"What must I do to be saved?"

I have a lot of questions in my mind about why God does, or does not do things, but God has told us that his ways are higher than our ways, that we cannot understand.

I believe that the scriptures teach that there is a world that God loves, and there is a world that God hates.

I de believe that 1 Cor 2:14 teaches us that the natural man, until he has been born again, if asked to repent of breaking one of God's spiritual laws, would not repent, due to the fact that he cannot discern the things of the Spirit, and thinks them to be foolishness.

The truth is, that the natural man (1 Cor 2:14) until he has been born again, would never hope for such a thing.

Tell that to the non-believer I spoke to this morning who said she hopes her dying grandmother is received by God.

The person in my scenario is saved.

John 3:18 - He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who (is not water baptized? - NO) does not believe is condemned already, because he has not (been water baptized? - NO) because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If she has that kind of hope, then she has already been born again.

Now you’re playing both sides of the coin.

Believing in Jesus is acknowledging who He is, and acting in obedience to His commands; trusting they accomplish what He says they accomplish.

Notice information expressed in scriptures just prior to 1 John 5:

1 John 3:23-24
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1 John 4:13-14
Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1 John 5:1
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, love God with all ur heart and u shall be saved.

Romans 9:13 KJV
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Psalm 7:11 KJV
God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

“will of man”
Esau and the wicked have a will.
Even Lucifer had a will.
They all made their choice.

If this were true then you can be certain Paul would have baptised, he could not have left the job half done, but he did not baptise, he said it was not in his calling to baptise.

Baptism in water is public testimony to the world that are sins are washed away, an appeal to God [says Peter] I have sometimes in my life and ministry had recourse to this, reminding God and the devil that I am God's blood bought, water baptised child of God.

.... I am always happy to hear a testimony regarding the efficacy of of the blood, and care not for any further boast about the effectiveness of water to wash away sins. It is simply a testimony.

MILLIONS get baptised in water. [or sprinkled as babies] Hitler and Stalin were baptised.

Simon Magus was baptised. Cornelius was saved and then baptised. And Phillip made it clear to the Ethiopian Ambassador that he could only be baptised if he already believed.

dah ... don't do that

God never saves on the basis of love.

It is important that you know, according to Strong's concordance, that saved means "delivered".

There is a deliverance, for the born again child of God, as they sojourn here on earth, when they mature enough to come unto a knowledge of the gospel.

When we are born again, we are new born babes in Christ, who are fed on the milk of the word, as we gradually mature in the word, much like newborn babies that are born into this world.

The verses you have quoted have reference to timely deliverances, not eternal deliverance.

I agree that God gave all mankind the freedom to choose how he wants to live his life on earth, but the choice to follow the spiritual commandments of God, are only made by those who God has quickened (born again) to the new spiritual life (Eph 2:1).


The natural man, as described in 1 Cor 2:14, will not, and indeed, cannot choose to follow spiritual commandments that he can not discern, and thinks them to be foolishness.

Has this become an automotonic response considering I think I got the same response before, like someone just pushes a certain button and a practiced receipt is printed out?
That reminds me, I wanted to answer a question you had posed earlier. I just wanted to give my reply more undivided attention since I haven't developed this particular campaign approached just yet.

Clearly Paul’s statement points to his primary anointing being to preach the gospel. Paul expressed the necessity of proper baptism as recorded in Acts 19:1-6; he baptized the twelve in the name of the Lord Jesus AND afterward God filled the group with His Spirit. As such, Paul’s comment then could not have been intended to mean what some mistakenly believe. Scripture does indicate that Paul preached the need to be baptized but rarely performed the actual water baptisms himself.

Paul mentions Crispus by name as one of those that he did personally baptize. (1 Cor. 1:14) A look at the circumstances around the baptism of Crispus gives insight. The scripture reference is Acts 18:6-10. The record shows that Crispus and all of those of his household and MANY Corinthians believed Paul's message and were baptized. (verse 8) This verse alone confirms Paul’s message included the need to be baptized. Of the entire group, the chief ruler of the synagogue (Crispus) was the only one that Paul actually baptized himself. (see 1 Cor. 1:14) Clearly, someone else with Paul performed the other water baptisms. Further it should be noted that on that very night the Lord gave Paul a vision. He told him to continue speaking/sharing the message without fear. (Acts 18:9-10)

Acts 18:6-10
6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
(Paul’s comments in 1 Cor. 1:14 establish that this was water baptism.)

Absolutely right!!!

It comes down to accepting what the bible actually says concerning water baptism vs man's opinion:

A conscious decision to believe in Jesus' sacrifice is required for baptism to be effective.
Water baptism is by immersion not sprinkling.
Obedience to the command remits one sins; it is not done because one's sins have already been remitted.
Baptism is to be administered in the name of the Lord Jesus. (confirmed by the apostles) Why? Because the shed blood of Jesus is what makes remission of one's sin possible. "Why tarriest thou, arise and be baptized and wash away thy sin calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)

Both water baptism and being filled with the Holy Spirit are necessary as seen in ALL detailed conversion accounts.

Consider:
Babies clearly don't meet these conditions.
Simon Magus had not received the Holy Spirit at the time of the account in Acts 8. That doesn't mean he didn't eventually receive the Holy Spirit
Cornelius and others accepted everything Peter stated and were filled with the Holy Spirit and submitted to baptism in Jesus' name.
Philip's exchange with the Ethiopian makes the point that belief in Jesus is to be the compelling factor that prompts obedience to the command to be baptized in the name of Jesus.

The Scriptures are addressed to, and pertain to, all mankind.

Isaiah 55:1
“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

Joshua 24:15
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Acts 17:30
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”

Oh ye of little faith