I agree sanctification is important, but I think this verse says so much..
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:5-7 NASB
Sanctification and relationship are important and they come with repentance, right? Believing in Him brings us to our knees, filled with shame and guilt, ready to repent, asking Him to save us.
He is all about sanctification. Yes, it is so important. We just get ourselves in a dog paddling estate, in the middle of shark (satan) infested waters, when we forget we are innocent by association with Him, not because we anything. Do we get to contribute...yes. Do we get to be a part of His plan...yes. Does He want and expect us to obey...yes. But we see in so many places, ours is to repent, His is to save..
For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor ? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again ? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:32-36 NASB
But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, " Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord ."
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NASB
We are told not to engage in disputes over laws because it is fruitless, but as long as we do this...
with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
2 Timothy 2:25 NASB
We should be ok. I will be. You, however, may end up with a hardened, reprobated, heart if you keep arguing.
Just kidding...
I still believe you are my Sister, that you too call on the name of the Lord, that we both agree obeying Him is fundamental to our Salvation. I think the difference we have is that for me, He gets all the Glory, for even our repentance. We must keep our eyes on the Savior. It is wise to know He is. Holy and Just, able to squash our souls like a bug, and so comforting knowing He wants instead to give us life. He is so good, ours is to accept His calling.
Him mercy towards us propels our mission towards His.
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB
Yes, He wants our commitment and fellowship. He died for it. Talk about selfless love. May we all walk in it.
Amen sis. This is very edifying.
And if I may add, Paul said that we have to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, HOLY and ACCEPTABLE to God which is our SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP. (1 Corinthians 12:1) and then goes on to teach about the BODY OF CHRIST and spiritual gifts.
...Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. (1 john 3:16)
That is why Paul said;
...For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE ON HIM, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIM, Philippians 1:29
So we see here that just as Jesus suffered when He sacrificed Himself in obedience to GOD, His apostles and the prophets before them also suffered and were killed. Did they suffer and died for doing good because of their obedience to the faith?
...It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 1 Peter 3:17-18
...Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I FILL UP IN MY FLESH WHAT IS STILL LACKING IN REGARD TO CHRIST'S AFFLICTIONS, for the sake of his body, which is the church. Colossians 1:24
They suffered and laboured for our sake and not for their own salvation but for ours, we reap the benefits of their labour and that's what those in the body of Christ do, they work for the salvation of the unbelievers for they also were once unbelievers who benefited from the Labour of those before them. IOW "paying it forward."
...“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now HE HARVESTS THE CROP FOR ETERNAL LIFE, so that the sower and the reaper may be GLAD TOGETHER. Thus the saying ‘ONE SOWS AND ANOTHER REAPS’ is true. I sent you TO REAP WHAT YOU HAVE NOT WORKED FOR. Others have done the hard work, and YOU HAVE REAPED THE BENEFITS OF THEIR LABOR.” John 4:34-38
I would therefore say and believe that;
...As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. James 2:26
And regarding eternal security, I still can't find it in the bible but eternal salvation IN CHRIST JESUS is our LIVING HOPE.
...Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as WE WAIT EAGERLY FOR OUR ADOPTION AS SONS, the redemption of our bodies.
FOR IN THIS HOPE WE WERE SAVED. BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NO HOPE AT ALL. WHO HOPES FOR WHAT HE ALREADY HAS? But if we hope for what WE DO NOT YET HAVE, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:23-25