A perfect point. But it leaves me wondering if it is possible to believe Christ can save, but not use Christ for the forgiveness of our sin, but to keep our sin without asking Him to forgive? Scripture tells us that belief is enough, but you could believe God could forgive without asking Him to free us of our sin.
The Difference between Counterfeit Faith and Saving Faith is only about 18 inches.
Counterfeit Faith is ONLY Head Knowledge, and that is the kind of Faith the Demons have.
GENUINE SAVING FAITH, involves your whole being, ESPECIALLY your Soul and your Spirit, and will Genuinely AGAPE LOVE HIM and the Brethren.
HE Put HIS AGAPE LOVE into our HEARTS (Human Spirit), without that AGAPE LOVE BEING THERE, I am sure that one can never muster up anything but the Demon's Kind of FAITH that NEVER SAVES.
When HE POURS HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS, it Changes our HUMAN SPIRIT PERMANANTLY from a once Dead Spirit to an Eternally ALIVE Spirit. The Dead Spirit ONLY CAN FOCUS on what SELF WANTS. The Eternally ALIVE Human Spirit
ONLY focuses on WHAT GOD's WILL IS.
The Human Mind is at war, with the Mind of our HUMAN SPIRIT, especially in the beginning, but as your HUMAN SPIRIT feeds on the word of GOD, it will GET STRONGER, and STRONGER, to where it WILL DOMINATE those battles between the Human Spiritual Mind and the Mind that lies between YOUR EARS.
Romans 5:1-10 (NASB)
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
5
and hope does not disappoint, because the {agape} love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath
of God through Him.
10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
You see, THAT Type of LOVE that GOD SOWED into our HEARTS, will produce the exact same kind of LOVE back to HIM and OTHERS, especially the Brethren. No, we no longer have to obey him to be saved, WE WERE SAVED BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF TIME, however, the CHANGE in our Human Spirit, creates an ongoing desire to want to OBEY HIM, out of PURE AGAPE LOVE.
2 Timothy 1:9 (HCSB)
9
He has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace,
which was given to us in Christ Jesus
before time began.
I am convinced that People who have No Agape Love in them are YET to be Born Again, and Jesus says no one can Enter Heaven without out it. They have not willingly out of Agape Love, surrendered TO CHRIST AS LORD, and remain lord of their own lives.