Reply to Nicole:

I enjoyed your post about being saved. I have found it difficult to make
Jesus Master of ALL my life. As some replies to M.A.P. stated that God did
not want us to be robots, I believe that even us who struggle daily will
not be denied the Gift of Salvation. I am including an article from
Christconnection.net that I believe is apropos.

Dennis Gaylor

AM I REALLY SAVED?

No matter how often or how clearly I explain it, I keep hearing from
brothers and sisters who are beset by some sin that they seem incapable of
shaking.

Because they've been unable to forsake some sin, they believe they've
"lost" their Salvation.

The situation isn't helped by the fact that there are many denominations
that teach THE LIE that, unless you abstain from sin AFTER Salvation,
either you were never really saved or, if you were, you'll LOSE Salvation.

The internet is also CRAMMED FULL of websites and videos spreading this lie.

For whatever reason, Christians seem eager to embrace condemnation and
shun Grace.

Salvation is A GIFT from beginning to end (Ephesians 2:8,9).

You and I HAVE NEVER DESERVED SALVATION.

Your behavior, good or bad, HAD NOTHING TO DO with getting THIS GIFT.

ALL it took on your part WAS RECEIVING HIM (IT).

God, in His infinite Mercy, CHOSE to give us this MAGNIFICENT GIFT, which
WE DIDN'T deserve.

So, WHY would He require us to be "deserving" of it, after FREELY GIVING
IT TO US?

And what kind of a loving, merciful God would He be, if He gave us THIS
WONDERFUL GIFT and then TOOK IT AWAY?

Would YOU do that to your son or daughter?

If your son or daughter sinned, WOULD YOU DISOWN THEM? Would he/she STOP
BEING your child?

NO.

No matter how often or how badly our children behave, WE LOVE THEM
UNCONDITIONALLY.

No matter WHAT they do, THEY'RE STILL OUR CHILDREN.

If you being a sinner, can show them such mercy, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, THE PERSONIFICATION OF LOVE, will do ANY LESS? (Luke
11:13).

Are you HOLIER than God?

Are you MORE MERCIFUL than He?

We didn't deserve THE GIFT when He gave it. We WON'T DESERVE IT
AFTERWARDS, either.

THE VERY FACT that you are concerned about SINNING, and WISH YOU COULD
forsake sin, IS CLEAR INDICATION THAT YOU ARE SAVED.

If you WEREN'T, your conscience wouldn't bother you. You wouldn't give a
"you-know-what" about sinning.

While no true Christian WANTS TO sin, or SEEKS sin, even AFTER receiving
Christ we fall because "our spirit is willing, BUT our flesh is weak".

Our spirit was born again when we received Jesus.

Unfortunately, OUR MIND WASN'T.

It's our unregenerate mind that causes us to sin, sooner or later, no
matter HOW MUCH we want to quit sinning.

That's where FAITH (TRUST) in Jesus and His Word comes in:
"...that WHOSOEVER believes on Him SHALL NOT PERISH but have ETERNAL Life"
(John 3:16).

I don't read ANY requirement there that you have to live a PERFECT,
sinless life to be saved, DO YOU?

ALL that is required is that YOU BELIEVE (TRUST) Jesus and WHAT He ALREADY
DID ON YOUR BEHALF.

"He that believes and is baptized (by the Holy Spirit into the Body of
Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:12) SHALL BE SAVED; he that BELIEVES NOT shall be
damned" (Mark 16:16).

Again, the ONLY requirement for salvation is BELIEF. No WORKS.

"By one Sacrifice He has PERFECTED FOREVER those who are sanctified (made
holy)" (Hebrews 9:12).

He has obtained, by His own BLOOD, ETERNAL REDEMPTION for us (Hebrews 10:14).

Can't say it any clearer than that.

2 Corinthians 5:19:
"God was IN Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, NOT COUNTING men's
sins against them".

If God's NOT COUNTING your sins, brother/sister, you got it made.

If God is ON YOUR SIDE, WHO can be against you? (Romans 8:31).

ALL God's EVER wanted from humans is THEIR TRUST.
If you have received Jesus into your heart, YOU CAN TRUST 100% IN His
Salvation:

"To ALL that received Him gave He power to BECOME SONS OF God" (John 1:12).

Thank God it DOESN'T say "to ALL that received Him and NEVER SINNED AGAIN".

You can TRUST Jesus, and His Word, or you can listen to satan's accusing
LIES and LIVE IN TORMENT.

Either way, if you received Christ into your heart, YOU'RE SAVED:

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them
ETERNAL life, and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH; NO ONE can SNATCH THEM OUT OF
MY HAND. My Father, who has given them to me, IS GREATER THAN ALL; NO ONE
can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one" (John
10:26-30).

Bottom line is:  You can be an obedient son, or a disobedient son, but YOU
CANNOT UN-SON YOURSELF.

If you get NOTHING ELSE, please get this:

Salvation is NEVER dependent ON HOW WE ACT OUTSIDE, but ON WHO LIVES INSIDE.

1 John 5:12:   "He that HAS the Son HAS LIFE. He who has not the Son of
God does not have life".

It's AS SIMPLE as THAT.