His Spirit living in us are many, including bringing us low as needed. And of course, also being that small inner voice and inclination within to do the will of God ongoing! (which we can choose to go with or not)

[Dave-regenerated]

40 minutes ago, FreeGrace said:

I know EXACTLY what the Bible says about how to GET SAVED.  Paul's answer to the jailer gives the straight answer.  Acts 16:31

One's testimony doesn't trump what Scripture says.  Many of the testimonies you note are driven by emotions, and not facts.

The ONLY WAY to determine is one is saved is by alignment with the Bible.  If it aligns, then we can know they ARE saved.  But if the testimony doesn't align with the Bible, either they have forgotten what they had done if long ago, or they never did what the Bible SAYS one MUST DO.  Acts 16:30,31

³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

I'm curious to know how you are able to limit God's actions in the way that you do, as if you actually have telepathic knowledge of other peoples minds and their state of salvation.  Because none of the prophets or people in the Old Testament knew about Jesus Christ and that the only way to be saved was for them to believe in him.  If you want to insist that God is limited to saving people who only know "believe in Lord Jesus", then you might not be informed that the Old Testament exists yet. I can't help being sarcastic here.  I hope you understand the point.

[Mr. M]

47 minutes ago, FreeGrace said:

Again, praying will not cause anyone to believe.  Because belief comes from the heart (Rom 10:10) and God does not force anyone to believe.

Knowing that spiritual forces of the world attempt to misguide our hearts and alter the confession of our mouth also directs our prayer for ourselves, as well as others.

Psalm 119:27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

[Vine Abider]

2 hours ago, debrakay said:

The Holy Spirit is breathed by the Father into us when we knowingly accept Jesus as our savior and are baptized into the kingdom of God as his children.  The Holy Spirit is God in us 

Basically, my answer your question is, "Only God knows if a person can lose their salvation" and he also knows the truth inside the heart of each and every one of us.  He knows how foolish we are.  He knows how bad we are.  He knows how selfish we are. He knows our every thought.  He knows whether we deserve salvation and be able to receive this gift worthily.  He knows if we should be cut down and thrown into the fire. He knows if we will be saved for all eternity.  Sorry, I have no cut and dried answer.

May I submit to you that you actually made contradictory statements in this post (note the bolded and red lettered above)?  As regenerated ones with His Spirit now in us, our relationship is we are children of our Father.  Once the life of any father is born in another, that life can't be taken away!

"Now Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, 'Abba! Father!'" Galatians 4:6

What do you think of this @backontrack?

[Alive]

2 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

May I submit to you that you actually made contradictory statements in this post (note the bolded and red lettered above)?  As regenerated ones with His Spirit now in us, our relationship is we are children of our Father.  Once the life of any father is born in another, that life can't be taken away!

"Now Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, 'Abba! Father!'" Galatians 4:6

What do you think of this @backontrack?

All of these questions are clearly available to us when we have the sure foundation of Christ's work of the Cross, Resurrection and Ascension--our inclusion in those events and their results. We look intently at all that scripture has to say about these things.

We died in Him. We were raised with Him. We ascended with Him and our life is now hidden with Christ in God and kept by His mighty hand and Grace.

This is not a matter of subsequent choice. Choices yes, but related to an ongoing work in us. This is rather a matter of a New Life--and that Life is Christ.

It is so vital that believers get this down pat and then rest there...ceasing from our own works, but rather Trusting that He is indeed at work 'in us'.

These things are foolishness to the world and incomprehensible to the fleshy man.

[Mr. M]

14 minutes ago, Alive said:

All of these questions are clearly available to us when we have the sure foundation of Christ's work of the Cross, Resurrection and Ascension--our inclusion in those events and their results. We look intently at all that scripture has to say about these things.

We died in Him. We were raised with Him. We ascended with Him and our life is now hidden with Christ in God and kept by His mighty hand and Grace.

This is not a matter of subsequent choice. Choices yes, but related to an ongoing work in us. This is rather a matter of a New Life--and that Life is Christ.

It is so vital that believers get this down pat and then rest there...ceasing from our own works, but rather Trusting that He is indeed at work 'in us'.

These things are foolishness to the world and incomprehensible to the fleshy man.

Amazing. I was just writing about the same thing on another thread.

Death. Resurrection. Ascension? Will we follow Him?

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

[Alive]

8 minutes ago, Mr. M said:

Amazing. I was just writing about the same thing on another thread.

Death. Resurrection. Ascension? Will we follow Him?

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Read 'Salvation is Relocation'.

[FreeGrace]

2 hours ago, Mr. M said:

  FreeGrace said: 

Again, praying will not cause anyone to believe.  Because belief comes from the heart (Rom 10:10) and God does not force anyone to believe.

Your scripture citation and giving of the sense is inadequate.

Do you mean I need MORE verses to prove a fact?  That is wrong.

2 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Romans 10:

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

So first of all we are trying to change the confession of people's mouth by "speaking the truth in love". 

No, the Bible never says to "change the confession of people's mouth".  Where do you think that is said in the Bible?  Clearly not in Rom 10;9,10

2 hours ago, Mr. M said:

No one has said that God will force anyone to believe, so your statement is just words falling to the ground.

The point was made that people prayed for them and they were saved.  Not difficult to understand.  And no one believes because someone prayed for them.  People are saved ONLY through faith.  Eph 2:8

2 hours ago, Mr. M said:

The objective is to effect a "change of heart" in another, and that can only be accomplished by the Lord.

And there are NO verses that tell us to pray that.  

2 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Thus, we address our prayers to the only one who can fulfill OUR hearts desire, to see others saved.

Still not getting the point here.  We pray for opportunity to share the gospel.  The Holy Spirit does the rest, by opening their hearts to understand, so that they CAN believe, not that they WILL believe.  That is their choice.

2 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God

for Israel is that they may be saved.

The evidence of a heart change is in the confession of the mouth.

Paul's prayer was for opportunity.  As an apostle he was commissioned to preach the gospel.  We call that the Great Commission.  He certainly wanted Israel to be saved, but his gospel message was consistent:  believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.  Acts 16:31

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, Mr. M said:

FreeGrace said: 

Again, praying will not cause anyone to believe.  Because belief comes from the heart (Rom 10:10) and God does not force anyone to believe.

Knowing that spiritual forces of the world attempt to misguide our hearts and alter the confession of our mouth also directs our prayer for ourselves, as well as others.

Is this still an argument against my comment?

1 hour ago, Mr. M said:

Psalm 119:27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.

OK, now can you explain what these verses are teaching?  Quoting verses without any explanation isn't helpful.  Thanks.