Jesus alone saves?

[thessalonian]

Do you not know that Christ died on the cross since then? Do you not know that we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit of Christ who manifests himself through us?

Since when? Eph 3?

Matt 7 is no longer valid?

 

[Merry Menagerie]

OH Dear! You are in a lot of trouble aren't you!

wow!

 

[thessalonian]

OH Dear! You are in a lot of trouble aren't you!

wow!

Yes wow. I read the bible and that's getting me in alot of trouble I guess. :-?

 

[Orthodox Christian]

Do you not know that Christ died on the cross since then? Do you not know that we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit of Christ who manifests himself through us?

I've heard this nonsense used to explain away the interchange between Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler. Being as Jesus died on the Cross, the thinking goes, His instructions to the Rich kid to follow the commandments of Moses, and to sell all and follow Him in order to be saved are no longer applicable.

This is how far the Sola fide crowd will go, to dismiss Christ's own words in favor of their peculiar twist of Pauline doctrine. They dismiss James' admonition that faith without works is dead. They dismiss the hard sayings of the Gospel, and explain away Matthew 25.

What they fail to realize is that Commandments have not passed away, nor any of Christ's words. We are now able to fulfill the Commands, observing them both outwardly and inwardly, by the grace of the Holy Spirit within us. And when we fail, we have an Advocate, thanks be to God.

Any other teaching is from the Pit.

 

[Heidi]

Merry, you are right on. There's a lot of false teaching on this forum which is why I don't post here very often any more. Many people here think we save ourselves instead of Christ alone. This is of course, the sin of pride which comes from the devil. They don't realize that when someone heals us of blindness, our ability to see comes from the healer, not from ourselves. Therefore, everything we see is a gift from God not from ourselves. But they can't see that until they themselves are healed of their blindness. So keep up the good work!

 

[thessalonian]

Merry, you are right on. There's a lot of false teaching on this forum which is why I don't post here very often any more. Many people here think we save ourselves instead of Christ alone. This is of course, the sin of pride which comes from the devil. They don't realize that when someone heals us of blindness, our ability to see comes from the healer, not from ourselves. Therefore, everything we see is a gift from God not from ourselves. But they can't see that until they themselves are healed of their blindness. So keep up the good work!

Can you name someone who thinks we save ourselves INSTEAD of Christ. You think in dichotomies. You raise straw men and distort our views. You deny the power of God's working in us through his grace to produce in some thirty, some sixty, and some 100 fold.

I think the false teaching has another source and the blindness is in the beholder.

 

[Heidi]

Merry, you are right on. There's a lot of false teaching on this forum which is why I don't post here very often any more. Many people here think we save ourselves instead of Christ alone. This is of course, the sin of pride which comes from the devil. They don't realize that when someone heals us of blindness, our ability to see comes from the healer, not from ourselves. Therefore, everything we see is a gift from God not from ourselves. But they can't see that until they themselves are healed of their blindness. So keep up the good work!

Can you name someone who thinks we save ourselves INSTEAD of Christ. You think in dichotomies. You raise straw men and distort our views. You deny the power of God's working in us through his grace to produce in some thirty, some sixty, and some 100 fold.

I think the false teaching has another source and the blindness is in the beholder.

You have just contradicted my posts. I have said repeatedly that the power of God is what gives us the ability to do anything, not ourselves. And if you have to contradict me in order to attack me, then your comments are empty and without basis. That is why I left this forum and is why I don't make many posts any more. Any one who doesn't think that Jesus alone saves believes that men save themselves. How else do they think we are saved if not through Jesus Christ? Obviously, they think they do or this thread wouldn't even have been initiated.

Jesus alone saves. But since you'll find a way to turn that into the opposite of what it says, then there's no point in discussing this futher with you.

 

[thessalonian]

Merry, you are right on. There's a lot of false teaching on this forum which is why I don't post here very often any more. Many people here think we save ourselves instead of Christ alone. This is of course, the sin of pride which comes from the devil. They don't realize that when someone heals us of blindness, our ability to see comes from the healer, not from ourselves. Therefore, everything we see is a gift from God not from ourselves. But they can't see that until they themselves are healed of their blindness. So keep up the good work!

Can you name someone who thinks we save ourselves INSTEAD of Christ. You think in dichotomies. You raise straw men and distort our views. You deny the power of God's working in us through his grace to produce in some thirty, some sixty, and some 100 fold.

I think the false teaching has another source and the blindness is in the beholder.

You have just contradicted my posts. I have said repeatedly that the power of God is what gives us the ability to do anything, not ourselves. And if you have to contradict me in order to attack me, then your comments are empty and without basis. That is why I left this forum and is why I don't make many posts any more. Any one who doesn't think that Jesus alone saves believes that men save themselves. How else do they think we are saved if not through Jesus Christ? Obviously, they think they do or this thread wouldn't even have been initiated.

Jesus alone saves. But since you'll find a way to turn that into the opposite of what it says, then there's no point in discussing this futher with you.

I did not contradict you. I affirmed what I see Orthodoxy saying and what I ahve been criticized for. You said MM was doing a good job. Well she is claiming I believe in salvation by works. I believe in salvation by grace alone through faith, just like the Bible teaches. If the grace does not produce fruit it is dead for "faith without works is DEAD". Jesus alone does save but his salvation is worked out through and in us. It is seen in the things we do.

 

[D46]

The process of salvation is so simple. Upon hearing Peter's great preaching in Acts 2:37 that cut them to the heart, they exclaimed,"....men and bretheren, what shall we do?' Peter made it all quite clear, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2:38-39.

The Book of James is one that Martin Luther so vehemently denied and said he wished it weren't in the scriptures at all. He didn't have a full understanding of it obviously, as he thought it was the doctrine of the church he so denied in their teaching about works. If you have faith then good works will follow. Consider this...we are not justified in the eyes of God for any "deed" we do to gain salvation. You can walk up staircases on your knees or on ground glass, do works in the neighborhood carrying food to the elderly, and so on, to think you are gaining merit and a better spot in heaven due to your humanitarian "good works" No one will be justified in this respect.

In Genesis 22:1 it is written, God did tempt Abraham, that is, put to the test of demonstration the reality of his faith, not for the satisfaction of God, who already knew it well, but to demonstrate it before men. The offering of Isaac at that time, quoted here, Jas 2:21, formed no part of the ground of his justification, for he was justified previously on his simply believing in the promise of spiritual heirs, that is, believers, numerous as the stars. He was then justified: that justification was showed or manifested by his offering Isaac forty years after. That work of faith demonstrated, but did not contribute to his justification. The tree shows its life by its fruits, but it was alive before either fruits or even leaves appeared.

James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

I'm sure the people of New Orleans and Gulfport no doubt thought the government felt this way. They may have wished them well but, too long was nothing being done to show their good intentions. If you love your wife or husband as you may pretend and even tell them so, what good is that when you cheat on them and deny them of daily food if you're the bread winner?

We can do nothing to gain entrance into Heaven by anything we may do here on earth other than except the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus' Apostles.

 

[Gary]

Can you get to heaven WITHOUT belonging to the RCC?

Now?

Historically?

Without baptism?

:-?

 

[von]

Merry and Heidi- Can't you see you are wasting your time on these comments. The Bible says, don't cast your pearls before the swine. People who want to come on and try to tell us that there is another way to Heaven except through Jesus don't even deserve our acknowledgment. Right ladies?

 

[D46]

Romans 10:3-4 (KJV) For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Salvation is through Christ alone...no good works nor any church....RCC or any other denomination won't get you to heaven. Don't trust in a particular church to get you to the Golden Gates or you'll be weighed in the balances and will be found wanting. Daniel 5:27

We hear a great deal about "Faith" and "Works." Some say we are saved by "Faith" alone, others make a great deal of "Works." Some say that both are necessary to salvation for the same reason that a bird cannot fly without two wings, or that you cannot make progress in a boat without two oars. One quotes Paul, who says-- "That a man is justified by FAITH, WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW" (Ro 3:28), the other quotes James, who says-- "Ye see then how that by WORKS a man is justified, and not by faith only." James 2:24. But the Apostle James is not speaking of the "Doctrine of JUSTIFICATION," but of a man justifying himself before men. The illustration he uses is that of Abraham offering up his son Isaac. Abraham was a man of faith, but the only way he could make it visible to the men of his generation was by his WORKS, so God commanded him to offer up his son Isaac. Genesis 22:1-2. Abraham's works had nothing to do with his salvation, but simply bore witness to his faith, for Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness. James 2:21-26.

So great was Abraham's faith in God's promise as to Isaac being the one through whom the promised seed was to come, that he believed that if he offered him up as commanded, that God would raise him from the dead. Hebrews 11:17-19. In like manner Rabab's faith was justified or made visible by her works when she tied the "Scarlet Cord" in her window. Joshua 2:15-21. And to show the relation of "Works" to "Faith" the Apostle ends by saying-- "For as the `body' without the `spirit' is dead, so faith without `works' is dead also," that is, is DEAD FAITH, for if a man does not make his faith visible by his works it is a question whether he has any faith at all.

Now it is noteworthy that the Apostle Paul uses this same incident of Abraham offering up his son Isaac to prove that Abraham was justified by "Faith" without "Works."

"If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; BUT NOT BEFORE GOD. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and it was COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Romans 4:2-3; Genesis 15:6. So we see that it was Abraham's "Faith" that justified him before GOD, and his "Works" that justified him before MEN.

But I think I hear some one ask-- "Does not the Bible say-- That we are to `WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION?'" Yes, the Apostle Paul in writing to the Philippians says-- "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is GOD WHO WORKETH IN YOU both to will and to do His good pleasure." Phillipians 2:12-13. But a man cannot work out what he has not got. He must first have "Salvation" before he can work it out. Paul was writing to the "Saints" at Philippi, to those who were already saved. The doctrine the Apostle desired to express was that "Salvation" included more than the mere escape from the "Penalty of Sin," it meant also escape from the "Power" and "Presence of Sin," and this meant that they must work or strive with "fear and trembling" to overcome indwelling sin, for it was God who would work in them, if they would let Him, to make the fruits of Salvation complete in their lives. So we are saved by "Faith" and not by "Works," but "Works" have their place in the believer's life.

 

[PHIL121]

Can you get to heaven WITHOUT belonging to the RCC?

Of course

Now?

What's your rush? ;-)

Historically?

At some point in "history"

Without baptism?

Without sprinkling water on some's head. True Baptism is spiritual and occurs when a person become's saved.

 

[Orthodoxy]

Luke 17:10
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.


Love in Christ,

"done all those things". What are "all those things" that Christians are commanded to "do"? What commanded "doings" are we not to take credit for as "works"? Is a "doing" "all those things" a work?

Can you give me a list of christian commands a christian should be "doing" that are not works yet are done anyway?

When was the last time you heard a protestant "saint" say he was an "unworthy servant" or chief of sinners or just a plain sinner? Are not all protestants who "believe" proudly refered to as saints? Do not the protestants proudly demand they are "saints" and not "unworthy servants"?

Unworthy servant? In 33 years of the protestant faith I never once heard a protestant christian refer to himself as an Unworthy Servant. Fact is when my spiritual father in the orthodox Church said these words to me I corrected him by telling him he was a saint not unworthy. Guess what? My spiritual father was right, I was an unworthy servant, not a saint as told for 33 years by the lying prognostications of the protestant faith.

I can only hope God has mercy on my ignoance. (and speeling)

Unworthy Servant,

Orthodoxy

 

[Orthodoxy]

Merry and Heidi- Can't you see you are wasting your time on these comments. The Bible says, don't cast your pearls before the swine. People who want to come on and try to tell us that there is another way to Heaven except through Jesus don't even deserve our acknowledgment. Right ladies?

Who ya calling swine?

Who said there was another way to heaven but through the fulness of Jesus Christ?

Orthodoxy

 

[Orthodoxy]

Romans 10:3-4 (KJV) For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Salvation is through Christ alone...no good works nor any church....RCC or any other denomination won't get you to heaven. Don't trust in a particular church to get you to the Golden Gates or you'll be weighed in the balances and will be found wanting. Daniel 5:27

We hear a great deal about "Faith" and "Works." Some say we are saved by "Faith" alone, others make a great deal of "Works." Some say that both are necessary to salvation for the same reason that a bird cannot fly without two wings, or that you cannot make progress in a boat without two oars. One quotes Paul, who says-- "That a man is justified by FAITH, WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE LAW" (Ro 3:28), the other quotes James, who says-- "Ye see then how that by WORKS a man is justified, and not by faith only." James 2:24. But the Apostle James is not speaking of the "Doctrine of JUSTIFICATION," but of a man justifying himself before men. The illustration he uses is that of Abraham offering up his son Isaac. Abraham was a man of faith, but the only way he could make it visible to the men of his generation was by his WORKS, so God commanded him to offer up his son Isaac. Genesis 22:1-2. Abraham's works had nothing to do with his salvation, but simply bore witness to his faith, for Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness. James 2:21-26.

So great was Abraham's faith in God's promise as to Isaac being the one through whom the promised seed was to come, that he believed that if he offered him up as commanded, that God would raise him from the dead. Hebrews 11:17-19. In like manner Rabab's faith was justified or made visible by her works when she tied the "Scarlet Cord" in her window. Joshua 2:15-21. And to show the relation of "Works" to "Faith" the Apostle ends by saying-- "For as the `body' without the `spirit' is dead, so faith without `works' is dead also," that is, is DEAD FAITH, for if a man does not make his faith visible by his works it is a question whether he has any faith at all.

Now it is noteworthy that the Apostle Paul uses this same incident of Abraham offering up his son Isaac to prove that Abraham was justified by "Faith" without "Works."

"If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; BUT NOT BEFORE GOD. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and it was COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Romans 4:2-3; Genesis 15:6. So we see that it was Abraham's "Faith" that justified him before GOD, and his "Works" that justified him before MEN.

But I think I hear some one ask-- "Does not the Bible say-- That we are to `WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION?'" Yes, the Apostle Paul in writing to the Philippians says-- "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is GOD WHO WORKETH IN YOU both to will and to do His good pleasure." Phillipians 2:12-13. But a man cannot work out what he has not got. He must first have "Salvation" before he can work it out. Paul was writing to the "Saints" at Philippi, to those who were already saved. The doctrine the Apostle desired to express was that "Salvation" included more than the mere escape from the "Penalty of Sin," it meant also escape from the "Power" and "Presence of Sin," and this meant that they must work or strive with "fear and trembling" to overcome indwelling sin, for it was God who would work in them, if they would let Him, to make the fruits of Salvation complete in their lives. So we are saved by "Faith" and not by "Works," but "Works" have their place in the believer's life.

Paul placed before us a race. Enterance into the race is not the finish line. Working out ones salvation is "running the race" and "fighting the good fight" as you say "overcoming the sin within" or the "passions" as the orthodox put it. Salvation is a race to gain virtue. The seed of faith needed to enter the race is that of a mustard seed. The faith needed to finish the race is a great tree. The faith required to enter is small, the faith required to finish is great. As Jesus Christ stated "those that endure to the end, the same shall be saved"

If one quits the race he loses, forfit. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

How are we told to "enter the race"? In jewish custom to become a Jew one needed to be circumsiced on the 8th day without exception, a command. If one was not circumsiced he was not a Jew. What is the symbol of the Christian "circumsicion" according to Paul? Baptism. In the Christian Church's baptism a Christian is buried with Christ and raised with Him in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is enterance into the Church, enterance into "the race". Every covenant God has ever made with men has had its visible, tangible, physical, earthy sign. In the covenant with Israel the sign was circumcision, the removal of the foreskin. In the New covenant this is baptism or “spiritual circumcisionâ€Â. According to Paul there is "one Church" thus it is only in the "one Church" that the "one baptism" is found. People like to think baptism is some "secret" "hidden" spiritual pack between God and themselves personally and "water baptism" is not even needed to enter the race. These are the people Christ talked about entering by another way or entering the race without properly signing up!

Would we tolerant this in the Olympics? No. Yet we tolerant this activity in the Christian faith? No, "we" dont. Only in the heterodox faith (Roman Catholic and protestant) do we find "many baptisms" in "many churches" and none looking the same. Sprinkle indeed! Some claim no baptism at all gets one in the race yet claim to becoming "like Jesus" yet Jesus was baptised! What would Jesus do, indeed!

Justin Martyr wrote a detail discription of the Christian Baptism in the 2nd century. Exsorcism, Confession of faith ("believe" as the protestants put it the Orthodox Christian confesses what we as "the Church" "believe" about God and His Son, Jesus Christ), triple emersion baptism in water, Chrismation (oil annointing, check yer bibles under Saul, David and Solomon). This is the one baptism found in the one Church initiated originally by John the Baptist and expounded upon by Jesus Christ during His ministry to the Apostles.

Unworthy Servant,

Orthodoxy

 

[Orthodoxy]

Salvation is through Christ alone...no good works nor any church....RCC or any other denomination won't get you to heaven. Don't trust in a particular church to get you to the Golden Gates or you'll be weighed in the balances and will be found wanting. Daniel 5:27

The fulness of Jesus Christ saves?

Unworthy Servant,

Orthodoxy

 

[Orthodoxy]

[quote="Merry Menagerie":88c02]Do you not know that Christ died on the cross since then? Do you not know that we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit of Christ who manifests himself through us?

I've heard this nonsense used to explain away the interchange between Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler. Being as Jesus died on the Cross, the thinking goes, His instructions to the Rich kid to follow the commandments of Moses, and to sell all and follow Him in order to be saved are no longer applicable.

This is how far the Sola fide crowd will go, to dismiss Christ's own words in favor of their peculiar twist of Pauline doctrine. They dismiss James' admonition that faith without works is dead. They dismiss the hard sayings of the Gospel, and explain away Matthew 25.

What they fail to realize is that Commandments have not passed away, nor any of Christ's words. We are now able to fulfill the Commands, observing them both outwardly and inwardly, by the grace of the Holy Spirit within us. And when we fail, we have an Advocate, thanks be to God.

Any other teaching is from the Pit.[/quote:88c02]

It would appear the heterodox fail because Jesus to them is a failure. The martyrs died in vain. The fathers were idiots for creating a statement of faith at the same time they were developing and finalizing the Church's the canon of Scripture. What gets me is they completely ignore the very bible they claim has full and final authority. Is it not obvious no one in the heterodox faith has any authority to interpret the scripture because of all the chaos and confusion it causes? Look at the mess. The heterodox have stooped to the level of some vague and nebulas "believe" to allow anyone into their vision of God's heaven. Can you, my dear brother, tell me what the heterodox truely believe about their "christianity"? None speak with the same voice that I can see. The name of the heterodox game is "the enemy of my enemy is my brother in Christ". Doctrine be damned! "Believe" is nebulas unknowable. "Church" is a bad word and any resemblance of "Church" is shunned. This invisible nebulas heterodox Church is glued together with "believe" and nothing more, nothing. Can you find anything behind "believe" that they all agree on and have in common? Well, except for hating Mary and the Roman Catholics.

As orthodox Christians can we even consider grouping the heterodox among the "Christian faith". I shudder to think what the fathers of the faith would say to compromise in the name of "ecumenicalism". They are heathens and pagans and should be treated as such. Love them. Forgive them. Yet be honest enough to tell them they are on a "different path" worshipping "another jesus".

Maybe I should not bring this up in the forum and it is certainly not an admonishion of you personally but I can say this on a personal level:

When I was a heterodox "christian" becoming orthodox christian I came to the conclusion that the writer of the book "Thirsting for God in a Land of Shallow Wells" came to and his conclusion was he was never a "christian" as a heterodox "believer". I agree with the writer of this book long before I read it. I was never, not one day, a christian as a protestant believer, not one day. I learned alot about the bible but nothing about "life in Christ". Life in Christ is living the life of an Orthodox Christian, anything else is a forgery of the real thing and we all know who the great forger of the Christian faith is do we not?

In Christ,

Orthodoxy

 

[Nocturnal_Principal_X]

Before one knows or accepts Jesus Christ they are dead spiritually. Once someone accepts Jesus Christ they receives salvation and their spirit is reborn. Upon accepting Jesus Christ one receives the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts and changes the person and frees them from sin and the natural desire to do it. Once this is done the individual does works showing their saved state, however; their works do not save them…only God does that.

Adam’s sin brought sin into the world and also passed on sin to his offspring. His sin corrupted the world and everything in it, including the human body. As a result humans are prone to sin. As long as one remains alive they will be affected by their imperfect and corrupt body. Thankfully, Jesus’ sacrifice freed men from sin when they accept him and the Holy Spirit works within the saved to fight the sin nature and corrupt human body. One will always sin while they remain on earth but a saved person now has the desire and conviction to not sin, provided by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The above of course is what I gather from the Bible. Take some time and read Romans and James to gain a better understanding of the nature of works.

The bottom line is simple God does the saving and nothing we do, be it work or deeds, saves. This single fact is one the biggest and greatest distinction Christianity has over other religions.

 

[D46]

As for being called a saint or referred to as a saint, I don't know about anyone else but I for sure don't consider myself a saint. However, that's what the word of God says, nevertheless. Who am I to refute His word. I don't feel worthy in the least to be called a saint. Like most, I still suffer from guilt still from things from the past and I know that's just a trick of satan to undermind God's grace and forgiveness. Still, God's word is true. According to the scriptures, anyone who believes in the testimony of Christ, is a follower of his teachings and believes he died upon the cross as penalty for our sins and has accepted the teachings of his Apostles, is a saint. That's my definition alone.

Php 1:1 (KJV) Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

1Co 1:2 (KJV) Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Eph 1:1 (KJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

If we are worthy to be called by his name, we are worthy to be called saints, whether we feel like one or not. Long ago I discovered I couldn't rely on feelings alone as to what my relationship with God was. I had to base it on His word and not how I felt day to day. I would have went under years ago if I based it on feelings.

This is the one baptism found in the one Church initiated originally by John the Baptist and expounded upon by Jesus Christ during His ministry to the Apostles.

There is but one Lord, one faith, and one baptism...Ephesians 4:5. The one Lord, Jesus Christ, the one faith and belief Christ taught the Apostles, and one baptism...submersion in water (one time not three) with the methodology used by the exclaimation of Peter in Acts 2:38. This is the simple formula and not that of Justin Martyr in the second century when this was changed to "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost".The bible has no record of anyone being sprinkled, ducked under three times, or baptised with this trinity formula. Everywhere in the oldest sources it states the baptism took place in the name of Jesus Christ.

Encyclopedia Britannica Vol 3 p.82
Encyclopedia Britannica Vol 3 11 Edition pp. 365-366
Canney Encyclopedia of Religion p. 53
Hasting's Encyclopedia of Religion Vol 2 p. 377-378

The fulness of Jesus Christ saves?

Yep.