The only way is through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Period. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to those who believe. This is man's only hope.
Can a Christian lose salvation?
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The only way is through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Period. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to those who believe. This is man's only hope.
If you had to earn it then you have to keep it. If it was gifted then He has to keep it.
...for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
I agree. If we could lose what God gives through no effort on our part Jesus' promise would have only been a tease.
Why would any Christian insist that's as much as true?
We can't live eternally because we live so perfectly, we live only through what Christ did for us, but!!!------oh what a change that makes in us. The words of the Father and Christ become part of us, our goals become more and more spiritual goals instead of fleshly ones, and life becomes very different from a life without Christ.
1. We are free to believe or disbelieve according to our own free will.
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve
Deu 30:19 - "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
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2. Righteousness / Salvation is based upon belief / faith.
3. Belief and faith are not acts of works.
4. We are not saved by acts of works.
Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. “
4Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works. 13It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”d 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It’s a gift of God and not of works, let any man should boast.
Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
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5. Works are a reliable discerner of salvation
James 2:
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is uselessd ? 21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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6. Once His, God will never turn us away because of our works
John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
John 6:37-39 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise [never] cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve
Deu 30:19 - "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
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2. Righteousness / Salvation is based upon belief / faith.
3. Belief and faith are not acts of works.
4. We are not saved by acts of works.
Romans 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. “
4Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works. 13It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”d 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It’s a gift of God and not of works, let any man should boast.
Acts 16:31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”
Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
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5. Works are a reliable discerner of salvation
James 2:
14What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is uselessd ? 21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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6. Once His, God will never turn us away because of our works
John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
John 6:37-39 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise [never] cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
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7. But we retain the right to believe or disbelieve
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve
Deu 30:19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servant ye are to obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
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8. By renouncing belief (apostacy) one can turn themselves away from salvation
2 Peter 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world thru the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing to turn back from the Holy commandment delivered to them. What the true Proverb says has happened to them: "the dog returns to it's own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:22-23 In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister
John 15:1 thru 6 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 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. 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.
2 Peter 1:5-9 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
1 John 2:18-26 18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
*
Our salvation is dependent upon Belief and Disbelief, and not our works (See nos. 2/3/4 above). Salvation is not lost by works, (6 above); Salvation is forfeited by apostasy. (8 above).
7. But we retain the right to believe or disbelieve
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve
Deu 30:19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servant ye are to obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
*
8. By renouncing belief (apostacy) one can turn themselves away from salvation
2 Peter 2:20-22 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world thru the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing to turn back from the Holy commandment delivered to them. What the true Proverb says has happened to them: "the dog returns to it's own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.
Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:22-23 In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister
John 15:1 thru 6 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 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. 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.
2 Peter 1:5-9 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
1 John 2:18-26 18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
*
Our salvation is dependent upon Belief and Disbelief, and not our works (See nos. 2/3/4 above). Salvation is not lost by works, (6 above); Salvation is forfeited by apostasy. (8 above).
That's Eisegesis.
I accept that is true for you.
However, that is not Biblical Godly Gospel Exegesis. And those new to our faith should therein know your ideas are not God's message.
For information purposes from Christianity.com. ''Exegesis means using the words of the text in Scripture, through the lens of their original context, to determine their intent. Eisegesis means reading into the text with a pre-conceived notion we may have.''
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-are-exegesis-and-eisegesis.html
Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.
Rmans 4
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Yes and, presumably, on that day
John 5:28
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
Unless you mean John 5:28 is not referring to the redemption, which I would disagree with and question the amount of mass dead-raising-out-of-graves events that you believe the scripture mentions after Jesus Christ, The Son of God and The Ultimate Judge, Rose from The Grave After Three Days after being crucified to save The World from sins and is Coming Back to Rule The Earth.
And even in Ephesians 5 he warns
Ephesians 5:3-5
But among you, as is proper among the saints, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk, or crude joking, which are out of character, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
He gives the same warning in Galatians 5:19-21 which may clarify any questions as to what he meant. Yes it is scary, yes it is true. But there is freedom from sins.
Furthermore
Here is the same phrase again and Paul seems to be talking about those both under the law and apart from the law.
Romans 2:7-8
To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow wickedness, there will be wrath and anger.
Romans 2:17
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law
I allow scripture to define itself. Never go to an outside source to define scripture. Impute=credited, placed on my account
There is hope in God demanding real Holiness. Sorry some of you who need to read this won't because it's so long. God died on the cross to save us from our sins and that is exactly what His Disciples have been experiencing.
Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.
I cannot speak for others, but I am not talking down to anyone. There is freedom from porn, for example. I was so INTENSELY addicted. I used to ask God to forgive me before I did it and felt bad, yet still did it, so many times a day. I was drunk. I seemed to be getting into pill popping. I fornicated. I started crap with people for no reason. I was addicted to secular music and tv, especially anime. I idolized people. Etc. Is this you? I was a slave and, yes, if nothing could be done about that then I would be hopeless imo.
John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
In 2014 though, I had a bad experience which led me to repent and be baptized.
Romans 6:3-7
Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Since then I had sex with my ex once, which felt so dark and I didn't really enjoy it, and that was in 2015. No porn, no sex, no looking at women's cleavages, no drunkenness, no pills, no cussing, no secular tv other than alternative news which I am not sure I'll be continuing long.
Am I boasting? No. I am nothing. If it were in the old covenant and from my own power, then perhaps I would. But all of the good in my life has been because of Jesus Christ. Yes I still mess up, but the fruit I reap will lead to Holiness if I remain in Jesus, and God is merciful. Super Merciful. If you feel like there is no hope and you cannot escape your sins, there is good news, you can walk after the Spirit and resist the flesh because of what Jesus Did. It is for all flesh.
Galatians 6:8-9
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.
I cannot speak for others, but I am not talking down to anyone. There is freedom from porn, for example. I was so INTENSELY addicted. I used to ask God to forgive me before I did it and felt bad, yet still did it, so many times a day. I was drunk. I seemed to be getting into pill popping. I fornicated. I started crap with people for no reason. I was addicted to secular music and tv, especially anime. I idolized people. Etc. Is this you? I was a slave and, yes, if nothing could be done about that then I would be hopeless imo.
John 8:34
Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
In 2014 though, I had a bad experience which led me to repent and be baptized.
Romans 6:3-7
Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. For anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Since then I had sex with my ex once, which felt so dark and I didn't really enjoy it, and that was in 2015. No porn, no sex, no looking at women's cleavages, no drunkenness, no pills, no cussing, no secular tv other than alternative news which I am not sure I'll be continuing long.
Am I boasting? No. I am nothing. If it were in the old covenant and from my own power, then perhaps I would. But all of the good in my life has been because of Jesus Christ. Yes I still mess up, but the fruit I reap will lead to Holiness if I remain in Jesus, and God is merciful. Super Merciful. If you feel like there is no hope and you cannot escape your sins, there is good news, you can walk after the Spirit and resist the flesh because of what Jesus Did. It is for all flesh.
Galatians 6:8-9
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
John 17:2-3~ You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You
have given Him. Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent.
The argument isn't should there be holiness or not. Of course there should be. The argument is whether it is done in one's own strength which can only produce a whited sepulcher , or whether it is produced by the Spirit and begins in the heart and works its way out to our members.