Below might help.
Mark 1:14-15 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Repent and believe! Believing and being baptized in water is only half of what Christ Jesus told us to do. Believing with your heart and proclaiming with your mouth Jesus Christ as Lord with no repentance of sin will leave men and women without the Holy Spirit, professing to have and know Christ, but living in darkness and sin, and can never seem to break free from sin, and on their way to eternal damnation still living in the unfruitful works of darkness and are promised eternal life by many false preachers and teachers.
The true gospel preached to the gentiles 2000+ years ago by Paul was one of a complete change and full surrender, having fruitful works with your faith. Where our manner of life and works testified to how GOD had changed us by His Spirit in Christ Jesus.
Acts 26:19-20
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Repentance is a complete 180 degree turn from sin, a change of heart and thinking. Only GOD sees when you have repented from your heart of all sin and are ready to live for Him. This is why Some people get filled with the Holy Spirit immediately after repentance and baptism or believing on Jesus Christ, and some it takes weeks, months, years, of hard times and tribulations to finally get you to surrender with your own free will and decide you truly want to stop sinning and live for GOD. (false doctrine may play a part in not being filled too.) Spend time on your knees, with GOD and pour out your heart before Him and give Him everything. Ask GOD to help you let go of things you are struggling with! And in Jesus name ask the Father to fill you with His Holy Spirit. (anything you idolize or put before GOD can keep you from being filled.)
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Those that believe in Christ Jesus will be judged by faith and works. Faith alone is dead, let us bear fruit and not be lukewarm in the last times.
Matthew 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
1 Peter 4:17-18 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
2 Corinthians 5:10-11 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
2 James 2:14-20
14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
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We must put to death all sin in our lives to overcome when we are judged. To have Christ Jesus in you and the hope of eternal life you must repent and believe and be filled with the Holy Spirit (born again). Without the Holy Spirit, this next verse is nearly impossible because the flesh has not been put to death by the Spirit of GOD,
1 John 3:6
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Romans 8:12-13
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Beware of false teaching,
Ezekiel 12:22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
A great lie is that there is no way to stop sinning, that a Christian sins daily, if not weekly or monthly.
Galatians 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Even after we repent and put to death sin by the power of the Holy Spirit that changes us into the image of Christ, we must NOT build again the things which we destroyed, this is called falling away or backsliding.
Galatians 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
But lastly read what Jesus said to one of His churches, to give us an idea of how we will be judged in the end times.
Revelations 2:2-5 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Let us love each other and speak truth to all, with a pure heart and clean hands, in meekness and in love!
