Believing Must Be The First Step, Right?

[onlysaved]

There is No Salvation, until you repent of your sins, and are Baptized in Jesus Name, And been filled with the Spirit of Christ.

That is false teaching.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

You first stated: "The disciples were baptized in water by John the Baptist, but not in spirit until the Pentecost," without saying just who those disciples were. That implies Jesus's disciples. At least you sort of clarified, although then you implied that John baptized all of Jesus's disciples.

John the Baptist stated that he baptized with water, but the one who was to come will baptize will the Holy Spirit; Jesus also taught that one must be baptized in water and Holy Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God. You go figure out whether that applied to Jesus's own disciples or not.

I know you didn't, which is why I said your statement implies such: "The disciples were baptized in water by John the Baptist, but not in spirit until the Pentecost."

Without any qualification whatsoever and simply saying "the disciples," you're implying that those baptized by John were all the same that were baptized in the Spirit at Pentecost.

I implied nothing, you're insinuating. On Pentecost, about three thousand were baptized and saved (Acts 2:41) by the disciples, don't you think the disciples should have been baptized and saved first?

The point is, you're reading into the text. Andrew and one other unknown disciple were baptized by John, being his disciples first. Scripture is silent on the rest of Jesus's disciples.

Scripture did state that no servant is great than his master. Jesus humbly accepted John's baptism, people from all Judea and neighboring regions came to John for baptism, even Pharisees and Sadducees came, I don't see how the disciples, some of them used be John's own disciples, had any reason to make an exception.

 

[Anchor Of Hope]

You have it backwards. It's not: "I don't want to do that stuff anymore so now I can be saved". It's: "I've been saved so I don't want to do that stuff anymore". I had no desire to change my ways UNTIL I asked Jesus to come into my life and I was born again. Jesus never asks anyone to "clean themselves up" and then come to him. No--he says "Come unto me all ye that labor and are HEAVY LADEN and I will give you rest". You are approaching salvation in the way natural man thinks Anchor---not in the way of the Spirit.

My friend, once we repent of our sins, are baptized in Jesus name, and are filled with the Spirit of the Lord, what we have done is laid the foundation for our spiritual house to be built upon.

1 Peter 2:5 (KJV): Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. There are three places in Scripture that define us as a spiritual house.

After we lay the foundation, we begin to build our spiritual house. Rooms of holiness, righteousness, and godliness are rooms approved by the Lord.

The natural home you live in now was not built without a foundation. The foundation of your natural house is made of cement powder, rocks, sand, water, and steel rebar. If any of these ingredients are left out, then your home foundation is incomplete, and the inspector will not approve it.

So it is with our spiritual house foundation. Peter laid the foundation that the church would be built on. (Who is the church? We are.) It begins with faith, then we repent, are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and the Lord will fill us with His Spirit.

Any one of these works left out will result in an incomplete Spiritual foundation.

Those who say, All you have to do is say I believe, and now I’m saved, will find out that their foundation is incomplete.
The Lord speaking in John 16:13, says, when the Spirit of truth has come He will lead and guide us into all truth.
Take care my dear friend, I hope you will be well.

 

[JLB]

That is false teaching.

I've heard worse.

We do need to be baptized in Christ by the Spirit when we are born again.

I know he is referring to water baptism, and I agree water baptism is not where we are saved... but there are three distinct baptism's called out in scripture, and one is required for us to be saved.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

Notice here it is the Spirit that is the Baptizer; the One doing the baptizing.

This is when we are born of the Spirit; born again.

This is where we become one spirit with Christ.

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17



JLB

 

[onlysaved]

I've heard worse.

We do need to be baptized in Christ by the Spirit when we are born again.

I know he is referring to water baptism, and I agree water baptism is not where we are saved... but there are three distinct baptism's called out in scripture, and one is required for us to be saved.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

Notice here it is the Spirit that is the Baptizer; the One doing the baptizing.

This is when we are born of the Spirit; born again.

This is where we become one spirit with Christ.

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17



JLB

And that occurs at the moment of faith.

Saying that baptism is required for salvation turns it into a work. Paul would say something like if you allow yourself to be baptized you are required to keep the whole law.

You have to choose. Is salvation by grace through faith or is it by works. It is impossible for it to be both.

 

[JLB]

And that occurs at the moment of faith.

Saying that baptism is required for salvation turns it into a work. Paul would say something like if you allow yourself to be baptized you are required to keep the whole law.

You have to choose. Is salvation by grace through faith or is it by works. It is impossible for it to be both.

I quoted the words of Paul -

I hope you understand that I stated what the scripture said, which is the Spirit baptizes us into Christ, whereby we are made to drink of the same Spirit...

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

When we are born again, it is the work of the Spirit; we are born of the Spirit when we believe.

Water baptism and the baptism with the Holy Spirit comes afterward.

 

[Hopeful 2]

This is a gross misunderstanding of Scripture.

That there are at least two here who don't understand the nature of salvation, which is such a basic foundation to Scripture, and unfortunately seem content to not do proper study on justification, sanctification, and glorification. So, I will try and help.

Joh 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Joh 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
Joh 3:15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Joh 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Joh 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Joh 6:40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Joh 20:31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Act 13:38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
Act 13:39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Act 15:8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us,
Act 15:9 and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.

So, throughout the gospels and in Acts, we see that faith in who Jesus is and his atoning work is what cleanses and brings eternal life. This is why we see what we do throughout the epistles.

Rom 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
Rom 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Rom 3:25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Rom 3:26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Rom 3:27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.
Rom 3:28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Rom 3:29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Rom 3:30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

The point here is that clearly we are justified by God's grace as a gift, nothing else. Yes, Paul mentions works of the law, but by extension, because justification is a gift, that means any and all works, otherwise it ceases to be a gift.


Rom 4:1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?
Rom 4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
Rom 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Rom 4:4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due.
Rom 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Rom 4:6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
Rom 4:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
Rom 4:8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
Rom 4:9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
Rom 4:10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.
Rom 4:11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,
Rom 4:12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Rom 4:13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
Rom 4:15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
Rom 4:16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
...
Rom 4:22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

Again, we see that justification is a gift from God which comes through faith.


Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
…
Rom 5:15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.
Rom 5:16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.
Rom 5:17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Rom 5:18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. (ESV)

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (ESV)

Two more times Paul mentions that justification (and eternal life) are a "free gift of God" by his grace. Again, if there are any works at all to be done by us, then it ceases to be a gift and becomes what is owed us.


Rom 9:16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

Rom 10:3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Rom 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.
Rom 10:6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down)
Rom 10:7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
Rom 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Clearly Paul is once again saying that justification comes by faith. Throughout Romans alone, Paul unequivocally states that justification (being declared righteous) is a free gift of God's grace that is given by faith and completely apart from works. There is simply no other way to understand what he says here.

(All ESV.)

You are looking past the "in Him" portion of the scrips' you so kindly provided.
What does scripture say about being placed into Him ?
Romans 6:3..."Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?"
But you don't think water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins is necessary for salvation, do you ?
Until you come to that belief, we will never see eye to eye.

BTW, the only works Paul wrote against were the works of the Law...circumcision, dietary rules, feast keeping, etc.
Those are the things that won't save us.

 

[Hopeful 2]

I'm sorry.
It's not an accommodation for sin it's just an acknowledgment that sin happens even among the most devout believers.. EVERYONE including you.
If sinning after coming to faith in Christ disqualifies you from heaven then there will be literally zero human being there. Everyone is a sinner, even those who walk in the light.

It is an accommodation for sin.
The church by Christ Jesus (Eph 3:21)does not commit sin.
How can you have faith in Christ, who had 1 Cor 10:12 written to us..."There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."...but still commit sin ?

"I write you this that you will not sin, but if anyone does sin we have an advocate before the Father"
Sin is completely dealt with. Everyone still does it.. even you.

Why didn't you write the next few of the verse on 1 John 2 ?
1 John 2:3-6..."And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."
You seem to be positing that we can walk in sin, and without knowing God, and be saved !
Don't you see how incongruous that is ?

 

[Hopeful 2]

Hopeful---- you are wrong about the Corinthian who Paul rebuked for incest. Listen to what Paul says about the man in 1 Corinthians 5: "So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord". (verse 4)

That man IS the flesh, and his destruction will save the rest of the church (spirit).

This man is a born-again believer or Paul would not say this.

How can God's seed bring forth adulterous fruit ?
It can't ! (1 John 3:9)

He had strayed SO BADLY that Paul threatens the man with "destruction of the flesh" (death) if he doesn't repent.

You are misreading it.

This is Paul asking for God's CHASTENING. God "chastens those whom he loves". Paul never makes this kind of statement about an unbeliever. He is directing towards this severe chastening out of love for the man, because he knows he is one of God's children. 1 Cor.11 also speaks of Christians "sleeping" for having taken the Lord's supper lightly or without any respect. God "took them home" so they did not continue as a bad testimony to Him before others.

When we read 2 Corinthians we see that this threat of chastening WORKED. The man repented

Verse, please.
But don't waste your time, as it says nothing about what the man did; only that the church should forgive him.
But nothing is written about him even wanting to come back.

and Paul was filled with joy that he had turned, and also at the Corinthians fervent desire and putting Paul's commands into action. This man was not an unconverted person as you state. He was a believer----a carnal believer---but a believer.

You have no evidence of that.
All we know for sure, is that his repentance from sin was a lie to God, and that he had never been reborn of God's seed.

 

[JLB]

How can God's seed bring forth adulterous fruit ?
It can't ! (1 John 3:9)

Our flesh, our mortal body still contains sin.

Those who are born again, are required to learn to walk according to the Spirit, rather than the flesh.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

 

[onlysaved]

It is an accommodation for sin.
The church by Christ Jesus (Eph 3:21)does not commit sin.
How can you have faith in Christ, who had 1 Cor 10:12 written to us..."There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."...but still commit sin ?

Why didn't you write the next few of the verse on 1 John 2 ?
1 John 2:3-6..."And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."
You seem to be positing that we can walk in sin, and without knowing God, and be saved !
Don't you see how incongruous that is ?

Have a good night... and goodbye

 

[Hopeful 2]

You are talking about repeating Matthew 28:19, no one in the Church was baptized that way. They were all Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Isn't the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Jesus ?
They are all ONE, so the name we call at water baptism is immaterial.

Have a good night... and goodbye

1 John 2:6 "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

 

[JLB]

Isn't the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Jesus ?
They are all ONE, so the name we call at water baptism is immaterial.

The name who you are baptized in is immaterial?

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17


There is only one name by which men are saved. Jesus.

 

[Hopeful 2]

The name who you are baptized in is immaterial?

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17


There is only one name by which men are saved. Jesus.

Are not the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, one ?

 

[Anchor Of Hope]

Isn't the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Jesus ?
They are all ONE, so the name we call at water baptism is immaterial.

1 John 2:6 "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

What a thing for a person who claims to be a Christian to say, the Name of Jesus Christ is immaterial. The Name of Jesus Christ is the Name Above all names. The Lord told His Disciples you shall be hated of all men because you are called by my name. We take the Name of Jesus Christ in Baptism, because here is where we are buried with Him. Acts 4:12 (KJV) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

[Anchor Of Hope]

I've heard worse.

We do need to be baptized in Christ by the Spirit when we are born again.

I know he is referring to water baptism, and I agree water baptism is not where we are saved... but there are three distinct baptism's called out in scripture, and one is required for us to be saved.

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

Notice here it is the Spirit that is the Baptizer; the One doing the baptizing.

This is when we are born of the Spirit; born again.

This is where we become one spirit with Christ.

But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17



JLB

I can’t believe you keep dismissing Water Baptism, especially in the Name of Jesus Christ and its importance, when the Holy Bible is very clear on the subject. What part of Mark 16:16 don’t you understand? Mark 16, is just one Scripture, there are many others that are just as adamant.

When Peter preached to the people in Jerusalem in Acts 2:38, he wasn’t suggesting that could do it or not, what Peter told them was not an option. When Peter preached to Cornelius and his household in Acts 10, after they had received the Holy Ghost, he didn’t tell them ok now, you received the Holy Ghost just like we did, now you can be baptized if you want to.

NONSENSE, Peter commanded them to be Baptized in the Name of the Lord. Why do you keep spewing false doctrine when almost everything you say is contrary to sound Doctrine. If I were you, I would ask the Lord, open my understanding that I might understand the Scriptures because it is evident you are speaking half-truth in almost everything you say. I’m really sorry for being so blunt, but you are so far from Sound Doctrine it really surprises me.

 

[Whatever]

This man is a born-again believer or Paul would not say this. He had strayed SO BADLY that Paul threatens the man with "destruction of the flesh" (death) if he doesn't repent. This is Paul asking for God's CHASTENING. God "chastens those whom he loves". Paul never makes this kind of statement about an unbeliever. He is directing towards this severe chastening out of love for the man, because he knows he is one of God's children. 1 Cor.11 also speaks of Christians "sleeping" for having taken the Lord's supper lightly or without any respect. God "took them home" so they did not continue as a bad testimony to Him before others.

This sounds good and might be true, but I have a problem with other passages that things like this.

Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
Jud 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

Then of course there are these verses from John.
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The word overcome means: to subdue (literally or figuratively): - conquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory.

Those who keep sinning to where God has to take them out, are not overcoming the world.

 

[JLB]

I can’t believe you keep dismissing Water Baptism, especially in the Name of Jesus Christ and its importance, when the Holy Bible is very clear on the subject.

I believe water baptism is indeed important. I encourage people to be water baptized.

However, water baptism does not save.

We are saved by grace through faith... when we believe.

 

[Free]

You are looking past the "in Him" portion of the scrips' you so kindly provided.

Not at all. See Eph. 2:6 below.

What does scripture say about being placed into Him ?
Romans 6:3..."Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?"

You're dodging all those verses I provided. Baptism is a separate

But you don't think water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins is necessary for salvation, do you ?
Until you come to that belief, we will never see eye to eye.

No, it isn't necessary for salvation, but it is disobedient to not be baptized. All those verses that you're ignoring support my position, not yours.

BTW, the only works Paul wrote against were the works of the Law...circumcision, dietary rules, feast keeping, etc.
Those are the things that won't save us.

No, he wrote against all works, but coming to the conclusion you have is what happens when you ignore large portions of what Paul wrote.

Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)

2Ti 1:9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, (ESV)

Tit 3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
Tit 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Tit 3:6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Tit 3:7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Tit 3:8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. (ESV)

No works of any sort play a part in our justification. You don't seem to understand the nature of a gift. I feel sorry for all your loved ones who must earn their gifts from you, who must jump through hoops and hope that they are good enough.

 

[Fish153]

My friend, once we repent of our sins, are baptized in Jesus name, and are filled with the Spirit of the Lord, what we have done is laid the foundation for our spiritual house to be built upon.

1 Peter 2:5 (KJV): Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. There are three places in Scripture that define us as a spiritual house.

After we lay the foundation, we begin to build our spiritual house. Rooms of holiness, righteousness, and godliness are rooms approved by the Lord.

The natural home you live in now was not built without a foundation. The foundation of your natural house is made of cement powder, rocks, sand, water, and steel rebar. If any of these ingredients are left out, then your home foundation is incomplete, and the inspector will not approve it.

So it is with our spiritual house foundation. Peter laid the foundation that the church would be built on. (Who is the church? We are.) It begins with faith, then we repent, are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and the Lord will fill us with His Spirit.

Any one of these works left out will result in an incomplete Spiritual foundation.

Those who say, All you have to do is say I believe, and now I’m saved, will find out that their foundation is incomplete.
The Lord speaking in John 16:13, says, when the Spirit of truth has come He will lead and guide us into all truth.
Take care my dear friend, I hope you will be well.

Anchor--- I'm sorry, but you have it backwards as I said. Things in the Spirit are opposite of the flesh. The flesh thinks "work and strive for it, DO SOMETHING and you'll be saved". But the Spirit teaches "receive Christ, and then the Holy Spirit will make you a NEW CREATION". Once you are new your desires will change. You will seek to repent because you no longer want to do what you used to do. Please see this verse from 1 Peter:

"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, UNTO OBEDIENCE and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:2)

Please note that "sanctification" comes BEFORE "obedience" in the verse above. You are "sanctified" UNTO "obedience". This is backwards thinking to a natural man. You BELIEVE and are SAVED. This LEADS to repentance, and then to obedience. You don't do works to be saved. You are saved to do good works.