I believe

I believe that someone can think they are saved, but in actuality they are not.
I believe many are silenced when doubt comes over their soul, convicting them that they don't really know the True and Living God.
I believe many pastors and teachers are the culprits of this silencing of the soul in many.
I believe the teaching in today's church can bring a false assurance of salvation, a false peace; a peace from men instead of God.
I believe many look for confirmation of their salvation from men rather than God Himself.
I believe many in the church today, even in ministry, are deceived.
I believe the god of this world has blinded multitudes. They are blind but they think they can see. They think they see, therefore they will not cry out for mercy from the Savior for Him to give them sight like the two blind men did to Jesus.
I believe many claim they are Christ's yet their affections say otherwise.
I believe many say they are "Christian" yet He is not precious to them neither is His word.
I believe many find ways to justify themselves under the Word that condemns them by twisting the "interpretation".
I believe there are many who are ever learning (Greek, Hebrew, hermeneutics, bible study techniques, etc) yet never coming to the knowledge of Jesus Christ Himself.
I believe many search the Scriptures thinking they have life in them, yet are so far from life.
I believe many believe a false gospel, one that says there is no standard for Christians. though clearly in the Bible there are.
I believe many believe a false gospel, one that says you can set your affections on earthly things like television, shopping, hobbies, movies, video games, social gatherings, parties, food, money, any number of material things, even friends rather than setting your affections on things above, the Kingdom of God, Christ.
I believe many think they are saved, yet they love brother, sister, mother, father, husband, wife more than the Lord God.
I believe many think they can save and love their own life and "love" Christ at the same time.
I believe many think they are saved and even see "fruits" in their lives, yet inwardly they have no the mind or heart of Christ, not desiring godliness, not desiring holiness, not desiring His glory, having no compassion other than for their own selfish good.
I believe many are reading their bible and praying, all the while they have not the Spirit of God within them.
I believe many believe in a false gospel that is sending them to hell.
I believe many believe in a false gospel teaching them that grace is a license to sin.
I believe many believe in a false gospel that allows them to be spotted from the world, of this world, and be born again as well, having their cake and eating it too.
I believe many believe in a false gospel that says you can have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.
I believe many think their religion and their own righteousness will get them to heaven.
I believe there are many who think that they don't need to follow Jesus' commands but they can be His. Which is the complete opposite of what Scripture says.
I believe there are many who think they are following Jesus but one day they will say Lord Lord and Jesus Christ will say, I never knew you, depart from me ye worker of iniquity.
This is a grief to my soul.
I believe many have said a prayer, the "sinners prayer" and because of it they think they have eternal life when really they do not.
I believe that one can be convicted (this is the Spirit of God convicting them of sin, righteousness and judgment) yet this does not prove they are saved.

Christ woos sinners to Himself. He has to convince them they are sinners, through conviction of the Holy Spirit before He can save them. So in His long-suffering, mercy and forbearing, He does this. He is in the business of convincing us that our sins are so wretched and filthy, that there is no good that dwells in us. He has to bring us to the end of ourselves. He has to bring us to complete brokenness. We must see our sins as He does, so WRETCHED, the result being death, the punishment: judgment. Take the worst most evil person in the world, (name anyone)...you are a bigger sinner than this person. If you don't think so, you cannot be saved. You don't see yourself as God sees you.

I read the bible for YEARS and thought that I was saved, but now I don't believe that I was born again until long after that. I read the bible for HOURS, BUT now looking back I was a hearer of the word, not a doer. I was not convicted of sin that I was in. I was blind to sin. Now I have been born again, now I SEE, but I was blind and thought that I saw perfectly. There are two sins I can think of that were pretty blatant yet I did not see them!! I was deceived!! I thought I was following the bible because of giving up some sins that I was in like drinking and partying, but my heart was the same old heart of wickedness!! I just cleaned up the outside of the cup a bit but the inside was so dirty! And no one else saw it!! Because I had this outward appearance of "godliness" which was a pretty pathetic wanna be godly appearance, really.

I was broken for years, but not to the point of wanting to lose my life, to die to self. I didn't know what that even was then, I was in sin. I was not walking in the light as He is in the light. If someone had asked me about my sin or point it out I would have said I have no sin in that area, I would have said that's not sin. And therefore I was not in the truth. I was saying that I was without sin, therefore I was a liar and the truth was not in me. Sure I would agree I am a sinner, yet the serious wicked sins I was in I didn't even see as sin! I was not walking in the light, and according to 1John that means I did not know God. I didn't!

I was not born again. But I had a desire to read the bible, and to know God, which I could never have this desire in myself, I am an evil sinner, my heart far from God on my own. It was the Lord who was working for years on wooing me to Him. He was very patient with me, I was prideful and worse off because I was blind to the pride. The veil has been taken away now, I have understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ now, I don't have a zeal without knowledge now like I did for so long. Lord, thank You for Your mercy in opening my eyes. He strove with me for years, He separated me from my mothers womb, but chose the time to reveal His Son in me. He is gracious.

Don't be deceived. Don't settle for less when He is standing by ready to bring you to the end of yourself that you many KNOW HIM. SEEK THE LORD while He may be found! Don't harden your heart to Him like in the day of provocation. Harden not your heart to Him. The Israelites hardened their heart to Him and they were not able to enter into the rest. He delivered them from Egypt yet they complained and murmured against Him in the wilderness, they hardened their heart toward Him and paid for it.

Hebrews 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
Hebrews 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Hebrews 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Hebrews 3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Don't accept a false assurance, this is your soul that is at stake.
Seek the Lord for assurance or for Him to show you that you are not born again.
If He shows you you are not saved in seeking Him with your whole heart, He did not show you to just cast you off.
Seek Him, He will in no wise cast off anyone who comes to Him. Seek Him with your whole heart. Examine yourself. Search your heart. Humble yourself before The Mighty God!
SEEK HIM, I cannot say it enough.