Dear Rev, I have accepted God’s gift of salvation, many times. Is this wrong? Because somehow I don’t feel sure I am saved? I first accepted Jesus as my Savior when I was about 12 years old, at the encouragement of my Sunday school teacher. I tried hard for the next few years to be a good Christian, but eventually fell away and have done many things in my life to be ashamed of. I know when I do the wrong things, but still do them. Have you any suggestions or helps for me?

Let me begin by saying that it’s VERY important that you take this matter of your salvation seriously. I am glad you’re talking about it. The Bible says, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” – Philippians 2:12. This means that it’s not to be taken lightly or neglected. We have to “work it out” once we have accepted Christ as our Savior. This means doing a few things. I don’t know how much time you spend reading the Bible, but it is intended to strengthen our faith. Secondly, prayer becomes an important part of our life because it involves us in our relationship with God. We also feel more accountable to Him after we’ve talked to Him. Finally, thia matter of living for God (which is what people struggle with the most) has a lot to do with understanding God’s forgiveness. The Bible says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” – I John 1:9. This is something we must do daily. No one is perfect, but we must confess our sins and do our very best to live for God with His help. So I ask you, have you been doing these 3 things?

I recommend that you make a re-commitment of your life to the Lord and tell Him all the things you are ashamed of and start anew. Look to the Bible for your inspiration and remember not to fill your mind with the things of the world, but to feed your soul with spiritual things. In this way you’ll become stronger and experience the new life God has for you. I will be praying for you.