Romans 6 23 In Context

[Christsfreeservant]

Romans 6:23, often quoted out of context, is best read in its full context, for in context it is letting us know that we are no longer to be enslaved to sin. We should no longer let sin reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its passions. For if sin is what we obey, in practice, it leads to death. But if obedience to our Lord is what we practice, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with Christ our Lord.

So, let’s look at some of these key verses, but I recommend reading the entire chapter in its full context.

"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)​

By God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, not like our old lives, but now dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. For Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died so we would live for him and no longer for self. And he shed his blood for us to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our slavery to sin so that we will now honor him with our bodies (our lives).

[Hebrews 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin." (Romans 6:6)​

When we believe in Jesus Christ with genuine biblical faith in him, that faith that is of God, is gifted to us by God, that is persuaded of God, and that is not of ourselves, not of our own doing, not of the will nor of the flesh of mankind, our old sinful lives we once lived now die with Christ for the sole purpose that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we will no longer be enslaved (addicted) to sin, but so we will be slaves of God and of his righteousness, to the glory of God, in his power, strength, and wisdom.

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions." (Romans 6:12)​

So, now we are not to let sin reign (be in control) in our mortal bodies to make us obey its passions and desires. We have to daily die to sin and daily walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands. In practice we are to consistently be saying “NO!” to sin and “YES!” to God. Jesus made the way for us to no longer walk in sin but to now walk in righteousness, but we have to daily choose to take the way he provided for us, in his power, and daily we have to say “NO!” to our flesh so that we can walk in obedience to his commands.

"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16)​

Now, this is not written to the unsaved. These words are written to those who have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and who were crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him. And these kinds of warnings are given to the church all throughout the New Testament. If, after we make that profession of faith in Christ we continue in slavery to sin, it will lead to death. But if we walk in obedience to our Lord, that leads to righteousness and its end is eternal life with God.

"For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:20-23)​

Do you see what this says immediately? If we are slaves to sin, we are free in regard to righteousness, i.e. righteousness is not part of our lives. And if we are still living in deliberate and habitual sin, the end result of that is death, not life eternal with God. Only those who have truly been set free from their slavery to sin and who are now living as slaves of God and of his righteousness have the hope of eternal life with God. For if sin is what we practice, it ends in death, not in life eternal.

So when we read Romans 6:23, we need to read these words in this full context. For this is not teaching that the gift of salvation from sin and eternal life with God are given to us freely without conditions. Yes, Jesus paid the price so we can go free, but the gift is deliverance from bondage to sin so we will now walk in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to our Lord and no longer in sin. For God’s grace teaches us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return (Titus 2:11-14).

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Hebrews 10:23-31; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

Hymn lyrics by Henry F. Lyte, 1833
Music attr. to Mozart, 1831/ Arr. Hubert P. Main, 1872

Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I’ve sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heav’n are still mine own.

Let the world despise and leave me, they have left my Savior, too;
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, show Thy face and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure! Come, disaster, scorn and pain!
In Thy service pain is pleasure; with Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee, “Abba, Father”; I have set my heart on Thee:
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, all must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me, ’twill but drive me to Thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me; heav’n will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me, while Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Haste then on from grace to glory, armed by faith, and winged by prayer,
Heav’n’s eternal day’s before thee, God’s own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition, faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Caution: This link may contain ads

 

[JoyAlton]

Romans 6:23, often quoted out of context, is best read in its full context, for in context it is letting us know that we are no longer to be enslaved to sin. We should no longer let sin reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its passions. For if sin is what we obey, in practice, it leads to death. But if obedience to our Lord is what we practice, it leads to righteousness and to sanctification, and its end is eternal life with Christ our Lord.

So, let’s look at some of these key verses, but I recommend reading the entire chapter in its full context.

"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4)​

By God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, not like our old lives, but now dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. For Jesus died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He died so we would live for him and no longer for self. And he shed his blood for us to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our slavery to sin so that we will now honor him with our bodies (our lives).

[Hebrews 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin." (Romans 6:6)​

When we believe in Jesus Christ with genuine biblical faith in him, that faith that is of God, is gifted to us by God, that is persuaded of God, and that is not of ourselves, not of our own doing, not of the will nor of the flesh of mankind, our old sinful lives we once lived now die with Christ for the sole purpose that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we will no longer be enslaved (addicted) to sin, but so we will be slaves of God and of his righteousness, to the glory of God, in his power, strength, and wisdom.

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions." (Romans 6:12)​

So, now we are not to let sin reign (be in control) in our mortal bodies to make us obey its passions and desires. We have to daily die to sin and daily walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands. In practice we are to consistently be saying “NO!” to sin and “YES!” to God. Jesus made the way for us to no longer walk in sin but to now walk in righteousness, but we have to daily choose to take the way he provided for us, in his power, and daily we have to say “NO!” to our flesh so that we can walk in obedience to his commands.

"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16)​

Now, this is not written to the unsaved. These words are written to those who have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and who were crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him. And these kinds of warnings are given to the church all throughout the New Testament. If, after we make that profession of faith in Christ we continue in slavery to sin, it will lead to death. But if we walk in obedience to our Lord, that leads to righteousness and its end is eternal life with God.

"For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:20-23)​

Do you see what this says immediately? If we are slaves to sin, we are free in regard to righteousness, i.e. righteousness is not part of our lives. And if we are still living in deliberate and habitual sin, the end result of that is death, not life eternal with God. Only those who have truly been set free from their slavery to sin and who are now living as slaves of God and of his righteousness have the hope of eternal life with God. For if sin is what we practice, it ends in death, not in life eternal.

So when we read Romans 6:23, we need to read these words in this full context. For this is not teaching that the gift of salvation from sin and eternal life with God are given to us freely without conditions. Yes, Jesus paid the price so we can go free, but the gift is deliverance from bondage to sin so we will now walk in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to our Lord and no longer in sin. For God’s grace teaches us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return (Titus 2:11-14).

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:15,21; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Hebrews 10:23-31; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]

Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken

Hymn lyrics by Henry F. Lyte, 1833
Music attr. to Mozart, 1831/ Arr. Hubert P. Main, 1872

Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee;
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, all I’ve sought or hoped or known;
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heav’n are still mine own.

Let the world despise and leave me, they have left my Savior, too;
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue.
And while Thou shalt smile upon me, God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, show Thy face and all is bright.

Go, then, earthly fame and treasure! Come, disaster, scorn and pain!
In Thy service pain is pleasure; with Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee, “Abba, Father”; I have set my heart on Thee:
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather, all must work for good to me.

Man may trouble and distress me, ’twill but drive me to Thy breast;
Life with trials hard may press me; heav’n will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me, while Thy love is left to me;
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, were that joy unmixed with Thee.

Haste then on from grace to glory, armed by faith, and winged by prayer,
Heav’n’s eternal day’s before thee, God’s own hand shall guide thee there.
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, swift shall pass thy pilgrim days;
Hope soon change to glad fruition, faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

Caution: This link may contain ads

A wonderful post that describes how I wrongly lived my life for so long after baptism. All that you shared can be summed up, for me, in this part of your post...

"Only those who have truly been set free from their slavery to sin and who are now living as slaves of God and of his righteousness have the hope of eternal life with God. For if sin is what we practice, it ends in death, not in life eternal."

In my previous Baptist faith, filled with wonderful folks, I now would say that we shared opposing views on this topic which left me confused. Those opposing views can be stated as 1) the one-time decision forgives past, present & future sin so how you live affects nothing (antinomisnism). 2) The truly saved will seek the will of God (more Reformed). 3) Maybe you were never saved in the first place (I'm thinking this is more of a Reformed thought stemming from Calvin's 'election' Doctrine.

I do have a curiosity concerning how you view baptism. For example, you cited
"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4) "

Then you commented on the verse with..."By God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, not like our old lives, but now dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

Correct me if I'm reading you wrong. This is part of my desire to learn. I'm taking your comment to be from a more modern evangelical understanding that initial salvation is more of a decision for Christ through faith and not through baptism? This has been an interest of mine. It appears that the roots of disconnecting baptism from salvation and replacing it with an inward faith decision has its roots in earlier Puritan beliefs mixed with the Luther teaching of salvation by faith alone. Finding the precise connection is challenging because the Puritan view of an inward seeking of salvation is not the same as the modern evangelical view. Both, however, would appear strange to both Luther and Calvin who viewed baptism as the portal Christ gave us for initial salvation. In other words, they both viewed salvation from an ecclesial (church centered) perspective through the Sacraments especially baptism and the Eucharist (the Lord's Supper). Once the Puritans were unable to rid the Church of England of the efficacy of these Sacrsments, their movement began congregational churches with a deminished view of the sacraments which eventually got filtered through the Great Awakenings by folks like Hurchenson, Perkins, Whitfield and Edwards until the meaning of initial salvation became a one-time decision in Christ for salvation in place of Baptism. Baptism then became an ordinance or sign of a profession of faith through mental ascent.

Sorry I got long winded. I am so very interested in these matters and it helps me to repeat the things I'm still learning to better commit then to memory as well as share with others but I could have stopped with my question about your comment . God bless

 

[Christsfreeservant]

A wonderful post that describes how I wrongly lived my life for so long after baptism. All that you shared can be summed up, for me, in this part of your post...

"Only those who have truly been set free from their slavery to sin and who are now living as slaves of God and of his righteousness have the hope of eternal life with God. For if sin is what we practice, it ends in death, not in life eternal."

In my previous Baptist faith, filled with wonderful folks, I now would say that we shared opposing views on this topic which left me confused. Those opposing views can be stated as 1) the one-time decision forgives past, present & future sin so how you live affects nothing (antinomisnism). 2) The truly saved will seek the will of God (more Reformed). 3) Maybe you were never saved in the first place (I'm thinking this is more of a Reformed thought stemming from Calvin's 'election' Doctrine.

I do have a curiosity concerning how you view baptism. For example, you cited
"We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:4) "

Then you commented on the verse with..."By God-given and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified and buried with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, not like our old lives, but now dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."

Correct me if I'm reading you wrong. This is part of my desire to learn. I'm taking your comment to be from a more modern evangelical understanding that initial salvation is more of a decision for Christ through faith and not through baptism? This has been an interest of mine. It appears that the roots of disconnecting baptism from salvation and replacing it with an inward faith decision has its roots in earlier Puritan beliefs mixed with the Luther teaching of salvation by faith alone. Finding the precise connection is challenging because the Puritan view of an inward seeking of salvation is not the same as the modern evangelical view. Both, however, would appear strange to both Luther and Calvin who viewed baptism as the portal Christ gave us for initial salvation. In other words, they both viewed salvation from an ecclesial (church centered) perspective through the Sacraments especially baptism and the Eucharist (the Lord's Supper). Once the Puritans were unable to rid the Church of England of the efficacy of these Sacrsments, their movement began congregational churches with a deminished view of the sacraments which eventually got filtered through the Great Awakenings by folks like Hurchenson, Perkins, Whitfield and Edwards until the meaning of initial salvation became a one-time decision in Christ for salvation in place of Baptism. Baptism then became an ordinance or sign of a profession of faith through mental ascent.

Sorry I got long winded. I am so very interested in these matters and it helps me to repeat the things I'm still learning to better commit then to memory as well as share with others but I could have stopped with my question about your comment . God bless

I was quoting (or paraphrasing) from Romans 6:1-5 but really the whole chapter explains it. I believe the Scriptures teach that water baptism saves no one. It is not required for salvation from sin. The baptism Romans 6 is speaking of has to do with Jesus' death on that cross, him putting our sins to death with him, then being raised back to life. Then, by faith in him, we can be baptized into his death and resurrection by dying with him to sin and being raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And our water baptism which follows faith is symbolic of what has already taken place in the heart, such as in the case with the Gentiles who believed in Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit and then who were baptized with water later. For many people are baptized with water who are never saved. But we can be saved from our sins, in truth, without water baptism.

 

[JoyAlton]

I was quoting (or paraphrasing) from Romans 6:1-5 but really the whole chapter explains it. I believe the Scriptures teach that water baptism saves no one. It is not required for salvation from sin. The baptism Romans 6 is speaking of has to do with Jesus' death on that cross, him putting our sins to death with him, then being raised back to life. Then, by faith in him, we can be baptized into his death and resurrection by dying with him to sin and being raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And our water baptism which follows faith is symbolic of what has already taken place in the heart, such as in the case with the Gentiles who believed in Christ and were filled with the Holy Spirit and then who were baptized with water later. For many people are baptized with water who are never saved. But we can be saved from our sins, in truth, without water baptism.

It's interesting and fascinating to me to learn how our particular traditions lead us to interpret Scripture differently. In this case, concerning the efficacy of baptism. I began studying such matters almost 6 years ago and it's been a slow process .

Here's what I believe to be the first documentation that separates baptism from the 'new birth' (born again)" On May 24, 1738, John Wesley in Sermon 'The New Birth' (45:4:1) states: "Baptism is not the new birth."
https://biblesnet.com/john-wesley-new-birth.pdf

But if we back up to John Calvin we get a different interpretation more in line with my interpretation.

From Reformation21.org: '... baptism is also a means of grace. And as such it communicates grace. It confers that which it signs and seals: adoption, regeneration, and the washing away of sins.'

We can even go all the way back to Justin Martyr and his 'First Apology' circa 155 AD.

Justin Martyr writes circa 155 AD: "...they (who believe what we teach) then are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. . . . The reason for this we have received from the Apostles.” (Chapter 61)

Note: I posted a link to the entire article listing other early church fathers who all agreed unanimously in Baptismal Regeneration as has been the case for the entire church (East and West) for 2,000 years and that understanding did not change until the Reformation where the interpretation of baptism began to change beginning with the Puritans.

The Church Fathers on Baptismal Regeneration | Called to Communion

According to PCA pastor Wes White, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is "impossible in the Reformed system." (( See here and here and here. )) By noting this, he intends to show that we should reject the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. But if the evidence for the truth of the doctrine...

www.calledtocommunion.com

Thanks for allowing me to share and learn. God bless

 

[JoyAlton]

It's interesting and fascinating to me to learn how our particular traditions lead us to interpret Scripture differently. In this case, concerning the efficacy of baptism. I began studying such matters almost 6 years ago and it's been a slow process .

Here's what I believe to be the first documentation that separates baptism from the 'new birth' (born again)" On May 24, 1738, John Wesley in Sermon 'The New Birth' (45:4:1) states: "Baptism is not the new birth."
https://biblesnet.com/john-wesley-new-birth.pdf

But if we back up to John Calvin we get a different interpretation more in line with my interpretation.

From Reformation21.org: '... baptism is also a means of grace. And as such it communicates grace. It confers that which it signs and seals: adoption, regeneration, and the washing away of sins.'

We can even go all the way back to Justin Martyr and his 'First Apology' circa 155 AD.

Justin Martyr writes circa 155 AD: "...they (who believe what we teach) then are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. . . . The reason for this we have received from the Apostles.” (Chapter 61)

Note: I posted a link to the entire article listing other early church fathers who all agreed unanimously in Baptismal Regeneration as has been the case for the entire church (East and West) for 2,000 years and that understanding did not change until the Reformation where the interpretation of baptism began to change beginning with the Puritans.

The Church Fathers on Baptismal Regeneration | Called to Communion

According to PCA pastor Wes White, the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is "impossible in the Reformed system." (( See here and here and here. )) By noting this, he intends to show that we should reject the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. But if the evidence for the truth of the doctrine...

www.calledtocommunion.com

Thanks for allowing me to share and learn. God bless

Please understand that, after all I shared, I understand that we each still must follow our own conscience. I am merely sharing what I have learned and have come to believe as you have done with me. God bless.

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Please understand that, after all I shared, I understand that we each still must follow our own conscience. I am merely sharing what I have learned and have come to believe as you have done with me. God bless.

I do. I did not go into much detail for that is a lengthy discussion that I am not prepared to enter into at this time.

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

Our wonderful LORD Yahweh has been opening up the scriptures true and deeper meanings to me over the past few years. Romans is one area, especially 10:9-10. Like Romans 6:23 it is so often rattled off in a repertoire of "salvation" verses to get an easy grace, easy believism conversion.
I'm appalled at how many preachers use this method.

Much of the Scripture, the majority of it, is written to people who know God, or in New Testament, have been converted and are participating in a local church. ALL of Pauls epistles are of this nature. Actually, all the epistles, and Revelation - written to either churches, or individual believers.

Speaking of the word believer, believe, believeth, etc, it means much more than intellectual mental agreement that something is true. True belief must be a more:
"1. used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul
2. to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith" - Strongs G4100 believeth

It goes further even, that ACTIONS in accordance with those beliefs will follow: ie, if you believe the Scriptures you will do what they say.
Romans 10:10 man believeth UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS.

"1. state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God
1. the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God
2. integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting' - Strongs G1343 righteousness

As we know, even the devils believe, and tremble.

Revelation 3:20 is another verse used to tell unbelievers Jesus is knocking on the door of their heart. Hey, some get saved, but in spite of it being taken out of context, because the SPIRIT does the work! Truth is, that verse is directed strait to the heart of the Laodicean church, professing believers who think they have it all in this world and are in need of nothing. How many churches like that in the land today?

Billy Graham once said the biggest mission field in America was her churches! Amen!

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Our wonderful LORD Yahweh has been opening up the scriptures true and deeper meanings to me over the past few years. Romans is one area, especially 10:9-10. Like Romans 6:23 it is so often rattled off in a repertoire of "salvation" verses to get an easy grace, easy believism conversion.
I'm appalled at how many preachers use this method.

Much of the Scripture, the majority of it, is written to people who know God, or in New Testament, have been converted and are participating in a local church. ALL of Pauls epistles are of this nature. Actually, all the epistles, and Revelation - written to either churches, or individual believers.

Speaking of the word believer, believe, believeth, etc, it means much more than intellectual mental agreement that something is true. True belief must be a more:
"1. used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul
2. to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith" - Strongs G4100 believeth

It goes further even, that ACTIONS in accordance with those beliefs will follow: ie, if you believe the Scriptures you will do what they say.
Romans 10:10 man believeth UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS.

"1. state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God
1. the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God
2. integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting' - Strongs G1343 righteousness

As we know, even the devils believe, and tremble.

Revelation 3:20 is another verse used to tell unbelievers Jesus is knocking on the door of their heart. Hey, some get saved, but in spite of it being taken out of context, because the SPIRIT does the work! Truth is, that verse is directed strait to the heart of the Laodicean church, professing believers who think they have it all in this world and are in need of nothing. How many churches like that in the land today?

Billy Graham once said the biggest mission field in America was her churches! Amen!

Thank you for your response. I appreciate it.