If we become a Christian in order to get saved...

[Al Touthentop]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

We respond to the gospel because it is evidence of God's love towards us.

We are commanded to love ourselves.

"Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

 

[Al Touthentop]

I just don't believe a person can get up one morning and decide "I think I'll get saved today". It truly takes a deep work of God on their soul, convicting and enlightening.

It takes a response to God's word. That word is enough.

 

[crossnote]

It takes a response to God's word. That word is enough.

Is it enough?...

John 5:39-40 (NASB) "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

John 3:27 (NASB) John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

John 6:65 (KJV) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

To ignore the necessity of God's convicting and enlightening work is nothing but subtle human centered faith.

 

[shakewell]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

I had only one motive to became a Christian; to escape hell.
The only people who become Christians are enemies of God that have no love for Him.
Those who love Him don't become Christians, they already are.

 

[grasping the after wind]

We respond to the gospel because it is evidence of God's love towards us.

We are commanded to love ourselves.

"Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

It would be so much easier to do if wee did not love ourselves.

 

[prodromos]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

Fear is the beginning of wisdom. The end of wisdom is love.

 

[Francis Drake]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

Pious nonsense.
That completely contradicts Matthew11v28Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 

[FreeGrace2]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

I do not see how this OP has anything to do with the title of this thread. Could you help me out here?

Further, one cannot become a Christian in order to get saved.

The Bible teaches the opposite: one becomes a Christian BY getting saved.

Do you see the difference?

 

[bling]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

The unbelieving hell bound sinner has no reason to Love God nor does he have the God given ability of Godly type Love, so why and how would this sinner act out of Love for God?
When the prodigal son came to his senses and if he was really macho, he would have been fully willing to pay the piper, take the punishment he fully and fairly deserved (starving to death in a pigsty), and not gone to his father disturbing him further with undeserving request.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

If we become a Christian in order to get saved...

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Not sure that one can become a Christian on their own?

Many are called
few are chosen.

M-Bob

 

[Gr8Grace]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

Your not a Christian until you ARE saved.

 

[Gr8Grace]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

OHHHH I see. Your spot on.

That's the order of the day. Quit sinning, be good, Try our best to act like Christ.....ACT like a Christian to be saved.

When it is simply acknowledge that we are sinners and Christ died for us.......and BELIEVE........ Acts 16:31.

 

[bcbsr]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

So? Doesn't it say, "Love your neighbor as yourself.’" Didn't Peter say, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Acts 2:40

In response to "What must I do to be saved?", didn't they say, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." Acts 16:30,31

Everywhere the gospel is preached it's implied that people are being motivated out of self-interest. Even throughout the gospels.

So what's your application. Don't believe in the gospel unless you have no self-interest, but only are motivated out of the love of God?

People don't "love God" until after they are saved. 1John 4:7 "Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."

 

[fhansen]

...we are acting out of love of self, not love of God.

If that does not hit you like a swinging block of lead, you have not understood it.

Actually fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, as well as salvation. We begin our walk with Him with a degree of fear/self-preservation, and desire to get a handle on why this world and ourselves are so messed up and chaotic. And that fear should transition into love as we come to know God better and better, with love 'casting out fear' as Scripture tells us. We gain the wisdom to know that God exists, and is worthy of our trust and love and obedience rather than of our unbelief-or of strictly our fear once we do believe. It requires time, and, in truth, love for God can never cease growing. At the end of the day though, yes, fear is incompatible with love-and with the full knowledge of God.

 

[BibleBeliever1611]

If we are acting out of love of self, not love of God, here's a little shocker for us....we're not saved.

That's nonsense. The Bible says that fear is a legitimate motive to get saved. It doesn't have to be "love of God."

"And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." - Jude 23