Many christians believe they must do something in order to be saved, such as repenting of ALL of their sins.
Others believe they must do good works to show that they have been saved.
Still others believe that GOD Almighty had chosen they and not others to be saved.
What does the Word of GOD Almighty say.
Matthew 11 verses 25 -30
Rest for the Weary
(Luke 10:21-24)
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
26 Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.
27 All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
28 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Acts 16 verses 25 - 34
The Conversion of the Jailer
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.
27 When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!”
29 Calling for lights, the jailer rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 Then Paul and Silas spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.
33 At that hour of the night, the jailer took them and washed their wounds. And without delay, he and all his household were baptized.
34 Then he brought them into his home and set a meal before them. So he and all his household rejoiced that they had come to believe in God.
I guess Paul and Silas were wrong telling the man that all he had to do was to BELIEVE in the Messiah,
Bad Paul and Silas for misleading the man.
Ephesians 2 verses 1 -10
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.
4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.a
There are a lot more, but these should be enough to show that the message of the Grace of GOD Almighty is an easy yoke, and a light burden.
I would take Messiahs easy believeism any day of the week.
Matthew 13:29023: Jesus says, "The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one [BORN FROM ABOVE] who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times that was sown!"
{The **CALLED** **CHOSEN** and **FAITHFUL**}
Revelation 17:14 They will make war against the **LAMB** but the **LAMB** will overcome them because He is **LORD** of lords and **KING** of kings and with Him will be His **CALLED** CHOSEN ** and **FAITHFUL** followers!! {Right after the Resurrection and Marriage Feast of the Lamb Jesus will mount a great white horse and his saints will follow Him on heavenly white horses as per Revelation 19:7-21}
**SALVATION IS 100% FREE WHILE ETERNAL HEAVENLY REWARDS ARE 100% EARNED**!!
**SALVATION IS 100% FREE**
Titus 3:3,4: At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and **LOVE** of God our Savior appeared , He saved us, **NOT BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUS THINGS WE HAD DONE**, but because of **HIS MERCY**!!
John 1:12,13: To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, **NOR OF A HUMAN DECISION** or a husband's will but, **BORN OF GOD**!!
John 6:37,39,44,65: Jesus says, "**ALL** that the Father gives Me **WILL** come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will **NEVER** drive away... And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall **LOSE NONE** of all that He has given Me, but raise them up at the Last Day.... No one can come to Me **UNLESS** the Father who sent Me **DRAWS HIM**, and I will raise him up at the Last Day!!... No one can come to Me **UNLESS** the Father has **ENABLED THEM**!!"
Ephesians 2:8,9: For it is by **GRACE** you have been saved, through **FAITH**—and this **NOT FROM YOURSELVES**, it is the **GIFT OF GOD**—not by works. So that no one can boast. For we are **GOD'S WORKMANSHIP**, created in Christ Jesus to do **GOOD WORKS**, which God prepared in advance for us to do!
Romans 12:3: For by the **GRACE GIVEN ME** I say to every one of you. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourselves with sober judgment, in accordance with the **FAITH GOD HAS DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF YOU**... We have different gifts, according to the **GRACE GIVEN TO EACH OF US**!!
Romans 9:15,16,18: God says, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God's mercy...Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. {But God's saints still preach God's Word to everyone}
John 15:16: Jesus says, You did not choose Me, but I **CHOSE YOU**and appointed you so that you might bear **FRUIT**--**FRUIT** that will last!!
Matthew 22:14: Jesus says, "MANY ARE INVITED**, but few are **CHOSEN**!"
Mar 13:20: Jesus says, "If the Lord had not cut short those days, no on would survive, but for the sake of the **ELECT**, whom He has **CHOSEN, He has shortened them!"
{The Lord has shortened the Great Tribulation from 3 1/2 years or 1278 days to 1260 days}
John 13:18: Jesus says, "I am not referring to all of you, I know those I have **CHOSEN**!
Ephesians 1:4-8; 11,12: In love He **PREDESTINED** us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will--to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding... In Him we were also **CHOSEN**, having been **PREDESTINED** in accordance to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity to the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be to the **PRAISE OF HIS GLORY**!!
I Thessalonians 1:4: For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has **CHOSEN YOU**, because our Gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction!
I Peter 2:9: But you are a **CHOSEN PEOPLE**, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you might declare the praise of Him who **CALLED YOU** out of darkness into His wonderful light!!
Revelation 17:14: They will make war against the **LAMB** but the **LAMB** will overcome them because He is **LORD** of lords and **KING** of kings and with Him will be His **CALLED** **CHOSEN** and **FAITHFUL** followers!! {Riding on white horses right after the Marriage Feast of the **LAMB** as per Revelation 19:7-20!}
Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death, but the **GIFT OF GOD** is **ETERNAL LIFE**!
God's Word clearly teaches that faith, salvation, the Holy Spirit and eternal life are all 100 percent **FREE GIFTS OF GOD** and that the two main incentives for doing good works is being thankful to God for these amazing **FREE GIFTS** and to **EARN HEAVENLY ETERNAL REWARDS** which God has promised His chosen saints for faithful and loving service. Whereas those who believe in **SINLESS PERFECTION** believe that we have to earn our salvation and eternal life by doing **GOOD WORKS** and being **SINLESS** and that the only eternal reward is gaining eternal life by what we do; and if we commit even one small sin after we are saved we will loose our salvation and eternal life. And so man and not God becomes the Author and Finisher of our salvation.
**BUT WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY**??
**AND SO SALVATION IS 100 PERCENT **FREE** but **ETERNAL REWARDS** are 100 percent **EARNED**!!
Ephesians 6:8: Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will **REWARD** everyone for what ever good he does!
Revelation 22:12 Jesus says, “Behold I am coming soon! My **REWARD** is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done!”
Matthew 16:27: Jesus says, “The Son of Man is going to come in His Father's glory with His angels and **THEN** He will **REWARD** each person according to what he has done!”
Luke 11:33,34: Jesus says, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a **TREASURE** IN HEAVEN** that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your **TREASURE** is, there your **HEART** will be also!"
Luke 14:13,14: Jesus says, "When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be **BLESSED**. Although they cannot repay you you will be **REPAID AT THE RESURRECTION** of the righteous!"
2 Corinthians 5:9,10: We make it our goal to please Him... for we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15: His work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his **REWARD**. If it is burned up he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
How to Win Heavenly CROWNS:
I Corinthians 9:24-27: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes in to strict training. They do it to get a **CROWN** that will not last; but we do it to get a **CROWN THAT WILL LAST FOREVER**! Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize!
2 John 1:8: Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be **REWARDED** fully!.
Revelation 3:11: Jesus says, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your **CROWN**!”
2 Timothy 4:7,8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the **CROWN** of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me **ON THAT DAY**—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing!
The **CROWN** of Life for those who persevere under trials and persecution:
James 1:12: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the **CROWN OF LIFE** that God has promised to those who love Him!
Revelation 2:10 Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the **CROWN OF LIFE**!”
Matthew 5:11,12: Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your **REWARD IN HEAVEN**!”
Luke6:22,23: Jesus says, "Blessed are you when people hate you, when they reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and **JUMP FOR JOY**, because great is your **REWARD IN HEAVEN**!"
! Daniel 12:3: Those who impart wisdom will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever!!
Matthew 19:29: Jesus says, "Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children **FOR MY SAKE** will receive a **HUNDRED TIMES AS MUCH** and will inherit eternal life!!"
Quiz, check the context for all the verses you quoted.
The verses you quoted are about Peter being rescued (saved) from drowning.
Peter had just seen Jesus walking on the water and Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to walk on the water also.
But for some reason, when Peter looked around and saw the powerful waves and he lost sight of Jesus power over them. Seems that fearing the water in the presence of Jesus is kinda insulting to Jesus.
Talk about misplaced faith in the power of the waves of their sea, >>even in the presence of Jesus<<, who has just demonstrated power over the water !!! Peter’s fear and lack of faith means that Peter had more confidence in the waves to crush than in the power of God.
Peter was familiar with Jesus’ miraculous power, yet when he saw the mighty waves, his actions denied the power of God. Fear won over faith and Peter began to sink.
For the moment, that’s what Peter wanted salvation from. He wasn’t, at that time, asking for salvation from God’s coming judgement
Quiz, check the context for all the verses you quoted.
The verses you quoted are about Peter being rescued (saved) from drowning.
Peter had just seen Jesus walking on the water and Jesus gave Peter an opportunity to walk on the water also.
But for some reason, when Peter looked around and saw the powerful waves, he lost sight of Jesus power over them. Seems that fearing the water in the presence of Jesus is kinda insulting to Jesus.
Talk about misplaced faith in the power of the sea >>even in the presence of Jesus<<, who had just demonstrated power over the water !!! Peter’s fear and lack of faith means that Peter had more confidence in the sea waves to crush than in the power of God.
Peter was familiar with Jesus’ miraculous power, yet when he saw the mighty waves, in his actions Peter denied the power of God. Fear won over faith and Peter began to sink.
For the moment, that’s what Peter wanted salvation from. He wasn’t, at that time, asking for salvation from God’s coming judgement
**THE GREAT FALLING AWAY OR THE GREAT APOSTASY BEFORE AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION**!!
2 Peter 3;3-4,7: Above all, you must understandthat in the **LAST DAYS** scoffers willcom, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this Coming He promised? Ever since are ancestors diedeverything goes on as ir hassince the beginning of creation... But the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgementand destruction of the ungodly!
Jude 1:17-19: But, dear friends, remember when the apostlesof our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, "In the **LAST TIMES** there will be sofferswho will follow their own ungodly desires. These are the peoplewho divide yiou, who follow mere natural instinctsand do not have the Spirit!
2 Timothy 3:1-5: But mark this: There will be terrible times in the **LAST DAYS**. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud,abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,withou love, in forgiving, slanderous, withou self control,brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous rash, conceited,lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godlinessbut denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
I Timothy 4:1,2: The Spirit clearly saydsthat in **LATER TIMES** some will abandon the faithand follow deceiving piritsand things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received wit thanksgiving by thosewho believe and who know the truth. For everythingGod created is goodm anothing to be rejectedif it isreceived wiuth thanksgiving, becauase it is consecrated by the Word of God and prayer! {See Mark 7:18-23}
Matthew 24:9-13: Jesus says, "Then {At the beginning of the Great Tribulation} you will be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time **MANY WILL TURN AWAY FROM THE FAITH** and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appearand decive **MANY** peop[le. Because of the increase of wickedness the love of **MOST** will grow cold but he who stands firm to the end will be saved!"
Revelation 17:14: They will make war against the **LAMB** but the **LAMB** will overcome them because He is **LORD** of lords and **KING** of kings and with Him will be His **CALLED** **CHOSEN** and **FAITHFUL** followers! {Just after the Resurrection and the Marriage Feast of the Lamb Jesus and His saints will mount heavenly white horses and defeat **666** and his armies as per Rev 19:7-21}
