What level of hard is it to achieve Salvation?

[Love First]

Matthew 7:13-14
English Standard Version

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

 

[iarwain]

Matthew 11:30
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

That's a very hopeful passage.

 

[klutedavid]

That's a very hopeful passage.

Do you think His burden is heavy and His yoke is hard?

 

[Clare73]

What level of hard is it to achieve Salvation?

Where is the choice "Impossible"?

 

[iarwain]

Do you think His burden is heavy and His yoke is hard?

You think I'm going to contradict the Lord? I meant that it was a passage that fills me with hope.

 

[Frosty Cook]

I gave it a 1 and a 10. 10 because we can't save ourselves. 1 because God saves everyone who repents.

Only those who have already been born again of the Spirit will repent of breaking a spiritual law. The natural man that has not been born again will not repent of breaking a spiritual law that he cannot discern - 1 Cor 2:14.

 

[Frosty Cook]

We don't "achieve" salvation .... it is a free gift from God for those who believe.

We just need to believe/trust God will do all that He said He will do .... and ... He will work in our lives over the course of our earthly lifetime ... regardless of our short comings.

Philippians 1:6

English Standard Version
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

There is nothing we can do to earn salvation ... it's all about what Jesus has done and is doing for us and rest in His promises.

The natural man before he has been born again will not, and indeed, cannot believe in spiritual things - 1 Cor 2:14. Philippians is directed to the born again saints in the church at Philippi. Belief is not the cause of our eternal inheritance.

 

[Frosty Cook]

What level of hard is it to achieve Salvation?

Where is the choice "Impossible"?

Eternal salvation is not "achieved". by mankind.

 

[Frosty Cook]

Is salvation not supposed to be something Jesus does eg. "Jesus saves" - rather than we achieve?

I will amen that.

 

[Frosty Cook]

It’s always sounded pretty easy to me.

28 They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may 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.

Amen. The work of God that caused us to believe was changing our stony heart to a fleshy heart in the new birth.

 

[Frosty Cook]

That salvation is by grace through faith and is not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9) is not hard to understand. It's just hard for many people to ACCEPT.

Yes, and many of God's children do not understand that it is Jesus's faith that saves us eternally and not our faith. Gal 2:16.

 

[Godwilling]

Salvation should a zero not since that is not a choice I will have to go with a one. The bible says all you need to do is call upon the Lord and you will be saved. For example Jesus help me or Jesus save me.

The harder part is living for Christ.

God bless

 

[Frosty Cook]

Salvation should a zero not since that is not a choice I will have to go with a one. The bible says all you need to do is call upon the Lord and you will be saved. For example Jesus help me or Jesus save me.

The harder part is living for Christ.

God bless

1 Cor 2:14 indicates to me that the natural man, before he has been born again, will not call upon a spiritual God that he cannot discern. I do agree that as children of God we have a difficult time in following God's commandments, but if we repent of our turning away from him, he will forgive us and welcome us back into fellowship with him.

 

[Danthemailman]

That salvation is by grace through faith and is not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9) is not hard to understand. It’s just hard for many people to accept.

 

[Love First]

That salvation is by grace through faith and is not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9) is not hard to understand. It’s just hard for many people to accept.

Do you understand the concept of faith?

 

[Godwilling]

1 Cor 2:14 indicates to me that the natural man, before he has been born again, will not call upon a spiritual God that he cannot discern. I do agree that as children of God we have a difficult time in following God's commandments, but if we repent of our turning away from him, he will forgive us and welcome us back into fellowship with him.

Your scripture is not a salvation scripture but a scripture that teaches how christians should live. The OP is referring to how easy or difficult it is to be saved.

God bless

 

[anna ~ grace]

Clearly not everyone has the same level of difficulty in achieving salvation. There are handicaps involved, and some people are born and raised in families with impeccable morals, and are trained at a young age to act holy, while some others, are born in what one might consider immoral environments, and are raised without morals. Others might have unbearable addictions or mental illnesses, like turrets syndrome, that cause them to curse at people or hurt their loved ones.

...So how heavy is the burden..? How hard is the yoke?

Well… Christ promises us crosses. And gives us many difficult words and standards. And also grace, and strength.

So, it is difficult, but He is merciful, and gracious, and powerful. And desires to save us. With our help.

 

[Danthemailman]

Do you understand the concept of faith?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

 

[Sabertooth]

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

(That is why my Full Armor of God figures carry an invisible Shield of Faith... )

 

[Frosty Cook]

Matthew 7:13-14
English Standard Version

13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

I believe that the scriptures teach that there are many more people that are going to heaven, than there are that are going to hell. As many as the sands of the seashore and the stars in the sky.

There is only one doctrine taught now that is the same doctrine that Jesus taught when he was on earth as a man, and the people that teach that doctrine are members of the "visible church" that Jesus set up with his apostles.

Both of the gates mentioned in Matt 7:13-14 represent all of God's elect children. Those that go into the wide gate comprised of the "invisible church" who have been born again, but are the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" that have "a zeal of God" but not according to knowledge, because they are ignorant of God's righteousness and are going about to establish their own righteousness and not submitting themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Those that enter the straight gate are the "visible church" comprised of those born again children of God, who have denied themselves, and in whom the Holy Spirit has revealed the mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus instructed his apostles to go and preach to the "lost sheep" of the house Israel - Matt 10:6 & Matt 15:24.

Ezek 10 describes it this way; "as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel" The outer larger wheel represents the "invisible church, the wide gate", and the smaller wheel in the midst of that wheel represents the "visible church, the straight gate".