Is accepting Christ enough to be saved?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
6,066
1,948
113
#21
The thief on the cross was an acception, Jesus knew he had no more life to live. So since he had no more life to live, just the faith was enough. We who have life to live after conversion must live to Him and die to Him, the One we love..

Besides that what else did he say that you object to?
abraham believed God and God declaired him righteous. KNOWING all the sins abraham would commit

we are not saved any different than the thief
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
113
#23
your right.

Those who are trying to earn salvation by obedience is the largest most widespread religion on earth.

Those who believe by jumping into the net below to escape a flaming building (into jumping into Christ hands) and stop trying to save themseves are few and far between
I believe Jesus. He tells us that those who hear His words and don't do them are fools, and their faith is built on weak and shifting sands. Faith in Jesus is much more than a mental acceptance, it is beleiving all that Jesus taught.
 

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
6,066
1,948
113
#24
I believe Jesus. He tells us that those who hear His words and don't do them are fools, and their faith is built on weak and shifting sands. Faith in Jesus is much more than a mental acceptance, it is beleiving all that Jesus taught.
I agree with you

But eternal life is not based on believing all he said. about what we should do AFTER we are saved.

it has to do with ALL he said concerning our sins, our spiritual death, and what he did to save us.

the obligation in the OT was perfection. that is how we could save ourselves. No one made that requirement except Christ.

He did not all of a sudden say after the law under grace. we can sin some and we are ok.. The standard is still the same.

I agree, it is much more than mental agreement, It is trust in the living word.

a person stuck in a burning building has two choices.. Jump in faith. or die trying to save themselves.

we are looking head on at a firey hell. we have two choices (actually three)

1. reject what we see, and act as if there is no hell
2. Try to save ourselves and die trying
3. Jump into the net your savior purchased with his own blood
 

ebdesroches

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2022
976
495
63
76
#25
[
I agree with you

But eternal life is not based on believing all he said. about what we should do AFTER we are saved.

it has to do with ALL he said concerning our sins, our spiritual death, and what he did to save us.

the obligation in the OT was perfection. that is how we could save ourselves. No one made that requirement except Christ.

He did not all of a sudden say after the law under grace. we can sin some and we are ok.. The standard is still the same.

I agree, it is much more than mental agreement, It is trust in the living word.

a person stuck in a burning building has two choices.. Jump in faith. or die trying to save themselves.

we are looking head on at a firey hell. we have two choices (actually three)

1. reject what we see, and act as if there is no hell
2. Try to save ourselves and die trying
3. Jump into the net your savior purchased with his own blood
"But eternal life is not based on believing all he said. about what we should do AFTER we are saved." Its a good idea to believe everything Jesus said! What He said is consistent with what that faith or confession is and does.
 

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
6,066
1,948
113
#26
[

"But eternal life is not based on believing all he said. about what we should do AFTER we are saved." Its a good idea to believe everything Jesus said! What He said is consistent with what that faith or confession is and does.
the things of God are foolishness to those who are not his

You can't know everything he said to understand, let alone believe in it.

All you can do is accept the gospel.

If your going to try to earn your way to heaven.. Perfection is your only way, Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.. Jesus tried to warn the pharisees in those words. they did not listen.. I pray we all head those words and understand them
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
#27
All who are Saved should be doing this:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh,
20 teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.
 

24sev

New member
Aug 31, 2022
1
0
1
#28
In my humble opinion, we're saved by our FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, etc). That's it. Once you genuinely put your faith in Jesus, you're born again (John 3:3), and permanently sealed by the Holy Spirit, and you CANNOT be 'unsealed,' and lose your salvation, although you CAN can grieve the Holy Spirit by your sins as mentioned in Ephesians 4:30: "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are SEALED unto the day of redemption." It's genuine faith in Jesus that saved you, and a saved person will USUALLY produce some good fruit showing EVIDENCE of their salvation ("for the tree is known by his fruit." Matthew 12:33).

However, it's important to note that when you put your faith Jesus, you did NOT lose the flesh. God gave you a new birth, you're born again, and you're a 'new man' guided by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), but every Christian still has the flesh, their 'old man,' and your old man and new man fight all the time. Colossians 3:9-10 talks about this saying "put off the OLD MAN with his deeds; And have put on the NEW MAN." So I'll summarize by saying that we're saved by God’s grace, through our faith alone in Jesus, and you cannot lose your salvation, but a saved person can act like an unbeliever if they give in to their flesh, their old man, but there's a big difference between sinning out of weakness and sinning in delight and not wanting to repent of that sin. A true born again Christian hates sinning and tries not to continue in it, and we will fight temptation our whole life, but our goal is to remain obedient to the Lord because we love Him. So there's that struggle. Anyway, those would be a few of my thoughts on the topic. Thank you for reading.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
#29
Is accepting Christ enough to be saved?

After reading your initial post, I see what you mean... To Be Saved in the End.

Hebrews 10
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.


1John 3:9 says “No one born of God commits sin; for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God.” Many translations say "continue" in sin, a habit of sinning.
(y)Amen. We must not continue living in sin If we expect to enter into the gates of Heaven.

Accepting Christ is just the first step. It does save at that point, but Jesus requires as to walk in the light and abide in the vine.

It is the endgame that determines where we will spend eternity.

He is the only Way, but that's where we must stay.
 

SomeDisciple

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2021
2,376
1,082
113
#30
6And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch yourselves, so that you do not lose what we have worked for,a but that you may be fully rewarded. 9Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.
10If anyone comes to you but does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home or even greet him.
 

NotmebutHim

Senior Member
May 17, 2015
2,942
1,617
113
48
#31
Here's my take on it:

John 14:15 says "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (NKJV). However, the NU text includes the phrase "you will". That is to say, Jesus said "if you love Me, you will keep My commandments".

I'm going to assume here that the word "will" doesn't mean "must", but rather "the Holy Spirit will cause you to" keep Christ's commandments. In other words, the Spirit will produce SOME degree of change in a believer's life and remind that person of what the Son taught. He/she will keep those commandments as a result of the indwelling Spirit.

The amount of evidence of salvation varies from person to person.

So if someone puts his/her trust in Christ (justification), the Holy Spirit comes in and begins to work in that person's life. And that's where/when sanctification and working out one's salvation "with fear and trembling" come into play.

$0.02
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
#32
Then just explain what this means: Jesus said unto her [Martha], I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:25,26)
Great verse!

"...And whosoever liveth and believeth in me..."

It means that we are to walk in the Light and abide in the Vine. We are to live the life and follow the path that He has set before us. We are called unto a life of holiness.

Hebrews 12:14
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

>
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,778
113
#33
It is the endgame that determines where we will spend eternity.
We all seem to be forgetting a very fundamental and critical Gospel truth -- JUSTIFICATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH. And that is where salvation begins and is also final (Romans 8:29,30).

Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness. What about Lot who is also called "righteous"? The same principle applies. Though Lot was unrighteous in many ways, God imputed righteousness to him, and therefore the Bible calls him "righteous".

So when a sinner repents and believes that Jesus is God who died for his sins and rose again for his justification, God IMPUTES RIGHTEOUSNESS to the one who believes. And that is what John 11:25,26 actually means. This means that God places the "robe of righteousness" -- Christ's righteousness -- on the vilest sinner. And this is exactly what happened at the cross. The repentant malefactor believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and was saved by grace through faith. The Philippian jailer believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and was also saved by grace through faith. This is why it is called "Amazing Grace".

BUT THIS OP IS UNDERMINING SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST AND HIS FINISHED WORK OF REDEMPTION.
 

wolfwint

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2014
3,778
943
113
62
#34
The one time mere confession of "accepting Christ" from the non-Christian and the Christian is far from enough! It only puts you in the same category as Satan who believes! If you are a Christian what should your attitude be about doing the right thing? Are you saved? 1John 3:9 says “No one born of God commits sin; for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God.” Many translations say "continue" in sin, a habit of sinning. Matthew 7:21 says: “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Christianity is about doing God’s will. Rev 20:13: "... and they were judged every man according to their works."

What Jesus do you believe in? The one who gave himself to redeem us from all iniquity? The one who gave us a new nature, who enabled us to do what’s right? Shall you continue in sin that grace may abound? (Rom 6:1). What you do is directly related to what you believe.
You have the power to walk the way he walked.

Does obeying God's just commandments mean that it has to be a hard, white knuckled, teeth clenching event as a Christian? No! You can love Him and really want to do what is right, because you seek to please God with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your soul. Many have felt the return love of God which cannot be replaced by anything on this Earth. Out of the abundance of love for God you will want to worship Him because he first loved you by His sacrifice. When you know Him even more you will see who He really is, His power, beauty, His gentleness, His tenderness, (and a long list of other superlatives) plus his continued forgiveness for the rare times you fall. Then you will want to worship Him even more!
Then show me please a present living person who is living without committing any sin in words or deeds 24/7.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
#35
Then show me please a present living person who is living without committing any sin in words or deeds 24/7.
The question is: In what direction are we travelling? What is the desire of our heart? What do we want to be? Are we serving Jesus or self?

I agree with you. We have not attained glorificated perfection yet. That is why repentance is not a one-time thing.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,705
113
#36
BUT THIS OP IS UNDERMINING SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST AND HIS FINISHED WORK OF REDEMPTION.
I believe that brother Ed would agree that there is only one door, and it is faith in the finished work of Jesus. I do not think that Ed believes we can earn salvation by good works. Just ask him.

I have a question for you: Are you advocating some type of Calvinism?
 

SomeDisciple

Well-known member
Jul 4, 2021
2,376
1,082
113
#38
1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He Himself is the atoning sacrificea for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
3By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. 4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: 6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
113
#39
All who are Saved should be doing this:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh,
20 teaching them to observe all I have commanded you.[/QUOTE

"teaching them to observe all I have commanded you". YES, faith in Jesus is believing what he taught and commanded us to do.
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
113
#40
1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He Himself is the atoning sacrificea for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
3By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. 4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: 6Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.
"By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. 4If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. " Good point!!!!!!!!!! Faith is much more than just mentally believing that Jesus is Lord, God, and Savior. True faith in Jesus incorporates all that He taught.