Salvation is a common theme in the Bible. I want to be saved. It has something to do with believing in Jesus, but I don't know what that means. Others say be baptized which seems superstitious.
I appreciate your response. I guess I don't know how to do that. Maybe it comes easier to other people (clearly since there are a LOT of Christians).Quote:
It is trusting in, being loyal to, having faith and confidence in Him. It is the opposite of being in rebellion to Him, putting your trust and confidence in yourself, or in humanity, or even in other divine or spiritual beings to give your life meaning or purpose or to save you from anything else.
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I appreciate your response. I guess I don't know how to do that. Maybe it comes easier to other people (clearly since there are a LOT of Christians).
Civil04 said:
"...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (NKJV)
Create Account said:
Salvation is a common theme in the Bible. I want to be saved. It has something to do with believing in Jesus, but I don't know what that means. Others say be baptized which seems superstitious.
Trust in Jesus Christ and the work he completed on your behalf and rest in that.Create Account said:
Salvation is a common theme in the Bible. I want to be saved. It has something to do with believing in Jesus, but I don't know what that means. Others say be baptized which seems superstitious.
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Acts 2:36-39 (ESV): 6 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off
Romans 10:9-10 (ESV): because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
1 Peter 3:20-21 (ESV): when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Mark 16:16 (ESV): Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
1 John 3:4-10 (ESV): Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
1 John 5:1-5 (ESV): Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the worldour faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:13 (ESV): 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
While I agree you cannot save yourself with works, you also are not saved by faith only. - Wouldn't you say this is a contradictory statement?TxAgPreacher said:
James 2:14-26 (ESV): What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believeand shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
While I agree you cannot save yourself with works, you also are not saved by faith only.
You're over complicating it. You're not saved by faith only, or works only, but by faith, and works, only possible because of Gods grace.TXaggiesTX said:
While I agree you cannot save yourself with works, you also are not saved by faith only. - Wouldn't you say this is a contradictory statement?
James 2 is talking about being justified before other men. Faith without works is described as "dead", invoking the commonly used Biblical symbolism of the fruit-bearing tree. To bear fruit means to get other people saved. A person who is not living a very Godly life is going to have trouble getting people saved as unsaved people are not going to believe them or respect them as much. Faith without works is selfish, yes, useless to God, yes, Its a faith that does not produce fruit in the form of causing other believers to be saved, but it still gets you to Heaven. The discussion is centered around proving one's faith to other men Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Salvation is not discussed in James 2.
Verse 21: Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? - This is discussing Abraham being justified before other men. At the moment Abraham offers up Isaac on the altar, he was already saved. Abraham was saved (by faith only) in Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. The fact that he would sacrifice his son was an outward expression of his faith and evidence of his faith to other men. Other men will not respect or believe your faith without works, that is true, but to go to Heaven, all you have to do is believe and trust fully in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
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 John 3:16
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31
"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." Romans 10:9
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
Ah but the scriptures say - not that we become righteous through our own work, but that Jesus Christ became sin for us, so that in Him we become the righteousness of God. Apart from God, there is no one righteous - this is true. But we become righteous, actually righteous, in Jesus.Quote:
If living a clean life got you to Heaven, Jesus would be the only person who ever lived to go. There is none righteous, no not one.
Zobel said:
So many assumptions in this post!
"Necessary for salvation" is such a legalistic way to look at things. This implies there's some kind of score or bar or achievement level to attain salvation - over, and you're good, under and you're not. And on this list, baptism is... optional? A bonus? I'm not sure. This encourages a kind of spiritual minimalism, as we see. It's not necessary, so, you don't have to do it. It's just good, or something. But not "necessary." This kind of approach to salvation is simply not found in the scriptures.
"Went to heaven." What does this mean? Where do the scriptures ever talk about going to heaven? On the cross, the Lord tells St Dismas today you will be with Me in paradise, literally "in the garden" (paradeiso simply means a garden, or a park - a pleasure-ground). Nowhere does the Lord say - you will go to heaven, but you will be with Me. You've now introduced another assumption - "salvation" means only one thing - "going to heaven." But this again is not in the scriptures, not like this.
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Yes. But the Torah, the Law, was never intended to save. St Paul is quite clear about the purpose of the Law - to reveal sin. You're tangentially introducing another unspoken idea - that "guilt" is what keeps you "out of heaven."
"Works play no part in salvation." This is irreconcilable with the teaching of the scriptures. Only by taking your earlier assumptions which lead to a legalistic, merit-based, minimalistic approach can one arrive at this conclusion. Namely, that one offense is sufficient guilt to not go to heaven, and there is some merit-measure required to offset this guilt. What you really mean to say is "works apply no merit toward going to heaven." But, since this kind of "merit" and "going to heaven" are assumptions that are being applied to a framework over and above the scripture, this idea can not be proven by an appeal to scripture.Ah but the scriptures say - not that we become righteous through our own work, but that Jesus Christ became sin for us, so that in Him we become the righteousness of God. Apart from God, there is no one righteous - this is true. But we become righteous, actually righteous, in Jesus.Quote:
If living a clean life got you to Heaven, Jesus would be the only person who ever lived to go. There is none righteous, no not one.
1 John 3:4-10 (ESV): Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.TXaggiesTX said:
Being baptized is a great thing that I encourage everyone to do. It is not, however, necessary for salvation. What about the thief on the cross? He was not baptized, lived a sinful life, yet he went to Heaven.
James 2, the chapter you just referenced says in verse 10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
Works play no part in salvation. If living a clean life got you to Heaven, Jesus would be the only person who ever lived to go. There is none righteous, no not one.
Also, another unspoken assumption here is that if someone keeps the Law, they go to heaven - perhaps apart or without needing Christ Jesus.Quote:
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
TXaggiesTX said:
Being baptized is a great thing that I encourage everyone to do. It is not, however, necessary for salvation. What about the thief on the cross? He was not baptized, lived a sinful life, yet he went to Heaven.
James 2, the chapter you just referenced says in verse 10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
Works play no part in salvation. If living a clean life got you to Heaven, Jesus would be the only person who ever lived to go. There is none righteous, no not one.
TXaggiesTX said:While I agree you cannot save yourself with works, you also are not saved by faith only. - Wouldn't you say this is a contradictory statement?TxAgPreacher said:
James 2:14-26 (ESV): What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believeand shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
While I agree you cannot save yourself with works, you also are not saved by faith only.
James 2 is talking about being justified before other men. Faith without works is described as "dead", invoking the commonly used Biblical symbolism of the fruit-bearing tree. To bear fruit means to get other people saved. A person who is not living a very Godly life is going to have trouble getting people saved as unsaved people are not going to believe them or respect them as much. Faith without works is selfish, yes, useless to God, yes, Its a faith that does not produce fruit in the form of causing other believers to be saved, but it still gets you to Heaven. The discussion is centered around proving one's faith to other men Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Salvation is not discussed in James 2.
Verse 21: Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? - This is discussing Abraham being justified before other men. At the moment Abraham offers up Isaac on the altar, he was already saved. Abraham was saved (by faith only) in Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. The fact that he would sacrifice his son was an outward expression of his faith and evidence of his faith to other men. Other men will not respect or believe your faith without works, that is true, but to go to Heaven, all you have to do is believe and trust fully in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
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 John 3:16
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31
"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." Romans 10:9
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
Zobel said:
And what happens if you are not obedient?
anaag75 said:
In the New Testament (post cross and resurrection), baptism was the profession of faith and desire to be joined to the body of Christ. Today, it can be used as a celebration of a life that has been changed, but the original use of baptism was to declare that you have chosen Jesus/Jesus has chosen you at the expense of being on the side of the world and that you are uniting to the Body of Christ.
As to the original question, the Spirit is the one who does the heavy lifting. As has been quoted, you confess your need (because of the very thing you're struggling with, I want to be with God, but I don't know how). The good news is that very well could be proof the Spirit is already working. Repentance and trust/confession in Christ as Lord (He's in charge of your life now) and Savior (He lived a perfect life and died in your place for the penalty of sin and rose again just as you can rise) are outpourings of the Spirit in your life.
If you are still unsure, I would say spend time in prayer. God offers confidence in salvation to His children. The other step would be to connect to a good, Bible believing, Gospel preaching church where you can grow, have your faith affirmed, and move forward on your path as a disciple.
I'm sure others would offer the same help, but if you continue to struggle and would like further assistance outside the responses on this forum, feel free to send me a private message.
Zobel said:
And what happens if you are not obedient?
aggiedad20 said:TXaggiesTX said:
Being baptized is a great thing that I encourage everyone to do. It is not, however, necessary for salvation. What about the thief on the cross? He was not baptized, lived a sinful life, yet he went to Heaven.
James 2, the chapter you just referenced says in verse 10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
Works play no part in salvation. If living a clean life got you to Heaven, Jesus would be the only person who ever lived to go. There is none righteous, no not one.
Can you provide bcv where we're told the thief was never baptized bc I've never read it? I do read where all of Judea went out and were baptized by John the baptizer. I doubt the thief was a Roman citizen either so he may very well have received the baptism of John.
Also, why would the thief need NT baptism? The old dispensation was still in effect prior to Christ shedding His blood so why would the thief need it? Did Christ not have power to forgive sins while on earth?
And lastly, don't believers have to confess Christ raised from the dead? Why not make the argument the thief couldn't have know Christ raised from the dead? Have you ever heard of anyone saying "well the thief on the cross didn't confess Jesus raised from the dead so why should I! Confessing He did isn't necessary for salvation"??? Of course you haven't bc that's ridiculous. The thief on the cross is likely the worst possible argument for those who erroneously say baptism isn't necessary.