One moment I was Christian, and now I am not anymore

[Noah1201]

Several months ago, I had what I believed is a called a religious experience. After intense thinking about questions concerning God, Christianity and so forth, my heart suddenly started getting filled with warmth in a very special, profound way. My conviction that the Christian God was real skyrocketed to 100%. There was no doubt in my mind that Christianity was true. Belief in God became an integrated part of my reality. I knew it was true just like I knew that the outside world was real.

But here's the problem, this feeling last only about one evening. It was gone the next day. I still considered myself Christian after that experience, but only for the next couple of months. Right now, I am back to skepticism.

So why was my experience such short-lived? Consider the fact that I felt great fear when this experience happened to me. This might be for several reasons. First, I always greatly feared God and I've suffered from religious OCD since forever. So now that I became 100% sure that God existed, I think it's clear that I would become extremely afraid not to even think something sinful. But also, I have to admit that I feared the great responsibility that I felt was on my shoulders now that I became a Christian, that I had to live a life filled with self-denial and so forth. But don't be so quick as to jumpy to the conclusion that I drew God away because I wanted to live an immoral life because it really might not be true (but it might, I am considering that possibility).

About a week ago I kneeled and prayed to God that He show me the truth. I believe I will eventually figure out the truth if it's humanly possible. But anyway, I am interested to hear what you think about all of this.

[RickD]

Believing that God exists, is a good first step towards becoming a Christian, but it doesn’t make one a Christian.

Believing in and trusting in Jesus Christ, and his atoning work, is what makes one a Christian.
John 3:16

[Noah1201]

Believing that God exists, is a good first step towards becoming a Christian, but it doesn’t make one a Christian.

Believing in and trusting in Jesus Christ, and his atoning work, is what makes one a Christian.
John 3:16

Either I wasn't clear or you didn't read my post very carefully (no offense). I explicitly said that my "religious experience" (or whatever you want to call it) made me believe, not in some nameless God, but in the Christian God, and in the truth of Christianity. Okay, I did not explicitly mention Jesus Christ and his atoning death, but that kind of follows logically if I say I believe in the Christian God.

Short as it may have been, I was a Christian. I was convinced in the truth of the divinity of the person of Jesus Christ.

[RickD]

Believing that God exists, is a good first step towards becoming a Christian, but it doesn’t make one a Christian.

Believing in and trusting in Jesus Christ, and his atoning work, is what makes one a Christian.
John 3:16

Either I wasn't clear or you didn't read my post very carefully (no offense). I explicitly said that my "religious experience" (or whatever you want to call it) made me believe, not in some nameless God, but in the Christian God, and in the truth of Christianity. Okay, I did not explicitly mention Jesus Christ and his atoning death, but that kind of follows logically if I say I believe in the Christian God.

Short as it may have been, I was a Christian. I was convinced in the truth of the divinity of the person of Jesus Christ.

Believing in the divinity of Christ, is not the same as putting your trust in him for your salvation.

[DBowling]

Believing that God exists, is a good first step towards becoming a Christian, but it doesn’t make one a Christian.

Believing in and trusting in Jesus Christ, and his atoning work, is what makes one a Christian.
John 3:16

Either I wasn't clear or you didn't read my post very carefully (no offense). I explicitly said that my "religious experience" (or whatever you want to call it) made me believe, not in some nameless God, but in the Christian God, and in the truth of Christianity. Okay, I did not explicitly mention Jesus Christ and his atoning death, but that kind of follows logically if I say I believe in the Christian God.

Short as it may have been, I was a Christian. I was convinced in the truth of the divinity of the person of Jesus Christ.

Believing in the divinity of Christ, is not the same as putting your trust in him for your salvation.

Here is a simple example of the point Rick is making...

A young boy is caught up in a tree, and can't climb out of the tree.
His father is on the ground and tells his son that if he let's go of the tree he will catch him.
The son believes that his father has the ability to catch him, but simply believing that his father has the ability to catch him will not save the boy from the tree.
The boy is saved from the tree when he trusts his father to catch him and lets go of the tree.


A couple of other random thoughts

If I have a genuine mutual love relationship with another person then that love leads to growing trust with that person.
So if I believe that God designed me and the world I live in, and if I believe that God loves me, then when God tells me not to play in the middle of the road I trust that he is telling me that for my own well being because he loves me.
In John 10:10 Jesus says
"I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly"

God's desire is to have a genuine love relationship with his image bearers.
There are times in every Christian's life where we may not "feel the love".
But even when we don't feel it, God's love never fails.

[Philip]

DB: There are times in every Christian's life where we may not "feel the love". But even when we don't feel it, God's love never fails.

ABSOLUTELY, DB! If one judges how they are spiritually from how one FEELS from moment to moment, day to day, they will find themselves all over the map. One day I feel good and spiritual about myself, and another day I feel like a disaster. The key word here is "FEEL." Our feelings can be exceptionally inaccurate and deceptive to reality - and ESPECIALLY to the reality of how God views us. What we must do is, instead of trusting the constant changing of our feelings to gauge of spiritual condition (saved or not saved), we need to, instead, trust GOD and what His word tells us. What has been your mind and heart's response to the Gospel - which is very different from a mere, detached belief or some emotion-fueled prayer. Now, one can truly have been saved and also prayed an emotional prayer - but that won't save a person, because the question is, WHAT was the response of your mind and heart toward Christ when you prayed it? Did you sincerely believe and desire / receive God/Jesus, and communicate that to Him? If so, you ARE saved - and FOREVER so!

"For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:10)

Notice how to find the truthful path below - leaning upon our feelings vs. trusting in Him.

About FEELING saved: https://www.gotquestions.org/feel-saved.html

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

[UsagiTsukino]

Yea I feel this way many times. That I'm still confused about the bible but many still to understand it better than me. That makes me feel an ashamed. That I'm fake

[Nessa]

When I read your post, this song came to mind.

If you are hooked on a feeling then the Christian life may not be what you are looking for. Although God can most certainly draw us close to him through our emotions, feelings aren't what faith is based on.

[Philip]

Nessa wrote: When I read your post, this song came to mind.

If you are hooked on a feeling then the Christian life may not be what you are looking for. Although God can most certainly draw us close to him through our emotions, feelings aren't what faith is based on.

I think I understand where Nessa is coming from on this emotion-driven issue.

Here's a sentiment she and others might agree with: https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pasto ... nship.html

BTW, where has Nessa been? Haven't seen her around for awhile!

[1over137]

Dear Noah,

Something similar happened to me.
I was being drawn to Christian God. I was teenager that time.
I believed for one week. (whatever the word 'believe' means)
I felt happy and all.
When my parents discovered that I read Christian book, they pushed me other way.
So my belief was shaken.
Then was agnostic.
Then many things happened and finally after couple of years I finally became Christian and still am. (It's now 9 years)

So, let me encourage you to read the Bible - it is God's words, so through Bible God is revealed.
Explore, search, ask.
Let me give you also this talk by Hugh Ross how through science he discovered God.
https://reasons.org/story/hughs-story

(My favorite bible verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and it seems Hugh Ross likes that verse too )

Many blessings and "Examine everything"