I have this feeling I should obey this

[mikeforjesus]

I change my mind because I believe I can trust God and God would not want me to support such divisions which are stumbling blocks I would not be dedicated anyway because I do not want to follow a church because I do not believe any church is worthy of serving if it can not prove it is the only truth and it is not the truth and following it will not help you convince others to follow jesus who do not want to believe they need to follow Him though no one has excuse not to and I believe I can trust Jesus and be dedicated to my faith to be commited to it. If others want to follow it they can but I should trust Jesus only wants me to have relationship with Him and seek to preach His name and to serve and follow Him and teach others to also

 

[mikeforjesus]

Churches put burdens hard to bear and do not even agree among each other and present a system that is not obtainable for all for some think you are required to have done works earlier and do not seem to show that it is possible to repent late in life while you have chance if you are given such opportunity but they say you can by then quoting certain writings of the fathers though they say it in other writings about what is required that supposes if you did not it is too late and they do not even agree what is required and they want to enforce such heavy burdens on the world and they can not prove they are the only truth so why follow it ?

So I do not believe there is any good reason Catholic or Orthodox deserve salvation more than others for Jesus commanded people to hear Him and do what He says not to choose to follow whoever they wish to follow path who teach unless they do what they did they can not be saved which even if they follow it another day they can say you also have to follow what that person said which it is not possible for all to obey all what people said and you can’t trust churches to follow priests for how do you know you can follow it and the priest will definitely say you followed everything and not give more things so you can’t know for sure that you always know the way of salvation and to be living in it if you need a priest to show you but Jesus said He is the way the truth and the life and if you need a priest how can you be sure if you are following Christ every moment for even some priests differ on what is essential and can change their mind quoting other fathers if they are going to each go online to say what is required and they try to put such burden and stumbling blocks on the world for Jesus said to follow Him and how can you be sure the priest fully follows the church and later one can say more things you have to do ? Also for those who condemn Protestants are they even sure they know the way of salvation is there any security for them to know they are following the church if a priest does not just be gentle on them which he can decide they are not good enough and did not do what is required of them so it is up to priest to forgive sins to decide to ignore before what he taught is required if they didn’t follow it to decide for them what is required from them to decide something easy for them to do from whatever they decide for them they can follow from whoever they decide and could decide something hard by using other fathers or saints sayings as guides but it could be making one only follow a person which some are not able to do which people only needing to follow Christ instead of them going to Christ seeking Him to tell them what is required in the bible for Him to guide you to those who can help you understand the bible and how to implement it for all must make sure they are also following Christ

 

[mikeforjesus]

Thought not to do because I believe God wants us to trust in gospel and if other truth is required God reveals truth to those who submit to Him to lean not on own understanding but I think it is only safe to do so incase so I will because it may because it may seem I am trusting in my own understanding if I do not though the first may be so and God only says so maybe for those who are willing to accept that they are safe in their path that God will lead them but I may not trust. It’s just that I want a perfect faith in the faith outside and I would be happy to just be Christian but I think I should join church incase

I am worried about myself and I believe I just have to submit to what God may want which it may be in a church I can not know if church is true but I should follow incase it is true because maybe I am blind on my own and not able to know the truth about things or to accept the truth but I may understand when I live in church if God wills to show me I can not know if church is true for sure but as it may be I think I should accept it


I am not convinced of the Catholic Church but I understand some believed it I think maybe those who claim to represent the current leadership of Orthodox Church who teach salvation only in Orthodox Church do not correctly reflect orthodox faith because I believe a requirement of orthodox faith is that person can prove that is what church held but I do not know what is the truth if their position is true or not so I can only hold I know salvation is in Orthodox Church I am not convinced of Catholicism so I won’t be Catholic


My dad says it is only the simple people who will be saved that is repentance God hates the proud He wants people to trust in His salvation which some in church do not he may think you need to be trusting In Christ not in church or he may agree you can accept church doctrine but you should not really believe it is good other Christians are not saved

I am worried church just wants to win me with sayings of church just as below to humiliate me or to hinder others from being saved but people have to accept divisions of church and hope in God or join the church for I want to join church to test if it heals me but even if not to accept it as way of salvation but if it does not heal me and open my vision it shows church does not prove itself yet people can follow me to be saved if they want to


Such is the loving-kindness of God; He never turns his face away from a sincere repentance.But, if anyone has pushed on to the very extremity of wickedness, and chooses to return thence towards the path of virtue, God accepts and welcomes, and does everything so as to restore him to his former position.And He does what is yet more merciful; for even should anyone not manifest complete repentance, he does not pass by one which is small and insignificant, but assigns a great reward even to this.
This is evident from what Esaias the prophet says concerning the people of the Jews, speaking on this wise:
“On account of his sin I put him to pain for a little while, and smote him, and turned my face away from him, and he was pained, and walked sorrowfully, and then I healed him, and comforted him” (Isaiah 57;17-18).[…] And after this again, Manasses, having…subverted the legal form of worship, and shut up the temple, and caused the deceit of idolatry to flourish, and having become more ungodly than all who were before him, when he afterwards repented, was ranked amongst the friends of God.Now if, looking to the magnitude of his own iniquities, he had despaired of restoration and repentance, he would have missed all which he afterwards obtained.But as it was, looking to the boundlessness of God’s tender mercy instead of the enormity of his transgressions, and having broken in sunder the bonds of the devil, he rose up and contended with him, and finished the good course (2 Chron. 33:10-19). And not only by what was done to these men, but also by the words of the prophet does God destroy the counsels of despair, speaking on this wise: “To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” (Psalm 94:9).Now that expression “to-day,” may be uttered at every time of life, even on the verge of old age, if you desire it: for repentance is judged not by quantity of time, but by disposition of the soul.For the Ninevites did not need many days to blot out their sin, but the short space of one day availed to efface all their iniquity.And the robber also did not take a long time to effect his entrance into Paradise, but in such a brief moment as one might occupy in uttering a single word, did he wash off all the sins which he had committed in his whole life, and received the prize bestowed by the divine approval even before the Apostles.And we also see the martyrs obtain glorious crowns for themselves in the course, not of many years, but of a few days, and often in a single day only.
John Chrysostom (c.347-407): An exhortation

 

[mikeforjesus]

I think salvation may be obtainable outside the church maybe all what is required people have to follow Christ now for not all will have opportunity to repent as people may go through trials and they have to overcome but I still want to follow the church incase maybe it will give more knowledge and to be sure until I have full faith

Luke 8:11-15
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root,who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience

 

[mikeforjesus]

The orthodox view may be wrong so I am not sure I should follow it they as well as other Christians deny that a person can have eternal life now through faith if he is given opportunity. God does not need works to have been done before but works are necessary to be done now and they always exist in true repentance so one is required to be watchful and if one repents while he has chance he will have works so one must turn to God while he can incase one dies in sin not being repentant and God tests believers with trials and they must overcome and even the whole world could lose its opportunity to believe if it delays as all have to make a decision while they have chance one is required to confess faith before one dies and all the world is tried and sometimes killed not just Christians and perhaps most people have no excuse to delay seeking God and must always be watchful to make sure in one heart one is truly repentant before death but I will follow it incase it is right


I have seen this book by pope shenouda salvation in orthodox concept

Salvation in the Orthodox Concept by H.H. Pope Shenouda III.pdf

 

[mikeforjesus]

I was following orthodoxy but I am not sure it is for everyone and it can save everyone I think you can be saved in it but the best path to save others is to follow just Christ so I will follow just Christ

I got this in an email that I subscribed to some time ago and saved it

Legality Hill
Worlds of The Pilgrim's Progress

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
–Eph. 2:8-9 [ESV]

Christian hesitantly placed his foot on the golden pathway created by Worldly Wiseman. The new path seemed much easier than the path that Evangelist had instructed him to follow. Worldly Wiseman advised Christian that he would find a way to get rid of his burden if he followed this path to the end. In the city Morality where Legality Hill stood, Christian would find a giant mountain, studded with commandments. There, at that mountain, his burden would be lifted—at least that's what he thought.

Struggling under the increasing weight of his burden, Christian saw that the mountain was too steep to climb. Legality’s voice thundered from the top of the mountain. He refused to take away Christian’s burden until Christian climbed to meet him at the top. In order to reach the top, he needed to obey every commandment without missing any. “Don’t Move!” “Obey the Rules.” “Walk.” “Don’t Question My Authority.” The laws continued to pop up around Christian.

“I can’t do the work for you!” shouted Legality. This is precisely where the difference between a religion driven by morality and the truth of the Christian faith lies: we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, not by our own works. It is, simply put, because Jesus did the work for us that we are saved.

This is precisely where the difference between a religion driven by morality and the truth of the Christian faith lies: we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, not by our own works.

When Jesus came, He followed every one of God’s commandments perfectly. He earned the title “righteous.” Through His death in our place and His resurrection, He delights to give that righteousness to us. This is not a religion of morality, but of a great exchange. He took upon Himself our sin, and we have received His righteousness as a gift.

This not a religion of morality, but of great exchange. He took upon Himself our sin, and we have received His righteousness as a gift.

Just when Christian began to lose hope and fell to the ground, The King sent him help. Looking up, Christian recognized Evangelist’s feet. “Commandments cannot give you what you seek Christian. They will only be a reminder that you are not able to keep them all” he explained. This is true for us as well. The law is good because it is God’s will for our lives, but because we are sinful, we cannot obey the law perfectly. The law of God now serves to show us our sin and reveal to us that we need a Savior.

Salvation has been accomplished by Christ on the cross, and it is freely given to all who believe in Him. There is no standard of law-keeping that we must meet to merit this gift. Morality and Legality, then, cannot rid us of our burden, just like they could not rid Christian of his; they can only make our burden increase because where the knowledge of sin increases, so does our desperation.

An added complication arises when we, sinful humans, decide to invent our own law in order to try to earn God’s favor. The endeavor to earn love or favor from God will always be fruitless, and will be just as frustrating as when Christian sees the ever-multiplying contradictory commandments coming out of the ground around him, impeding his path up the mountain.

Christian’s first response when Evangelist convicted him of his sin was to say, “It wasn’t my fault!” How often do we, when confronted with our sin, blame others instead of taking responsibility?

But quickly, Christian realized his error and tearfully repents. He acknowledged that, “It’s no one’s fault but my own, and I’m sorry.” Evangelist encouraged Christian that with repentance such as this, The King will always forgive.

We will also fail daily in our pursuit of God’s path. We are called to live holy, set apart lives as Christians, which is not an easy task! But, our sins will always be forgiven if we turn to The King with repentance.

Our sins will always be forgiven if we turn to The King with repentance.

Evangelist used this as an opportunity to instruct Christian about his missteps. Christian had rejected the instructions that The King sent to him, and brought the frustration and difficulty of his confrontation with Legality upon himself. If he had stayed on the path toward the Celestial City, though the path would have been difficult, Christian would have been walking in line with the law of God. Evangelist pointed out that this misstep, though forgiven because of the grace of The King, still served to reveal that Christian’s deceiver accomplished two things:
1 Worldly Wiseman convinced Christian so easily to leave The King’s path.
2
3 Worldly Wiseman made it seem like the difficulty of the journey on The King’s path was something to be avoided.
Difficulty in the Christian life is not to be avoided. It is pleasing to God when we follow Him, even when it is hard to do so. So follow Him. Stay on the narrow path, trusting that when you fail, you will be forgiven in Christ.



The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. –Ps. 19:7-9 [ESV]

 

[mikeforjesus]

I think I should follow the below I was worried I could cause unbelievers to lose hope to not believe in Christ but they have no other choice it is true they have to choose whether to just be simply Christians or join church

But I wonder if orthodox is true if it teaches if person does not have chance to see a priest if they can be saved maybe they agree they can still be saved if they die in the faith but that a person who purposely refuses orthodoxy they might not be able to have chance to be alive to have chance to repent to have chance to talk to God to repent


I think I should return to the Orthodox Church as we can’t know it is not essential other Christians may be saved I don’t know every person who believes in Christ has to choose what church he wants

I am not convinced of Catholic Church so I will just be orthodox there could be salvation for Catholics too but I don’t know. I want to be orthodox to be sure I have everything to be close to God as I am not sure if I am as close and unless I can be sure completely I have spiritual life outside church

But church may not be essential though it could be so I follow but whether it is or not people still must live holy lives incase one is not given chance to join church later if one lived in sin and if it is not essential people also risk more punishment and also for one to repent if it is not essential

 

[mikeforjesus]

I change my mind I do not believe God wants me to follow church but to be born again to have a true relationship with God to win others outside and to teach all in churches need to so I will trust in God not to follow church

I could follow the church and still seek to have relationship with God but it does not help win others to God

 

[Dorothy Mae]

I think I should join the Orthodox Church and accept it may be the only true church or it could not be but said out of politics recently to make people believe in the church because if others convert to the Catholic Church while there is politics of them not accepting others they may think others are not saved

But it could be the only true church and I seek to be convinced by joining if God can confirm it is the only true church or if it can convince Catholic is too just to feel the presence of God and maybe I will see proofs otherwise I just have to assume it could be only true church. I could also visit the Catholic Church to be convinced of it

It could be there is salvation outside but we have to assume you need the church and it is for me to know more fully

Why do you assume it’s either the Catholic or Orthodox?

 

[mikeforjesus]

I don’t believe they are because I do not believe the bible supports divisions as Paul said let no one say I am of Paul I am of Cephas the early church was united and bible seemed not to support one group definitely if it did it would be undeniable from the bible it seems God wanted unity as Paul also said grace and peace to all who call on the Lord Jesus in every place. But I looked at churches because though I do not believe it is undeniable that Jesus created one group I thought maybe I should accept interpretation of church of what bible says as the apostolic fathers make the claim it is as they said and that was what apostles meant as they say they were taught by the apostles which I dont know is true but I believe it could be God allowed them to teach it as such in early church for the sake of people who expect an authority in Christianity to believe it and to ensure Christianity is received by such people if there is an authority that preaches it but the people in apostles time knew it is not so and no one after knew apostles taught it and church teaches you can only understand the bible through tradition they handed but I do not believe you can know for sure they are right or where is church so I don’t follow them. Also I don’t agree that their teachings are right that people need to join a church to be saved or they need to be baptized and have communion to ever be saved as some people may want it later and do not have chance or they do not know they need it and they may be repentant

 

[mikeforjesus]

Why do you assume it’s either the Catholic or Orthodox?

Indeed I do not believe Catholic and Orthodox are the truth as the bible alone gives the way of salvation but just because they don’t agree I don’t believe that means they are not saved for I don’t believe the gospel excludes them for not agreeing for even if it is shown the real meaning they may not be willing to accept it as they may not be willing to have faith as church tradition did make them doubt they could be accepted without the church and that the bible verses do mean exactly what they mean that it is possible for all men to be saved by Christ and not without church. So Christ is called the saviour of the world.

For the bible teaches that all men have sinned and fallen short of glory of God and we are justified freely by His grace that means you don’t have to do any works to show that you deserve that forgiveness but the work of God is to believe on Him whom He sent to allow Him to change you and make you worthy

the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ that we are all sons and daughters of God by faith that as Paul said he has been crucified with Christ the life he now lives he lives by faith in Son of God who gave His life for him Paul says God be thanked that though some were slaves of sin yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered and explains we are made holy because of trusting in Christ that we have fruit of holiness because it says the gift of God is eternal life in Christ jesus and because of Christ we can now be made slaves of holiness

 

[mikeforjesus]

I believe God does not require people to be baptized now as that was only required in apostles time as church was united and they all knew what was required which baptism was only required for Jews to receive the Holy Spirit for them to know the authority of the apostles to loose and bind but church was united and it was clear where it is so they could require it the gentiles received the Holy Spirit by faith yet baptism afterwards was still required not to have Holy Spirit but to obey command not to be ashamed that is because Jesus wanted it to be done to make forgiveness of sins only given to those who obey the apostles as church was united then and they knew what was required but it may not have been necessary to be saved ever for all people who may not know the truth where the church is and the bible does not teach it would always be required to receive Holy Spirit as it was not for gentiles and Paul said did you receive the Spirit by works of law or hearing of faith but it was a command to be done to try to make disciples for people to acknowledge their faith and if it was required to be saved but not to receive the Holy Spirit maybe just on death because of fulfilling obedience of command or to unite one as if there was a church you should be able to know where it is it should have same authority so jesus did not make it absolutely necessary He said he who believes and is baptised will be saved but he who does not believe will be condemned therefore sometimes it may not be possible therefore I do not believe baptism is required now because no one ever knew it was required and there is not still the church as it was in that time it was not meant for the authority of apostles to continue or they would be like in that church so church is not as described now as they can not prove their authority as then to know where it is but people can be baptized incase and leave judgement to God for others and also people can have communion in case but it seems God would not require communion for people to always be following Him to be required to always go to services to be able to follow Him as I don’t believe He would judge those who follow Him and keep His commandments without going to services. I believe Jesus gives Holy Spirit to all who deserve it as Jesus said God will give Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. When Jesus said he who believes and is baptised will be saved such baptism does not always have to be done with water to have holy spirit as John says he will baptise with water but Jesus will baptise with Holy Spirit as He did with gentiles


when Jesus said you need to be born of water and Spirit I think it does not mean necessarily the water and Spirit do not both come about by Holy Spirit as Jesus said both are done by Spirit in saying so is everyone who is born of Spirit I believe the water means the Spirit enlightens you to believe to be changed and believing you receive the Holy Spirit but you need to be baptised in the Spirit to be completely changed by that which is a birth that needs to happen.


But I think baptism is still required still to be saved on death because of the obedience of the command and maybe baptism is required not to have Holy Spirit to live holy as believers have Holy Spirit and can live holy but it may have been required to be saved to enter upon death from other passages and I believe baptism may be required for people to be restored now to be united to God now through baptism for forgiveness of sins or if Jesus meant baptism by being born of water then I think He may mean it is only required to enter the kingdom straightaway but it is not required to ever be saved I believe God wanted to use baptism to give grace for God to allow the Holy Spirit inside those who believe to restore their soul to work on soul to restore it fully now to be united to God to take away sins it had though one lives holy now with the Holy Spirits help

 

[mikeforjesus]

Perhaps it is only safe to go to a church where there is baptism and communion and you should leave judgement to others up to God though it could be only baptism is required and if they had a desire to be baptised or to have communion they could be saved but not on death as baptism could be required to live Holy and communion may be required as Jesus said to have life which may be now or it could not be required if you didn’t know it’s necessity but it is up to God if one is not saved if he didn’t desire baptism believing it may not be necessary

the thief that was saved may not have required it because there was no baptism taught yet as being required for salvation only baptism of repentance which was a preparation which I am not sure was required but it may have been helpful to help people receive Jesus then

I thought I should maybe follow the below but I am convinced already the bible does not support divisions and churches are not fully biblical the bible says call only Him as teacher and God wants people to submit to Him to be his only teacher for if you are in church you still need to be seeking to have relationship with Jesus to be seeking to do what He says and not think you have an excuse because of how another interprets the bible which you may not agree with whether he purposely went against it or did not understand the bible properly for you are responsible to follow conscience everyone is responsible to have a personal relationship with Jesus
I also believe it is wrong to close the door on any sinner any sinner who repents can be saved the bible says it is not through our own works Jesus says he who believes in Him has passed from death to life you can always find Jesus if you don’t just seek Him in last breath and you don’t know when it is and it is harder when you delay and if you delay repentance you may not be given opportunity to repent later but you will be punished where God is not available to be found those who find Jesus He can make them a new creation God accepts a broken heart if one did not do good and he is truly sorry and he wishes he did good if he is truly converted he can be saved but a wicked heart that does not
seek to do good on purpose may be punished as he is not repenting on purpose as he is wicked and there seems to be no chance for him to repent and if he is truly wicked he will not seek genuinely to call on God who draws him to repent and seek repentance

I thought maybe I should follow this because I doubted I can have understanding but I changed my mind for above reasons I don’t believe it would give better understanding or provide the hope I thought it would to make one know for sure that he is changed and worthy of going to heaven I thought it may but I don’t think it does I believe answers are found in the bible and understanding comes from the Lord and God wanted people to believe and trust in Him to believe His word as true as saving not based on complete knowledge that one can know to have an experience that provides knowledge as it requires faith even if that comes with some feeling

I believe I should return to the church as maybe I don’t have ability to see clearly goodness of the judgements of God if maybe not all can be saved but the church is healing for people or maybe repentance for all sinners is only possible in the church I believe maybe God accepts a sincere repentance to return to church or to accept it for all a baptism of desire and desire for communion to be saved but not on death they need prayer of the dead to have spiritual life but to be worthy of salvation on death you need baptism and communion.

It may be wrong to leave Orthodox Church when you don’t know for sure it is wrong as you are making divisions and you could make some leave the truth so converts to Catholic may not be saved if those in church who teach that now are right though they could be wrong but I don’t know maybe you can not know and you have to decide and God only knows but all others who were not orthodox who do not know orthodox is not true can be saved if it is not possible for them to know it is true and it may not be possible now or they would have been able to show it already only when it is shown to one and he rejects but it could be possible I don’t know

 

[mikeforjesus]

I think the only safe position to follow is to follow the Orthodox Church it may be what some in the church teaches about orthodox who convert to catholic is not true but I can not know I think I should follow the church.

It is up to God to know if there is salvation outside.

Maybe I can know truth if I follow the church as I commune what church really taught and it may confirm to me if I can know if there is only life in church or not otherwise I should be close to God if He can maybe show me the truth if it is not in church

 

[mikeforjesus]

I believe when one person chooses to obey Christ you help to persuade others to follow Christ who are lost you become a fellow worker for the truth so I think I will obey just Christ

I watched this video. I agree

I believe people are called to follow Christ or they may be punished it is only those who were not punished if God wanted not to punish them if maybe He thought there was hope for them that are saved later

https://fb.watch/5N0hqigZdb

I think I will trust in Christ character because I don’t believe the bible necessarily teaches baptism is necessary to go to heaven ever but it is necessary to be saved upon death but those who are worried can be baptised

 

[mikeforjesus]

As the bible explains I have to receive the kingdom as a little child and let God teach me His ways. A person has to follow what he believes Christ teaches him to follow if a person believes he must be baptised or he needs to have communion or join a church based on tradition he should but I believe the truth is in the bible and I believe God only judges people on what they can know and it is not evident from the bible alone that baptism is required as gentiles received the holy spirit without baptism and I am guided to believe that is God will for me and I can trust it and in Him and all need to seek to be disciples of Jesus personally to do what He says it is not an excuse if you are part of a church but you don’t seek to have a relationship with Jesus.

 

[mikeforjesus]

I think it is not right for a person to have to doubt whether he can be saved if he does have everything he needs to repent to be saved so I think I should join what I believe is the true church I don’t think I can be convinced certainly Catholic is the true church therefore I do not believe it is but as it does seem you may not be able to know now so when that is the case I believe Catholics can be saved but some in the church teach if you were orthodox and converted to catholic you can not be saved I can not say whether that position is true or not it could be it is not true and they are saved in either churches but if incase it is true they can seek to be part of the church they are convinced is true
Perhaps I can understand if I join the church the reality of what I believe that any one can be saved if he truly repents while he has opportunity if he accepts the church but he will not be saved upon death and if not maybe I can understand to know repentance is not possible for all but you need the church but I don’t think such can be known but I may need to accept to assume you need the church to repent and accept it

But I am worried some clergy are blind or don’t want people to be saved and they close the door on people who still might repent which is wrong if they believe church fathers like John chrysostom taught the truth when he said repentance late is accepted they say if you did not follow before or suffer with Christ before you will never be saved yet God may give them opportunity to repent they may still be able to find the Holy Spirit and find salvation to know Christ has forgiven them it is assumed to be forgiven you need the sacraments to effect that change but it may not be required but a true repentance and desire to return to church though one can not be saved upon death except without the sacraments that does not mean people are safe to live in sin for they who do do not all get opportunity to repent

 

[mikeforjesus]

I now have more faith in God so I will not follow church I understand now why it is important to strive to repent

 

[mikeforjesus]

I believe when Jesus said it is necessary to receive the kingdom of God as a little child He means to receive it as a gift every person must surrender their old life the sinner woman Jesus said her sins were forgiven freely because she was truly repentant yet she was made repentant because she surrendered and heard about Him thus Jesus said your faith has saved you no one can cause the new birth and no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him that is to surrender by teaching him the law and seeking to understand it we have to ask the Father to grant us the new birth to give us new heart one must truly surrender and seek Him diligently so He does as Jesus said if you keep praying with persistence you will receive because repentance requires striving to bear fruits worthy of repentance to show one is willing to strive to be able to repent of all one sins to get new heart so Jesus said the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force

Jesus said I have come not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me that whoever believes in Me may have everlasting life

He said if anyone comes to Me I will not cast him out

Edit: I think I should make it clear that I do not believe if one did not pray he can not be saved if he still has opportunity but one may not get opportunity if one does not so a person should be striving to repent now because he only knows he has a chance now for he may die while unrepentant and lose his opportunity the meaning of the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force also refers to fact there are people who attack people faith in Jesus and you may offend others if you follow Jesus and you have to be strong against them so that is being violent and there are also people who can cause one to have doubt that there is hope for them in Jesus if one lets themselves believe them which are lies of the enemy and the violent are those who will not accept such lies as truth but will fight them by seeking God who gives them hope or as people may attack the hope of the kingdom of heaven reaching people to steal it from people and people who want the kingdom to reach people if they seek God God will grant them to be able to reach them as He desires it too

 

[mikeforjesus]

I believe the church is the body of believers that as Jesus said where 2 or 3 gather He is in the midst the truth can be known of them if they grow so if they do they will know the truth and that is why it is the pillar and ground of the truth through the Holy Spirit in them they can all know the truth

thus Romans 16:3-5 describes the church as consisting of just believers as it describes their house as a full church in itself as it does not require that any one be able to join it but it is full with just those believers it is considered a church because it has believers in it that follow Christ but the members of that house are called a church and it is not called a church because it is a place where people can gather but the members themselves are the church

Romans 16:3-5
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.