The term “making a decision for Christ” is heard a great deal. It’s as if all power and control for salvation rests on the choice a person makes, and many people think that a simple belief in who Jesus is, secures them salvation. I believe this is a serious misunderstanding. (See Jn.6:45,65, Rom. 3:10,11, Eph.1:4,5, Jer.17:9, Prov. 14:12) In order to make the points I ‘d like to, it’s necessary for me to share some of my personal experience.
     When I became a Christian it wasn’t by walking down a church isle, filling out a card, and claiming belief in Christ to obtain salvation. For me, it was coming to the end of myself, then crying out to God. It was like waking from a bad dream. That was the moment God became GOD to me. I didn’t know who He was, I didn’t understand the persons and importance of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I wasn’t making any conscious decision. I wasn’t even seeking salvation or eternal life. I knew nothing of these things. All I knew is that I was in deep need. I had been brought up to believe that there was a God - so in desperation I cried out. I make no claim to having made a “decision” for Christ. I was in control of nothing!
     Since then it is God who has been directing my path. Often I wasn’t aware of it, often I resisted, but looking back, it is quite clear. There were many things along the way that I wanted to do, many things I thought I should be doing as a Christian. But thankfully in most cases I wasn’t allowed to. Over and over I’ve seen that had I done what I wanted (no matter how noble), would have been a mistake. It would have lifted up self instead of God and it would have been a premature step in the walk of faith. It took a long time and much struggle with things like depression, bitterness and envy, to see that the Lord has been so long-suffering with me, so gracious and merciful, and so loving. All the trials and chastisement, all the set backs and isolation, He meant for my GOOD!  He isn’t finished yet, by far, but how GOOD it is!
     It has been Him alone who has taken me down this path. I have done NOTHING. What I am trying to say here is that my salvation, my whole walk with God has been HIS doing. HE has led me in the paths of righteousness. I would have followed the worlds so-called righteousness. HE has taught me through His word. I would have followed the popular opinions. HE has sought and built a relationship with me. I would have sought other people and “how to” books.  HE directed my service into quiet, unseen things. I would have chosen a myriad of church outreach programs and activities. I was eager to “do” things for the Lord - He has no such time frame.
     How can one say he has made a “decision” for Christ?  It is Christ who made a decision for me!  Search the Scriptures and see if this isn’t so. Wouldn’t any claim of decisions or choices be acts of self-righteousness? (Eph. 2:8,9) Wouldn’t it lessen the priceless value of God’s gift of grace?  Obviously I don’t have a complete understanding of the complexities of predestination and man’s will. I just know that I cannot claim to have done anything.
     Here is another related area of misunderstanding: there are many who claim to have made a profession of faith, then walked away from it, only to return to it again. (See Jn.10:28, Phil. 2:13, II Tim.2:12,19, Heb. 6:4-8, 10:26,29,38,39, 12: 2,8,14, I Jn.2:19, Jude 1 and Num. 15:30,31) To me this is a slap in God’s face! Do we really think when God saves a person, that He is not able to keep and preserve them?  “He who began a good work in you will complete it.”  God’s staying power is not to be denied and falling away would deny HIS sovereignty. Had a person’s faith in God been real, they could not have walked away from Him. He guides in the paths of righteousness; not in the paths of rebellion and waywardness. The reign of sin is broken in the believer. We are told in the Word to strive (Lk.13:24), seek (Matt.6:33), abide (Jn. 15:14), and work out (Phil. 2:12, 13) our salvation. True faith produces holiness and righteousness. Yes, we still sin, but it is not the habit or lifestyle of the life in Christ. The Bible is very clear in how the Christain is to walk. Those who made a “profession” (no matter how real it seemed at the time) and then walked with the world, are like the seeds in the “Parable of the Sower.” (Matt. 13:18-23)  It was only the good seed that lived to produce, the rest died. Maybe we don’t complete what we begin, but God certainly does.
     Before I truly did became a Christian, I “claimed” to be one. I had grown up going to church. When I married, I went to church at Christmas and Easter, I lived a decent life. Of course I was a Christian!  But once I really  became one, I could then SEE - I KNEW that I hadn’t been one. I had been deceived - Satan is very clever at this. If this is the way it was with you, be honest enough to admit that your profession was an empty one, or an emotional response. See that it was only a “form of godliness” and not the real thing. Your very life depends on it!
     These days the world sees about anyone as a Christian. The term “Christian” or “born again believer” has become so watered down that there are many goats among the sheep. Satan has caused great deception here and many, many people have a false sense of security. Oh, make sure you are a child of God!  Examine your life - search your heart!  Are your heart and lifewalk different? You are married to the Lord now, are you divorcing yourself from the world? God will confirm salvation in the heart of one who is sincerely seeking to know.
     “You will know them by their deeds.” There are several things that show a true walk: a striving and seeking to know and please God, brokeness of spirit and repentance, obedience to the word to the best of your knowledge, consistency and progress, and a willingness to receive correction. A life of self-denial, a crucified life sums this up. Do you see this trend in yourself?  Of course no one measures up completely and each person grows at different rates, but the general attitude and walk should be manifesting these traits.
     Facing these issues may not be comfortable but we must not allow ourselves to be deceived the king of liars. We must yield to the authority of scripture: “for the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Heb.4:12