Salvation by Faith Alone?

[chestertonrules]

[
Lets try and seperate salvation from eternal life shall we ?

.

Why?

 

[chestertonrules]

[

We are to work out our own salvation...but before we work it out, don't we first have to have it? How do we work out something we do not already have?

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Have you ever worked out a math problem that is already completed?

Paul understood that we must coopererate with God's free gift of grace if we want to be saved:

Gal 6
7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Eph 5:5
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Phil 3
10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I pr

 

[glorydaz]

You presume to count yourself among God's elect prematurely.

1 Cor 10:12
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.



What point was Paul making when he wrote this?

Not the point you're think, obviously. :biglaugh

You seem to be consistent about ignoring all scripture that contradicts your doctrine.

The high number of passages that conflict with your dogma should be a warning sign to you.

The, thankfully, low number of believers who deny the promises in favor of the few verses that they take to mean one can lose his salvation is more of a concern to me than anything else. The last days are upon us, and it's discouraging to see professing Christians denying the work of the cross. It isn't God who has given you a spirit of fear and doubt concerning His ability to save and keep us. Satan needs do nothing when the saints tremble and doubt Christ's work on the cross. Will Jesus find faith when he comes, or will he find fear? From what I'm seeing, He may find too many who do not believe or trust in Him, but in their own ability to save and keep themselves.

To all those who claim God is not able to keep us...I know you will skim all these verses in favor of those in which you might find some little shred of hope that believers will fall. You won't claim the promises of God and you don't like it when others do. I'm happy to report that most believers have more faith in the Lord than what I'm seeing here from some on this board. If more effort were put into building up instead of tearing down, we might see victory instead of defeat.

Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour:

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.....For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

 

[awaken]

Paid the price for whom? The World? Does this mean that you believe in universal salvation?

No, I do not believe in universal salvation. He paid the price on the cross, yes..for the whole world..but the whole world will not recieve that, they want to add to it! I do believe it was Gods plan before the foundation of the earth that we were all to be saved..but when we reject His son..we are taken out of the book!

Luke 10
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Matthew 18
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.


John 20
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

1 Timothy 3
15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

2 Thes 2
15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Matthew 16

17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

your point DId you put these on here to prove my point? Rejection of the son of God..

 

[chestertonrules]

[

Luke 10
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Matthew 18
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.


John 20
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

1 Timothy 3
15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

2 Thes 2
15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Matthew 16

17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."[/quote]

your point DId you put these on here to prove my point? Rejection of the son of God..[/quote]


My point is that if you reject the Church you are rejecting Jesus.

You follow your own authority and claim that salvation is by faith alone. This is not traditional Christian teaching and never has been taught by the Church.

 

[glorydaz]

here, what we first must have is salvation = forgiveness of sins.
To attain salvation = heaven, that takes something more. Yes, we must have the first salvation BEFORE we attain the second. But the first does not always lead to the second salvation.

Here is the source of much confusion - salvation's various definitions.

Regards

That "something more" you mention is to partake in Christ's resurrection life. We obtain that when we're born of the Spirit...when we're quickened, and enter into eternal life as sons of God.

You're making two salvations when there is only one. Salvation is quite simple, actually. Let's spell it out, shall we? It starts with God's grace. We hear the gospel which has the power to convict our heart of sin....it's the light that shines into our dark heart. We look unto Jesus who imparts us with His faith and we believe unto repentance. (We merely touch the rock from which flows living water). God circumcises our heart at that point...giving us a new heart of flesh and quickens our spirit. We are now sons of God and filled with His spirit...raised with Christ into newness of life. From that point forward, we are His. We have been bought with a price and filled with His love...ordained unto good deeds which are the fruit of the Spirit. Being born as new creatures, we have passed from death unto life. It's just that simple. There are no two salvations, and the only baptism that's necessary is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which happens when we're "quickened".

 

[Mysteryman]

[

Luke 10
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Matthew 18
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.


John 20
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

1 Timothy 3
15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

2 Thes 2
15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Matthew 16

17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

your point DId you put these on here to prove my point? Rejection of the son of God..[/quote]


My point is that if you reject the Church you are rejecting Jesus.

You follow your own authority and claim that salvation is by faith alone. This is not traditional Christian teaching and never has been taught by the Church.[/quote]


Hi C.

Now I know that you mean -"reject the RCC church", correct ? Only problem here, is that Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone and head of the body, and no one else ! And no group claiming to be the church either , I might add !

 

[glorydaz]

You are evading again.

You claim that salvation is entirely achieved at the point of belief. Paul clearly speaks of salvation as having a future aspect to it.

Please stop avoiding my question: Do you stand by your claim that salvation is entirely accomplished at the point of belief, that there is no sense in which salvation is also a future event.

Remember - Paul is saying "he himself will be saved,"

Please try to understand this: It is entirely coherent to claim that our salvation is assured at the point of belief (barring a total walking away from God) in virtue of our faith, and yet that God "looks at our works" at the end to award salvation. This is rather clearly Paul's argument.

I frankly tire of the shameless evasion we see in this and other threads. I have asked you some questions that you have simply ignored. Here is one - please answer it, and do not continue to run away from the difficult questions:

Do you believe in the inspored authority of the Old and New Testaments? It appears that you do not, since you do not agree with Paul at this point:

6God "will give to each person according to what he has done." 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

Can you explain to us why you reject the truthfulness of this statement?

Drew likes to bully people into agreeing with him when he utterly misrepresents what Paul says quite clearly. Salvation is most certainly fully accomplished when we're born of the Spirit. We are "quickened" and saved at that point. This is where translations are so important. All these verses where it is claimed Paul says, "will be saved", are actually "shall be saved"....an imperative, not a future event, but a for sure happening. We're not talking about pie in the sky when you die by and by...we're talking about an accomplished fact. We also have verses that speak of the flesh being saved, and cases where we are saved from error of some kind...such as is being preached by those who claim there are two salvations.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Anybody notice how some people refuse to address all the verses that say we are saved when we believe? This must be where the idea of two salvations come from. This is error in the highest degree, and must be thrown out as the false gospel it is.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

This is basic stuff folks...don't let these semantics confuse you about salvation.

Christianity 101 is under assault....these are essentials...not even difficult ones, either.

 

[awaken]

[

Luke 10
16"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Matthew 18
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.


John 20
21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

1 Timothy 3
15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

2 Thes 2
15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Matthew 16

17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

your point DId you put these on here to prove my point? Rejection of the son of God..[/quote]


My point is that if you reject the Church you are rejecting Jesus.

You follow your own authority and claim that salvation is by faith alone. This is not traditional Christian teaching and never has been taught by the Church.[/quote]

ok..I think I have had enough of this discussion! :bounceball
I have enjoyed the discussion..no hard feelings..just seem to be butting our heads..round and round we go and we..

I defended how I believe...I will continue to study to show myself approved unto God..not man!

 

[glorydaz]

My point is that if you reject the Church you are rejecting Jesus.

You follow your own authority and claim that salvation is by faith alone. This is not traditional Christian teaching and never has been taught by the Church.

The Bible is the Truth...just because some churches teach false doctrine does not mean we're to fall for it. I don't believe anyone has actually said we're saved by faith alone....grace is how we're saved, and the Lord decreed that access to that grace be by faith. All these addition of men are just that. The Gospel has never changed from what it was when it was first given. Salvation is a gift from God and is not earned by man, but freely given.

The truth is, we're saved by grace through faith. Those who teach we're saved by anything else is preaching falsehood. Those who preach we keep ourselves saved are also preaching falsehood.

It's so simple any child can understand it.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

[Drew]

Drew likes to bully people into agreeing with him when he utterly misrepresents what Paul says quite clearly.

You mean like how I have to bully people into agreeing with this statement?:

6God "will give to each person according to what he has done."[a] 7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

The "shall / will" distinction is not important - both refer to a future event.

Whether intentionally or otherwise, you misrepresent my view: I have been crystal clear about this - the person with faith is given the Spirit. So, despite what you want me to say, I am saying something entirely consistent with the "shall".

In short, if you have faith you most certainly will pass the Romans 2 "good works" judgement.

 

[chestertonrules]

My point is that if you reject the Church you are rejecting Jesus.

You follow your own authority and claim that salvation is by faith alone. This is not traditional Christian teaching and never has been taught by the Church.

The Bible is the Truth... ]

The Bible is meaningless without an infallible interpretor.

That's why protestantism is so fractured on central matters of faith even though protestants claim that the bible is the word of God.

The pillar and foundation of truth is the Church.

 

[francisdesales]

You're making two salvations when there is only one. Salvation is quite simple, actually.

GD, the Bible speaks of "salvation" in the past, present, and future tense. They CANNOT refer to the same thing. If I have already received something, I don't have to work it out more. I don't have to await for it in the future. It is already mine.

Thus, salvation, in Scripture lingo, refers to

1. forgiveness of sins. Occurs at baptism. Is undeniable and is the begin of our Christian walk. It cannot be taken away, we have received it - there is no need to prove it to naysaying OSAS people.

2. our continuing sanctification. A work of the Spirit and my cooperation with His promptings, I grow in holiness and virtue. As I grow in holiness, my righteousness in Christ increases. I become more like Christ, more fully man, here on this earth. Christ came so that we can have life to the fullest, NOW. Sanctification, being saved now, is how the Bible sometimes describes this process.

3. our future entrance into heaven. As of now, it is a promise, a conditional promise. God gives it to ONLY those who were already saved and REMAIN in Him. They have a purified heart - this obviously hasn't happened at the very moment of our baptism. All evil tendencies are removed and all that remains is love. Faith and hope passes away. The promise has been fulfilled as we cooperated with movements of grace - in other words, works of love. For without love, no one shall enter the Kingdom, since God Himself is Love. That is a salvation that no one on this earth has YET attained. It is PROMISED, conditionally upon our works inspired by the Spirit.


Unfortunately, you are convuluting #1 and #3 in Scriptures, so you think you cannot lose #3. We don't have #3 yet! Not even Paul says he had attained it yet. Something to think about...

All that you describe afterwards refers to salvation #1. Such can STILL fall away. They have not attained the promise, thus, they CONTINUE to work out their salvation.

In fear and trembling, not in cockiness and arrogance...

Regards

 

[chestertonrules]

[quote="Mysteryman
Now I know that you mean -"reject the RCC church", correct ? Only problem here, is that Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone and head of the body, and no one else ! And no group claiming to be the church either , I might add ![/quote]


Do you deny that Jesus started a Church?

 

[glorydaz]

My point is that if you reject the Church you are rejecting Jesus.

You follow your own authority and claim that salvation is by faith alone. This is not traditional Christian teaching and never has been taught by the Church.

The Bible is the Truth... ]

The Bible is meaningless without an infallible interpretor.

That's why protestantism is so fractured on central matters of faith even though protestants claim that the bible is the word of God.

The pillar and foundation of truth is the Church.

You may not know this, but the church is the body of Christ...all believers.
We have an interpreter...the only infallible One, the Holy Spirit that indwells each believer.

Indeed, we have the Spirit of Truth abiding in us, and we are instructed to test and try every spirit because many false teachers will arise. We are taught of God, and have complete access to the His Word and His Spirit.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

 

[glorydaz]

You're making two salvations when there is only one. Salvation is quite simple, actually.

GD, the Bible speaks of "salvation" in the past, present, and future tense. They CANNOT refer to the same thing. If I have already received something, I don't have to work it out more. I don't have to await for it in the future. It is already mine.

Thus, salvation, in Scripture lingo, refers to

1. forgiveness of sins. Occurs at baptism. Is undeniable and is the begin of our Christian walk. It cannot be taken away, we have received it - there is no need to prove it to naysaying OSAS people.

2. our continuing sanctification. A work of the Spirit and my cooperation with His promptings, I grow in holiness and virtue. As I grow in holiness, my righteousness in Christ increases. I become more like Christ, more fully man, here on this earth. Christ came so that we can have life to the fullest, NOW. Sanctification, being saved now, is how the Bible sometimes describes this process.

3. our future entrance into heaven. As of now, it is a promise, a conditional promise. God gives it to ONLY those who were already saved and REMAIN in Him. They have a purified heart - this obviously hasn't happened at the very moment of our baptism. All evil tendencies are removed and all that remains is love. Faith and hope passes away. The promise has been fulfilled as we cooperated with movements of grace - in other words, works of love. For without love, no one shall enter the Kingdom, since God Himself is Love. That is a salvation that no one on this earth has YET attained. It is PROMISED, conditionally upon our works inspired by the Spirit.


Unfortunately, you are convuluting #1 and #3 in Scriptures, so you think you cannot lose #3. We don't have #3 yet! Not even Paul says he had attained it yet. Something to think about...

All that you describe afterwards refers to salvation #1. Such can STILL fall away. They have not attained the promise, thus, they CONTINUE to work out their salvation.

In fear and trembling, not in cockiness and arrogance...

Regards

You're confusing salvation with sanctification.
A person isn't saved because they profess to be saved.
A person isn't saved unless they've been born of the Spirit...then they are saved for all eternity.

 

[watchman F]

Now I know that you mean -"reject the RCC church", correct ? Only problem here, is that Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone and head of the body, and no one else ! And no group claiming to be the church either , I might add !

Do you deny that Jesus started a Church?

Mm, has said a lot of off the wall thing, but He didn't deny Jesus or the fact that it was He who started the church, certainly not in the above post.

 

[poohbah]

Your question was how do we know if we have enough faith to save us..?

We all are given the same measure of faith: Romans 12:3
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."


God gave this understanding to Paul through grace; that every man should think a certain way of himself.. (not proud), so if we don't become proud through the faith given to us, we can know for certain that faith is not destroyed.

Also, John 1:9 "That was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."

God hasn't left anyone without.

 

[Mysteryman]

[quote="Mysteryman
Now I know that you mean -"reject the RCC church", correct ? Only problem here, is that Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone and head of the body, and no one else ! And no group claiming to be the church either , I might add !

Do you deny that Jesus started a Church?[/quote]


Actually, I asked you a question first. I believe your comment to awaken, was one that was inappropriate. I believe you based your comment on her rejection of the beliefs of the church called the RCC. You then threw your comments back in her face by making a comment that she was rejecting the church, thus rejecting Christ.

We know who started the church ! And we know who is the head , and the chief corner stone. But do we now know who is trying to lead the church now, in our day and time ? And where do you think all of the false doctorines come from ? Most definitely not from the church that Jesus Christ started. So it must be from a church that was started by some man or men who thought that the church of Jesus Christ was not going in the right direction, and with the right doctorine. So they decided to change the truth into a lie. Now I am not going to say which organization or group I am speaking of, because it could be more than one group that comes to my mind. However, dissention starts by the comment you made to awaken. And I would like to see such comments end, if possible.

 

[francisdesales]

GD, the Bible speaks of "salvation" in the past, present, and future tense. They CANNOT refer to the same thing. If I have already received something, I don't have to work it out more. I don't have to await for it in the future. It is already mine.

Thus, salvation, in Scripture lingo, refers to

1. forgiveness of sins. Occurs at baptism. Is undeniable and is the begin of our Christian walk. It cannot be taken away, we have received it - there is no need to prove it to naysaying OSAS people.

2. our continuing sanctification. A work of the Spirit and my cooperation with His promptings, I grow in holiness and virtue. As I grow in holiness, my righteousness in Christ increases. I become more like Christ, more fully man, here on this earth. Christ came so that we can have life to the fullest, NOW. Sanctification, being saved now, is how the Bible sometimes describes this process.

3. our future entrance into heaven. As of now, it is a promise, a conditional promise. God gives it to ONLY those who were already saved and REMAIN in Him. They have a purified heart - this obviously hasn't happened at the very moment of our baptism. All evil tendencies are removed and all that remains is love. Faith and hope passes away. The promise has been fulfilled as we cooperated with movements of grace - in other words, works of love. For without love, no one shall enter the Kingdom, since God Himself is Love. That is a salvation that no one on this earth has YET attained. It is PROMISED, conditionally upon our works inspired by the Spirit.


Unfortunately, you are convuluting #1 and #3 in Scriptures, so you think you cannot lose #3. We don't have #3 yet! Not even Paul says he had attained it yet. Something to think about...

All that you describe afterwards refers to salvation #1. Such can STILL fall away. They have not attained the promise, thus, they CONTINUE to work out their salvation.

In fear and trembling, not in cockiness and arrogance...

Regards

You're confusing salvation with sanctification.
A person isn't saved because they profess to be saved.
A person isn't saved unless they've been born of the Spirit...then they are saved for all eternity.

As I said, you are mistaken, and this is tripping you up about "not losing my salvation".

The Bible speaks about "save" (Gr. sozo) in different tenses. You ignore this.

1. There is no other salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be SAVED. Acts 4:12.

This refers to the past event of Jesus on the cross that has redeemed ALL of humanity.

2. {the experience of Noah and the flood}...prefigured bapatism, which SAVES you NOW. 1 Peter 3:21
Through {the Gospel} you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain 1 Cor 15:2

These refer to those who have been baptized, "clothed in Christ", and are able to share in the fruits of this past redemptive act that I describe in #1, the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. As Romans 6 says, BY BAPTISM, we are joined to this saving act, made available to ALL men by Christ's work.

3. Whoever endures to the end will be saved Mat 10:22
the one who perseveres to the end will be saved Mark 13:13

Being saved is also described as a future event that will be experienced ONLY by those found faithful TO Jesus Christ at the end of their lives. Scriptures definitively teach that salvation will be LOST if a Christian is not found faithful to the Way at the end of their lives - as they stand before judgment. NO ONE who has commited acts of unrepented adultery, theft, (see 1 Cor 6:9-10 for a longer list) shall ENTER the Kingdom.

Professing faith IN Jesus is the FIRST step in the adult's journey of salvation. We must cooperate with God's free gift until the day we die. Those who do not persevere in their faith will not be saved (Mark 13:13; Mat 10:22; Phil 2:12-13; Heb 3:14; 1 Cor 9:27; 10:12; 2 Tim 2:12; 1 Tim 1:18-19; Rom 11:22, etc....)

A person is born from above at Baptism. One doesn't have to constantly PROVE that they were born from above by being perfect...

Regards