I don't really know how to start this...so i guess I will jump right in. Recent events surrounding folks I know from all ages have really made me think about faith, my faith, and the faith of my family. Salvation and the method to salvation appears to be the focus, but there are more words like regeneration, repentance, and restoration that are involved and on the horizon of such a topic as salvation. Recently I have been asked such questions as "How do you know you are saved?" and "Can I walk away from the faith?" Here are a couple of others..."Is it a choice or are we "pre-destined" to salvation?" and "Why don't I feel convicted or repentant?"

How does one know if he or she is saved? Good question...quite frankly more people should ask the question and answer it legitimately. By the way, 1 John is a huge book that helps in asking the right questions. Regeneration is a big word for the things I did like, I now no longer like, and the things I hated I now love. A regenerated heart is key to knowing if you are saved. Do you love the things of God or do you follow the things of the world at every turn? Do you want and feel the need to be a disciple, or could you care less about spiritual growth? Here is the last question...Do you constantly seek the limelight or do you willingly give it to God for His honor and His glory? There is no method to salvation, only belief, all else is of Him and Him alone. A regenerated heart has only become regenerated by the awesome, unimaginable power of Almighty God...it is regenerated by nothing you have done.

Can I walk away from the faith is another question recently asked by more than one person. Short answer...yes, if you never truly believed in the first place. Shorter answer...no, if you truly believed in the first place. You are not strong enough to rip yourself away. Upon conversion, salvation is permanent, and in its permanence you are constantly being saved. Salvation means healing and the human is in constant need of the Almighty's healing. But what about the passage in Hebrews 6 that says...stop...it is refering to the apostate church and those that never believed in the first place. When the "time of belief is about the show, that person has got to go"...to hell! When it is for real there is only only one place to go and that is to work for God himself and following the example of Jesus, listening and following the Father, and listening and doing as the Holy Spirit prompts. By the way...as a side benefit, we end up in heaven...glory! We are only able to have this faith apart from awesome, unimaginable power of Almighty God...it is by nothing we have done or will do.

Choice or predestination? This can be a volatile issue but it doesn't need to be. I have friends on both sides, but I believe those in the predestination or "God chooses some" camp are a bit delusional. God is sovereign, so He knows all and He knows who will choose him or will choose to remain on the path to hell, but it remains a choice. There is a reason that Jesus told Nicodemus the story of Moses and the children of Israel having to look at the serpent on the pole in the middle of the camp. The people were bitten, they were dying, and the only thing they had to do was to look and they would live...remember the story? But they had to make the choice to look, they did not have to...unless they wanted to live, and so it is with us. Jesus became sin on that cross and died in our place to be buried after his death and be raised again so that we choose to believe or not. His blood is enough to cover every sin committed or will be committed but the choice is for us to make...and we would not have a choice to make apart from the awesome, unimaginable power of God...this gift exists by nothing we have done or will do.

Why don't I feel convicted or repentant? Wrong question, you should ask why you are not convicted and have I repented along with if I have repented do I continue to do so? 1 John 1:9 is for the christian, we should continue to turn and go to God, but there shouldn't be a feeling of repentance...it is simply an action that can be brought on by conviction. Conviction and repentance can go hand in hand but they are not to be confused with remorse. Judas Iscariot was remorseful, he even gave the money back, but he did not repent and ended up killing himself...he did betray the Messiah to death, and he knew who he was, but he never truly repented, he just felt terrible. Conviction is a job of the Holy Spirit and upon conviction there is a choice...for the believer it is to repent and walk in His grace. For the unbeliever conviction from the Holy Spirit brings a choice of believing or feeling bad (remorse) for a time and returning to the old way that is already set and leads to hell. It is far better to choose to believe that Jesus is who he says he is for that belief leads to everlasting life...and it is all through His power.