Why the multistep process?

Bible Highlighter said:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Important Note: Today for the New Covenant believer (who is saved by God's grace), this would be the commands that come from Jesus and His followers in the New Testament (and it would not be trying to obey all of the Old Law; For Christians do not have to keep the Saturday Sabbath, circumcision, dietary laws, and holy days, etc.).

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

John 14:23 says, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”

1 John 2:3-6 says, “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

However, there are those who think otherwise by believing that they can break God's commands and say they either know Him and or that they are saved.

Some think things changed when the apostle Paul came on to the scene. But the apostle Paul says this about the words of Jesus.

“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing,...” (1 Timothy 6:3-4). James 4:6 says God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.

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Mark Quayle said:

Has to do with the theological fact of sovereignty vs human will. We tend to think we should be able to do what is right, were we just given the facts. But God didn't make us for that, but to be one with him. We have to learn to depend on God, even as Jesus Christ did on his Heavenly Father.

Perhaps you have noticed how beautiful is the heart of someone who has despaired of getting by in this life, and broken, cries out to God for help.

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Minister Monardo said:

My experience is that the Lord cannot correct a fault until He first causes me to see
it in myself, and acknowledge the need. Then I can confess(admit) my fault, and be cleansed.
Here is a description of a process:
2 Peter 1:
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Leaf473 said:

I've totally noticed that happening, too!

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