Salvation

[Root of Jesse]

Jesus said if you follow these TWO commandments you fullfill them all.

Love thy GOD with ALL thy heart, thy soul, and mind.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

You forgot the first which is key to the second. You can't love your neighbor until you truly love GOD.

Read it again. I said both. To your point, we can't love ourselves until we truly love God. That love overflows to our neighbor.

 

[Constantine the Sinner]

Dear brother Constantine, I do understand what you mean. And it sounds extremely humble and noble. But. But. But... You say that even God's Son had to die for our salvation. Question is, why He had to, if we can earn our way into heaven by a multitude of good works?

You can't, what are you talking about? He says he will say he did not know you if you do not do good works, but that doesn't mean works can earn you heaven.

 

[Constantine the Sinner]

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.

Being crushed is a good thing.

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

"For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

"Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh."

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."

"And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."

 

[FireDragon76]

Being crushed is not a good thing, not if it destroys your sanity or comes at the expense of your mental health.

There is a place in the Christian life for joy, and not taking things too seriously. There's a time for everything.

 

[FireDragon76]

Repent of your sins through Jesus Christ as your savior and forgive the people who have caused you pain and suffering (Why should God forgive you if you do not forgive those around you?). I am surprised how many people here are risking their souls with interpretive @#@$ straying away from the truthful words of God. God is pure and unchanging so why should you interpret or use alternative versions of the Bible to better suit your lifestyle. Literally all you have to do is read the black and white version of the Bible. Like what is going on here:

What RTurner said is consistent with the Lutheran approach. We don't focus on what we do to be saved, but on what God has done for us. Salvation is a gift, not a human work. We are given the privilege to participate in God's holiness, but that doesn't merit our justification.

God's purity is a terrifying thing. It's not something to be taken lightly. It does not justify our pride or pharisaism. Instead of accusing others of living a convenient life, focus on your own sins. Our neighbors often carry a heavy cross, one that is invisible to us.

God forgives us first, then by his grace we can forgive others. Our forgiveness is not dependent on our ability to forgive. This is Good News indeed. Good news for the broken. Try telling a rape victim she must forgive her attacker, for instance. I can't think of anything more inappropriate. So it's best not to throw around advice like this without knowing somebody's situation intimately.

Yes you do have to accept him as a savior and Jesus is a gift from God to pay for our sins but you still must be sorry for your crimes by repenting, imagine someone doing the worst things you can think of - murdering, raping, molesting children...

Talking about growth in holiness is never appropriate with someone whose faith is weak. Repentance is a process that God works in us through the Holy Spirit. It's not something someone with weak faith should worry about. They should turn to Christ and look at the One who has taken away the sins of the world. That is the very substance of repentance.

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

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?

Here is what I believe is the biblical answer to that question:

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. NASU

But those who are seeking God don't necessarily call Him by the word "God". Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life". Many will come to him from seeking truth, or seeking life, or seeking the way.

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

You can't, what are you talking about? He says he will say he did not know you if you do not do good works, but that doesn't mean works can earn you heaven.

You misunderstood my question. I'll try again. Your preaching about way of salvation sounded like this: you get saved by good works which are weighed at final judgement. My question to you is, what about grace?

 

[Ken Rank]

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?

This is simple... the least one can do is turn their heart away from the world and toward God. It isn't about perfect doctrine, how smart we are, how hard we work... salvation is a heart condition, period, end of story.

 

[Daniel Quartararo]

I discuss this in depth on my channel here. It's a lifestyle, not a sentence or paragraph answer. God bless you, in Jesus' mighty name!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7HWIkzZqWgp5sKzrafrVSA

 

[Gordon Southgate]

 

[John The Gadarene]

Follow me

 

[2Timothy2:15]

Read it again. I said both. To your point, we can't love ourselves until we truly love God. That love overflows to our neighbor.

Where do you get love ourselves?

 

[Constantine the Sinner]

You misunderstood my question. I'll try again. Your preaching about way of salvation sounded like this: you get saved by good works which are weighed at final judgement. My question to you is, what about grace?

Grace instills both faith and works. That doesn't mean you say something like, "I don't need faith, just grace," or, "I don't need works, just grace." In order to receive the gift of heaven, the vessel must be prepared and purified, through works and suffering. These do not earn you heaven anymore than cleaning your house to prepare for the king's visit earned you the visit.

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

Grace instills both faith and works. That doesn't mean you say something like, "I don't need faith, just grace," or, "I don't need works, just grace." In order to receive the gift of heaven, the vessel must be prepared and purified, through works and suffering. These do not earn you heaven anymore than cleaning your house to prepare for the king's visit earned you the visit.

Dear brother, you are but playing with words. Preparing is works. Jesus said, grace by faith only. His blood did it all. Nothing else is required. Τετέλεσται - "it is finished".

Salvation of the soul isn't a temporary visit of a dignitary, it's new birth from above. An infant does not climb out of the mother's womb by their own muscular strength, but is pushed out by the mother's contractions. Faith without works is dead only in the eyes of people. But not unto salvation.

Not the healthy need a doctor, but the sick. God saves through the right kind of faith with or without works. Better with, of course! But not a must.

Let's listen to Lord Jesus, because He knows the truth of the Heavenly Father. Not to what our traditions are teaching us, no matter how logical or trustworthy they may sound to our human minds.

 

[Root of Jesse]

Where do you get love ourselves?

Love your neighbor as yourself.

 

[Constantine the Sinner]

Dear brother, you are but playing with words. Preparing is works. Jesus said, grace by faith only. His blood did it all. Nothing else is required. Τετέλεσται - "it is finished".

Salvation of the soul isn't a temporary visit of a dignitary, it's new birth from above. An infant does not climb out of the mother's womb by their own muscular strength, but is pushed out by the mother's contractions. Faith without works is dead only in the eyes of people. But not unto salvation.

Not the healthy need a doctor, but the sick. God saves through the right kind of faith with or without works. Better with, of course! But not a must.

Let's listen to Lord Jesus, because He knows the truth of the Heavenly Father. Not to what our traditions are teaching us, no matter how logical or trustworthy they may sound to our human minds.

Faith without works is dead in the eyes of Scripture (James 2:17).

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

Faith without works is dead in the eyes of Scripture (James 2:17).

Scripture has no eyes, it opens us the truth, which we must understand:

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

(James 2)

The context can't be clearer. Those deeds are for the purpose of demonstrating your faith before men. God sees hearts and can't be fooled.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

(John 6)

Who are we to argue with our Lord Jesus Christ? He has the words of eternal life.

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

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.

I agree 100%

It's deep in the heart. It's spiritual. Many Christians, muslims, judaists, hindus, buddhists, atheists etc. lead exceptionally moral lives according to their contemporary society standards. However, not all of them have Spirit of Jesus in their hearts.

 

[Constantine the Sinner]

Scripture has no eyes, it opens us the truth, which we must understand:

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

(James 2)

The context can't be clearer. Those deeds are for the purpose of demonstrating your faith before men. God sees hearts and can't be fooled.

28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

(John 6)

Who are we to argue with our Lord Jesus Christ? He has the words of eternal life.

Yes, God sees your heart. Is your heart contrite, is your heart mourning, like the Publican's? Or not?

 

[ChristianFromKazakhstan]

Yes, God sees your heart. Is your heart contrite, is your heart mourning, like the Publican's? Or not?

"Your" as mine personal? We are talking about Jesus's truth of salvation. As for my standing before God, it's only for Him to judge.

Jesus is Lord!!! No other name!!!