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As I look at myself I see I have lived to please me first not God. I really only realized this about 4 years ago. Now I pray to Him I plead with Him to save me and change me. But I just feel ignored. All the anxiety I got when I realized I was living for myself is still there manifesting in my mind and body. I feel like I can’t be saved because I’m not elect. Please can anyone help. I’m Protestant I might as well say
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The cycle of sinning and repenting, then turning back to sin and repenting again, is a constant reality for all Christians. In other words, this happens because they have not escaped from the fundamental cause that makes sin inevitable. Because they serve God while mingling with the world and material gain, they teach and learn every kind of corruption, heresy, and falsehood—this is the lamentable reality of Christianity today.
The faith of Christians who despise the love that gave even the life of Christ and who disregard the holy will of God is nothing more than faith for their own blessing, happiness, success, ideals, and smooth prosperity. Such faith can only stand as an enemy and adversary of the life of Christ. But for those who deny even their own lives, forsake all, take up the cross of Christ, and make the hope of Christ—the hope that follows the love of Christ—their goal, God’s love is poured into their hearts, and through that hope they receive the power of God.
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.(Romans 5:2~10)
In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.(Titus 2 : 7~14)
Truth is to lead us to receive the power of God that is revealed within His love. Yet in order to abide in that love of God, one must cast off the life of the flesh that continually produces sin and desire. For in the flesh there is only death and sin. All sin arises from the desires of the flesh, and as the sins produced by those desires accumulate, the end can only be judgment. Scripture says that everyone who sins is a child of the devil. Yet far too many Christians mistakenly believe they are children of God. The children of God do not commit sin; they are also set free from sin.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.(1 John 3 :6~10)
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.(Romans 6 : 17~23)
Because they cast off the flesh that follows the desires of the body, which inevitably produces sin, and because they also receive the love of God and thereby establish the foundation to do good works that are fitting to the practice of love. When the power of God works within His love, goodness and righteousness are truly beautiful. But in the meaningless repentance of Christians, where sin is continually produced, the goodness and righteousness carried out by their own will and determination is merely human righteousness. It is not the righteousness of God. In other words, it is a righteousness that cannot lead to salvation. As it is written, “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you,” such works cannot become merits that reach to heaven.
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets…..For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.(Luke 6:26~33)
The ordinary love, kindness, and social service that even worldly people naturally practice is not the love of the cross—a love that gives even one’s own life. Because such ordinary acts of kindness and love are treated as though they were the love of the cross, it has turned into a so-called “love of the cross” that draws the criticism of other religions. Contrary to outward appearances of being holy, compassionate, gentle, and kind, the reality within many Christians is different: their behavior inside and outside the church is inconsistent, their outward show and inward reality do not match, and their words and actions are divided. With such duplicity and cunning ways of conduct, they make it appear as if it were love, as if it were faith. This has become a pretext that calls forth judgment.
If you continue to repeat sin and repentance, then you have not been born again, nor changed, nor transformed. In other words, you are only putting forward your own fleshly claims and ambitions, while sin continues to repeat until death. As a result, your conscience inevitably becomes increasingly desolate, leading you to live a life of continual lack, emptiness, and anxiety. Yet people who cannot even feel the pangs of conscience call themselves “spiritual.”
The life of the spirit is the life of a true Christian. For those who do not live a spiritual life to call themselves “spiritual” is an outright lie. Faith built on emotional values, theoretical values, and intellectual values denies, distorts, and rejects the love of the cross.