Salvation requirements

[anon_my]

Is a accepted by all Christians that to attain salvation we must confess that we are sinners and Jesus and to die for our sins and that's it? Or we must also act upon the word of God? So if I'm a new born again christian and as compared to another that has been born again for sometime now dies at the same time, both of us go to heaven?

And what abt the christian that has been born again but is struggling with a sin but he confesseseverytime?does he go to heaven as well if he dies after confession?

 

[bsd31]

Is a accepted by all Christians that to attain salvation we must confess that we are sinners and Jesus and to die for our sins and that's it? Or we must also act upon the word of God? So if I'm a new born again christian and as compared to another that has been born again for sometime now dies at the same time, both of us go to heaven?

And what abt the christian that has been born again but is struggling with a sin but he confesseseverytime?does he go to heaven as well if he dies after confession?

Case in point - The thief who was crucified with Jesus.

Faith in Christ saves. Period.

 

[JasperJackson]

Yes, but don't focus on the outward sign (confession) but rather, focus on your heart attitude. Only you and God know where your heart is at. If you truly are sorry for your sins and repent from your sinful life and accept Jesus free gift of salvation then yes you are born again and you will go to heaven.

As to the hypothetical guy struggling with sin I'd just say people who aren't born again do generally do not struggle with sin, they just sin. It's the struggling that indicates he probably is born again. I suggest you read 1 John for a better explanation of ongoing sin in the Christian life.

 

[salida]

Is a accepted by all Christians that to attain salvation we must confess that we are sinners and Jesus and to die for our sins and that's it? Or we must also act upon the word of God? So if I'm a new born again christian and as compared to another that has been born again for sometime now dies at the same time, both of us go to heaven? Yes. Any rewards beyond that is how one manages what God has given them.

And what abt the christian that has been born again but is struggling with a sin but he confesseseverytime?does he go to heaven as well if he dies after confession?

Yes. But if he is struggling with sin because he keeps straddling the fence-this may be a different story because he hasn't given his whole heart to god.

 

[salida]

Good works is a byproduct of saving faith.

 

[elpis]

It's not of a pattern, but the heart of the person that is confessing Jesus as his or her lord. To the born again that is struggling with, he or she need to break away from those lifestyle that lead to the sin he or she have been struggling with. Simple.

 

[oi_antz]

Is a accepted by all Christians that to attain salvation we must confess that we are sinners and Jesus and to die for our sins and that's it?

You must listen to what God tells you, this is a life-long commitment. The first thing He tells us is we must be born again. This is to be born of the spirit, and the most significant part of THAT process is to be baptized. I don't believe the spiritual rebirth happens always at the time of baptism but you will definitely know when you are born of the spirit.

Or we must also act upon the word of God?

Correct, listen to what God says regularly, read the Bible each day and when He says jump you shouldn't hesitate!

So if I'm a new born again christian and as compared to another that has been born again for sometime now dies at the same time, both of us go to heaven?

Jesus tells us the answer here:

Matthew 20:23 (New International Version)
23Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."

And what abt the christian that has been born again but is struggling with a sin but he confesseseverytime?does he go to heaven as well if he dies after confession?

I hinge on the assumption that if someone has not denied Jesus too much (and therefore dug themselves into a pit where their heart is too hardened to hear God), that person is probably redeemable when he comes to bow at the throne of judgment and hear the gospel message for the first time. Sin is a byproduct of living in the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus knows how to help us get through for He is our shepherd.

 

[Peripatetic]

Or we must also act upon the word of God?

One of the mistakes that many Christians make is picking a side between how you get saved: 1) Rely completely on the grace of God or 2) Do good works and earn your way to Heaven.

It's not an either/or thing. If you repent of your sins, have faith in God's grace, and accept his wonderful gift of redemption, you then start a process where you change from the person you were to the person that God wants you to be. Some of it happens immediately, some takes longer, and some will remain a challenge for the rest of your life.

So the short answer is YES.. you do have to "act upon the word of God", because your behavior will change as part of the process. If a person becomes a Christian and still lives a completely immoral, worldly life... chances are he or she didn't really accept God's grace in the first place.

Now, to your question about struggling with an area of sin for which you've repented. This is normal. It's part of the process. If all of our struggles went away as soon as we were "saved", there would be no more need for faith because that would be a sort of proof. We all have areas of sin that we still need to work on and pray about as part of this process. Some of them we are aware of, and even more dangerous are the ones we don't see in ourselves. But God is patient. First and foremost, he wants you to be in His family. If you stick with Him, wisdom will come - a little bit every year until our time on Earth is done.

 

[heymikey80]

Is a accepted by all Christians that to attain salvation we must confess that we are sinners and Jesus and to die for our sins and that's it?

In English? No. And lemme explain.

God's expecting a change of heart -- a repentance (e.g., Mt 4:17). That change of heart demands that you rely on Jesus for your salvation (Rom 10:10). Out of this reliance, you will agree from the heart with God regarding the evil of your sins (Rom 10:10, 1 Jn 1:9a -- the term xlated "confess" isn't simply a verbal confession, it's an admission and agreement), and turn to Him (Ac 3:19, 2 Pt 3:9).

This in itself isn't something God rewards with salvation, either. It's not, "Oh, I see you have some faith -- ok, that'll do." Faith is functional. Faith is an instrument God uses in your salvation. He treats you as righteous through your relying on His Christ, Who really is; God grants you increasingly growing relationship with Him, adopting you into His family; absolves and resolves the sins that are a barrier to Him; and at the end of this creation, raises you to the new creation. He promises to finish as strongly as He started.

The net result as you read through Christian writings is that there's a whole new way to salvation. It's not an equivalent to, "I do something good, God rewards me." It's, "God has detonated salvation in my life through a favor that I don't deserve -- what's the obvious reaction to that salvation?"

Or we must also act upon the word of God? So if I'm a new born again christian and as compared to another that has been born again for sometime now dies at the same time, both of us go to heaven?

"Must" is an ambiguous term. You may do something as a prerequisite to being saved -- that's a "must". But another "must" is that you will do something as a consequence of being saved. Scripture states that the result of the faith that saved is characteristically that you will act on the word of God. And that eventually, the Presence of God with and in you, will inevitably yield to good works.

And what abt the christian that has been born again but is struggling with a sin but he confesseseverytime?does he go to heaven as well if he dies after confession?

I believe you see what would happen in this situation. The person is struggling -- where's that struggle coming from? Is it real, or is it just a "turn of phrase" for someone who's actively engaging in sin and not really struggling with it? That's a question of heart.

God is greater than our heart.

 

[chilehed]

Is a accepted by all Christians that to attain salvation we must confess that we are sinners and Jesus and to die for our sins and that's it?

No, it's not. Our salvation does not depend on the attainment of some intellectual knowledge, it depends on our relationship with God. It's within God's purview to decide that someone who never heard of Christ nonetheless has the right relationship with Him.

The idea that our salvation depends on the attainment of some intellectual knowledge arises out of the gnostic heresy.

Or we must also act upon the word of God?

We must obey God, yes.

So if I'm a new born again christian and as compared to another that has been born again for sometime now dies at the same time, both of us go to heaven?

Everone who dies in the friendship of God goes to heaven, even if they've only been in his friendship a short time.

And what abt the christian that has been born again but is struggling with a sin but he confesseseverytime?does he go to heaven as well if he dies after confession?

God loves a contrite heart; he does not expect us to be perfect. We must cast ourselves into His care and ask Him to give us the grace we need to do His will in everything, and then act on the grace he gives us to turn towards Him and away from sin.

 

[Mister_Al]

If you're a Christian, you're righteous through Christ and any sin cannot change that. So, even if you have sin in your life when you die you will still go to Heaven.

Romans 8:1 (New International Version)

1) Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,


Alan

 

[If Not For Grace]

that to attain salvation we must confess that we are sinners and Jesus and (THAT) die(D) for our sins and that's it

That's it!

Yet if YOU believe some one died for you - how willing are YOU, do do what that person asks. (PS keyword IS BELIEVE).

 

[nathan_r]

Case in point - The thief who was crucified with Jesus.

Faith in Christ saves. Period.

John 5:19a "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, ...
(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."

John 3:16-18. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."