Enough with the straw man arguments. Keep reading:
1 John 3:7 - Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.
Is that what you are trusting in for salvation? Do you believe that you will receive eternal life based on the merits of your best efforts to keep His commandments (works) or based on faith in Jesus Christ? (Romans 3:22-28; 4:5-6; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9).
To "keep" (Greek word "téreó" - guard, observe, watch over) His commandments is descriptive of children of God (demonstrative evidence of having come to know Him - 1 John 2:3) and is the fruit of salvation, but not the root of it.
Hi MMD,,,,
You see, you're idea of a descriptive idea of the gospel actually works to your detriment. (as soteriology, I mean....)
Being rather simple in how I understand the N.T. because I believe it IS to be understood in its whole....I'd never heard of this idea of descriptive and prescriptive.
Here's why Descriptive works to your disadvantage:
As you've stated...to "keep" (Greek word Tereo - guard,
observe, watch over) is DESCRIPTIVE of someone who is a follower of Christ.
It is DEMONSTRATIVE evidence of having come to know Him --- 1 John 2.3.
It is the FRUIT of salvation.
I agree.
So, by default, IF someone does not "keep" (guard, OBSERVE, watch over) and does NOT DEMONSTRATE the fruits of salvation, which is the evidence of salavation....
then he must surely not be saved.
I agree.
What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit:
LOVE
JOY
PEACE
PATIENCE
KINDNESS
GOODNESS
FAITHFULNESS
GENTLENESS
SELF-CONTROL
Galatians 5:22-25
So if a person does NOT demonstrate the above qualities which are the fruit of the Spirit and born-again life....he is most probably not a true believer in Jesus.
Thanks for helping me to become aware of this concept.
We have so much to learn in our walk with God.