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Are you talking new birth or ultimate salvation?what do you think it takes for a person to be saved?
Salvation is in Jesus Christ and in Him alone there is mercy, it depends upon Christ having mercy on the repenting sinner (Titus 3:5), and not anything the sinner can accomplish on his own. It is God Who saves.![]()
what do you think it takes for a person to be saved?
I cannot speak, about what others believe about salvation,so I will only speak to what the Lord has showed me about salvation.To confess Jesus is one thing,we have seen many do this,but to live for Jesus, ah this is another matter. Many are quick to point out this scripture for salvation.( eph 2:8-10) and they are so right! And the grace that we have in our Jesus,is not to be taken, as a reason to sin because of it.( james 2:19-26)
what do you think it takes for a person to be saved?
Matthew 7: 13 "http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/7.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-11Enter through the narrow gate ; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Hmm. I wonder why that would be? According to many on here, it is easy to be saved. All we have to do is believe and have faith. Why would Jesus say that few will find eternal life? He makes it sound hard to get to heaven.
Matthew 19: 24 "Again I say to you, http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/19.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-24it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Wow, that sounds really hard. Is it not possible for wealthy people to believe and have faith? Who are the rich? There are millions of people in the Phillipines making less than $10 a day. Millions more in Asia and Africa are starving, and have no easy access to clean water to drink. For most of us in the U.S. and other western countries, we are wealthy, when compared to a large majority of the world. Could Jesus be talking about us?
Matthew 7: 21 "http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/7.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-18Not 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 will enter. 22 "http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/7.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-19Many will say to Me on http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/7.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-20that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/7.html#fn-descriptionAnchor-nmiracles ?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; http://www.biblestudytools.com/nas/matthew/7.html#cr-descriptionAnchor-21DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
Jesus is talking about people who cast out demons in HIS NAME. He is talking about people who performed miracles in HIS NAME. These people had no faith? They performed miracles in Jesus' name, and they had NO FAITH? Demons obeyed them, and they had NO FAITH? SURELY THESE PEOPLE HAD FAITH! Why weren't they saved?
Kind of makes you think, doesn't it?
I cannot speak, about what others believe about salvation,so I will only speak to what the Lord has showed me about salvation.To confess Jesus is one thing,we have seen many do this,but to live for Jesus, ah this is another matter. Many are quick to point out this scripture for salvation.( eph 2:8-10) and they are so right! And the grace that we have in our Jesus,is not to be taken, as a reason to sin because of it.( james 2:19-26)
Please read this all,so you have a greater understanding of what salvation truly becomes. To say one is saved but lives like the devil,there answer to there salvation will come from mat 7:13-29 saying we believe,and believing are two different things entire. In james we see true faith in salvation.Abraham was not called a friend to God because he said he believed,
He was called a friend to God because of what he did because he believed!verse22-24 Faith without works is dead.(verse 26) I do not measure my salvation by others here,I measure my own salvation with the Word of God. Do I make mistakes?? LOL More then I would like to, let me tell you!!
But the grace we have in Jesus is to perfect ourselves to him,by his very LOVE!( 1 john 4:7-21 I judge no one here!! I rather choose to love each of you,even as Jesus first loved me!( verse 19) To build you up in Jesus!! I hope these thoughts you will consider, before we judge another in there salvation.I choose to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.( phil 2:12-13) For that I examine myself in,is to make sure I never!! cause any to stumble!( matt 18:1-7) To stay humble, all I have to do is look to my own weakness in Christ,for there my brothers and sisters can we then understand how to become strong in him!! ( 2 Cor 12:9-10) Blessing to you all through our Jesus!
Brother superdave,You ask a fine question,and in this question here is one answer you may consider. Matt 6:19-21 A true treasure to me is not of anything,that can be taken away from us. But rather a treasure that once recieved can be given as well to others,to both encourage them,and make them stronger in Christ, then they first were.
Many Churches are teaching a easy religion,I am not into religion, but rather a relationship. In verse 24 we see the point. The circumstance of the ministry, and the very treasure we do have in Jesus comes from here I believe.( 2 Cor 4:7-18)verse 18 While we look NOT at the things which are seen,but at the things which are not seen,for the things that are seen are temporal,BUT!!! the things which are not seen are eternal!! Praise the Lord! Blessing to you. And thanks for your very thoughtful words!!