Not for saving yourself but for abiding in Him as we ought but we do so by faith in Jesus Christ to help us to abide in Him as the Good Shepherd He is.
We are to live a life of repentance by looking to Jesus Christ to help us lay aside every weight & sin daily in walking in the light in fellowship with the Father & the Son, and so if a believer sins, they are to confess their sins and not just give up and continue to live in sin, but rather ask Him for help not to do that again. That involves repentance but not by looking to yourself to do it, but looking to Him for help to do it since He is the power for living as the sons of God.
Works do not save a believer when they ae already saved, but what we build on that foundation will be judged. Those who sow the works of the flesh shall reap corruption and run the risk of being denied by the Bridegroom when He comes to judge His House first. Think not of it as a loss of salvation, but a loss of being partakers of the first fruits of the resurrection to be received by the Bridegroom as vessels unto hoor in His House to attend the Marriage Supper in Heaven.
It is very much like Esau that gave up his birth right for a meal ( something temporary ) just as the prodigal son spent his inheritance on wild living and can never get it back, even though he is still son.
This is what discipleship and running that race is all about; not for obtaining salvation, but the high prize of our calling to be received by Him as that vessel unto honor in His House to live forever like the angels and live in that City of God.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway.
Failing to do so not only risk the losing of one's crown(s) but of becoming a castaway, losing that inheritance in the City of God but to be resurrected after he great tribulation to serve the King of kings in representing Him & that City of God from all over the world in raising up the generations following in that 1000 year reign of Christ on earth.
So running that race is not of works when we are to run by faith in Jesus Christ as being our personal Good Shepherd & Friend to help us lay aside every weight & sin to walk in the light in fellowship with the Father & the Son because we cannot live this reconciled relationship with God the Father by any other way than through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ for why it is written that the just shall live by faith.
Hebrews 12:1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses
, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 6:28 Then said they unto him,
What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them,
This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure... 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
So there is a need to repent of works of iniquity by looking to Jesus Christ, trusting Him in being our Good Shepherd to help us discern lies & iniquity to repent from to help us to be found abiding in Him for when the Bridegroom comes.
Here is a warning to a church at Thyatira that had gone astray and that if they did not repent, they would be cast into the bed of the coming great tribulation.
Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
When you consider what excommunication is for and how that fellowship at the Marriage Supper in Heaven will be held, it should be no mystery why there will be excommunication of those not ready as found not abiding in Him & His words.
The purpose of excommunication is below.
1 Corinthians 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
How the Marriage Supper will be held in heaven is below.
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but
with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
@Daniel L. @Mister @Curtis @PloughBoy @God's Truth @Rhema @Chad @Christ4Ever @Mayflower @GRACE ambassador @Bob Carabbio @AndyX @complete @ladylovesJesus @Fragrant Grace @Samson2020 @Shaolin @smartammo @Slic_Shoes @Waggles @Andyindauk @Rookster @th1bill @Sue D. @Admon Mikha'el ! @AnneOminous @B-A-C @Beetow @Brad Huber @Butch5 @Christina2000 @Dave M @NetChaplain