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.

Snacks

Well-known member
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
771
113
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26). Faith without works is a dead faith because the lack of works reveals an unchanged life or a spiritually dead heart.
@mailmandan already schooled you on that erroneous viewpoint earlier today and yet you completely disregard his insight.
 

ebdesroches

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2022
976
495
63
76
Grace flows from faith.
Jesus: Have faith, have salvation.
Faulty understanding of the gospel.

Saved to sin, doesn’t sound right, nor is it right.

Plethora of references from scripture throughout this post and responses.

Looks like out of 9 there are 3 easy believism people.

That means out of the rest of us there might be a lot of unsaved (Lord let me not be one of them)… Jesus: The path to destruction is broad, but the gate is narrow and few find it (paraphrase).
 

Sipsey

Well-known member
Sep 27, 2018
1,507
718
113
Jn-6:28So then they said to him, “What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?” 29Jesus replied, “This is the deed God requires – to believe in the one whom he sent.” 30So they said to him, “Then what miraculous sign will you perform, so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the solemn truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Father is giving you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread all the time!”
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.
 

BillG

Senior Member
Feb 15, 2017
9,049
4,456
113
Here is what Jesus said concerning to repent off.

John 16:7-11
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

Notice he says "Sin" and not sins

So what is this sin?

Unbelief in Jesus.

Are there any verses that says the Holy Spirit will convict us of our sins?

What about verse 10?

If we repent of unbelief in Jesus then does it make sense that he will convict us of the righteousness of Jesus?

Are we not clothed in the righteousness of Jesus?

When God says he has removed our sins as far from the east and the west and will remember them no more, what does he mean?

When does that happen?

When Jesus did on the cross and repent of the sin of unbelief?

Here is my take.

When we repent of the sin of unbelief in Jesus (death, burial and resurrection) and want to follow him then our sins have been removed and buried in the deepest ocean.

Our Father sees the righteousness of Jesus appropriated to us.

Now before I am jumped on I am not saying we can sin all we want.
We cannot use what's been appropriated to as an excuse to sin.
It's abhorrent and if anyone thinks that they do that they need to reminded of Romans 5-6 and if they reject it the walk away.

When we do sin the Holy Spirit will bring it to our mind.

So for me every day I ask the Holy Spirit to help me be like Jesus and if I get it wrong to let me know.

Do I need to repent of the anything that he reveals to me that I got wrong?

I say no because when I repented of my unbelief in Jesus I just want to be like him and live as he asked me to.

So when I mess up I confess my sin (side not the word used in James the word confess is not the same word as repent)

When we sin/get it wrong it's a relationship issue with God.
Not from his side but ours.

Guilt condemnation stops us from coming before our Father in heaven.

He doesn't want that.
The temple curtain was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross.

Just fess up and thank God we are forgiven and ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be like Jesus.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,241
30,353
113
You are right!

1 John 1 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

However after we sin we ask for forgiveness right away, being contrite, never wanting to sin again.

Sin should be very rare in the life of a Christian that really loves God because they are drawn to Him and want to obey Him.

1 John 1:8-10~ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His Word is not in us.:)
 

ebdesroches

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2022
976
495
63
76
Jn-6:28So then they said to him, “What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?” 29Jesus replied, “This is the deed God requires – to believe in the one whom he sent.” 30So they said to him, “Then what miraculous sign will you perform, so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the solemn truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Father is giving you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread all the time!”
35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty.
Exactly you believe that he saves you and keep believing what He told you to do
 
Nov 26, 2021
1,125
545
113
India
I just found this brief and simple presentation of the Gospel in a "letter from hell". (which does include some "fire and brimstone" parts):

""A Letter from Hell"
I was 22 years old and lived every one of those years my way. No one had more, did more, or enjoyed more laughs and good times than me. I was young, rich with life, and felt so far from eternity. Then, what I never thought could happen to me one night happened. I was 30 miles over the speed limit, the front tire blew, and as the car swerved wildly, something came up in front. I closed my eyes, there was a deafening crash, and when I opened them again, I was in Hell!
As I stood there momentarily stunned, all at once an awesome realization of what had just taken place—where I was—swept through me like a paralyzing chill. I began turning to find the direction I came in; I ran madly to get out, but soon all hope was gone. As I dropped down, exhausted, staring deeply into the unearthly blackness all around me, one thought passed slowly through my mind—all I had ever gained in life as a rebel, as a sinner, was already not worth it.
I don’t know how long I’ve been here since. Never has a place been more real or I more conscious. I feel like I’m at the bottom of a sewer pit of all that is foul and ugly. I choke in the stench of it. Feelings of hopelessness and painful loneliness burn me within, while towering flames burn me without. I have no defense, even courage is momentary; I cower into a little ball, grit my teeth, and never stop crying.
Everything here is so violent. A lifetime of pain is squeezed into every moment—pain beyond the memory of pain—like thousands of knives tearing me to pieces millions of times over.
I’m constantly being pressed beyond my endurance. I haven’t strength for this torment, enough tears for this sorrow, or room in my mind for such grief such gloom. I scream for it to end, but though my mind collapses, my emotions shatter to dust, and my body, imprisoned in these flames, feels like it burns into ashes: they all reassemble to go through it again, and again, and again.
Worms come at me from everywhere. I keep trying to push them into the flames, but nothing kills them, they keep finding their way back to me. If God lifted the roof off this place and let the world look in, the entire human race would get saved in 30 seconds of time. What horrors await them.
My mind inflicts the greatest torture, as it never stops regretting. I would destroy it, but I can’t quiet it even for a moment. It constantly recalls, over and over, every second of my life on Earth. It is so real; I can’t bear to relive it again. I see, as if I were standing there again, the time my neighbor asked me to receive the Saviour and said he would pray with me. As I hopelessly look on, I scream at myself to do as he asked—“Please, fall down on your knees and pray.” But I watch the scorn I had for the Gospel come back at me, as my own proud arguments and rejections are cast into my own face. I turn away, but the vision is everywhere—tracts that I tore, Bibles I left closed, Christians I laughed at all race like a torrent through my mind.
Behind this mirage, the beauty of Christ is forever inscribed on my memory. The Jesus I long to be with, long to love—the Jesus I can never ever have. At His feet, I see the dust of life’s treasures that I chose over Him, that I sold my soul for. How I hate the person I was that put me here.
How could I have been so great a fool, so totally a traitor to myself, living for the moment, laying up nothing for the person I would eternally be, the person I am today?
Ma, where do I start? Dad, if I had only listened to you. I keep praying that you will never come here, that I will never, ever see you again. Oh God, how hopeless I am!
If I could leave this place, I would do everything and anything for Jesus Christ. When I wasn’t praying and crying in tears for the lost souls bound for these flames, I would be spreading the Gospel far and wide. I’d let nothing distract me, nothing stop me. If I could just come back there one more time, how different my life would be. I’d laugh at desire, junk life’s riches, and fear nothing on Earth but displeasing Christ. But this can never be. How hopeless I am!
Sinner, if I could only stand where you are now, with one more opportunity to cry out for God’s mercy and His precious salvation—the same salvation you hate and refuse. If I only had your chances!
How can you be so sure of yourself when there’s nothing between you and Hell but air? How can you sleep when its flames reach to your feet, when its depths hang right beneath you, anxious to swallow you up without a second’s warning for all eternity? How?
You say, “But I’ve got plenty of time. I’m young and healthy, I’ve got big plans for my future.” Future? Who promised you one? God’s not obligated to give you the next breath of air you hope to breathe. Why are you still alive then? Why aren’t you already in Hell? God’s mercy is the answer. The mercy of an angry God Whose patience you’ve tried, Who can take you out of the world a million different ways, permits you to dangle from your string, to live your life way out on the very edge of eternity.
How totally deceived you are. Behind all of life’s thrills, I can see so clearly what you’re so blind to there, the deceiving Serpent, the slithering crawling snake, hiding behind the camouflage of all you crave. I hear his call in the songs, his laughter in the night life, his evil eyes flash at you in the glitter of all you touch. You have one thing he wants more than anything on Earth: your eternal soul. And, piece by piece, you give it to him. In exchange, he gives you cheap thrills and petty trinkets, like someone feeding swill to a pig he’s fattening for slaughter.
Sinner, you’re doomed. Christ reaches out to you and you turn Him away. His blood flows free to cleanse you and you run from it. You are the laughing stock of demons.
“But I’m free,” you say, “my own person,” and they laugh louder because they see the snake who owns you coiling tighter around you, strangling you in bondage, dragging you to the pit. I’ll see you soon.
"A Letter From Hell" by Pastor Chick Salliby
Dear reader, God wants to forgive you and save you, both from your sins, and the eternal punishment awaiting those sins. Here are the steps you must take to be forgiven, saved, and also to know God and to be known of Him.
(1) Acknowledge that you are a sinner. All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
(2) Believe that Jesus died for your sins. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
(3) Ask God to forgive your sins. If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).
(4) Invite Jesus to come into your heart as your personal Lord and Saviour. As many as received him [Jesus], to them gave he power to become the sons of God (John 1:12)."

From: https://www.wordandprayer.org/letter-from-hell
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
seeker friendly, universal, and more new age has emerged in the past 20 years.
There are two fundamental ways to reach someone: through fear or love. If people fear someone or something they’ll pay close attention. In a similar way, if people love someone or something they’ll pay attention. This applies almost universally to many different things.

Jesus wasn’t a hellfire and brimstone preacher and neither were the apostles from what we see in the New Testament. Just taking the book of Matthew for example, fire was mentioned 12 times and hell was mentioned nine times. In none of those instances was a long-winded sermon that attempts to strike fear in peoples’ hearts written down.

That makes “sinners in the hands of an angry God” style sermons New Age. Sermons than sermons attempt to attract people on the basis of love, grace, and mercy are traditional.
 

Everlasting-Grace

Well-known member
Dec 18, 2021
6,066
1,948
113
Fire and Brimstone is just plain preaching the Gospel of Christ. even Jesus said His Words are not for everyone but those truly seeking righteousness. if people felt judged they probably had much to hide. these are the LAST DAYS! social gatherings have no place in the Church and that's what most church services have become. THAT AIN'T GONNA GET YOU THE TRUTH AND GUIDE YOU TO HEAVEN!
Sorry bro your wrong

Jesus said he came not to judge but to save..
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
Sorry bro your wrong

Jesus said he came not to judge but to save..
why did Jesus speak more about Hell than anything else?




The Bible continually warns of a place called hell. There are over 162 references in the New Testament alone which warns of hell. And over 70 of these references were uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ!



Did Jesus speak more about Hell than about Heaven? - Patheos
https://www.patheos.com › blogs › 2015/01 › did-jesus...


Jan 14, 2015 — “Jesus said more about hell than about any other topic. Amazingly, 13 percent of his sayings are about hell and judgment …”
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
if we are to be imitators of Jesus then we should talk about what He discussed the most!
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
if we are to be imitators of Jesus then we should talk about what He discussed the most!
Well, my point in my last comment to you was that hell and fire were more like side notes in the overall thesis of Jesus's teaching.

In the book of Matthew there are about 18,346 words and only 21 words about hell or fire. Hellfire talk makes up about 0.001% of the book of Matthew.
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
Well, my point in my last comment to you was that hell and fire were more like side notes in the overall thesis of Jesus's teaching.

In the book of Matthew there are about 18,346 words and only 21 words about hell or fire. Hellfire talk makes up about 0.001% of the book of Matthew.
but look when Jesus chose to bring Hell and Judgement up. that is the key!
 
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
PRAISE GOD JESUS DID NOT TEACH THE FALSE DOCTRINE OF GRACE DURING HIS MOST FAMOUS SERMON ON THE MOUNT:


20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees and Torah scholars, you shall never enter the kingdom of heaven!

21 “You have heard it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever commits murder shall be subject to judgment.’

22 But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca’ shall be subject to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be subject to fiery Gehenna.

23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering upon the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your offering there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent while you are with him on the way. Otherwise, your opponent may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the assistant, and you will be thrown into prison.

26 Amen, I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid back the last penny!

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

28 But I tell you that everyone who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 And if your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away! It is better for you that one part of your body should be destroyed, than that your whole body be thrown into Gehenna.

30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you that one part of your body should be destroyed, than that your whole body go into Gehenna.

31 “It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall carry out your oaths to Adonai.’

34 But I tell you, do not swear at all—not by heaven, for it is the throne of God;

35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.

36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black.

37 But let your word ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’—anything more than this is from the evil one.”


48 Therefore be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”




3 Chapters dedicated to this SERMON:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’

23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’”


lot's of baloney Grace being taught here...NOT!!
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
14,674
5,917
113
I agree with almost all.

I try to be transparent with my sins with my close friends and be helped by them to overcome them.

If i have overcome some sin i want to tell others that are tempted by the same thing, maybe help encourage them to overcome too and that it is possible.
yeah we are meant to have our eyes on being right always but then in reality we fail also quite often in different ways while we are set to always do right and never sin , we can never forget the part where Jesus suffered and died d is e authority over us now and he is merciful to repentant people who believe in him

we tend to get stuck in an either or mindset “ either your sinless and perfect or your a condemned sinner “

but then There’s people like you and me
Who believe it’s simply time we got real with God and come clean when we mess up because we know he loves us and is t there to destroy us for mistakes but to forgive and intercede for us

“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:6-10‬ ‭

Jesus is our advocate now he’s saying “ sin not , but if anyone does happen to mess up and sin , confess and repent and he will cleanse us of it so we don’t get dragged down by condemnation for what’s forgiven so we can stand back up and pursue Jesus more it’s a lifetime process because we’re not perfect but we can choose to acknowledge , confess and repent when we realize we have sinned

if we simply pretend it doesn’t matter to God were never going to actually change anything if we acknolwedge we’ve sinned against his Will , it’s going to cause humility and repentance because we believe and want to please the one who died for us and lives forever for us to make intercession when we have made mistakes

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:34‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭7:25‬ ‭

the idea is Jesus is our high priest when we need intercession we need to go to him and confess in repentance and because of his complete sacrifice he’s able to forgive and remit my sins as if they never occurred only if I don’t hide them d avoid dealing with them when I’m wrong though if I pretend I haven’t sinned because I don’t want to repent tha ta very different than repenting and then messing up later like your talking about I am with you it’s really about the relationship between the believer and the lord acknolwedging our sins before him like David

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭51:1-7, 9-11‬ ‭KJV‬‬


David sinned and was repenting he acknowledged his iniquities and sins to God and asked for mercy and this is David who committed sins of death adultery false witness and plotting murder having a man killed to cover his own sins

the new covenant is based on that repentant heart where when we’ve sinned we don’t hide from a gods presence we stand in his light and acknolwedge our sins that’s the process of having hen washed away eventually it is harder to sin as we used to , than it is to do the thkngs jesus teaches us to do in the gospel but it doesn’t happen if we pretend
 

Snacks

Well-known member
Feb 10, 2022
1,410
771
113
Faulty understanding of the gospel. Saved to sin, doesn’t sound right, nor is it right.
Who said anything about being saved to sin? You go from works are required for salvation to easy believeism is a free ride to sin. You’re deviance is shameful.