How do you know you're saved?

[Eddi]

How can you possibly know whether or not your are saved? (specifically, saved from going to Hell)

Surely you don’t find out until it’s too late?

It would be nice of God to give us some indication before we die, a means of knowing whether or not we are saved, so we know either to change our ways or carry on as we were

 

[Starlight]

Try the best you can to be kind to other humans and animals then I think God will save you no matter what religion you believe in.

 

[Estro Felino]

Catholics and Protestants have different views on the matter.
Actually their reasonings lead to the same conclusion.

 

[Eddi]

Try the best you can to be kind to other humans and animals then I think God will save you no matter what religion you believe in.

Yes

And perhaps the opinions of other humans are an indicator

 

[PureX]

How can you possibly know whether or not your are saved? (specifically, saved from going to Hell)

Surely you don’t find out until it’s too late?

It would be nice of God to give us some indication before we die, a means of knowing whether or not we are saved, so we know either to change our ways or carry on as we were

Being "saved" isn't about avoiding hell after death. It's about avoiding hell while still alive.

 

[Starlight]

Yes

And perhaps the opinions of other humans are an indicator

Yes. Beliefs is very important. Why? Because what we believe leads to our actions.

Some people say "It does not matter what people believe only what their actions are". This is very wrong. That is because to take a action you have thought about and believed something about it before you do it.

I think all murders in this world thought about murder before they did it. The murder started in their thoughts and beliefs first..

 

[Hellbound Serpiente]

Yes. Beliefs is very important. Why? Because what we believe leads to our actions.

Some people say "It does not matter what people believe only what their actions are". This is very wrong. That is because to take a action you have thought about and believed something about it before you do it.

I think all murders in this world thought about murder before they did it. The murder started in their thoughts and beliefs first..

I don't think that is always the case. I have seen a video of a pedophile outright admitting [and believing] that sex with children is wrong, but he does it anyway. Some people believe infidelity, cheating is wrong, but they do it anyway. I knew of a couple who were quite religious, but they were involved in sins like swinging, cuckoldry and such viles, they knew it was forbidden by their religion but they also admitted that their desires always got the better out of them, and hoped God will forgive them.

I think desires also play a major part leading towards certain actions.

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

How can you possibly know whether or not your are saved? (specifically, saved from going to Hell)

Surely you don’t find out until it’s too late?

It would be nice of God to give us some indication before we die, a means of knowing whether or not we are saved, so we know either to change our ways or carry on as we were

Dear EDDi

I have never really thought of myself as saved, but your OP has made me reflect somewhat...

Because, I do feel that I was given heavily impacting “indication” that I had been leading a very bad life.

It was many years ago now and I will not bore you with details, but I’d say that hell and heaven exist in a specific state of mind/consciousness.

I think that everyone - believers and non - upon physically dying, encounter this state and that some people, for reasons unknown to me, encounter it a-priori.

It is a state where we are ”shown” what impact the priorities we lived by and the choices we made, had on everything/everyone as a whole.

For me, it was most certainly a state of hell (bare in mind that prior to falling into it, I had never even thought of myself as wrong - let alone bad. On the contrary; had you asked, I would probably have described myself as a good person). It was very slow, emotionally vivid and painful and nothing was ever the same again. It changed everything about me and that, in turn, changed the entire context of my life (and that of my nearest and dearest).

Then, almost a year ago, I was run over by a car and, as I was lying on my back on the asphalt, my mouth had filled up with blood. I realised that I could die there and was surprised by the beautiful sense of complete peace and serenity within me. I just remember thinking: “it is okay; if I die right here and now, all is as it should and I am at peace.” It felt as though I was smiling.

I don’t think that was heaven. I think heaven is more elaborate than so. But I do believe it confirmed that I lead a better life now than 15 years ago.

Humbly
Hermit

 

[Muffled]

How can you possibly know whether or not your are saved? (specifically, saved from going to Hell)

Surely you don’t find out until it’s too late?

It would be nice of God to give us some indication before we die, a means of knowing whether or not we are saved, so we know either to change our ways or carry on as we were

I believe I am saved because I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I believe the Bible says that Jesus will ave those who are willing to be saved.

 

[Muffled]

Try the best you can to be kind to other humans and animals then I think God will save you no matter what religion you believe in.

I believe there is no evidence to support that belief.

 

[Muffled]

Catholics and Protestants have different views on the matter.
Actually their reasonings lead to the same conclusion.

I believe the Catholics are in error about this.

 

[Estro Felino]

I believe the Catholics are in error about this.

I deeply respect Protestants' view...of course.

 

[MNoBody]

How can you possibly know whether or not your are saved? (specifically, saved from going to Hell)

Surely you don’t find out until it’s too late?

It would be nice of God to give us some indication before we die, a means of knowing whether or not we are saved, so we know either to change our ways or carry on as we were

same as how one would decide or know if they are winning or losing at any game you have ever played.
first the game had to be imagined in a personal and meaningful way, with you imagining yourself in the context of the game, only then can you ascertain your position relative to the game.
but it is just a mental game....people are a story-telling species...the dominant story becomes the imagined game. so people like to think, but it makes theater more enjoyable when the actors are "in character', so to speak.

 

[Starlight]

I believe I am saved because I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I believe the Bible says that Jesus will ave those who are willing to be saved.

Do you believe Jesus is God? i'm just curious

 

[Starlight]

I believe the Catholics are in error about this.

I think protestants is more in error about this matter

 

[Starlight]

Catholics and Protestants have different views on the matter.
Actually their reasonings lead to the same conclusion.

Do they? how?

 

[Estro Felino]

Do they? how?

Well...you know...Protestants believe good works are the evidence of divine election...Catholics believe good works lead to salvation. The result is identical.

Obviously we Catholics do not believe in sola fide ....but Protestants do put the Gospel into practice too.

 

[Jainarayan]

Hindus don’t believe in salvation as Abrahamics do. We’ve done nothing wrong that we need to be saved from. What we, most Hindus, believe in is liberation (moksha) from the repeated cycle of birth, death, rebirth. Various Hindu sects have slightly different ideas of what comes with liberation. My sect largely believes we will spend blissful eternity in Vishnu’s abode, variously called Vaikuntha and Goloka. I’m not so sure about the birds, flowering trees, honeybees, celestial singers and all that. More like a final understanding of reality and God, and ourselves as part of God.

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

I believe there is no evidence to support that belief.

Do you believe there is evidence not to support it, Muffled?

Humbly
Hermit

 

[Eddi]

I believe I am saved because I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. I believe the Bible says that Jesus will ave those who are willing to be saved.

I believe that too

But I am still somewhat worried about it all