Why are young adults walking away from God?

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on December 28, 2013 at 5:25pm

IMO I believe that we could see into people's hearts we would find that most people young and not so young, have found religion and not really Jesus. If they say a prayer too often they are marked as good to go by the church and yet have they really come to a point of true repentance? Religion talks about Jesus, teaches Jesus' sayings, etc, but most never come into a real living relationship with Jesus Himself. Thus, it is pretty easy to walk away from religion, but would be very difficult to walk away from the Creator of the universe whom you have seen to be holy righteous and just, and at the same time recognized that I am not holy, righteous or just and in a state without Jesus deserve eternal damnation. To the one who has come face to face with the truth (written Word and living Word) there is motivation found in both fear of eternal damnation and the love of Christ that led Him to the cross for us. I believe that in such we find an unshakable faith ... I cannot not believe.

This sounds judgmental on my part, but I think this is a problem that plagues the church and has eternal ramifications. One of the hardest people to reach is the unsaved churched who think they are saved.

Most do not like my next comment: Many will ask how will I know I am saved ... if you don't "know" you are saved, you probably are not saved. Again my perspective on this.

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by ribbon on December 28, 2013 at 5:51pm

 if you don't "know" you are saved, you probably are not saved.

I agree with that 100%.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Schultz on December 28, 2013 at 8:36pm

I agree LT.

One of the points I try to make with the kids I serve is that there is a difference between being religious and born again.It is hard to get kids to realize the difference.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on December 29, 2013 at 12:58pm

I'm not sure how your comment evolved from the unsaved church who think they are saved to those who ask how to know if they are saved not really being saved, but I am sure that many who think they're saved haven't really experienced new birth. If they are the ones asking how can they know for sure, then IMO that's a positive thing. If people who are saved are going through a period of doubt and wondering if they've wandered too far or if salvation can be lost, are asking how can they know, I see that as a positive thing, too. I'm more apt to believe that the opposite statement is just as true, LT, and many who say they know they're saved really aren't.
I'd much rather hear others testify that they know Jesus and Jesus knows them.

Gary,
IMO as you shepherd the youth, teach them about relationship with God.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on December 29, 2013 at 2:06pm

I disagree regarding knowing. I believe inside a person who has met Jesus they will never doubt that they are really saved. I am not talking a fleeting moment or a brief period where a strange teaching confuses them, but inside the saved know they are saved.

I disagree  regarding rather hearing people testify that they know Jesus and Jesus knows them if they end the statement with, but I am not really sure I am saved. How can anyone debate that they (meaning I) are saved if they actually don't know if they really are, but only hope they are. Do we live a life hoping we are saved or knowing we are saved? What does 1 John 5:13 say?

I agree that I would rather have people question their salvation in search of assurance then to not question it and be lost. We are to examine our faith, but again there is little assurance to one who dos not know if they are saved.

So, yes there are those who think they are saved, but are not. They are the hardest people to reach IMO and spoke about them in church today. I also stand on that the child of God is saved and knows He is saved. Yes, there can be fleeting moments, but not a state of lostness that follows that person.

BTW, you will rarely see the unsaved church ask the question you mentioned, but when they do it is an opening for them to potentially find the Lord and be saved, otherwise they remain in their lost state trusting in self or religion to get them through.

Lastly, this is my take on Scripture and assurance regarding knowing Jesus, because to be saved means we have entered into a relationship with Jesus. A person must know whether they know Jesus or not and it is amazing at the kind of looks I get when I ask if they know Jesus and not just know about Him.

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on December 29, 2013 at 3:59pm

I think we're basically in agreement, except I'm just as concerned for those who say they know they're saved but who aren't and, obviously, don't know it. I'm not saying everyone who says they know they're saved aren't really saved, but that many who say they know they are, aren't, but don't realize it. When someone gets to the point where they want to be sure, I see that as a positive sign, and it is an awakening.

You said:
"I disagree regarding knowing. I believe inside a person who has met Jesus they will never doubt that they are really saved. I am not talking a fleeting moment or a brief period where a strange teaching confuses them, but inside the saved know they are saved."

Many do have times of doubt. I went through my own doubt but it was based on believing salvation could be lost. So I believed it was possible that I had become lost again even though I knew I had met Jesus and knew I was saved long beforehand.

You said:
"I disagree regarding rather hearing people testify that they know Jesus and Jesus knows them if they end the statement with, but I am not really sure I am saved."

I didn't mention them ending the statement that way. I'd rather hear people testify that they know Jesus and He knows them. Period.

You said:
"How can anyone debate that they (meaning I) are saved if they actually don't know if they really are, but only hope they are. Do we live a life hoping we are saved or knowing we are saved? What does 1 John 5:13 say?"

There's no debate because the ones who believe they are but who aren't are not yet awake enough to begin the quest to make sure. I never say I hope I'm saved. I say I know it. And before when I was concerned that I was lost again, I wanted to make sure it was still true.

You said:
"I agree that I would rather have people question their salvation in search of assurance then to not question it and be lost. We are to examine our faith, but again there is little assurance to one who dos not know if they are saved."

I totally agree.

You said:
"So, yes there are those who think they are saved, but are not. They are the hardest people to reach IMO and spoke about them in church today."

Again, I totally agree. But IMO most of them don't say they think or hope they're saved -- they believe they have nothing to worry about. When they become concerned enough to question and wonder, then what a breakthrough!

You said,
"I also stand on that the child of God is saved and knows He is saved. Yes, there can be fleeting moments, but not a state of lostness that follows that person."

I agree. I believe God would never allow one to wander for years, questioning and wondering but never able to really believe or trust that they are a child of God. Nothing in Scripture says this can happen but in fact many Scriptures say we can know for sure that we belong to Him.

You said,
"BTW, you will rarely see the unsaved church ask the question you mentioned, but when they do it is an opening for them to potentially find the Lord and be saved, otherwise they remain in their lost state trusting in self or religion to get them through."

Yes.

You said:
"Lastly, this is my take on Scripture and assurance regarding knowing Jesus, because to be saved means we have entered into a relationship with Jesus. A person must know whether they know Jesus or not and it is amazing at the kind of looks I get when I ask if they know Jesus and not just know about Him."

Yes. I'd rather hear someone say they know Jesus and Jesus knows them.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on December 29, 2013 at 5:59pm

OK.

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on December 29, 2013 at 8:07pm

I wish to amend something I said. I said this: I believe God would never allow one to wander for years, questioning and wondering but never able to really believe or trust that they are a child of God. Nothing in Scripture says this can happen but in fact many Scriptures say we can know for sure that we belong to Him.

But who am I to say that God wouldn't allow that to happen to someone? Only God knows the way that anyone must take.

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on December 30, 2013 at 3:42am

There is a difference between the mental battle and the internal assurance. The truly saved have the Holy Spirit living in them and He is alive and active.

Lord Bless,
LT

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on December 30, 2013 at 6:38am

The mind is a spiritual battlefield.

Spiritual enlightenment comes from God. When understanding is darkened, only God can turn the light on and awaken it. The people in Matthew 7 are certainly surprised that Jesus doesn't know them. They did a lot of works in His name only to hear "I never knew you!" So, there must be people out there who think they know God and think God knows them, but I was confused by the two statements you made because you jumped from those unsaved who think they are saved to those who say they don't know if they are saved probably not being saved. The first group is the biggest concern IMO and that's what I was trying to point out because when people at least are asking how to be sure if they are saved or admitting they don't know if they are saved, then they are spiritually awake enough to be concerned. May God awaken the others. That's all I was trying to say. Instead of hearing people say they know that they are saved, I thought I'd rather hear them say they know Jesus and hear them talking about their relationship with God. But obviously people can also be mistaken and think Jesus knows them when He doesn't. :'(

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on December 30, 2013 at 7:45am

OK. I understand what you are saying. Just remember, again, that there is a difference between thinking something (mind) and knowing Jesus lives in you (the heart). Those who have experienced Jesus and have a relationship with Him know they are in that relationship. There is no doubt that God has changed them and lives in them.

Those who think they are saved, but are not are basing that belief on something else like religion or a prayer they said at one time.

Again, it is interesting that those who say they are not sure if they are saved will argue with you about their assurance when they have no assurance to begin with ... that makes no sense. On the other hand the religious will argue that they are saved by all the things they do or trust in something they have done.

Lord Bless,

LT

Permalink Reply by Gary Schultz on December 30, 2013 at 7:57am

My personal experience has been this.

When I was religious I questioned whether or not I was saved.  

When I gave my life to Christ and was born again I began to question whether or not I am pleasing God and doing His will.

I guess you could look at it this way. Before it was about me, now it's about Him.

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