Rajesh Sahu
2024 Supporter
- Nov 12, 2017
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If that's the reason why Christ did not share with the two Jewish gentlemen, I wonder why did He say to other Jews like Nicodemus a Pharisee, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. Jesus could have said the same thing He said to Nicodemus to the rich man and the teacher of the Law.For one, they were still under the OT law. There was no final sacrifice for sins as in the Cross of Christ.
John 3: 16-18
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever John believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
I strongly believe Jesus wanted/required all three --- belief, baptism, and obedience --- for a person to be saved. And he summarizes this (post-resurrection) in Matthew 28: 18-20
I also firmly believe that Jesus wanted us to be like the Good Samaritan rather than a hollow believer, who is not a doer of the Word. Hence he narrated that parable. If you're thinking I am placing obedience above faith than that's not the case. You can scan every post of mine. I am very consistent that both Faith and Obedience are needed. It's like two sides of the same coin without which( either of them) the coin becomes a FAKE currency. I have posted hundreds of posts here. In WHICH post have I ever said ONLY obedience is needed. I didn't. Because if faith alone does not save, neither does obedience alone. this is my take of the Gospel.
It made good sense what JLB and Chessman explained that in Greek language faith and belief were used interchangeably and that is why there could be misunderstanding which led easy believers to think they didn't have to do anything beyond believing to get saved. But that's not the case at all. And that is why I cited the rich man and the Good Samaritan story.