How do you get saved?

[mailmandan]

In the end, we all must work out our own salvation WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. Phil. 2:12. .

Notice in Philippians 2:12 that Paul said to "work out" your salvation and NOT "work for" your salvation. When we "work out" at the gym, we exercise to develop our body that we already have and not to get a body. Farmers "work out" the land, not in order to get the land, but to develop the land they already have. The Greek verb rendered "work out" means "to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition." We do this by actively pursuing the process of ongoing sanctification, which is the result of being set apart for God's work and involves the process of being conformed to the image of Christ.

This conforming to Christ involves the work of the person, but it is still God working in the believer to produce more of a godly character and life in the person who has already been justified by faith. In verse 13, Paul goes on to say, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Ongoing sanctification has no bearing on justification. That is, even if we don't live a sinless, without fault or defect, flawless, absolute perfect life 100% of the time (which we won't) we are still justified by faith in Christ. (Romans 5:1) Where justification is a legal declaration that is instantaneous, ongoing sanctification is a process.

In regard to "fear and trembling," it pertains to a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and a righteous awe and respect or reverence for Him. (Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 2:11; Psalm 34:9; Isaiah 66:2) Prior to my conversion, while still attending the Roman Catholic church several years ago, I basically saw God as a tyrant who couldn't wait to punish me every time I messed up and throw me into hell for not being "good enough." That is an unhealthy fear of bondage and insecurity which is not from above!

Paul uses the same phrase "fear and trembling" in 2 Corinthians 7:15 in which he refers to Titus as being encouraged by the reception of him by the Corinthians "with fear and trembling," that is, with humility and respect for his position as a minister of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 2:3, we see that Paul himself came to the Corinthian church in "weakness and fear, and with much trembling" in regard to the huge responsibility and critical importance of the work in which he was engaged.

 

[homwardbound]

Notice in Philippians 2:12 that Paul said to "work out" your salvation and NOT "work for" your salvation. When we "work out" at the gym, we exercise to develop our body that we already have and not to get a body. Farmers "work out" the land, not in order to get the land, but to develop the land they already have. The Greek verb rendered "work out" means "to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition." We do this by actively pursuing the process of ongoing sanctification, which is the result of being set apart for God's work and involves the process of being conformed to the image of Christ.

This conforming to Christ involves the work of the person, but it is still God working in the believer to produce more of a godly character and life in the person who has already been justified by faith. In verse 13, Paul goes on to say, "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Ongoing sanctification has no bearing on justification. That is, even if we don't live a sinless, without fault or defect, flawless, absolute perfect life 100% of the time (which we won't) we are still justified by faith in Christ. (Romans 5:1) Where justification is a legal declaration that is instantaneous, ongoing sanctification is a process.

In regard to "fear and trembling," it pertains to a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and a righteous awe and respect or reverence for Him. (Proverbs 1:7; Psalm 2:11; Psalm 34:9; Isaiah 66:2) Prior to my conversion, while still attending the Roman Catholic church several years ago, I basically saw God as a tyrant who couldn't wait to punish me every time I messed up and throw me into hell for not being "good enough." That is an unhealthy fear of bondage and insecurity which is not from above!

Paul uses the same phrase "fear and trembling" in 2 Corinthians 7:15 in which he refers to Titus as being encouraged by the reception of him by the Corinthians "with fear and trembling," that is, with humility and respect for his position as a minister of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 2:3, we see that Paul himself came to the Corinthian church in "weakness and fear, and with much trembling" in regard to the huge responsibility and critical importance of the work in which he was engaged.

Thank you, I see to say to you as Jesus said to Peter, when he asked the disciples who am I to you.
Peter replied the Messiah
Jesus answered and stated to Peter, only my Father could have revealed this to you. Then later we see Peter's failures, being in flesh and blood to learn from as we all today are going through too, thank you for the truth given you to share in care too

 

[Beckworth]

I've personally experienced miraculous healing. God healed my infant daughter of a heart defect. I also watched the Lord heal a down syndrome man and over time turn him into a fully functioning normal adult. Those are only two examples, I could provide more.

I like to think of myself as a loving father. If I were an all knowing, all powerful loving Father, I imagine that at least from time to time, it would be difficult for me not to help my hurting children.

You say that there is no need for miraculous signs to confirm the word of God, and I completely agree. But friend, you're drawing an inference from the text that just isn't there.

God loves His children and performs miracles on their behalf on a regular basis. God's kinda in the miracle business ya know? Oh wait, you don't know, that's really sad. I could probably list three or four miracles in my own life just in the last year. No parting of the sea, no consuming fires, but small miracles are no less miraculous than the big ones.

I'm not sure that there is any greater miracle than turning a lost and sinful man into a justified and sanctified one.

I'm sorry you have no spiritual gifts. Or maybe you do and you're just not aware of it. Maybe you should pray and ask for some?

I appreciate your input, but I think I'll stick with Brother Paul on this one. This was written well after Pentecost. Nowhere in scripture can I find it written that after the epistles were written and collected together, that God would stop being God and doing miraculous things on behalf of His children or unbelievers for that matter. Quite the opposite actually.

As for me, God was doing miracles in my own life long before I ever came to faith in His Son, probably yours too.

But hey, you be you man. Fortunately for the rest of us
God will keep being God. He's a God of miracles.

I'll just leave this here. It's Gods word. You know, that God who never changes, the same yesterday today and tomorrow.

Mercy, grace and peace to you my friend.

1 Corinthians 14:20-40

20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. 22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.
26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; 28 but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
34 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35 If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. 36 Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?
37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. 38 But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
39 Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

I am truly sorry to be replying to this post after a very long time. I write on several different threads and I somehow overlooked this one, so I have just read it, today. I believe I have just recently talked with you via this forum about this same subject. I remember your story about God healing your daughter.

I believe people talk very loosely” about miracles and call a lot of things “miracles” that really are not. Examine the miracles in the New Testament. The blind regained their sight, the deaf could hear, the lame could walk, the mute could speak, lepers were healed IMMEDIATELY—not “over time.” I don’t remember any miracles that Jesus performed or His apostles that took “time” to succeed. All were “immediately.” Even the dead were brought back to life. Are those the things you see happening today? If real miracles still exist, I mean the kind we see in the New Testament—not the ones people “call” miracles that happen “over time,” then, we would be seeing at least SOME of those things happening today, wouldn’t you think?? I mean at least EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE you could see a real New Testament miracle. But you know as well as I that no miracles like the ones in the New Testament are happening today. Never!! People use the term “miracle” very loosely and call almost anything a “miracle.”

As I said in my other, more recent post, God has told us to pray. James says if you are sick to….pray and God will heal you. THAT is what is happening today—not real “miracles” like the ones performed in the New Testament. God is still active in our lives and He heals us today by prayer. God can intervene and cause things to happen that result in an answer to our prayers. I believe God healed your daughter, but not by a “miracle.” It sounds like she was healed by prayer. I, too, have experienced a similar healing. And God’s miracles never took a long time to see results. The results were always immediate. So, you see, we must not confuse what constitutes a “real” miracle like the ones in the Bible with what people today are “calling” a miracle. The age of miracles like what was in the New Testament has passed. We have the perfect, complete word of God , now. It has been confirmed by signs and wonders and it no longer needs confirming. All miraculous gifts of the Spirit have ceased. 1 Cor. 13. People can claim ANYTHING. But we must decide what is “truth” and what is not, based on what God says in His word—not by what we “ think” is right.