Would you agree that salvation has to come from within yourself?

Question

From my personal experience and my intuition on reflection, I can provide for you a sample of my past, that I feel even though it was a very negative experience, I had to go through it to understand the goals of the present and the future.
I used to be a heroin addict, it began by just using it to have fun.
After a very short period of time, my body became tolerant and I had to up my doses to achieve the same hit.
Heroin increases the uptake of a certain natural pain relief chemical in the body, endorphin, and it increases the number of receptors for them. When the body is deprived of heroin at this stage, the body can't naturally match the amount of endorphin required and the body produces noradrenaline instead, this is what is supplied to the receptors looking for endorphin and adrenaline makes us sensitive and anxious.

It takes around 2-4 weeks for the body to return to normal endorphin/adrenaline balance, but within this time from the moment of withdrawal, the body is hyperactive and goes into "cold turkey", kind of like a flu, but with cravings and critical insomnia, diarrhea, sweats, anxiety and tremors and even convulsions.

Instead of stopping before it got worse, I made it a new responsibility to consume more heroin, so I didn't feel ill.

This made me delusional, not in sense of hallucinating, but from the fact of avoiding my responsibilities. I began to hate anything to do with empathy and caring for others, totally self centered, I began to think the world owed me a living and that I would steal, threaten and do just about everything I needed to, to fulfil my desire for the drug.

Of course, the powers that be come into play and it got to the point where I just couldn't accommodate the complexities of heroin use any longer as my financial, social and liberty status was at risk and even my health.

I began to realize that I was solely responsible for my actions, instead of being able to blame heroin for the consequences. Nothing in itself can cause harm to us, we have to be accountable, money and religion isn't evil in itself, it is what the individual does with it that makes the difference.

When I became more conscious of my attitude, I began to realize that I am not responsible for what I think, but I am responsible for my actions and the consequences of those actions.

What goes in, is what comes out, what goes around comes around and if you depend on yourself, you will set yourself free.

It wouldn't make sense to say that heroin made my life a misery. I made my life a misery by using heroin. We also have the power to ruin other people's lives through our actions, but if they are as conscious of their attitude and their own responsibilities and have a mind of their own, they are much more likely to be able to help people who were in my position, to become much more aware of how the only person they are fooling, is themselves.

I have not touched drugs for a year now, as I finally concluded that if I use, I will end up with exactly the same problems to choose from.

The only people that helped me come out of this vicious circle, were those that were responsible and truthful and spoke from experience.

I did it all by myself, information and advice is just that, information and advice, I can choose to be conscious and learn how it applies to me, or I can ignore it and be unconscious and stay in a circle of denial and destruction.
Many people who have had any problems in their life similar to this, will tell you that it is all down to what they do, it doesn't help to just think about how difficult it is to be humble and say it is a higher power, or devils and demons and you have to accept this in order to move on, as this removes the responsibility from you, an addict will justify this as "Well it is because of this deity and spirit, I can't help that" and they would be right, it is what YOU do that makes any difference, good or bad.
The easiest person to lie to, is yourself, you have to be able to see what is in your life and how your choices affect yourself and others, this is the only way to be empathetic.
Too many people just accept the words of others, not having a clue if it applies to them and just take on values that never work for them.. I chose to take drugs to fit in with my friends at the time, but I sat back and I asked "Does this make my life good?".
We all need to see we have choice and that we have to act to get results in life.
It's ok to believe, as long as you KNOW what you believe and how it affects you and others.
I did all this, 6 years of self inflicted misery, but I came out the other side and now I am sharing my experience and my intuitive reflections, my actions here, may help others to save themselves. Words in the Bible, are just words, think to know how they save YOU.

Answer 1

I would say that salvation is much more than freedom from addictions;

of which there are many. I see salvation more as a real connection

with the love of God; Love, with a big "L", which is our true source of

being and our greatest and constant need.

.

If I am any example I would say that addictions are what fill the void

when we lack true contact and communion with the Living Word.

So I must also add that I find words in the Bible are alive and feed

my heart often. More than just "words" or dead letters; they satisfy

my heart as surely as a good meal will satisfy my hunger and give

me energy to burn.



I have nothing but praise for your coming to grips with a habit which

did not serve you well. I faced, in part, some of the same problems

in ending a three pack a day habit with cigarettes; compounded with

strong coffee and much sugar. A few boiler makers followed with

pitchers of beer were not always neglected.



From my experience I can only go with your question in part.

Certainly salvation must make a real change within; but my

salvation is a love affair and is not limited to a change of

habits and a singular expansion of consciousness.



The Scriptural view of man is that he is in bondage to an

addictive nature; a stranger that actually seeks to flee

the bonds of Love for the bondage of sin. By nature man

is opposed to himself, a spiritual pretender connected

first and foremost, if not to drugs, then to money, lust,

fame and all sorts of vanity that will never satisfy the

human heart.



Frankly I don't think I could do what you have done. Still it

may be that you are a person of strong will and that can be a

point of self worship to be avoided. With God we advance with

his power and not our own.



When it comes to religion and habits most of us do not really

desire to change. We want to trade and bargain. We want to

maintain the high and be spared the consequences.



In one sentence. Salvation takes place and is experienced

within; but it comes down from above from the Father of Lights

who is above all things.

Answer 2

Salvation in the Bible has a truth. If the end of the world comes, Armageddon, saved would mean that God will not destroy you but will allow you to live through the destruction to live under his Kingdom which will rule over the earth.-- Dan 2:44) If you die and God has kept you in his memory, he will resurrect you back to life. This can be the righteous who loved truth and the unrighteous who had not heard the truth. Any who heard and responded unfavorably will not warrant a resurrection. There is only one truth and God's spirit is calling those with a good heart condition to his organization to serve him in one common language called truth. These are his Witnesses known as Jehovah's Witnesses who are teaching people about the Kingdom mentioned at-- Mathew 24:14). It is also the Kingdom you were taught to pray for all your life. Let your Kingdom come come and your will be done on earth as in heaven.



The things you say is a salvation as well for you to be saved from your drugs. It has nothing to do with Eternal salvation and everlasting life either in heaven or on earth.

Answer 3

No I do not consider it, and i consider it is some new age false relegion. It's whatever man has made up to go well with himself, and make himself suppose higher....However ultimately, his salvation is nugatory. Jesus says "i am the only method, actuality and life, no person involves the father but via Me" John 14:6 What if you are flawed about this question? Simply what if? That may be a colossal what if isn't it? In keeping with God's necessities we've all sinned towards Him (Romans three:23) and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) but God has achieved whatever so we would not have to go to hell, He has given us salvation via Jesus! And when you suppose that, and repent of sin, you'll be saved--redeemed with the aid of His blood and given a brand new heart with new desires that please Him. God is wonderful and i hope and pray that you'll hear this message and particularly suppose about it. Because if the gospel of Jesus Christ is correct, there shall be an final result--and it is not good for those who rejected Him. If you're right and salvation is in ourselves, good, nothing occurs. I know the Lord is our Savior, that it is only by way of Jesus Christ, when you consider that it is HIS energy that is working in us who're being saved- His phrase is fact and "faith comes from hearing, and with the aid of listening to the phrase of God" -Romans 10:17 real salvation comes from Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12 Salvation is discovered in no person else, for there's no other name under heaven given to guys during which we have got to be saved." -thank you Lord!

Answer 4

It's very unusual for people to get off hard drugs like that without being delivered by the power of God. You still need to be saved and born again of the spirit if you did it yourself. Many people have been delivered of all sorts of things like smoking, alcoholism, cursing, promiscuous sex, bad life styles, etc. because of Jesus setting them free. This gave them such freedom and joy. The words in the Bible are true and if you believe they will work for you. That's great you are off drugs, but we should give God the glory. You still need to find the Lord. The words in the Bible are more than just words. They are life to those who find it in Christ. Jesus came to set the captive free. See Luke 4:18, Isa. 61:1-3, John 8:31-36, Romans 8.

Answer 5

I'm Jewish. We don't go in for that 'salvation' thing. We don't have a concept of hellfire or eternal torture, so there's nothing to be 'saved' from. We don't accept vicarious atonement either. No one can change your inner self for you.



We also understand that people are partners in creation with G-d. It's not about magic or relying on outside forces. It's about helping each other.



The world works best when we do.



Congratulations on your recovery. May your strength be strengthened.

Answer 6

I'm glad you're off heroin, stay strong and keep clean!



...still don't believe in Jesus though

Answer 7

I truly apologize: I can't read all that.



But I will say this: I believe salvation comes from God, but it may have a biological construct as well as the physical.

Answer 8

Salvation came from the blood of Jesus Christ. If you do not believe he died for our sins, you will not be saved.

Answer 9

Bloody hell