There seems to be some real confusion on this sight about what it takes to be saved. While it is fairly simple, I thought it might be worthwhile going over it again.
As you start to believe (it is not something that happens instantly for everyone), you will start to have this strong love in your heart for our Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent. You will make your public confession of faith to anyone who will listen to you. You will be on fire for the Lord. You will talk about Him to friends and family until they hate to see you coming. LOL.
You will work. You will do anything you can to further the Kingdom. You will notice that your language clears up. You start trying to do the right thing all the time, even when it isn't convenient.
Now, you are not working for your salvation, but because you are saved. Salvation is all of God and NONE of us. Once you have reached this point, nothing can take your salvation, no, not even your own sin. By this time you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit and He will remind you to repent.
Since I started that discussion I feel a need to respond. I did that because the same old discussions were boring.I wanted to challenge people.To find out what they believe.To get a good conversation going.It worked out the way I wanted it too.Dennis
That was the point in the way I worded it, out of love we work.....because we know we were unworthy yet saved anyway. We are not trying to earn anything, just show our gratitude in any way possible. We have such a deep love for God, we just have to.
Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Roman 8:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Romans 4:1 � What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
Romans 4:9 � Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
23 � Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
1 � Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
God expects an act on man's part called faith, he said and I will not call him a liar and if you will study you will notice, that faith is not works in my father's eyes.
It is never a matter of earning salvation, but it is man's choice to receive or reject, receiving is called believing and rejecting is called unbelief.
The lord will never turn away one that comes to him in faith!!
In John 1:9 Yeshua is the true Light which lighteth(enlightens),every man that comes into the world.
In John 6:27 Yeshua says that He"gives" eternal life to people,not because they believe rather,this is the Grace of GOD.
John 17 is one of the chapters I believe most people do not read or understand.
In verse #2 Yeshua again states that He"gives" eternal life to people,not because they believe but ratherthis is by grace.
In the next verse #3 of John 17 Yeshua states,AND this is eternal life,that they(those given to Yeshua by the Father)
might know(Experience) thee the only true GOD and Jesus Chrsit whom you have sent.
The Lord sovereignly knows beging to the end of all things,He cannot help knowing this,seeing that He alone is Omnipotent,Omniscient,and Omnipresent.
This is his Glory,and He will not share any of this with any one,this is His and for Him alone.
Even our very existence in Eternity is still dependant upon Him.
We came into this life not on our own merits,rather upon the Grace of YHWH.
We were not born with faith to trust Yehsua,rather this too is the Grace of YHWH.
Even trusting in Yeshua as Lord and Saviour is because the LORD had mercy to bestow saving faith to me.
I was dead in my trespasses and sins.
My only will was to sin.
It was the Lords will,to save me,not my wil.
My will was to destroy myself,The Lords will,was and is to save.
2nd Peter 3:9 Says-The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,as some count slackness;but is longsuffering to us-ward,not willing that any should perish,but that all should come to repentance.
In Romans 2:4,Repentance is a Gift of the Lords Grace.
Therefore,Salvation,Repentance,Faith,Love,Good works,and anything else necessary for a man/woman to believe,and to live in Yeshua as Lord and Saviour is of the Lord..
This is why the church needs to be taught about Biblical IMPUTATION.
What is Imputaion and how does this affect me.
What is imputed to me by Yeshua,and what is my position in Yeshua.
How does ABBA see me in Yeshua:Does He see me as a Sinner saved by Grace,Or does He see me as His adopted Son in Yeshua.
Adoption does not depend upon the one being adopted,rather it depends upon the one doing the adopting.
In all of this we are called, not to resist the Holy Spirit
