The Four Aspects of Salvation.

[Bible Highlighter]

Lets say you are a king and you have a son, and in your heart you know he is meant to be your heir, he will marry and give you grandkids. Then, when he was born someone took him from you and you didn't see him again until he was 30 years old. You found him under a bridge, dirty, poor and drunk. You come to him, you explain to him you've been searching for him for years and you explain to him who he is, his real identity. You can do two things; either yell at him, tell him to straighten up and be a man because he is a heir to your kingdom or you slowly approach him, introduce yourself because this is the first time he meets you, you clean him up, explain to Him what happened and who he truly is from the beginning, speak to him truth so he can renew his mind with the reality of who he is and the truth about his genealogy.

All that time he thought he was a poor bastard who was abandoned, but now he understands who he is. How do you think he will respond better? Either way, he is a son. We were all called to be sons and daughters, not everyone understand that because of the lies we've been told and the separation we had, but we are now connected back to God through Jesus Christ.

Look at the parable of the prodigal son. Even though we read it about the prodigal son, please notice the man had a son who was already in his house yet the son didn't know who he was and what he had available for him.

So everyone now can come back to the Father's house and be cleansed of the lies of the world and learn our real identity, but those who are already in the house can enjoy the love of the Father and rest in Him.

The movie King Arthur; The Legend of the Sword explains it perfectly. Our war is not against flesh and blood, but against the lies we were told and our bad interpretation of scripture. Your interpretation of your reality based on the lies the enemy told you your whole life is your enemy. That's why we are to renew our minds with God's reality. The enemy doesn't want you to believe God loves you and that you can rest in that reality, he wants you to work for it. God is saying through Jesus something like, "rest in my love, you are mine, let me take care of you, let me show you who you are, follow my voice".

Every war must have a purpose, the enemy is fighting to make us believe God doesn't love us, but Jesus said, "It is finished" like saying, this is how much God loves you, He doesn't want you to die alone, everyone come back to your creator.

This is not really addressing the points I made to you with Scripture. Please go back and address my points first in how you explain those verses (by giving me a word for word commentary on at least a few of them). If not, it just looks like you are ignoring certain verses to fit a particular belief that seems more comfortable to you.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:7-21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

How do we have a perfect love whereby we can cast out fear?

According to John, its by keeping His Word.

"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (1 John 2:5).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Saving faith PRODUCES good works. That is what the passages in James mean. If you claim to be saved but no good works are produced (and the works include changes in our behaviors and attitudes and interactions with others that line up with the Bible teaching) then they do not have saving faith. If we have been redeemed, that is, reborn from Above, purchased by the blood of Jesus, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we will produce good fruit.
As to justification that happens once at the new birth, the moment we are placed in Christ. If we must perform works in order to be justified, then no matter how you choose to twist it, we are working to justify ourselves. Jesus said, My yoke is easy and my burden is light. "

Sorry. We still have free will even after we are born again.

We are told:

“...We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.” (Hebrews 3:13-14).

"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." (Jude 1:21).

"...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:10).​

We are told to:

1. Continue in the grace of God (Acts of the Apostles 13:43).
   
   
2. Continue in the faith (Acts of the Apostles 14:22) (Colossians 1:23).
   
   
3. Continue in his goodness, otherwise we can be cut off (just like the Jews were cut off) (Romans 11:21-22).

Fruit is not an automatic thing.

We are commanded by Jesus:

Bear much fruit (John 15:8) (John 15:16 says, “You should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain”).

As for Matthew 11:30, where Jesus says that His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. Well, it is still a yoke, and it is still a burden. We are told to pick up your cross, and deny ourselves and to follow Him. The Lord's burden can can seem light in the fact that He works through us to make it possible. It is about being truly changed to a point whereby we want to truly please Jesus on His terms and not our own. Heavy burdens are only laid by our own doing because we do not have GOD helping us to lift any of the problems that come our way. But if we are in God's will, the Lord will help us and fight for us.

 

[Job3315]

This is not really addressing the points I made to you with Scripture. Please go back and address my points first in how you explain those verses (by giving me a word for word commentary on at least a few of them). If not, it just looks like you are ignoring certain verses to fit a particular belief that seems more comfortable to you.

I am just trying to explain to you God's purpose and view of His creation, but your mind has become so legalistic that you are completely missing God's heart for you, and by doing that you are also missing the people God wants to impact through your life.

Like I said before, the scriptures you are saying are valid, they are in the Bible, but its our bad interpretation that causes us to become pharisees. That's why I tried another approach (like a parable) to see if it would make you sense. What you are saying, "good works, works of faith, good behavior" are fruits, not the way, not the seed, but a result of understanding grace and His love for you.

Do you believe God loves you? If you do, why? Because He demonstrated it or because you are behaving "well"?

How do we have a perfect love whereby we can cast out fear?

According to John, its by keeping His Word.

"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (1 John 2:5).

By knowing the WORD, Jesus Christ, Himself.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Again. God did not FORCE anyone to be saved. When God chose Abraham, Moses, the entire nation of Israel, would you say that was FORCE?

Another Calvinist on this thread disagrees with you. He believes salvation is forced. He said so himself in this thread. Yes, I am aware that not all Calvinists agree with one another and there there are different flavors of Calvinism. But ultimately it is all determinism. God determines who is saved or not saved. But can love be forced upon people? Love by the very definition is love because we choose to love. For if a man tried to force a woman to love her, it will not work if she does not love him. She has to decide to make the choice to love in return.

But how can GOD choose Abraham, Moses, and the nation of Israel?

Well, imagine a bunch of balls of light at God's feet before the Lord created everything. Now say these balls of light are the souls of everyone who has ever lived. God already knows who is going to accept Him and who is going to reject Him from looking at all these lights. So the Lord can then pick up one of these balls of light and place it it into whatever timeline or place as He so desires. For God had created a line of believers from Abraham to Joseph. What are the odds of that happening? What about the 144,000 jews in the end times who will accept Jesus mentioned in Revelation chapter 7?

Everyone of those balls of lights still has a free will choice to accept or reject God. The Lord is simply sovereign over His creation, time, and infinite possibilities to know what their decision was going to be and He has placed them into the year and place of His choosing. For it is why the Scriptures say, God had declared the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I am just trying to explain to you God's purpose and view of His creation, but your mind has become so legalistic that you are completely missing God's heart for you, and by doing that you are also missing the people God wants to impact through your life.

Like I said before, the scriptures you are saying are valid, they are in the Bible, but its our bad interpretation that causes us to become pharisees. That's why I tried another approach (like a parable) to see if it would make you sense. What you are saying, "good works, works of faith, good behavior" are fruits, not the way, not the seed, but a result of understanding grace and His love for you.

Do you believe God loves you? If you do, why? Because He demonstrated it or because you are behaving "well"?


By knowing the WORD, Jesus Christ, Himself.

How is it bad to obey the Lord? Jesus wants us to abide in his words. For Jesus says in John 12:48 that if we do not receive His words, those words will judge us on the last day. What words of Jesus can judge us on the last day if we do not receive them? Which ones? Most today do not accept the plain words of Jesus in Matthew 5:28-30, Matthew 6:15, Matthew 12:37, Matthew 19:17-19, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 9:62, Luke 10:25-28, etc.

Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).
Do you believe that?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

God does not FORCE some to be saved and some not to be saved. Reformed Theology does not teach this. You are talking with self given authority about something, trust me, you know nothing bout.

Not my first rodeo involving Calvinism. I have talked with many different Calvinists on various forums over many years, and read testimonies of ex Calvinists, etc.; Do you believe in the point of Calvinism called "Unconditional Election"? This is the view or belief that says God chooses to save some and He chooses to not save others based on no conditions whatsoever; Hence, why it is called UNconditional Election.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

I am not disagreeing with the intent of your post but I must point out that to say that God did anything arbitrarily is to use n oxymoron. Arbitrariness doesnot, cannot exist in God. We don't know WHY God chose who He did, the reason is contained within Himself,and it had NOTHING to do with anything good or bad in the PERSON. That does not mean His choice is arbitrary.
also God did not save anyone against their will. The rebirth, regeneration, made them willing whereas before they were not. He made them WILLING AND ABLE to come to Him. He GAVE them FAITH.

Actually, faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Saving faith PRODUCES good works. That is what the passages in James mean. If you claim to be saved but no good works are produced (and the works include changes in our behaviors and attitudes and interactions with others that line up with the Bible teaching) then they do not have saving faith. If we have been redeemed, that is, reborn from Above, purchased by the blood of Jesus, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we will produce good fruit.
As to justification that happens once at the new birth, the moment we are placed in Christ. If we must perform works in order to be justified, then no matter how you choose to twist it, we are working to justify ourselves. Jesus said, My yoke is easy and my burden is light. "

Are you justified by faith?
Does being "justified by faith" relate to salvation?

James uses the word "justified" for both in reference to faith, and works in James 2:24.
This means that if "justified by faith" = salvation, then "justified by works" = salvation, too.
For you cannot change the word "justified" to have two different meanings within the same sentence. Also, faith without works is dead (James 2:17). How can a dead faith save anyone? It cannot. So one needs both faith and works.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Saving faith PRODUCES good works. That is what the passages in James mean. If you claim to be saved but no good works are produced (and the works include changes in our behaviors and attitudes and interactions with others that line up with the Bible teaching) then they do not have saving faith. If we have been redeemed, that is, reborn from Above, purchased by the blood of Jesus, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we will produce good fruit.
As to justification that happens once at the new birth, the moment we are placed in Christ. If we must perform works in order to be justified, then no matter how you choose to twist it, we are working to justify ourselves. Jesus said, My yoke is easy and my burden is light. "

And whose fault is it if one does not produce good works? It it God's fault or our fault?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Lets say you are a king and you have a son, and in your heart you know he is meant to be your heir, he will marry and give you grandkids. Then, when he was born someone took him from you and you didn't see him again until he was 30 years old. You found him under a bridge, dirty, poor and drunk. You come to him, you explain to him you've been searching for him for years and you explain to him who he is, his real identity. You can do two things; either yell at him, tell him to straighten up and be a man because he is a heir to your kingdom or you slowly approach him, introduce yourself because this is the first time he meets you, you clean him up, explain to Him what happened and who he truly is from the beginning, speak to him truth so he can renew his mind with the reality of who he is and the truth about his genealogy.

All that time he thought he was a poor bastard who was abandoned, but now he understands who he is. How do you think he will respond better? Either way, he is a son. We were all called to be sons and daughters, not everyone understand that because of the lies we've been told and the separation we had, but we are now connected back to God through Jesus Christ.

Sounds good, and that is the approach I would take if I was the king, but we do not agree on Soteriology and Hamartiology. Do you believe future sin is forgiven you? If so, imagine if you told a child this, and they took such words as a license to sin? This exactly what George Sodini did. His church taught that future sin was forgiven him, and that he was saved by having a belief alone on Jesus. So George wrote in his suicide letter that he would see Jesus despite his future admittance of his mass murder, and the taking of his own life. He believed in Eternal Security and or a Belief Alone doctrine. He believed he could sin and still be saved. Even one of the deacons of his own church said he was still saved (despite what he did). He is also not the only one, either. Ken Nally also committed suicide because he believed he would still be saved by having a belief alone on Jesus despite the sin of self murder.

Anyways, if you believe future sin is forgiven for a believer, this means if the story of the King and the son (you told me) were to continue, the son could potentially kill and rape his father's family, and he would still be a beloved son of his kingdom. He is once saved always saved. Once a son, always a son, no matter what evil he does, right?

Look at the parable of the prodigal son. Even though we read it about the prodigal son, please notice the man had a son who was already in his house yet the son didn't know who he was and what he had available for him.

So everyone now can come back to the Father's house and be cleansed of the lies of the world and learn our real identity, but those who are already in the house can enjoy the love of the Father and rest in Him.

In the Parable of the Prodigal Son: When the son came home, and sought forgiveness with his father, his father said that his son was "dead" and he is "alive again" two times (See Luke 15:24, and Luke 15:32). His father said he was "lost" and now he is "found." Usually when we mention the word "lost" in the Bible it is referring to those who are unsaved. So the son was "dead" (dead spiritually) when he was living his prodigal life of sin, and he became "alive again" (alive again spiritually) when he came home to the father and sought forgiveness with him. James 5:19-20 also teaches the same truth, as well. A believer can backslide into sin for a while and die spiritually for a time, and they can come back to the faith to the saving of their soul (as long as they never denied Jesus as their Savior).

The movie King Arthur; The Legend of the Sword explains it perfectly. Our war is not against flesh and blood, but against the lies we were told and our bad interpretation of scripture. Your interpretation of your reality based on the lies the enemy told you your whole life is your enemy. That's why we are to renew our minds with God's reality. The enemy doesn't want you to believe God loves you and that you can rest in that reality, he wants you to work for it. God is saying through Jesus something like, "rest in my love, you are mine, let me take care of you, let me show you who you are, follow my voice".

Yet, Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

How do we have a perfect love whereby we can cast out fear?

According to John, its by keeping His Word.

"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (1 John 2:5).

By knowing the WORD, Jesus Christ, Himself.

It says, whoever keeps his Word they perfect the love of God.
Besides, 1 John 2:3 essentially says that we can have an assurance in knowing the Lord if we find that we are keeping His commandments. 1 John 2:4 says that the person who says they know the Lord and they do not keep His commandments, they are a liar and the truth is not in them. So keeping God's commands is the context of 1 John 2:5 that says to "keep his word."

 

[Job3315]

Sounds good, and that is the approach I would take if I was the king, but we do not agree on Soteriology and Hamartiology. Do you believe future sin is forgiven you? If so, imagine if you told a child this, and they took such words as a license to sin? This exactly what George Sodini did. His church taught that future sin was forgiven him, and that he was saved by having a belief alone on Jesus. So George wrote in his suicide letter that he would see Jesus despite his future admittance of his mass murder, and the taking of his own life. He believed in Eternal Security and or a Belief Alone doctrine. He believed he could sin and still be saved. Even one of the deacons of his own church said he was still saved (despite what he did).

Anyways, if you believe future sin is forgiven for a believer, this means if the story of the King and the son (you told me) were to continue, the son could potentially kill and rape his father's family, and he would still be a beloved son of his kingdom. He is once saved always saved. Once a son, always a son, no matter what evil he does, right?



In the Parable of the Prodigal Son: When the son came home, and sought forgiveness with his father, his father said that his son was "dead" and he is "alive again" two times (See Luke 15:24, and Luke 15:32). His father said he was "lost" and now he is "found." Usually when we mention the word "lost" in the Bible it is referring to those who are unsaved. So the son was "dead" (dead spiritually) when he was living his prodigal life of sin, and he became "alive again" (alive again spiritually) when he came home to the father and sought forgiveness with him. James 5:19-20 also teaches the same truth, as well. A believer can backslide into sin for a while and die spiritually for a time, and they can come back to the faith to the saving of their soul (as long as they never denied Jesus as their Savior).



Yet, Jesus says if you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

Again, if a person truly knows Jesus we get a desire to want know Him more and be more like Him, not sin more. Gratitude and love grow in us by understanding what He did for us and that gives us a desire to love God; thats the fruits of the Spirit.

I believe that my sins are forgiven because He said so. "He said I will forgive their sins and remember them no more". I am a daughter of God through my faith in Jesus Christ and I am learning to be His heir and ambassador in a foreign country (darkness) until the new Jerusalem comes down and Heaven and Earth become one again. In the mean time we are to be the light and salt, His representation. And when I sin (unknowingly or knowingly motivated by fear) I can go to God so He can show me His perspective about what happened, so I can make things right (if I sinned against someone, Him or even my self)so I can learn to "sin no more". I don't fear loosing salvation, I talk to Him and tell Him what happened and how I need help. I don't sin to receive grace, I don't sin because I know how much grace cost, I understand its value.

Children are supposed to get the blessing of knowing God through their parents. Parents are supposed to be a manifestation of God the Father to their kids until they understand the purpose of the cross and they learn to talk to God themselves. Even God says in His word how good He is, even better than our own parents and how He will discipline us and give us good things because He loves us.

If you don't see yourself as a priest and as a son of the king, you are lacking identity in God and lacking faith in what Jesus did for you and you are depending on your own understanding to obtain salvation. Revelations 5:10 says...You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.

Anyway, the only reason I write you is because I was in your shoes years ago. I then started praying for God to show me His truth and reality because He says that "We will know the truth and the truth will set us free". And He did, but I understand everyone is in their own journey. Im just hoping I could save you years of torture and of not feeling enough instead of resting in His love and start from there because that's the hell I lived in; religion. Maybe what I said will bring fruit one day.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Again, if a person truly knows Jesus we get a desire to want know Him more and be more like Him, not sin more. Gratitude and love grow in us by understanding what He did for us and that gives us a desire to love God; thats the fruits of the Spirit.

I believe that my sins are forgiven because He said so. "He said I will forgive their sins and remember them no more". I am a daughter of God through my faith in Jesus Christ and I am learning to be His heir and ambassador in a foreign country (darkness) until the new Jerusalem comes down and Heaven and Earth become one again. In the mean time we are to be the light and salt, His representation. And when I sin (unknowingly or knowingly motivated by fear) I can go to God so He can show me His perspective about what happened, so I can make things right (if I sinned against someone, Him or even my self)so I can learn to "sin no more". I don't fear loosing salvation, I talk to Him and tell Him what happened and how I need help. I don't sin to receive grace, I don't sin because I know how much grace cost, I understand its value.

Children are supposed to get the blessing of knowing God through their parents. Parents are supposed to be a manifestation of God the Father to their kids until they understand the purpose of the cross and they learn to talk to God themselves. Even God says in His word how good He is, even better than our own parents and how He will discipline us and give us good things because He loves us.

If you don't see yourself as a priest and as a son of the king, you are lacking identity in God and lacking faith in what Jesus did for you and you are depending on your own understanding to obtain salvation. Revelations 5:10 says...You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.

Anyway, the only reason I write you is because I was in your shoes years ago. I then started praying for God to show me His truth and reality because He says that "We will know the truth and the truth will set us free". And He did, but I understand everyone is in their own journey. Im just hoping I could save you years of torture and of not feeling enough instead of resting in His love and start from there because that's the hell I lived in; religion. Maybe what I said will bring fruit one day.

Sorry, I don't believe you were ever in my shoes years ago. Did you have knowledge of the Scriptures that condemned "Belief Alone-ism"? The Pharisees were told not to call themselves "sons of Abraham" when they needed to repent.

Do you know of the heresy of Circumcision Salvationism mentioned in the New Testament?

Did you ever have a hatred for Eternal Security, and or Non-Eternal Security Belief Alone-ism before?

Did you ever hate the fruits that came from these kinds of beliefs?

Do you even realize that many have killed themselves as a result of Eternal Security, etc.?

Did you ever come up with a list of verses taken from the Bible that defends Sanctification as a part of the salvation process (after we are saved by God's grace)?

Are you able to explain Matthew 13:41-42?

Did you ever get disgusted or frustrated when everyone seems to deny the plain words of Jesus? They don't believe Matthew 5:28-30, Matthew 6:15, Matthew 12:37, etc.

Have you ever did a study on what God's commands say in the New Testament?

My guess is that would be a.... "No."

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Again, if a person truly knows Jesus we get a desire to want know Him more and be more like Him, not sin more. Gratitude and love grow in us by understanding what He did for us and that gives us a desire to love God; thats the fruits of the Spirit.

I believe that my sins are forgiven because He said so. "He said I will forgive their sins and remember them no more". I am a daughter of God through my faith in Jesus Christ and I am learning to be His heir and ambassador in a foreign country (darkness) until the new Jerusalem comes down and Heaven and Earth become one again. In the mean time we are to be the light and salt, His representation. And when I sin (unknowingly or knowingly motivated by fear) I can go to God so He can show me His perspective about what happened, so I can make things right (if I sinned against someone, Him or even my self)so I can learn to "sin no more". I don't fear loosing salvation, I talk to Him and tell Him what happened and how I need help. I don't sin to receive grace, I don't sin because I know how much grace cost, I understand its value.

Children are supposed to get the blessing of knowing God through their parents. Parents are supposed to be a manifestation of God the Father to their kids until they understand the purpose of the cross and they learn to talk to God themselves. Even God says in His word how good He is, even better than our own parents and how He will discipline us and give us good things because He loves us.

If you don't see yourself as a priest and as a son of the king, you are lacking identity in God and lacking faith in what Jesus did for you and you are depending on your own understanding to obtain salvation. Revelations 5:10 says...You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.

Anyway, the only reason I write you is because I was in your shoes years ago. I then started praying for God to show me His truth and reality because He says that "We will know the truth and the truth will set us free". And He did, but I understand everyone is in their own journey. Im just hoping I could save you years of torture and of not feeling enough instead of resting in His love and start from there because that's the hell I lived in; religion. Maybe what I said will bring fruit one day.

As for one’s identity in Christ:

Jesus says,

“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:50).

The will of the Father (i.e. God) is our sanctification (See 1 Thessalonians 4:3).

 

[Job3315]

Sorry, I don't believe you were ever in my shoes years ago. Did you have knowledge of the Scriptures that condemned "Belief Alone-ism"? The Pharisees were told not to call themselves "sons of Abraham" when they needed to repent.

Do you know of the heresy of Circumcision Salvationism mentioned in the New Testament?

Did you ever have a hatred for Eternal Security, and or Non-Eternal Security Belief Alone-ism before?

Did you ever hate the fruits that came from these kinds of beliefs?

Do you even realize that many have killed themselves as a result of Eternal Security, etc.?

Did you ever come up with a list of verses taken from the Bible that defends Sanctification as a part of the salvation process (after we are saved by God's grace)?

Are you able to explain Matthew 13:41-42?

Did you ever get disgusted or frustrated when everyone seems to deny the plain words of Jesus? They don't believe Matthew 5:28-30, Matthew 6:15, Matthew 12:37, etc.

Have you ever did a study on what God's commands say in the New Testament?

My guess is that would be a.... "No."

Have you ever met Him? Seen Jesus piercing eyes of love that with just a smile He told me I was going to be ok?

Have you had your dad show you how powe

Sorry, I don't believe you were ever in my shoes years ago. Did you have knowledge of the Scriptures that condemned "Belief Alone-ism"? The Pharisees were told not to call themselves "sons of Abraham" when they needed to repent.

Do you know of the heresy of Circumcision Salvationism mentioned in the New Testament?

Did you ever have a hatred for Eternal Security, and or Non-Eternal Security Belief Alone-ism before?

Did you ever hate the fruits that came from these kinds of beliefs?

Do you even realize that many have killed themselves as a result of Eternal Security, etc.?

Did you ever come up with a list of verses taken from the Bible that defends Sanctification as a part of the salvation process (after we are saved by God's grace)?

Are you able to explain Matthew 13:41-42?

Did you ever get disgusted or frustrated when everyone seems to deny the plain words of Jesus? They don't believe Matthew 5:28-30, Matthew 6:15, Matthew 12:37, etc.

Have you ever did a study on what God's commands say in the New Testament?

My guess is that would be a.... "No."

like I've told you before, you can believe whatever you want.

I get disgusted at people saying they know God but they do evil. I never question others salvation as I don't know anyones background; that's very personal. I even left a church because they preached twice on how someone should dress in a suit, you know, to look presentable. I only care about others heart, which is what my heavenly Father cares too.

 

[Dave L]

Again. God did not FORCE anyone to be saved. When God chose Abraham, Moses, the entire nation of Israel, would you say that was FORCE?

Salvation does not work the way you assume it does. God takes spiritually dead people who cannot react spiritually, but only at a flesh level. He regenerates some of these giving them a new heart that discerns spiritual truth and loves him.


“And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” Deuteronomy 30:6 (KJV 1900)

 

[Dave L]

I am not disagreeing with the intent of your post but I must point out that to say that God did anything arbitrarily is to use n oxymoron. Arbitrariness doesnot, cannot exist in God. We don't know WHY God chose who He did, the reason is contained within Himself,and it had NOTHING to do with anything good or bad in the PERSON. That does not mean His choice is arbitrary.
also God did not save anyone against their will. The rebirth, regeneration, made them willing whereas before they were not. He made them WILLING AND ABLE to come to Him. He GAVE them FAITH.

God did not see anything worth saving in the human race. Had you been worth saving, you glory and God splits it with you.

 

[Dave L]

Can to please define "Legalism" as you are using the term?

Obedience to law. The gospel is not law.

 

[Dave L]

It doesn't change anything. Peter would not say "Save yourselves" if he believed that they could not save themselves and they had to wait upon God to save them or give them some kind of special regeneration in order to believe.

Obedience to the Law saved Israel from destruction. Disobedience brought the destruction of AD 70. How could Peter be speaking of salvation in Christ when he knew only by grace does God save people?

“And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Acts 2:40 (KJV 1900)