Salvation

[FireDragon76]

This question is irreverent and practically sacrilegious. Christ says if you do everything he commands perfectly, then to consider yourself nothing but an unprofitable servant. Trying to do the least is not a good idea, even asking about it is not a good idea.

Sometimes it's a noble thing to aim to do all the commandments but I wouldn't want somebody feeling crushed by the weight of holiness. After all sometimes aiming high can just be our pride talking, as in the case of Peter. The Christian life is a process.

 

[FireDragon76]

If you didn't notice, I made the argument that most Christians act in a Christlike manner, but they do not really become a disciple and follow Him. If you need this for salvation, you are in trouble. I'm so blunt that I will say few people take up their cross and just follow Him. I hope it's not against the rules for me to say that.

Be careful judging your neighbors. As my pastor has said, some people have carried a cross alone their entire lives. We don't always see it right away.

The carrying your cross bit comes from believing that Jesus is your savior. Don't put the cart before the horse. After you have matured, then you may come to realize that carrying your cross is the appropriately response to faith. But what that looks like for you, exactly, no one has the right to judge, esp. on an internet forum like this.

Lutherans call this stuff vocation, living out our calling. Some Catholic saints have talked about doing the small things with love. That's an important thing to emphasize. Chances are there are already things in your life that God has called you to do, that you do not have to look very hard to find. The Kingdom of God comes through doing the ordinary stuff of life, taking out the trash, washing the dishes, tucking kids into bed at night and making sure they are ready for school, etc.

 

[Adstar]

What, in your opinion, is the least you have to do to get saved?

Can you answer the question without applying "There is more to Christianity than salvation" arguments?

A person must believe God and trust in the way God has made for them to be forgiven and be gifted Eternal life with Him...

 

[Veja Daniel]

So uhhhhhh, half of people who call themselves "Christian" aren't saved?

No. More than half.

 

[timewerx]

John 12:25
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Luke 17:33
Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.

Matthew 10:39
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

 

[Anguspure]

What, in your opinion, is the least you have to do to get saved?

Can you answer the question without applying "There is more to Christianity than salvation" arguments?

Look at the story of the bronze serpent (Numbers 21): Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3)....Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live." And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived. (Numbers 21)

But in my own words? Have your relationship with the Creator restored through Christ Jesus and then the one who created you, who is your friend, will sustain you.

 

[Gordon Southgate]

 

[JoeP222w]

What, in your opinion, is the least you have to do to get saved?

Can you answer the question without applying "There is more to Christianity than salvation" arguments?

Repent (forsake sin) and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life, and not your own self-righteousness.

 

[Thir7ySev3n]

Romans 10:9 and many other places says otherwise. It doesn't say "if you trust in Jesus after believing to free you from sin" and other works like things.

If you believe Jesus is the Son of God, that God raised him from the dead - you are saved.

Except you are not disagreeing with me but Christ Himself, in addition to what His disciples and the Apostle Paul taught if for whatever reason the words of the Lord are not enough. If you believe that, you believe a false Christ. Here, let John explicitly precede the way for Christ as John the Baptist did with his message of repentance:

"But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister (1 John 3:5-10)."

That point was repeated enough to constitute sufficient clarity I think. And don't think to misquote Paul's message of salvation through faith, as he himself said:

"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed (Romans 2:4-5)."

Now let Jesus repeat Himself:

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Do not try to combat Scripture with Scripture, or you are clearly misinterpreting the meaning of your selected texts. As I said, the Scriptures are clear that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone, but we are saved from the past penalty of sin and the present power of sin for repentance to Christ, who will begin His work of making us spotless and without blemish for the day of our glorification, the redemption of our bodies (Colossians 1:22, Romans 8:23).

 

[Norbert L]

So uhhhhhh, half of people who call themselves "Christian" aren't saved?

Basing a numerical outcome on the amount of Christians who aren't saved is not as simple as flipping coin. The things that govern the outcome of tossing a coin and the things that involve someone who claims Christ as their Lord are very different in nature. There's the instance of Judas betraying Him, one of the twelve and there's the use of a number of parables that may lead a person to come to the conclusion that it's half and half, it's all speculative. It is fair to say that some people who call themselves "Christian" aren't saved given that a number of scriptures point in that direction. One rather direct statement given by Jesus if found in Matthew 7:22-23

 

[JacksBratt]

My question is really simple, but there are multiple possible answers depending on the person. I hope for this to become a broad thread so I get many different viewpoints.

Simple.

You have to admit you are a sinner and that you can do nothing on your own to earn your salvation.
You have to get on your knees and admit this to Christ and believe that He died for you and has paid the price for your sins. Only He can forgive you. Only He can save you. You have to ask Him for this free gift of forgiveness and agree to turn from you sinful ways and behave the way He would have you behave.

It is a total change of attitude of the heart. It is not a "well I don't want to go to hell so I better pray".

It is a conscious change in the way you behave and desire to behave. You will never be sinless or be able to go without sinning but it is the deliberate attempt to do so and keep doing so.....

 

[fide]

What, in your opinion, is the least you have to do to get saved?

Can you answer the question without applying "There is more to Christianity than salvation" arguments?

Every human person is accountable before God and responsible to live according to the Truth that he knows, or should know.

To whom much is given, much is required.

The Catholic Church teaches:
Catechism 1260 “Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.” [GS 22 # 5; cf. LG 16; AG 7] Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.

 

[CodyFaith]

Except you are not disagreeing with me but Christ Himself, in addition to what His disciples and the Apostle Paul taught if for whatever reason the words of the Lord are not enough. If you believe that, you believe a false Christ. Here, let John explicitly precede the way for Christ as John the Baptist did with his message of repentance:

"But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister (1 John 3:5-10)."

That point was repeated enough to constitute sufficient clarity I think. And don't think to misquote Paul's message of salvation through faith, as he himself said:

"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed (Romans 2:4-5)."

Now let Jesus repeat Himself:

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Matthew 7:21-23)

Do not try to combat Scripture with Scripture, or you are clearly misinterpreting the meaning of your selected texts. As I said, the Scriptures are clear that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone, but we are saved from the past penalty of sin and the present power of sin for repentance to Christ, who will begin His work of making us spotless and without blemish for the day of our glorification, the redemption of our bodies (Colossians 1:22, Romans 8:23).

The idea that you can believe in Christ yet not be saved is opposed to a ton of scripture and a bunch of scripture's meanings.
1 John 4:15
1 John 5:10

If you believe in Christ, and you believe he is God's Son and the savior to humanity, you will be saved. You can't believe these things without understanding to some degree the fallen nature of yourself and the need of Christ, nor do you have to have perfect knowledge of it all either. But the concept that you can believe these things and yet not be saved is totally false.

I'm not going to play a back and forth game. Your beliefs are not in line with the church's common basic beliefs. You say I preach a "false Christ" yet this is the church's universally accepted Christ.

The gospel is filled with more grace and love and mercy then I think you comprehend. However I won't waste my time trying to explain it to you, lest I cast away my pearls as Christ has commanded.

 

[Colter]

What, in your opinion, is the least you have to do to get saved?

Can you answer the question without applying "There is more to Christianity than salvation" arguments?

Salvation is about being "all in". Half measures don't avail us 50%. Every day and every occupation is holy to those born again in the truth. Faith in the Fathers guidance then dominates all aspects of everything in life. See my signature bellow.

 

[Gordon Southgate]

 

[SpeckOdust]

What, in your opinion, is the least you have to do to get saved?

Can you answer the question without applying "There is more to Christianity than salvation" arguments?

I Believe that getting "Saved" is one thing...Getting "Born-Again" is getting Saved Permanently.It is in my opinion, entirely possible to be Saved,but not yet Born-Again! When you get Born-Again,you have reached a place where your Heart,Mind,Soul and Spirit have been so transformed for Good,that you KNOW GOD in a bigger-way and Faith Hope and Love ,along with Having Big-Grace,Big-Mercy, Forgiving,Giving,Sharing,showing Compassion...All of these become as Natural as breathing.

 

[Thir7ySev3n]

The idea that you can believe in Christ yet not be saved is opposed to a ton of scripture and a bunch of scripture's meanings.
1 John 4:15
1 John 5:10

If you believe in Christ, and you believe he is God's Son and the savior to humanity, you will be saved. You can't believe these things without understanding to some degree the fallen nature of yourself and the need of Christ, nor do you have to have perfect knowledge of it all either. But the concept that you can believe these things and yet not be saved is totally false.

I'm not going to play a back and forth game. Your beliefs are not in line with the church's common basic beliefs. You say I preach a "false Christ" yet this is the church's universally accepted Christ.

The gospel is filled with more grace and love and mercy then I think you comprehend. However I won't waste my time trying to explain it to you, lest I cast away my pearls as Christ has commanded.

Christ would be the "swine" you are referring to in your allusion with that absurd verse. Everything I posted was Scripture, which means that your pearls are actually not pearls at all, and the audience to whom you cast these duds are the disciples and Christ Himself. I am sorry, but you are mistaken on account of explicit Scriptural declarations. You disagreed with a massive section of explicit Scripture as though you were agreeing with it, which would be hilarious if it weren't so stupid and spiritually dangerous.

 

[Left]

Uh guys, I could be wrong, but I don't believe this board is for Christians to debate Christians.

I won't report anyone for it; rather, I'd rather not see anyone get in trouble over it.

 

[Archivist]

The least I have to do is nothing. Which is also what Lutheranism teaches--we do precisely nothing to get saved. Faith isn't something we do, it is a supernatural gift of God created in us by the Holy Spirit. We have nothing we could do, or offer; there's nothing we can do to affect our salvation: it has been accomplished already by Christ's death and resurrection, and it is appropriated to us by God through the Means of Word and Sacrament by the power of the Spirit.

-CryptoLutheran

Well said ViaCrucis!

 

[John The Gadarene]

What, in your opinion, is the least you have to do to get saved?

Can you answer the question without applying "There is more to Christianity than salvation" arguments?

"And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!"

Recognize your sin and pray to Jesus for help