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Q1 What does it mean to believe in God?
Q2 What is saving faith?
Q2 Is salvation condtional on BELIEVING AND FOLLOWING God's Word or just believing it?
A1. I think it can mean two things, to believe that God exists, or to believe what God said. I think it is more important to believe what God says than that He exists.
A2. Bible tells that righteous will live by faith. Righteous people are faithful/loyal to God. That makes them do right actions, which is why I believe they will have eternal life.
These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23
Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith.
Habakkuk 2:4
Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, "The righteous will live by faith."
Galatians 3:11
However, I think it is wrong to say it is saving. If person is righteous, there is no judgment and no need for saving from the judgment. Person gains the judgment, if he has sin, is unrighteous. But righteous doesn’t sin:
He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever is born of God doesn't commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can't sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn't do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn't love his brother.
1 John 3:7-10
There is no work that person could do to earn salvation, forgiveness of sins. God forgives freely and so saves from the judgment that would come because of sin. Forgiveness can’t be earned, but judgment can be by continuing in sin. That is why Jesu said
"Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more." John 8:11. I think it would be really important to understand that God didn’t forgive us so that we could continue in sin. He forgave so that we could be free from sin.
And because of 1 John 3:7-10, I think sin means that person rejects God, or lives without God. When person commits sin, and rejects God, it usually then leads also to all kind of unlawful acts.
A3. When salvation means that you are saved from the judgment that would come because of sin, it is not conditional. The forgiveness is offered freely. However, it is not useful, if you don’t accept it and if you continue in sin.
There is nothing that you can do to earn salvation or forgiveness, but you can lose your life if you sin and reject God.
