WE CAN NOT JUST "LEAVE IT AT THAT"
Ephesians, Chapter 2:
8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
This is Biblical Truth! Any who doubt this, do so in error IMO. However, there are people who want "to just leave it at that," and we can not. We can not leave it at that, because this is not the end of this passage of Scripture.
10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Without verse 10, the preceding two are not complete, and that makes them not the complete Truth of Scripture.
I know this because of what the Apostles not only taught; but what they did! How they lived their lives after their salvation. I can not find one of the Apostles who, after their salvation. left it at that. Not one!
PENTECOST:
Acts, Chapter 1:
13) And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14) These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts, Chapter 2:
1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5) And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6) Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7) And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8) And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
And, after this, all the Apostles and all their helpers went forth preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus, and baptizing new believers! God help all of us if they had "just left it at that."
STEPHEN: He surely did not "just leave it at that" did he? Read Acts, Chapter 7:
55) But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. 56) And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of 57) Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58) And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59) And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60) And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
THE APOSTLE PAUL:
We have a greater account of the actions of the Apostle Paul after his salvation than possibly any other Apostle. I can not begin to imagine what state our world would be in had the Apostle Paul, after his conversion/salvation had said: "Ok, now I'm saved by grace through faith, I'll just leave it at that." IMO, we would ALL be lost, with no hope! The Apostle Paul (full of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit) set out on a LIFETIME of obedient service to Jesus/God! I doubt if any here have even come close to accomplishing what Paul did in his obedient service for the Kingdom of God, or brought so many new believers into the family of God! Nor have any here even begun to suffer what the Apostle suffered at the hands of the unbelieving/disobedient sinfilled men who persecuted him for being obedient to Jesus/God.
I remember his last thoughts about his life....
2 Timothy, Chapter 4:
1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6) For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
People can hem and haw, and doubt, and deny, but the Truth is that God has called all He has blessed with His saving grace FOR A PURPOSE. And we are charged by Him to fulfill that purpose. We can not do this by saying "let's just leave it at that." It does not work that way in Gods Kingdom. Jesus said He would spew out of His mouth such as these. He also said (and Paul revealed this in his words to Timothy):
Matthew, Chapter 24:
13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Salvation is surely by grace through faith, and that a gift from God! But salvation IS NOT the end of it all! It is ONLY the beginning. This is shown in all that Jesus taught about being born again. Becoming a new creature. Becoming like a little child. A new creature/little child is not full of wisdom and knowledge, or mature in their understanding of things. They "sup on milk" because they are unable to feast on the Truth of the Word of God, and understand it all.
The Apostle Paul also taught this:
1 Corinthians, Chapter 3:
1) And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2) I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
Now, people can (if they choose) to deny the need to be obedient to Jesus/God, and to do what He has purposed them to do, and to "run the race, fight the good fight" and to "endure" this life walk with Jesus that we have begin with our salvation, but if they do deny this, they do so at their own peril.
Obedience is key to our sanctification through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. It is He that prepares, teaches and equips us with the tools/faith/understanding and power to be obedient to Jesus/God and do what we were purposed to do. Our acting in obedience to the directions of the Holy Spirit is what sanctifies us. Our belief/faith in Jesus/God is a life long belief, and our service/obedience to Him must be a life long service, just as it was for the Apostle Paul, and the other Apostles. Regardless of the dangers we face, the persecutions we suffer, we must stand fast and KEEP THE FAITH!