The Truth About Salvation

[RJ]

Jesus said, " I am the way, truth and the life"!

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are we saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9] not of works, lest any man should boast.
John 3:16-18: 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. 17] For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18] He who believeth is not condemned, but he who believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me; 28] And I give eternal life to them and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them from My hand. My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them from my Father's hand. (NASB)
Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11] This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. 12] Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.(Emphasis added.)
Romans 10:9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed. 12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. 13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So we see from all this that salvation is only through Jesus Christ. Not by works, not by keeping the law, not by belonging to some church, religion or organization, nor any other way man devises. Only through and by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us can you be saved. There is only one road, only one way that leads to God, and that is Jesus Christ. All other roads lead to the total absence of God.

Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait [constricted] gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in there at. 14] For strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be who find it." (Matthew 7:13-14).

"Behold, now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." (2 Corinthians 6:2b).
Have you been saved?

 

[DHC]

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.

 

[RJ]

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.

• Nice supporting verse to include in the discussion!

 

[james1523]

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that every one who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.

To believe into Christ is to receive Him into our hearts and be joined to Him as one spirit.

1 Cor 6:17 "But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him."

We may say that Salvation is to be one spirit with the Lord.

When we are joined to the Lord as one spirit, we receive His life, because He is the eternal life (John 14:6, John 17:3).

Our spirit is saved by Christ as our life entering our being and joining to our human spirit.

This is how we have eternal life.

Eternal life is not something we get when we die, but something that is dwelling in us now.

 

[RJ]

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that every one who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.

To believe into Christ is to receive Him into our hearts and be joined to Him as one spirit.

1 Cor 6:17 "But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him."

We may say that Salvation is to be one spirit with the Lord.

When we are joined to the Lord as one spirit, we receive His life, because He is the eternal life (John 14:6, John 17:3).

Our spirit is saved by Christ as our life entering our being and joining to our human spirit.

This is how we have eternal life.

Eternal life is not something we get when we die, but something that is dwelling in us now.

• Yes, with him in us is what separates us from others and sanctifies us.
• Who ever believes in him will not perish....Amazing Grace and nothing else!

 

[judge not]

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that every one who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.

To believe into Christ is to receive Him into our hearts and be joined to Him as one spirit.

1 Cor 6:17 "But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him."

We may say that Salvation is to be one spirit with the Lord.

When we are joined to the Lord as one spirit, we receive His life, because He is the eternal life (John 14:6, John 17:3).

Our spirit is saved by Christ as our life entering our being and joining to our human spirit.

This is how we have eternal life.

Eternal life is not something we get when we die, but something that is dwelling in us now.

If we have inherent eternal life now why does Jesus warn us in Matt 10:28 that we should fear him who can destroy both body and soul.

The soul can be destroyed then? How is that possible if eternal life is dwelling in us now?

Matt 10:28 says we should fear him who can destroy both body and soul-how is this possible if we already have eternal life dwelling in us?

 

[Strypes]

Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait [constricted] gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in there at. 14] For strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be who find it." (Matthew 7:13-14).

I think there are many people that use that verse to support the doctrine that you have to walk the "straight and narrow" for salvation.. The "Jesus plus" works etc mindset.

Well I think Jesus made it crystal clear in John chapter ten that the narrow gate/way/door is Him...

John 10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."

 

[james1523]

Believing in Christ is easy and costs us nothing. But to live for Christ costs everything because to be a sheep is to follow the Shepherd. This is what is meant by the narrow way.
The narrow gate is Christ and the narrow way is the higher demand of righteousness that deals with our inward motive as well as outward conduct. An example of this is Matt 19:23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven

 

[Barny]

Believing in Christ is easy and costs us nothing. But to live for Christ costs everything because to be a sheep is to follow the Shepherd. This is what is meant by the narrow way.
The narrow gate is Christ and the narrow way is the higher demand of righteousness that deals with our inward motive as well as outward conduct. An example of this is Matt 19:23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven

I was wondering when you were going to bring in works of the law for righteousness.

1 Cor 6:17 "But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him."

A good and relevant scripture you quoted here James.
Lets look at it's context.
1Cor 6:15-19
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

How is this relevant to salvation?
Note God's will to see.
1Thess 4:3
For this is the will of God, your sanctification (which we have when we believe on Jesus, Heb 10:10.): that you should abstain from sexual immorality

What is this sexual immorality that God warns against so much?

Firstly, remember that Christians are one spirit with Christ/married to Christ. This position we have through the gospel of grace.

And who/what is the alternative to grace that we should avoid sexual immorality with?
It's Hagar, who is symbolic for righteousness by works of the law.
Gal 4:21-24
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

We see many warnings in scripture describing in different ways that we should not mix works of the law with grace.

Spiritual sexual immorality is one description. Hagar/the harlot is symbolic for righteousness by works of the law. Sadly we see some preaching this sexual immorality to try to entice others to join in and get spiritually drunk with the spiritual wine of fornication,
Rev 17:1.
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

There have been many good scriptures posted by many here, on the gospel of grace.
Let's not bring in confusion by introducing a lukewarm mix of works of the law with grace. Such lukewarm doctrines are the sexual immorality that God so often warns against.

 

[clark thompson]

There are many faiths that lead to the road of hell but only Christ leads us to heaven.

 

[RJ]

I think there are many people that use that verse to support the doctrine that you have to walk the "straight and narrow" for salvation.. The "Jesus plus" works etc mindset.

Well I think Jesus made it crystal clear in John chapter ten that the narrow gate/way/door is Him...

John 10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."

No doubt.
Whether hard or easy for some and not others, whether rich or poor, I think the defining aspect of those who make it by way of the narrow gate are those who have Christ in them.

 

[RJ]

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that every one who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.

To believe into Christ is to receive Him into our hearts and be joined to Him as one spirit.

1 Cor 6:17 "But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him."

We may say that Salvation is to be one spirit with the Lord.

When we are joined to the Lord as one spirit, we receive His life, because He is the eternal life (John 14:6, John 17:3).

Our spirit is saved by Christ as our life entering our being and joining to our human spirit.

This is how we have eternal life.

Eternal life is not something we get when we die, but something that is dwelling in us now.

Eternal life is not something we get when we die, but something that is dwelling in us now.

• Eternal life in us, yes!
• Glorified and made perfect not yet, not until we die.

 

[RJ]

Matt 10:28 says we should fear him who can destroy both body and soul-how is this possible if we already have eternal life dwelling in us?

Its not. With him in us now and because he said he would never leave or forsake us, the Bible says we are sealed for all eternity: Ephesians 4:30

 

[DHC]

Believing in Christ is easy and costs us nothing. But to live for Christ costs everything because to be a sheep is to follow the Shepherd. This is what is meant by the narrow way.
The narrow gate is Christ and the narrow way is the higher demand of righteousness that deals with our inward motive as well as outward conduct. An example of this is Matt 19:23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven

Believing in Christ is easy and costs us nothing.

I must disagree with this statement, James. If a person believes in Jesus then the testimony
of Jesus will be verbalized. It is this testimony itself that seems to create the vigorous opposition
that believers receive. Just giving the testimony of the belief in the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ can get you killed in some Muslim countries.

If a person is well behaved but the people that surround the Christian are unaware that the
person is a Christian, then the persecution will not eventuate. Only the verbal testimony will
encourage the persecution, no works are required at all. Just say that you believe in Jesus
Christ and you will receive the persecution as surely as day follows night.

If you simply feed the hungry, forgive, and smile, they will like you and you will have friends
for life. Mention the name of Jesus and all hell breaks lose in time.

 

[judge not]

Its not. With him in us now and because he said he would never leave or forsake us, the Bible says we are sealed for all eternity: Ephesians 4:30

iN Ephesians 4:30 -Paul was writing about the future events when he said do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
This occurs at the second coming of Christ when the first fruits, those faithful to God will be resurrected to eternal life then -1Cor 15:22-23
We are instilled with the Spirit of God now after conversion to help us achieve the promise of eternal life God has waiting for us at the time of His return.
but there is no guarantee you will stay on the path to redemption even with the Holy Spirit guiding you-there are many warnings in the New Testament about that risk.
Eternal life is our reward, we do not inherently possess it now otherwise why would Paul have to warn us to fight the good fight to safeguard that destiny.

 

[RJ]

iN Ephesians 4:30 -Paul was writing about the future events when he said do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
This occurs at the second coming of Christ when the first fruits, those faithful to God will be resurrected to eternal life then -1Cor 15:22-23
We are instilled with the Spirit of God now after conversion to help us achieve the promise of eternal life God has waiting for us at the time of His return.
but there is no guarantee you will stay on the path to redemption even with the Holy Spirit guiding you-there are many warnings in the New Testament about that risk.
Eternal life is our reward, we do not inherently possess it now otherwise why would Paul have to warn us to fight the good fight to safeguard that destiny.

Ephesians 1:3
Ephesians 2:6-7
Romans 6:5

• With Christ in us, we are already seated in heaven with him. Not only that, we are seated with him on the right hand of God, a place of highest honor.

• Out of the body is to be in the spirit with Jesus: Romans 8:11
• Your complete redemption will occur in this life upoun his return or the moment you die!

 

[judge not]

Ephesians 1:3
Ephesians 2:6-7
Romans 6:5

• With Christ in us, we are already seated in heaven with him. Not only that, we are seated with him on the right hand of God, a place of highest honor.

• Out of the body is to be in the spirit with Jesus: Romans 8:11
• Your complete redemption will occur in this life upoun his return or the moment you die!

Look at Luke 21:27-28 - Jesus says our redemption draws near at His return-this coincides with Eph 4:30-our possible redemption happens at the second coming of Christ if we qualify.=it's a future event.
Jesus tells us no one has gone to heaven -John 3:13, Rev 5:9-10 shows us reigning with Christ on earth after the second coming
Romans 8:11 -the Holy Spirit makes immortality possible to human mortal beings
Romans 6:5 -shows through the baptism ceremony we become symbolically united with Christ in death
Where in scripture does it say complete redemption happens when you die?
Ephesians 1 shows us that God is the source of every blessing.

 

[RJ]

Look at Luke 21:27-28 - Jesus says our redemption draws near at His return-this coincides with Eph 4:30-our possible redemption happens at the second coming of Christ if we qualify.=it's a future event.
Jesus tells us no one has gone to heaven -John 3:13; Rev 5:9-10 shows us reigning with Christ on earth after the second coming
Romans 8:11 -the Holy Spirit makes immortality possible to human mortal beings
Romans 6:5 -shows through the baptism ceremony we become symbolically united with Christ in death
Where in scripture does it say complete redemption happens when you die?
Ephesians 1 shows us that God is the source of every blessing.

• Look, I just previously gave you scripture about how we are already seated in heaven with Christ. 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 talks of the time when we die, when our imperfection is replaced with perfection, God glorifies us and we see him face to face. For the Jews, from the time of Moses encounter with God, face to face with God was unthinkable, "For no man can see my face and live" Exodus 33:20. No "physical" man but in the spirit is to return to God, made perfect and then see "face to face" and know him as well as he knows us.
• You are a Christian; you have Christ in you, right? If you die before Christ's second comming here on earth, where exactly do you think you go?
• You have your theology and belief, I have mine. For me, the milisecond that I am out of this mortal, physically bounded body of mine, I am fully in the spirit with Jesus Christ.

 

[judge not]

• Look, I just previously gave you scripture about how we are already seated in heaven with Christ. 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 talks of the time when we die, when our imperfection is replaced with perfection, God glorifies us and we see him face to face. For the Jews, from the time of Moses encounter with God, face to face with God was unthinkable, "For no man can see my face and live" Exodus 33:20. No "physical" man but in the spirit is to return to God, made perfect and then see "face to face" and know him as well as he knows us.
• You are a Christian; you have Christ in you, right? If you die before Christ's second comming here on earth, where exactly do you think you go?
• You have your theology and belief, I have mine. For me, the milisecond that I am out of this mortal, physically bounded body of mine, I am fully in the spirit with Jesus Christ.

Belief should not just be in the mind of the beholder-it should be based on God's word in scripture.
If we look at 1Cor 15, the resurrection chapter we see the saints, past and current, being resurrected to eternal life as spirits and meeting Christ at the time of His second coming. The dead will rise from their graves and the living saints at the time will transform into spirits.
What is the purpose of the resurrection if the saints are already in heaven with Christ?
The testimony of scripture is that the dead remain in their graves until the time of the resurrection. John 5:28,29
Daniel 12:2 tells us through god's prophecies also.
Thess 4:15 refers to the dead as being " asleep" it continues with the text that says the dead in Christ will rise first-now if the dead go immediately to be with the Lord
at their death, how can they only rise at the last trump?
Psalm 115:17 says the dead do not praise the Lord.
Immortality is described in scripture as something to be sought and attained in the future, not at the time of your death- Romans 2:6,7
At the resurrection -not at death-what is now a physical body will be raised as a spiritual body -1Cor 15:44
We are only absent from this body at the resurrection.

Scripture interprets itself if you look at the big picture.
There can only be one belief, not hundreds of varying understandings that conflict with God's word in our Bible.
We have a duty to prove our belief is true and it took me years to find the right way.
the deeper you look the clearer it gets.

 

[RJ]

Belief should not just be in the mind of the beholder-it should be based on God's word in scripture.
If we look at 1Cor 15, the resurrection chapter we see the saints, past and current, being resurrected to eternal life as spirits and meeting Christ at the time of His second coming. The dead will rise from their graves and the living saints at the time will transform into spirits.
What is the purpose of the resurrection if the saints are already in heaven with Christ?
The testimony of scripture is that the dead remain in their graves until the time of the resurrection. John 5:28,29
Daniel 12:2 tells us through god's prophecies also.
Thess 4:15 refers to the dead as being " asleep" it continues with the text that says the dead in Christ will rise first-now if the dead go immediately to be with the Lord
at their death, how can they only rise at the last trump?
Psalm 115:17 says the dead do not praise the Lord.
Immortality is described in scripture as something to be sought and attained in the future, not at the time of your death- Romans 2:6,7
At the resurrection -not at death-what is now a physical body will be raised as a spiritual body -1Cor 15:44
We are only absent from this body at the resurrection.

Scripture interprets itself if you look at the big picture.
There can only be one belief, not hundreds of varying understandings that conflict with God's word in our Bible.
We have a duty to prove our belief is true and it took me years to find the right way.
the deeper you look the clearer it gets.

Fine!

There are many varying interpretations all from the same word, salvation, regeneration, sanctification, justification, tongues ,baptism, works, law, grace, just to mention a few. Many have their beliefs about these and many are not the same but all from the same scriptures.

Like I have been saying: you have your scriptures and I have mine, let's just leave it at that!
Here is one thing that I think we can agree on:....Jesus Christ is Lord and Saviour!