Assurance of Salvation according to John...

Is the Gospel Missing in John? – Grace Evangelical Society

MMXX said:

That's pretty much the foundation of the two separate gospels idea. But there's nowhere that Paul says it's a different separate gospel.

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Galatians 1

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Of course, you can always eisegesis and say what Paul really meant was...(whatever you want him to mean to fit your doctrine)

So far, in both your posts to me, you like to claim everything as foundation, you obviously have a very loose definition of what that word means.

d taylor said:

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Is the Gospel Missing in John? – Grace Evangelical Society

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life (John 5:24).

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Is the condition to have everlasting life “following Jesus into the kingdom”? No. The only requirement is to believe. If you do, you have everlasting life.
Another difference the author sees between John and Paul is that Paul says the world can now receive eternal life:

“While Israel would be saved by Jesus [sic] name as the promised kingdom Messiah, the world can now receive the gift of eternal life by what Jesus did on our behalf on the cross.”

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But is that “gospel” missing in John? Can you think of any verse in John that might say the “world” can receive eternal life? How about the most famous verse in all of John’s Gospel?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17).

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According to John, who can believe and receive eternal life? Anyone in the world. Not just Israel. John’s Gospel has the world in view.

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Thanks for the link, when I read this part, out of curiosity:

You are an Acts 2 dispy, as in you believed the Body of Christ began in Acts 2, which is after the cross.

Why is it so critical for you to have the doctrine that "salvation by grace thru faith apart from works, for both Jews and gentiles" was also preached before the cross?

If that gospel has always been preached since the birth of Christ, why not just be a Matthew dispy, as in believing that the birth of Jesus, after the page in our Bible that says "NT", is where the Body of Christ began?

What is the difference between a Matthew dispy and a Acts 2 dispy?

Guojing said:

Thanks for the link, when I read this part, out of curiosity:

You are an Acts 2 dispy, as in you believed the Body of Christ began in Acts 2, which is after the cross.

Why is it so critical for you to have the doctrine that "salvation by grace thru faith apart from works, for both Jews and gentiles" was also preached before the cross?

If that gospel has always been preached since the birth of Christ, why not just be a Matthew dispy, as in believing that the birth of Jesus, after the page in our Bible that says "NT", is where the Body of Christ began?

What is the difference between a Matthew dispy and a Acts 2 dispy?

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Eternal Life has always been offered since Adam to anyone who would trust in the promised Messiah (Genesis 3:15). Until Jesus actually came in human flesh the actual name identity was not known (Jesus, Yehoshua, Yeshua, Iesous, Iesus) but still past people of God knew a promised Messiah was coming and that eternal life was by faith in this person.

d taylor said:

Eternal Life has always been offered since Adam to anyone who would trust in the promised Messiah (Genesis 3:15). Until Jesus actually came in human flesh the actual name identity was not known (Jesus, Yehoshua, Yeshua, Iesous, Iesus) but still past people of God knew a promised Messiah was coming and that eternal life was by faith in this person.

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Thanks. I was actually asking you about the difference between a Matthew dispy and an Acts 2 dispy.

You are explaining what is a Matthew dispy, when Jesus actually came in human flesh

d taylor said:

Eternal Life has always been offered since Adam to anyone who would trust in the promised Messiah (Genesis 3:15). Until Jesus actually came in human flesh the actual name identity was not known (Jesus, Yehoshua, Yeshua, Iesous, Iesus) but still past people of God knew a promised Messiah was coming and that eternal life was by faith in this person.

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Furthermore, if it is really true, as you said, that "past people of God knew a promised Messiah was coming and that eternal life was by faith in this person", it means they also knew that the Law of Moses was no longer required the moment Jesus was born and preaching among them, since that link in your article states, like what you are also reasoning:

"Is the condition to have everlasting life “following Jesus into the kingdom”? No. The only requirement is to believe. If you do, you have everlasting life.

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that would contradict the numerous passages in Matthew, Mark and Luke, about enduring to the end, obeying God, obeying the Law, doing what Jesus said instead of merely listen. not calling your brother a fool, the need to forgive the sins others have committed against you, etc etc.

Carl Emerson said:

A matter that troubles many is - how can I know I am saved.

The following is what John says about this important topic.

From 1 John 3:

6 No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him.

Known repeating sins are serious and such matters should be disclosed to elders for prayer support and ministry.

10 anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.

Love for the family of God is a sure sign that He is at work within you and you are saved.

14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death.

15 Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

This is a serious verse - hatred of other christians is a sure sign one is unsaved.

17 But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him?

Another very serious verse - Refusing to share what one has with the poorer believers is evidence of not having God's abiding Love.

1 John 5:

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

The evidence of having Jesus is a life expressing His Love.

Now the context of these verses is a fellowship living in community - a mode that many churches are not in.

You will notice John does not refer to Baptism as evidence of salvation - it is all about whether or not the Love of Jesus is expressed through your life.

Comments appreciated - be encouraged.

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Im not adding much here, but i love this. Thanks for sharing carl

Assurance Made Simple
To begin, assurance of salvation is not a feeling, emotion, or experience, but a belief. Specifically, it is the belief that, “I have everlasting life.”

Alright I shall respect the request of the TS.

I have created a new thread, in the appropriate forum, to discuss this very interesting webpage that d taylor kept using, the Grace Evangelical Society here

Carl Emerson said:

I am not sure this is correct... even demons believe.

I think it is a relational reality. knowing that you are known by Him.

Matt 7:

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

1 John 5 speaks more about seeing evidence of His love in your own life as a reason for assurance.

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I continue to be perplexed at how many times people use James 2 about demons and their belief. To object about faith as in relation to humanity and God. I just do not see what demons, who Eternal Life salvation was never offered to. Because God came and took on a human life and not the life of a demon or angel. He did this so He could take away the sin of humanity and not the sins of demons. As demons are the seed of satan they were born condemned from conception.

One thought, how can man who was never able to right the sin that Adam brought upon humanity.

How could man on his own efforts make a way back to God, the answer should be he could not.

So if man could not, own his own initiative solve the separation problem between him and God.

Then how can man look to any type of personal obedience, he is able to do to give himself assurance that he is a born again child of God.

Do Demons Really Believe? – James 2:19 – Grace Evangelical Society

The Faith of Demons: James 2:19 – Grace Evangelical Society

Take this example lets say a person on this website ( that i only know from this site never have known them in person) tells me he/she is a math teacher and i believe them. That i have had faith in their word, that they are what they said they are, a math teacher.

So now what actions do i need to do to make my belief (that this person is a math teacher) a real belief. I say nothing, besides just simply believing their statement that they are a math teacher.

Now lets say a year latter i read something, that some wrote, that now causes me to not believe this person is a math teacher. Whether what the person wrote is true or not, what they wrote, still caused me to lose faith in, this person is a math teacher.

So me now not believing this person is a math teacher, how does that negate my past belief that the person is a math teacher.

So that is how i see assurance it is just like receiving eternal life. A person is only asked by God to do one passive action to receive His free gift of Eternal Life salvation, that is faith in The Messiah Jesus.

Assurance works in a like manner by not looking at ourselves and any action we may do. But simply having faith believing God's promise that all who believe in Jesus have Eternal Life. At the very moment of faith a person crosses over from death to life, never to cross back over, even if they fall away. God is keeping His born again children, no one can take them out of His hand.

If a believer wants to see how well they are doing discipleship wise, then look to their actions they are doing. But these actions will never give a person assurance of eternal life salvation

The idea of faith being a special God given faith, only to certain people so they can believe. Is a calvanist theological position and i completely reject calvanist theology, which is based on obedience/works.

If faith is a special gift from God to only the elected people. Why does Jesus heep praise upon the centurion for his faith. Why would Jesus not give the credit to God.

I have no problem with John when John is taught properly, plus John wrote more than 1st, 2nd and 3rd John. He also wrote the Gospel of John all teaching of John's writings must agree with each other.

The question that arises for me. Is when a person seeks assurance of their salvation outside of God's promise. That anyone who trust in The Messiah has received God's free gift of Eternal Life salvation and is a born again child of God.

The question is why is God's promise not good enough for a person, why do they seek other ways of assurance (love, commitment, bearing fruit, obedience, baptism, repentance, etc..). Than just simply taking/believing God at His promise/word.

The reason why is because (i believe) faith is not taught properly. Faith in most churches is taught as obedience, being that they say when a person really believes they will automatically obey God and love God bear fruit, etc.. If they do not, they say the faith was a false faith.

This site is full of people who declare many areas in The Bible where The Bible states a person or persons have believed in The Messiah, as being a false believer/s. Not because of anything The Bible states about these people, but only because their theology has declared these believers in The Bible as false believers.

A perfect example of this is Aananias and Sapphira, Simon the magician, King Saul, the believers in John 12:42,43, Believers in John 8, etc....

Man/women (believers?) should be seeking to align ourselves with God's theology and not aligning God to fit our theology. But the divisions throughout the visible church shows, it is the latter that is being done.

The Analogy of Faith

The Epistles of John

The Epistles of John (Reprint) – Grace Evangelical Society

1-3 John (Grace New Testament Commentary) - Kindle edition by Hodges, Zane. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.