You only need to believe to be saved, no works required.
But if you don't take up the cross, you are not really saved, because it shows you don't really believe.
Yet, you only need to believe to be saved, no works required.
This kind of reasoning to me is so circular, but if you are happy with it, so be it.
If the branch abide to the vine it will bear fruit. You can not bear fruit of yourself
But if you do not bear fruit the branch will be cut and burn it is hell
John 15
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If branch not bear fruit, verse 6 say it will be burn into fire but you do not have ability to produce a fruit, all you need to do is abide to the vine.
The vine will produce the fruit for you.
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is love
Jesus die on the cross because of love, so die for others is the fruit of Holy Spirit, not selfishness
When you abide in Him, Holy Spirit in your heart, than like Paul say I am no longer life for myself, I will follow Jesus to love other, work for other and I believe Paul die/kill because preaching salvation
It mean he willing to die for other salvation.
Not in the sense like Jesus, jesus have power to forgive sin, Not paul
But die for other in the sense of :in order to make other know the way to salvation he willing to die.
Let me say one more time. Only the death of Jesus forgive our sin but the death of Paul and other martyr show the way how to be forgiven.
Taking the cross show Christ in his(Paul) heart
That is what I still learn to do, most my selfishness is stronger than my love, because I am still in the process Lear to take the cross. And only by abide in the vine I will do, branch only bear the fruit if he abide in the vine. The ability of produce the fruit is only belong to the vine.