Christ's Minister said:
The problem you're having is that you're taking advice from people instead of God and as you are learning the hard way,that's very confusing because there are many people who call themselves Christians who ignore biblical teachings,usually because they don't want to make changes in their sinful behavior.
Most Christians quote John 3:16 as the verse that explains what people need to do in order to receive salvation.It states that we must have faith in Jesus which if we really do,will require us to follow all of His teachings.When people choose to ignore some of Jesus' teachings,they are proving that either they do not believe that He is the Son of God or else that they don't care if they go to hell or not because that's what Jesus repeatedly warned would happen to people who reject Him and His teachings.All of His teachings,not just those supported by our politics or lifestyle.
Once someone truly accepts the teaching in John 3:16,they then will have to go back to John3:3-9 which they ignored in their rush to get to verse 16.In verses 3-9,Jesus is quoted directly explaining what is required for salvation.Specifically He requires two different baptisms ,the church water baptism ceremony and then,usually several years later,the baptism of the Holy Spirit which can only come from God in answer to prayer.It is the second baptism that God uses to confirm salvation when He believes individuals are spiritually mature enough to receive it.
Online Bible is free. Here are those verses. They are important:
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mothers womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
We are born dead spiritually and eventually die physically because of sin. Sin kills us, literally. If we do not have the new nature given by the new birth Jesus tells about in these verses, we can never really have the power in our lives to follow after God and obey Him. Once we have a spirit born of God, we can then be filled with the Holy Spirit and be vessels fit for use in God's kingdom. It isn't an easy thing nor was the price paid by Jesus a cheap thing. We must respect that and consider seriously what we do with the blood of Jesus, as there are serious warnings concerning taking on His name and blood in an unworthy manner. Once a person gets to know God better and obeys Him, their fear leaves and is replaced with trust, but fear is the beginning of wisdom - having respect for what God has done for us and what the serious consequences are to disobedience and rejection. I'm older now, and I can tell you that I regret every time in my life that I did not obey God and can see, now, that each and every time I did disobey as a time that I lost something to the destroyer - the devil, and put another wound to the Lord. God can restore us and make us whole, but it is not an easy process. He tells us to count the cost and to examine ourselves from time to time to make sure we are in the faith and not counterfeit.
2Co 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in youunless indeed you fail the test?
