Is all that is required for salvation is believing in Christ and Him crucified?

Is all that is required for salvation is believing in Christ and Him crucified?

Some appear to believe this based on 1 Corinthians 2:1-2.

Is this true?

RDKirk said:

So Christ and Him crucified would mean nothing to you?

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Nowhere did I ever hint or suggest such a thing. This is just a baseless accusation on your part. Nowhere does the Bible relate fictional stories to Christ's crucifixion. Jesus said that the Scriptures testify of Him.


That's not exactly saying the same thing you are saying.

Although I did not say anything about believing in Christ's death, in one way, you would be partly correct. I suppose that your version of believing in Christ's crucifixion is not the same as the way the Bible teaches it. I do not believe in Easy Believism or the OSAS version of believing in Christ is biblical. A believer needs both faith (Ephesians 2:8) (Romans 3:25), and works of faith (1 John 1:7) (Hebrews 5:9) as a part of salvation. A believer also needs to trust and believe in the resurrection or they are still yet in their sins, too (See 1 Corinthians 15). You said Christ crucified. It's more than just believing in his death for salvation. One needs to believe in His resurrection, too. One needs to also continue to obey the Lord and not justify sin, as well. For that person who says they know the Lord and yet they do not keep his commandments, they are a liar and the truth is not in them (See 1 John 2:4).

You also do not think it is possible to fall away from the faith; Despite the Bible teaching such a thing repeatedly.

Here are several lists of verses that makes it absolutely clear that believers can fall away from the faith:

Here is a General List of Verses on How Believers Can Fall Away:

1 Samuel 16:14
1 Samuel 31:4
Ezekiel 18:24
Hebrews 3:12-14
Hebrews 4:11
Hebrews 6:4-9
Hebrews 10:26-30
Hebrews 12:15
1 Timothy 1:18-20
1 Timothy 4:1-7
Galatians 3:1-5
2 Peter 2:20-22
2 Peter 3:17
Matthew 13:18-23
1 Corinthians 10:12
2 Thessalonians 2:3

Now, do not misunderstand me, believers cannot lose their salvation (like losing a pair of car keys), but they can forfeit their salvation (i.e. they can willingly throw it away by rebelling against God). In fact,

Here is a list of believers who have forfeited their salvation:

Saul (1 Samuel 16:14) (1 Samuel 31:4)
Demas (2 Timothy 4:10)
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
Judas Iscariot (Psalm 41:9) (Luke 6:16) (Acts 1:25)
Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Timothy 2:17-18)
Unnamed Christians destroyed by false teaching (2 Timothy 2:17-18)
Many Unnamed Disciples (John 6:66)
Some Younger Christian Widows (1 Timothy 5:14-15)
Some Christians Eager For Money (1 Timothy 6:8-10)
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts of the Apostles 5:1-11)


And here is a list of potential fallen believers:

The Servant Who is Not Looking For Him (Luke 12:45-46)
Recent Convert Who is a Potential Spiritual Leader (1 Timothy 3:6)
The Unforgiving in Heart (Matthew 6:14-15)
Luke Warm Unrepentant Believer (Revelation 3:14-22)
Fruitless Christians (John 15:1-10) (Matthew 25:14-30)
Widows That Live in Pleasure (1 Timothy 5:5-6)
Believers Whose Seed Fell Upon the Rocks (Luke 8:13)
Believers Whose Seed Was Choked by Thorns (Matthew 13:22)
Gentile Believer Who Did Not Have on a Wedding Garment (Matthew 22:1-14) (Revelation 19:7-8)
The Potential Fellow Believer Who Erred From the Truth & Was Converted Back (James 5:19-20)

WherevertheWindblows said:

What is shown in Nineveh seems similar to what is shown in Jeremiah when he says,

Jeremiah 18:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

Jeremiah 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

And so we see after Jonah flees the first commission of the word of the LORD it says,

Jonah 3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

Jonah 3:2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.

Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said,

Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. (Jeremiah 18:7-8)

It does say God spake in times past in divers manners by the prophets (Heb 1:1) And when they were warned by Jonas the Prophet it says,

Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

Jonah 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way;

And God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Which is also in accord with Jeremiah 18:7-8

Jeremiah 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil,

I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

And so we see again,

Jonah 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way;

And God repented of the evil...

As the LORD hath said, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live

Similarly it says,

Ezekiel 33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

The only sign to be given them is shown in the Prophet Jonas

Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

So the death and burial of Jesus Christ (or Similitude of the same). He continues concerning the very preaching of Jonah and the men of Nineveh's response in repenting when he says,

Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Whereas the Apostles say, Jesus (a greater then Jonas) was sent unto them in like manner to bless them (first) in this way

Acts 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. (See 2 Ti 2:19 also)

And as His Father sent him so also sends he them, Paul saying,

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

In respects to someones blood, or requiring it at the watchman's hand for not blowing the trumpet / warning a people is also shown here

Ezek 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

Whereas Paul had said similarly

Acts 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Earlier it shows Jesus sending his into every city and the woes that follow those who would not listen

Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Luke 10:10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Luke 10:11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

Luke 10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

Luke 10:13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Luke 10:14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

Luke 10:15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

Again, it just follows a pattern of sending his to preach

Acts 20:26-27 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Just as Paul preaches faith in Christ to Felix in Acts 24:25

As he (Paul) reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come,

But this is just not a convenient season for Felix

Felix trembled, and answered,

Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah Mat 12:41 God also having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless them, in turning away every one of them from his iniquities Acts 3:26

Moral of the story could be pretty important here

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Right, turning away from their iniquities is the next step or process after they repented (sought forgiveness with the Lord). Turning away from sin are the natural fruits of repentance. John the Baptist said to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. In the story of Jonah, what is interesting is that when God had seen that the Ninevites had forsaken their evil ways..... THIS was the moment in time when God decided not to bring wrath or judgment upon them anymore (See Jonah 3:6-10). Most in your OSAS or Easy Believism camp will strive to either ignore this or change it to mean something else.

God does not get the glory if we justify sin while having a belief on Jesus. The Lord saves both in Justification (having faith in His death and resurrection and in seeking His forgiveness), and in Sanctification (By His working in us to live a holy life).

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
(Matthew 5:16).

Timothy416 said:

Depends how much you love God doesn't it. The more you love him the more you want to please and obey him, the more you want to live the life he wants you to live. And if you love him enough, all you want to do is stress what he does in and for you that brings change into your life, you want to see nothing more than him praised, honoured and glorified. You make nothing of yourself, and everything of what he does in and for you, for his praise and glory, for you love him that much

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I see the OSAS or Belief Alone type faiths as not doing this, though. For they are telling others that they can sin and still be saved on some level by their very message (Whether they want that to happen or not). For if there was no penalty in disobeying the traffic laws, then people would drive even worse than they do now. They would not be thankful to the government for taking away the punishment for obeying the traffic laws. Granted, I realize the government did not die for our sins, but the point here is that if you take away the consequences of sin in the future sense whereby you cannot out sin the grace of God, then people are not going to be thankful, but they are going to eventually minimize sin and treat God's commands as more as "moral suggestions" and not as God's commands. They will place little emphasis on sin and focus on just believing in Jesus for salvation (Which breeds disloyalty to God).

Timothy416 said:

I doubt you love your government with all your heart though do you. If you love God enough, why would you need the threat of punishment for sin? You don't want it do you. You just want to live your life for God, a licence to sin would not even cross your mind. You want to please and serve God and see him glorified out of love and gratitude for him. Hard to do that, if you have to constantly worry that a slip could put you in danger of the fires of hell

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A license to sin is exactly what is going on here if you say that one sin cannot make you slip into the fires of hell as Jesus taught (See Matthew 5:28-30). If what you say is true, there is no need to worry about any sin then. A believer can commit grievous sin and still be saved by having a belief on Jesus. They can hate, sleep around, watch inappropriate content, lie, cheat, and steal and deceive themselves that they are doing the best they can to live holy and yet they are magically saved despite their rebellion against God. You essentially say a believer will not turn God’s Grace into a license to sin. Let’s test that false theory of yours. Do you believe King David was saved while he committed his sins of adultery and murder? Yes or no? Most Eternal Security proponents or Belief Alone type believers I have talked with will say David was saved while he murdered and committed adultery. This teaching a license to sin. That one can do evil for a while and be saved while doing that evil. This is the double message that the Free Grace crowd preaches. What they believe is not consistent.

Timothy416 said:

I doubt you love your government with all your heart though do you. If you love God enough, why would you need the threat of punishment for sin? You don't want it do you. You just want to live your life for God, a licence to sin would not even cross your mind. You want to please and serve God and see him glorified out of love and gratitude for him. Hard to do that, if you have to constantly worry that a slip could put you in danger of the fires of hell

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We are told to obey the government if it does not conflict with God’s laws (See Romans 13). We are told to love our neighbor (Which would be all people including individual people of the government). But to love the government as a system or organization or entity or an idea that they promote is not what God says for us to do. We are not to do the worldly things that the government would like us to do. For we are told not to love the world and neither the things in the world.

Timothy416 said:

I will assume you are married, or at least have a girlfriend you love. When you are with her, do you have to keep thinking about the law of the ten commandments pertaining to how we should treat each other? Do you have to strive to obey those laws? Do you have to strive not to steal from your girlfriend/wife, murder her, bear false witness against her, commit adultery against her? Do you fear that if you slip up concerning how you should treat her she will cast you aside, or not stay with you unless you earnestly repent to her? My guess is none of that applies in your relationship. Why not? Because she loves you and you love her. Because she loves you, do you take advantage of her, and steal from her, hit her, or act mean to her every day? Do you think you have a licence to do that because she loves you and will not leave you? My guess is you don’t, because you love her.

So its kinda strange, that although none of these things are any concern to you in your relationship with your partner, because you love each other, they are in your relationship with God.

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My bio in each of my posts says I am married. But it is against forum rules to make the topic about me. We are to address the topic with Scripture and not make it about the poster (as if to attack them in some way).

Anyways, people have funny ideas about what love is. Some think love is a feeling alone. We have to go by how the Bible defines love and not what we determine love to be (without the guidance of God's Word). Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

Today, I have no doubt in my mind that some husbands who cheat on their wives (by sleeping around or becoming addicted to inappropriate content) and say they love their wife. They may even feel affection and love for them. But they let temptation and sin pull them down a dark path in cheating on their wife. They may want to try and love their wife, but they are caught up in their own sin and their love for sin.

I understand what you are saying. You think that a believer who is totally devoted in love to the Lord will want to obey them. But I am sorry to inform you that most I have encountered who say this also say that they can break God's commands and still be saved (Which a direct violation of the defintion that Jesus gave us on love in John 14:15).