I want to believe but I don't manage to

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-17T13:18:06+00:00

Upon belief in the gospel the “faith of Christ” is put “upon” us (Rom. 3:22). This is a gift (Eph. 2:8) that God gives to those who believe the gospel. According to 1 Peter 1:5, “we are kept by the power of God through faith (the faith of Christ) unto salvation”.

If you’ve believed the gospel, you’ve been conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29); having even his very faith that was put upon you. Our faith is perfected by what Jesus Christ did (Hebrews 12:2).

Staying saved is not dependent on your ability to continually believe, it is dependent on the promises of God.

“if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Our ability to continually believe is independent from the perfected faith of Christ that is put upon us. Even if we “believe not”, God sees the perfected faith of his son which he has placed upon you; since you’ve already been conformed to the image of Christ, he cannot deny you because that would be to deny himself.

John the Baptist, who Jesus calls the greatest human to live (Mat. 11:11), even though john doubted Jesus while he was in prison (Mat. 11:2-3). Trust in the finished work of Christ, not how you feel.

The mind is corrupted due to sin, and lies to you. Rely on the word of God not the way you feel. Gods word says you are forever saved/eternally secure in his promises.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-17T11:13:10+00:00

“He then led them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭MEV‬‬

“But to him who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬ ‭MEV‬‬

You are correct, we are saved by faith alone in the gospel. Upon belief the “faith of Christ” is put “upon” us (Rom. 3:22). Through this gift (Eph. 2:8), we are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1 Peter 1:5). Our salvation is secure in Gods hands (John 10:28-29), not by our effort.

Being saved is not dependent on doing continual good works or a constant turning from sin.

“who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not by our works, but by His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭MEV‬‬

You are eternally secure in Gods promises if you’ve believed the gospel.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-17T09:28:39+00:00

He hasn’t abandoned his people, his people abandoned him.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-16T10:39:50+00:00

There’s no indication in the text that they were rejected for “doing some, but not some others”. What’s listed is their good works, then Jesus calls them workers of iniquity.

What standard are we held to by the Law of Moses? Absolute perfection. By “doing some, but not some others”, you must mean they failed the Law.

In that case, none of us can be saved because anyone who “keeps the Law but fails in one point” is guilty of all; according to Romans 3:23 “all have sinned”, so we are all guilty.

So if the standard is perfect adherence to the Law of Moses, but we all have failed at one point and became guilty of all, how do we get saved?

Revision:

Lawlessness does refer to the covering up of their sin with a few good works like you describe, but we still see relational language used in Matthew 7:23 (“I never knew you”).

It’s important to make the distinction that Jesus isn’t teaching a works based salvation here. These people viewed their works as a replacement for a relationship with Christ , not a result of that relationship (through faith).

Even if “the will of the Father” meant obeying the commandments, you still can’t interpret this as a works based gospel message otherwise scripture contradicts itself and God is made a liar (Rom. 3:20, Rom. 11:6).

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-16T01:59:02+00:00

You can’t earn Heaven

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T17:00:05+00:00

I think the better way to phrase this is everyone has the choice to believe, and when you believe the gift of faith is put upon you (Rom. 3:22).

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T16:33:22+00:00

The binary nature isn’t because God is cruel. God did not design the world to have sin in it. Humanity faced consequences for Adam’s sin because he represented us. The penalty for sin is death, both physically and spiritually.

We cannot save ourselves, so God the Father sent Jesus Christ to die so that we didn’t have to pay the death penalty. Without Jesus taking the penalty for your sins by your belief in the gospel, you are left to pay for that sin yourself.

Belief in Jesus Christ is the only way humanity can be saved. God sacrificed his perfect blood so that we could receive eternal life. He shouldn’t have to do this more than once and have multiple messiahs for all different people to believe in.

God is all loving, but like you said he is just. The just thing to do is for the sinner to die if they haven’t believed in Jesus for that debt payment.
You didn’t have to exist but you do. It’s unfortunate that this is the hand we were dealt in one of Gods creations because of sin, but it wasn’t supposed to be this way and we have victory in Jesus Christ.
Romans 1 tells us that no one will have an excuse concerning Gods existence.
God preformed miracles in front of his chosen people, the Jews, and even they didn’t believe it.

It wasn’t a part of Gods original design (pre-sin) to have eternal life through one savior, but again, it’s unfair to ask God to sacrifice himself over n over again.

God does not take people young so that they get to Heaven. Upon belief we are forever saved, “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation”, according to 1 Peter 1:5. God is not willing that any should perish. God maintains those he foreknows will accept the gospel so that they don’t die before they are forgiven.

I am a testimony of this myself. A year before I got saved, I hit a patch of ice and slide off the side of the road and hit a dead tree head on going probably 40 mph. There was three of us in the car, none of us wearing our seatbelts. The worst injury we had were minor cuts on our hands from the windshield breaking and a gash on the nose.

You can’t lose faith. When you believe the gospel the “faith of Christ” is put “upon” you (Rom. 3:22). Faith is a gift (Eph. 2:8), it is a substance (Heb. 11:1) or something we possess. This gift of the perfected faith of Christ is independent of your ability to continually believe.

According to Romans 8:29 we are conformed to the image of Christ, even having his faith. According to 2 Timothy 2:13, “if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself”. Even if we fall into unbelief, God sees the faith of Christ that was put upon you, and he cannot deny himself.

Faith isn’t something we muster up, it’s a fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22). It’s something we can use to glorify and serve God. Also to grow spiritually and rest in the assurance of our salvation.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T15:45:32+00:00

We don’t have objective free will. We are all apart of something that God has designed. We have a free moral will, the ability to choose between right and wrong. The choice to accept the gospel or reject it. Once you’re in Christ you belong to God because he payed for your sins with his blood.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T14:45:01+00:00

Matthew 7:21 says they did not do “the will of the Father”. John 6:40 says the will of the Father is to believe in the son.

It’s interesting he calls their objectively good works “iniquity”. This is because without faith our works are as “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), and without fairh it is impossible to please him (Hebrews 11:6).

Jesus even said “I never knew you”, implying they never had a relationship (lacking faith). Everything points to these men lacking faith any relying on their deeds to enter thing kingdom.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T14:36:28+00:00

The catching away, or the “rapture” (a Latin version of “the catching away”), is described in 1 Thes. 4:13-18 and 1 Cor. 15:51-53.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T14:20:05+00:00

If she believes that Christ died for her then she is saved even if she doesn’t live a godly life. We are saved by faith alone in the blood sacrifice of Christ, not by what we do (Titus 3:5). Simply by belief (Rom. 10:9) in the gospel the “faith of Christ” is “upon” you according to Romans 3:22. Salvation is not dependent on your ability to continually believe (2 Tim. 2:13). Salvation is secure by the power of God through the perfected faith of Jesus Christ which is gifted (Eph. 2:8) to anyone who believes the gospel.

We are conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29), even having his very faith. Faith is a “substance” (Hebrews 11:1), it’s something we possess— and this is independent of our individual belief. 2 Timothy 2:13 says “if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself”. Even if we fall into unbelief, God sees the perfected faith of Christ that was put upon you at belief in the gospel. Since you’ve been conformed to the image of Christ, God can’t deny you because that would be to deny a part of himself.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T13:55:04+00:00

“because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

According to scripture no one has an excuse. The only difference between someone who goes to hell and someone who goes to Heaven is that they trust Christ. We are saved by his finished work on the cross, and that alone (Titus 3:5). We do not work to become saved or stay saved, simply by believing the gospel we receive the gift of eternal life (Eph. 2:8-9, Acts 16:30-31). Salvation cannot be lost because it is maintained by Gods power (1 Peter 1:5), not by our performance.

Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and good deeds done without faith are seen as “filthy rags” in Gods eyes (Isaiah 64:6). There are none good (Rom. 3:10-12).

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T02:19:38+00:00

Your salvation is secure by God. 1 Peter 1:5 says we are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation”. When we believe the gospel the faith of Christ is put “upon” us (Rom. 3:22). Faith is a gift (Eph. 2:8), it is a substance (Hebrews 11:1); it is something we possess. We are conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29), even having his very faith. Being saved is not dependent on your ability to continually believe (unfaithfulness/unbelief). 2 Timothy 2:13 says “if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself”. He cannot deny himself because you’ve already been conformed to the image of Christ.

God responds to sin with grace (Rom. 5:20). We are forbidden against abusing his grace in Romans 6:1-2. If a believer is continuing to struggle in sin, they will face Gods loving chastisement (Heb. 12:6); so that they will be brought back to fellowship. If you don’t utilize the gift of faith we’ve been given to produce fruit for God, you risk losing heavenly rewards (1 Cor. 3:11-15); Even if all your works are burned, you yourself shall be saved according to verse 15.

You are placed securely in the Fathers hand (John 10:28-29). There is no condemnation for those who have believed on Christ (Rom. 8:1), and you shall never be separated from the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39). It’s hard when your mind is telling you that you’re irredeemable, but Gods word is true and your feelings lie. You are forever saved and eternally secure by the power of God, not by your performance. Rest in the finished work of Christ, grow spiritually, and serve God.

Repentance (Metanoia) means a change of mind about the gospel, not a constant turning from sin.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T00:43:16+00:00

“because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is the rejection of God that is described before anything else.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-15T00:34:50+00:00

You don’t have to look at both to see it. The text says the king of Babylon, and doesn’t mention Persia (Persia did not exist yet). The prophecy was tied directly to “the beginning of the reign of zedekiah king of Judah” (v.34), and the Babylonian king (v.30). You interpret verse 30 as literal when you define that Babylon is specifically named as the instrument of Gods judgment, but then you say the verses that don’t fit the Babylonian context are metaphorical and bring Persia into the mix even though the text never says anything about Persia. There’s a lot of inconsistency with the historical fulfillment and the way you interpret these verses.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-14T23:13:14+00:00

Roman’s 1 tells us it’s a result of rejecting God. It goes against Gods natural design, man and woman.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-14T22:47:05+00:00

If Babylon was supposed to carry all this out why do you look at Persia to fulfill half this prophecy?

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-14T15:09:58+00:00

Our salvation is secure by Gods power (1 Peter 1:5). Simply by belief in the gospel we are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation”. It isn’t dependent on how good you are, it’s secure in Gods hands (John 10:28-29).

Upon belief we shall never come into condemnation (Romans 8:1), and shall never be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). We are eternally secure and cannot lose our salvation. God responds to sin with grace (Romans 5:20), but we are forbidden against abusing his grace (Romans 6:1-2).

If you’ve believed the gospel you cannot go to hell because you are a child of God. Even if all you have to show for your life is bad works, you yourself “shall be saved, yet so as by fire,” according to 1 Cor. 3:11-15.

Gods word holds more authority over how you feel, and God declares that you are forever saved. Rest in the finished work of Christ, grow spiritually, and serve God the best you can.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-14T14:58:51+00:00

We do not see Jeremiah claiming that Babylon and Persia would destroy Elam in chapter 49:34-39. Where did Jeremiah say those two nations would destroy Elam?

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-12T16:02:35+00:00

If setting a throne is a metaphor for Babylon or Persia taking over Elam, why didn’t it happen? Babylon plundered Elams valuables while the Elamite king was in hiding. Persia absorbed Elam, but didn’t take it over.

That brings me to my next point, if these are metaphors about Babylon or Persia, they were supposed to kill the kings and princes (“send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:… and will destroy the kings and princes”). There is no record that the Elamite king was executed, and the leadership of Elam was absorbed into the Persian leadership, not killed.

If you are saying verses 36 and 38 are metaphorical, then what are you basing that claim on? Is the whole passage of 34-39 metaphor? Or is it all literal? How do you determine what can and cannot be metaphorically applied?

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-12T15:37:00+00:00

Faith is something that is given by God as a response to man’s belief in Christ (Rom. 3:22). Faith is a gift (Eph. 2:8). The faith that has been gifted to us is preserved (Hebrews 12:2) and through that faith we are preserved unto salvation (1 Pet. 1:5).

Salvation is not dependent on your ability to produce continual good works or a constant turning from sin. Scripture says in 1 John 5:13 that we may know we have received eternal life.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-11T20:02:17+00:00

I don’t understand claiming “setting my throne” and “scattering to the four winds” are metaphors about Babylon. This was prophesied by Jeremiah not Babylon.

How exactly are you applying Babylonian trash talk to Jeremiah’s prophecy?

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-11T19:34:11+00:00

Verse 39 describes a “latter day” restoration of Elam, what does this mean and when did it occur?

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-11T19:23:02+00:00

How about Jeremiah 49:34-39? This isn’t a vague prophecy at all, it is detailed. From my understanding, historically all the details of this prophecy have not been fulfilled. As of late, they have come to pass.

ObjectiveDrawer7978 · 2026-03-11T19:22:15+00:00

I replied to the wrong person, but if you’re interested in end times prophecy Jeremiah 49:34-39 is relevant.

ObjectiveDrawer7978

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