Hi thank you for your responses, I understand we have been saved by grace through faith i.e. ephesians 2:8 but I'm also under the impression that it's not enough to be worthy of the kingdom of heaven, throughout the gospels it is revealed to us the certain types of individuals that won't inherite the Kingdom of God. I try my hardest to the best of my ability to be devoted to God and turn away from sin but it really is a daily struggle. Yes I try my hardest to confess and repent, I want to live a life devouted to God but I believe there's room for improvement and it's this room for improvement that has stumped me, I feel as if I can't go any further. I love Jesus and I want to show my gratitude. Once again thank you for the response.
it would be easier to help you with this if you could provide specific scripture references that lead you to believe that 'certain types of individuals won't inherit the Kingdom of God'... but consider this:
Mat 15:24 KJV
(24) But he answered and said,
I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:24 GNB
(24) Then Jesus replied, "
I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel."
Jesus said this to a woman (who was
not of the house of israel) when she asked Jesus for mercy for her daughter, who was 'grievously vexed of the devil' (and He did help her btw); but what's important about this statement is that it reveals that much of what Jesus said was directed to people who were under the law of Moses (the 'law of performance') - i.e., those who were not spiritually reborn - not to those who were under the law of 'grace through faith' (which applies to you as a reborn believer).
to understand the law of 'grace through faith', you need to study Romans:
Rom 8:1-14 KJV
(1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(3) For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
(4) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
(6) For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
(7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
(8) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
(9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
(10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
(11) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
(12) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
(13) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
(14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:1-14 GNB
(1) There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.
(2) For the law of the Spirit, which brings us life in union with Christ Jesus, has set me free from the law of sin and death.
(3) What the Law could not do, because human nature was weak, God did. He condemned sin in human nature by sending his own Son, who came with a nature like our sinful nature, to do away with sin.
(4) God did this so that the righteous demands of the Law might be fully satisfied in us who live according to the Spirit, and not according to human nature.
(5) Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants.
(6) To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit results in life and peace.
(7) And so people become enemies of God when they are controlled by their human nature; for they do not obey God's law, and in fact they cannot obey it.
(8) Those who obey their human nature cannot please God.
(9) But you do not live as your human nature tells you to; instead, you live as the Spirit tells you to---if, in fact, God's Spirit lives in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
(10) But if Christ lives in you, the Spirit is life for you because you have been put right with God, even though your bodies are going to die because of sin.
(11) If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you.
(12) So then, my friends, we have an obligation, but it is not to live as our human nature wants us to.
(13) For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live.
(14) Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children.
the more you are led by God, the less you will transgress His laws ('sin'); and if you do transgress His laws, you have forgiveness available to you by believing in Jesus' payment for your transgressions of the law:
1Jn 2:1-2 KJV
(1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
(2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jn 2:1-2 GW
(1) My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will not sin. Yet, if anyone does sin, we have Jesus Christ, who has God's full approval. He speaks on our behalf when we come into the presence of the Father.
(2) He is the payment for our sins, and not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world.
this was written about 2000 years ago, before you were even born - so since all your sins were future sins from Jesus' perspective on the cross, it applies not only to you past sins, but to your future sins as well
does that make sense?
this should help:
http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-teachings/#/awm_1078c_christian.mp3
http://www.awmi.net/audio/audio-teachings/#/awm_1014aa_gospelI.mp3
these are free downloads btw
