Closer than you have ever been. NOW if you can just believe, YOU ARE SAVED BY GRACE {something you can NEVER earn and do not deserve}, the moment you genuinely BELIEVE, {the instant that the HOLY SPIRIT came into to your heart, and poured GOD's Love into your HEART}. It is that GODLY LOVE that WILL Always produce Love for GOD and the Brethren, and LOVE for GOD is defined as a Willing Hearts that WANTS to OBEY the LORD. AND when we fail, we willing want to confess is as sin. Thus obedience is PART OF OUR LOVE, including Receiving HIM as LORD of our life.
Philippians 1:6 (NCV)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] God began doing a good work {born again} in you, and I am sure HE will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
1 John 2:19 (HCSB)
[SUP]19 [/SUP] They went out from us, but they did not belong to us {because they never were born again}; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
John 14:15 (HCSB)
[SUP]15 [/SUP] “If you love Me, you will keep{Because of the NEW NATURE in the born again human spirit, which the Holy Spirit birthed into our HEARTS along with GOD's LOVE.} My commands.
If you can Believe all of that, YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE TRUTH.
Jesus had both non-born again, and those who were born again following HIM. What happened to the NON-BORN AGAIN FOLLOWERS.
Matthew 4:25 (HCSB)
[SUP]25 [/SUP] Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
John 6:66-67 (NCV)
[SUP]66 [/SUP] After Jesus said this, many of his followers left him and stopped following him.
[SUP]67 [/SUP] Jesus asked the twelve followers,“Do you want to leave, too?“
I believe that Receiving HIM as LORD and MASTER, is the entrance to the NARROW GATE.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NCV)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] “Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is wide that leads to hell, and many people enter through that gate.
[SUP]14 [/SUP] But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to true life. Only a few people find that road.
Philippians 1:6 (NCV)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] God began doing a good work {born again} in you, and I am sure HE will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.
1 John 2:19 (HCSB)
[SUP]19 [/SUP] They went out from us, but they did not belong to us {because they never were born again}; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
John 14:15 (HCSB)
[SUP]15 [/SUP] “If you love Me, you will keep{Because of the NEW NATURE in the born again human spirit, which the Holy Spirit birthed into our HEARTS along with GOD's LOVE.} My commands.
If you can Believe all of that, YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE TRUTH.
Jesus had both non-born again, and those who were born again following HIM. What happened to the NON-BORN AGAIN FOLLOWERS.
Matthew 4:25 (HCSB)
[SUP]25 [/SUP] Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
John 6:66-67 (NCV)
[SUP]66 [/SUP] After Jesus said this, many of his followers left him and stopped following him.
[SUP]67 [/SUP] Jesus asked the twelve followers,“Do you want to leave, too?“
I believe that Receiving HIM as LORD and MASTER, is the entrance to the NARROW GATE.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NCV)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] “Enter through the narrow gate. The gate is wide and the road is wide that leads to hell, and many people enter through that gate.
[SUP]14 [/SUP] But the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to true life. Only a few people find that road.
Most of the translations use 'disciples' and not 'followers'. I come away from this scripture knowing that disciples can fall away and be lost. That means to me that they are either saved and lose their salvation, or they are not saved until they are baptized. What do you think?
Teach and baptize (Matthew 28:19-20). Whoever, of those that are taught, believes and is baptized, shall be saved
(Mark 16:16). Perfect fit.
We have always been close, if you were to acknowledge the good works component of having faith, which the bible teaches, we would be there. We are not that far apart.