Bible Study Salvation

[lazarus0673]

Is there anything required other than believing that Jesus died for our sins on the cross, ascended into Heaven, and is God for us to be saved and to spend eternity in Heaven?

 

[Roof]

If you are talking about absolute minimums then less is required.

The thief on the cross died before the acsension.

 

[lazarus0673]

Book, Chapter, and verse please. Less? Isn't Heaven, Heaven? Oh, I forgot a biggie: repentance.

 

[Tina]

.

Romans 10:9

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

 

[lazarus0673]

I have, I do, and I do. Really? That's all there is to it? Well then, I am saved. WoooHooo!!!

 

[Nacho]

There is nothing you can do to save yourself.....Jesus did it all on the cross. You just need to receive what he has already done for all of us.

 

[lazarus0673]

Nacho,

I trust and have faith in Jesus. You on the other hand I don't know. So, Book, Chapter, and Verse to back up what you just told me please. Thank you.

 

[Adullam]

More man-centered salvation schemes! 2

 

[Adullam]

If one wishes to be saved, then they should fear the Lord and obey His commandments.

If one wishes to reign with Christ then that one must forsake his old life and believe in Christ. Then one can walk as Jesus did by grace through faith overcoming all sin, the devil and this world.

Normally, people try to find an easier way that best serves their own needs. No one who thinks like this can be saved at all.

 

[lazarus0673]

Adullam,

Which scripture would you offer as evidence of your pontification please?

 

[reba]

Is there anything required other than believing that Jesus died for our sins on the cross, ascended into Heaven, and is God for us to be saved and to spend eternity in Heaven?

Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

John 3:16

Amplified Bible (AMP)
16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life


Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Psa 3:8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

[Damascus]

I made that altar call, many years ago. I stuck with it, growing spiritually, learning the good news, applying the scriptures to my daily walk. All was blessed.

Eventually, the grace began to subside, not because God withdraws grace, but because He desires we learn to walk on our own two feet.

I lost my way after a time, and went back into the world. I became immersed in demonology and the occult, drugs, alcohol, and kept bad company. I had no repentance in me to be found, and considered the Christian faith to be a crutch for the weak-minded and culturally backward.

Had I continued on this path, would I have been saved, in the end?

Most certainly not. What communion hath light with darkness?

Repentance is necessary. Even then, our good works are as filthy rags, so salvation isn't inherently dependent on how well we do... but the effort of repentance is absolutely necessary. "Go and sin no more." Not "say a prayer at the altar and stop worrying about it."

 

[TRUTH over TRADITION]

Is there anything required other than believing that Jesus died for our sins on the cross, ascended into Heaven, and is God for us to be saved and to spend eternity in Heaven?

First one must study the NT texts and the corresponding OT prophecies in order to properly determine what it is the salvation mentioned in the NT was from. After that, one must read the NT with an open, non preconditioned mind in hopes of understanding to whom the promise of a Heavenly inheritance was given. After doing these things it may become rather clear that salvation an getting the gift of Heaven are two distinctly different things.

 

[reba]

Repentance is necessary. Even then, our good works are as filthy rags, so salvation isn't inherently dependent on how well we do... but the effort of repentance is absolutely necessary. "Go and sin no more." Not "say a prayer at the altar and stop worrying about it."

 

[Nacho]

Eph 2:8

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, [it is] the gift of God;

 

[phantom309]

Fortunately for us,God made the game plan pretty simple.
Believe,repent,be baptized and live right afterwards.

On saying that,of course none of us will be perfect,even Paul wrote about how imperfect he was,and this was one of Jesus' top dogs.Just do the best you can and ask forgiveness when you fall.

 

[TribulationSaint]

Ephesians 2:8-10"8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Faith and faith alone in Lord God Jesus, that he died for "our" sins yes, but also specifically your sins. BUT! although that is all that is required to be saved once we are saved, IF our salvation was genuine, more results FROM the salvation.

DISCLAIMER: WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY IS NOT! THAT SALVATION IS DEPENDANT ON WORKS.....I AM NOT SAYING THAT.......ONLY FAITH SAVES.

James 2:14-26

New International Version (NIV)
Faith and Deeds

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,†but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.â€
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.



IF your salvation does not result in a change of life, if your life does not become one of sacrifice and servitude to God, THEN you might want to test your faith a bit and consider if that salvation really was genuine, or just a ride on a band wagon.



Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will"



We are to be seperate from this world, not conformed, look different, speak different, smell different, infact Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you us aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires that war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us†We are to be "Aliens in a strange land"


So what about Faith being all you need?


1 corinthians 3:10-15 "10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames."


In other words the foundation laid by God (ie: Faith/ salvation) is all you need but if you continue from there to build your life with worldy things then that will be your reward, you will be in heaven but have gained no heavenly rewards, you have "escaped through the flames" or made it by the skin of your teeth.

 

[phantom309]

Well said TS,one of the more thorough assessments Ive seen and I completely agree.So many times this aspect is glossed over,or neglected completely.

 

[cyberjosh]

I have, I do, and I do. Really? That's all there is to it? Well then, I am saved. WoooHooo!!!

I think what you are wanting to know is whether you have been born again, regenerated, and made a new creature in Christ, yes? If so, when accompanied by genuine repentance, faith in Jesus alone is sufficient. You are accepted in Christ if you repent and have faith in Him! Is that then the end of the process of God working salvation in us? By no means! Salvation is spoken of in the Bible in the past tense, present tense, and still yet future tense (see page here about that). Jesus emphasized the need to continue in obedience and persevere to the end to ultimately be saved once your life is over (Matthew 24:13). Your part, after God has regenerated you and made you a new creature in Him (and hence 'saved' past tense - "WoooHooo!!!" - Titus 3:5), is to continue in His grace (and what could be more delightful than that?) to the very end. If you do not, there are clear warnings in Scripture as to its consequences.

But let not your heart be troubled!

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phillipians 1:6)

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen" (Jude 24-25)

So continue in His grace, and do not receive it in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1)! And we are even told how in the next chapter:

"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1)

God Bless!
~Josh

 

[Adullam]

Fortunately for us,God made the game plan pretty simple.
Believe,repent,be baptized and live right afterwards.

On saying that,of course none of us will be perfect,even Paul wrote about how imperfect he was,and this was one of Jesus' top dogs.Just do the best you can and ask forgiveness when you fall.

This has nothing to do with Christianity. This is a man-made religion you are espousing.

Jesus did not come to provide men with more conveniences. We have 7/11's for that.