A new, baby Christian is saved when calling on Jesus as Lord.
They have not yet been scolded by experienced Christians
on the long and extensive list of 1000's of sins in their lives.
Yet they are still saved.
Where is that taught in the Bible?
Please give Scriptural references for these statements please.
Please take note that the Holy Spirit convicts a believer of sin so that they will repent or confess of their sin (See John 16:8-9). So the excuse that we cannot possibly know about all our grievous sins (that can condemn us) does not hold water.
Anyways, I want to say thank you for being the only person so far in this thread to make a proper attempt at defending a sin and still be saved type belief in the Bible. Others have either made smart comments, put forth conditions, gave just one verse, or they referred to a book in the Bible general in passing. While we may not agree, I want to at least say, "Thank you" for speaking on topic correctly.
You said:
Ephesians 2
8 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.
"...it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).
How many times do you receive a gift?
Do you keep receiving gifts over and over?
Or do you receive a gift one time?
Seeing that gifts are received at one time in our life, this is referring to "Initial Salvation" (Which is a one time event).
Ephesians 2:1 says that we have been quickened. How many times do you believe we are quickened? One time obviously, right? So this is referring to a one time event (Which is talking about "Initial Salvation.").
Ephesians 3:17 says that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.
How many times does that happen generally?
One time when a person first accepts Christ, right?
So again, the context of Ephesians 2:8-9 is referring to "Initial Salvation."
We are saved Initially by God's grace through faith and not of works.
Yet, Paul says works will follow and that we are created unto Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10).
In other words, Paul is telling us not to put the cart before the horse.
Paul never says we can sin and still be saved as a part of Ephesians 2:8-9. That is simply not in the text here.
Ephesians 2:9 is referring to "Man Directed Works Alone Salvationism" (without God's grace through faith in Christ). Why? Because Ephesians 2:9 mentions how it is the kind of work that a man would boast in.
Philippians 2:13, and John 15:5 teach us that God does the good work through us. So there is no boasting in any kind of work we do, but there is only a boasting in God for any good work done in our lives.
Ephesians 2:10 switches gears and talks about God directed works done through the believer because it refers to the kind of work that a believer is created to do in Christ Jesus since the foundation of the world. It's Sanctification, and not boasting in oneself over what they did like in Ephesians 2:9.
Anyways, when you read Ephesians 2:8-9, you have to also read Ephesians 5 that says,
3 "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
(Ephesians 5:3-5).
You said:
Romans 10
9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Again, this is where salvation starts. This is the first step or Initial Salvation (i.e. by calling upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13).
But if you were to keep reading, in Romans 11:21-22 essentially says that we have to continue in God's goodness, otherwise we can be cut off like the Jews.
So again, this verse does not prove that a believer can willfully sin with the thinking they can be saved while doing so.
You said:
Acts 16:31
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Again, this was told to a person who was first coming to the faith, and it was not said to a seasoned believer who needed assurance of his salvation while he was in his sin. Also, believing in Jesus not only includes believing in the person of Jesus Christ, but it would naturally include believing in Christ's teachings, as well. Jesus said, why do you call me Lord, Lord if you do not what I say? (See: Luke 6:46).
For Jesus says that the person who does not do what He says is like a fool who built his house upon the sand, and when a storm came, great was the fall of that house (See: Matthew 7:26-27). This is context to Jesus telling certain believers who did good works to depart from Him because they also worked iniquity or sin, too (See: Matthew 7:23). Oh, and if you think Paul taught contrary to the words of Jesus, think again. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:3-4 that if any man does not agree with the words of Jesus Christ and the doctrine according to godliness, he is proud and he knows nothing. James says God resists the proud and He gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
You said:
Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Again, this is talking about "Initial Salvation" and not "Continued Salvation." Nothing is said here about how one can willfully sin and still be saved.
Besides, we know that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey Him as per Acts chapter 5.
"And we are his witnesses of these things; and
so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." (Acts of the Apostles 5:32).
An example of this can be seen with Simon the sorcerer. The Spirit did not fall upon him and others yet until he was tested later on. He proved that his heart was not true in his obedience to God in the fact that he tried to pay for the Holy Spirit (See: Acts of the Apostles 8:9-24).
You said:
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
But if you were to keep reading, it mentions the "Condemnation" in John 3:19-21. It says all who do evil hate the light and neither come to the Light. So if a person has the intention of continuing to do evil while believing in Jesus, they are not coming to the true Light as described in the Bible. For all who do evil hate the light (John 3:20). So believing in Jesus for salvation includes doing what He says.
Let me give you a real world example:
If Rick said that his old rocking chair on his porch was able to hold his weight, and he said he believed that with all his heart, would he truly be showing forth that his statement of faith was true if he never sat in the chair? Especially if he was asked to sit in it and yet he refused to do so? In other words, if Rick believed that his porch chair would hold his weight (and he told others this), he would no doubt take the action necessary by sitting in that chair to prove that such a statement was true. Otherwise it would just be an empty profession of faith. In other words, if a person says they love God, and they have no visible good fruit to show that such a thing is true, then it would be just an empty profession of faith that they love God. Meaning, they really do not love God. It would just be a paying of lip service. I mean, a man can say he loves his wife, but if he does nothing to please her in any way, then he really does not love her. Action shows forth whether one's faith is the genuine and the real article vs. it being fake.
You said:
Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Many will think that this is teaching that we have to be water baptized to be saved. But I believe this verse is referring to being baptized into the Holy Spirit via by the laying on of hands by other faithful believers. Granted, a person can receive the Spirit without the laying on of hands and they can receive the Spirit merely by seeking forgiveness of their sins with the Lord Jesus Christ and in believing in His death and resurrection.
In either case, this is primarily in reference to a person first accepting Christ and it is not in reference to "Continued Salvation" or "Sanctification."
2 Thessalonians 2:13 says that God has chosen us to salvation by two things:
(a) Belief in the Truth (Jesus is the Truth - John 14:6).
(b) Sanctification (Holy Living - See: 1 Thessalonians 4:3).
For Romans 8:13 says, if we live after the flesh (sin), we will die (die spiritually), but if we put to death the misdeeds of the body (sin) via by the Holy Spirit, we will live (live spiritually).