What Does It Take To Be Saved

[Goodboy]

I am not going to bother listing all the passages in the Bible, but there are 143 times that the Bible uses the word believe. There are many other times is uses statements that mean the same thing like "by grace you are saved". So apparently God wants us to know that "belief" is what is needed for salvation. The most clear verse to what it takes to me is Romans 10:9 below.

Romans 10:9 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.

So let me break that verse down as what is required. I will however go in order of the steps that need to be taken.
1) You must know who Jesus is and that he is the Lord (God).
2) You must must believed that God raised Jesus from the dead.
3) You must confess with your mouth your belief or acceptance of Jesus.

Item 3 above I believe is somewhat misunderstood. One might think that if you can't speak, you can't be saved. Of course that is not the case. What that really means is that you have to make a decision, not just be considering it. When you confess with your mouth or some other way if you can't speak, you are acknowledging that you have made a conscious decision. You know like if you are a witness in court they don't just say "You do know that we need the truth.", but make you either repeat or acknowledge with what they ask you regarding telling the truth. This confirms that you both understand and agree. Same thing when you get married.

So what is my point? We need to stop adding to this free gift of salvation with what we think is right. Would I like to tell someone that they need to give their life to Jesus? Sure, but that's not what the Bible says. Would I like to tell someone that if they do some really bad sins (in my opinion by the way) that they either will lose their salvation or were never saved in the first place? Sure, but again that's is not what the Bible says.

If you see any passage that states or implies that just belief is not enough, you have just stated that the Bible cannot be trusted as it contradicts itself. Salvation is either a completely free gift, or it is not. If it is a completely free gift which it is, stop adding anything that even implies that it is not. Look, Satan has already convinced most people that there is no such thing as a totally free gift. One of the hardest things to do when sharing the Gospel with someone is convincing them that salvation is a totally FREE GIFT! Do we really need to help Satan?

Goodboy!

 

[mattfivefour]

There is absolutely no doubt that there is nothing more to be done than to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. But exactly what does God mean-- to believe? We know what the English verb means; in other words we understand the idea it conveys. But what did the original Greek word mean? The word is πιστεύω (pisteuo, pronounced pist-YOO-oh). Does it mean simply what the English word means? Or does it contain some other elements? This is important to understand if we are putting all our faith in "believe" (yes pun intended).

 

[Growing in Grace]

@mattfivefour would you have time to elaborate on Deut. 4:4?

"But you who clung to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you."

Specifically the Hebrew meaning for 'clung' and how it helps define what the word believe means.

 

[Goodboy]

There is absolutely no doubt that there is nothing more to be done than to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. But exactly what does God mean-- to believe? We know what the English verb means; in other words we understand the idea it conveys. But what did the original Greek word mean? The word is πιστεύω (pisteuo, pronounced pist-YOO-oh). Does it mean simply what the English word means? Or does it contain some other elements? This is important to understand if we are putting all our faith in "believe" (yes pun intended).

To me questioning what the word "believe" means just puts doubts in someone's mind of if they have believed enough? Does everyone have to understand the Hebrew and Greek to truly be saved? I think not, as I know the God I serve is just and that would not be just. We have the Bible and our understanding of the words that are used. We use the words in the Bible to communicate salvation. We do not need to expound on salvation, as those who are attracted to Jesus will get it.

It's like how so many rejected Jesus in person especially the Jews. Why, because they were not attracted to what Jesus represented which was LOVE and selflessness. The same is true with the Gospel we share today. Those who are attracted to it will truly believe without any extra Hebrew or Greek study.

I don't know why but I have never to this day heard anyone quote the verses below which makes it very clear just who will be saved and why.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Do we also need to research the Greek and redefine what the word "Call" means in the verse below?
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

 

[Growing in Grace]

extra Hebrew or Greek study

We are so blessed to deepen our understanding with both Hebrew and Greek. It isn't necessary, but it helps.

 

[Goodboy]

We are so blessed to deepen our understanding with both Hebrew and Greek. It isn't necessary, but it helps.

Helpful sure! Especially when it seems that the Bible contradicts or something of that nature. Here is the thing though. Salvation is very simple and we don't need to make it complex. The Holy Spirit is the one who makes it clear to the hearer what is being conveyed not us. We don't save anyone, but only convey the message we are told to give them. There are some testimonies from missionaries sharing to some native tribes and the only thing the tribe understood was the name "Jesus" and many were saved.

Now I said that salvation is very simple and no one will have an excuse for not getting it. However, our Christian walk is somewhat complex. That to me is where understanding the Hebrew and Greek can really help. There are many, many questions that come to mind regarding our Christian walk and I don't think that anyone has all the correct answers. But I say again, salvation is very, very simple and easy.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

"Yoke" meaning ownership or in this case salvation.
"Burden" meaning what God asks you to do after salvation.

Some say that I believe in "Easy Believism" and they are right! Well if salvation is a FREE GIFT and it is, that is pretty easy! Just like what Matthew 11:30 says! We need to stop mixing salvation together with our Christian walk. They are two different things. Salvation requires no effort on our part, but our Christian walk does require some effort.

 

[Andy C]

Good thread, thought I would add the below what Jack Kelley said:


“In my opinion, believing that Jesus exists or even that He’s God in the flesh is not sufficient to save us. Paul said that we were included in Christ when we heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed it (Ephesians 1:13-14).

He said the gospel we have to believe is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

To “believe in the one He has sent” is to be persuaded that the purpose for which Jesus came to Earth was to die in our place in order to pay the penalty that was due us for our sins, canceling our debt to God.

The Greek word for believe comes from the same root as the one translated faith and indicates that we’re trusting our eternal destiny to Him. So it’s not just a matter of believing in Him. It’s believing in the sufficiency of what He did for us that saves us.

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed”(Isaiah 53:5).”

Believing By Faith – Grace thru faith

gracethrufaith.com

 

[Goodboy]

Good thread, thought I would add the below what Jack Kelley said:


“In my opinion, believing that Jesus exists or even that He’s God in the flesh is not sufficient to save us. Paul said that we were included in Christ when we heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed it (Ephesians 1:13-14).

He said the gospel we have to believe is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

To “believe in the one He has sent” is to be persuaded that the purpose for which Jesus came to Earth was to die in our place in order to pay the penalty that was due us for our sins, canceling our debt to God.

The Greek word for believe comes from the same root as the one translated faith and indicates that we’re trusting our eternal destiny to Him. So it’s not just a matter of believing in Him. It’s believing in the sufficiency of what He did for us that saves us.

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed”(Isaiah 53:5).”

Believing By Faith – Grace thru faith

gracethrufaith.com

I agree and remember I said this as a short version of your point meaning you have to believe the correct Gospel!

"1) You must know who Jesus is and that he is the Lord (God)."

I did not state everything you have to believe, but just said you must know who he is and one of the main disputed points of him being Lord or God. There was a time in America where most people knew the story of the Bible and Jesus. So for those, there was no need to explain everything they needed to believe as they already knew it. I guess now days it really could take a while to fully explain all one is believing, if they don't already know.

So I totally agree with you.

 

[Goodboy]

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Peter 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

While theses scriptures in 2 Peter above are primarily speaking of prophecy, you can see in 2 Peter 2:1 it also speaks about false teachers and of denying the Lord. So the idea of “private interpretation” is definitely not a good thing.

So the bible was translated by Hebrew and Greek scholars into English correct? However let’s say I who am in no way a Hebrew or Greek scholar say a word was translated incorrectly and should have been translated to something else. Have I not just “privately interpreted” the Hebrew or Greek to mean what it is I think? What makes me smarter than the scholars who translated it in the first place?

Be careful with those who say the word in the Bible was translated incorrectly, as who are they? Are they a Hebrew or Greek scholar? If so, more so than those who translated the Bible?

I had an adult Sunday school teacher who said a favorite Christian author of his made him aware of a word in the Bible that was translated incorrectly as “sword” and should really have been a “dagger”. Below is the verse.

Revelation 6:4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

First of all, someone riding a horse with a dagger is not very threatening. Second of all, it says a “great sword”. Why would it say a “great dagger”? Of course my Sunday school teacher thought this Christian author who probably did not even know Greek, knew better!

Something to think about.

 

[mattfivefour]

We need to stop mixing salvation together with our Christian walk.

I hear you, brother; and I'm totally in agreement with you-- we need to stop mixing salvation together with our Christian walk. Absolutely! You and I are in 100% agreement on this.

However, I find my concern as a pastor, who is called to shepherd those whom God puts before me and to preach and teach wherever He sends me, is that people truly understand salvation. And that all hinges on what Christ is telling us in His Word that we need to do. On the surface that is very simple --and indeed it is very simple-- but it must be His way, His idea, not ours.

The word translated "believe" that Jesus spoke (as I wrote in my earlier post) is Greek verb πιστεύω (pisteuo). It carries with it the idea of belief and hope, yes; but more than that it carries with it the idea of commitment. Belief in Jesus has to be more than merely intellectual. A person can accept the idea that Jesus was real without committing themselves to Christ as their hope both in this life and the next.

I know atheists who acknowledge that there was a person called Jesus who many believe to be the Jews' Messiah. They believe He lived and led a noteworthy life. Many accept that He died on a cross at the hands of the Romans and the Jews. But that belief doesn't save them.

I have come across other people who claim to have been saved at a crusade of some kind but they have no interest in Jesus or in anything to do with Him. They feel they did their part by saying some prayer and that's it. They believe they're good people and upon that basis they will go to heaven. Therefore they have no relationship with Jesus; they have no real comprehension of the idea that Christ died for their sins. What sins? Unfortunately, their brief encounter with the gospel hasn't changed them; it has inoculated them against the true gospel.

It is for those people that I fear. They have no understanding of why Christ died, at least as it relates to them. They're not about to change the way they live, or allow Him to change them. In fact they see no need for change. But because they once had an experience and said some words from their head (not from their heart), they believe they are saved. And so they go on and lead their lives their way with no thought or concern for God or Jesus. They remind me of the crowds that followed Jesus, as describes in the gospel of John. They saw His works and followed Him; but when they heard His words they shook their heads and turned away. They wanted to get something from Him, but they were not interested in committing themselves to Him. They did not biblically believe in Him.

Remember, brother, it was the same people who strewed palm leaves in the path of Jesus on that final Sunday before the crucifixion and welcomed Him, shouting "Hosanna!" (which means "Lord save" ) and "Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord", it was these very same people who just a few days later we're crying "Crucify him!" Thank God for His forgiveness and mercy that a few weeks later on the day of Pentecost when their hearts were pricked by the preaching of the gospel and the evidence of the Lord's resurrection, thousands of them began to repent and turn to Christ in true belief... a heart belief, not a mere head acknowledgment. And what was the evidence --the fruit, if you will-- of their heart belief? It was their commitment to Him. As it says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42) And they did this regardless of the personal cost. The rest of the Book of Acts confirms this.

You see, brother, saving faith in Jesus Christ will always result in our change. It has to, because when one truly believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live within them. And God's Word tells us what the Holy Spirit does in us. So it is unquestionable that there has to be a change within. Now notice I'm saying "within". This is crucial. The work starts inwardly and may take a long time to be seen outwardly. (This is one reason why we are not to judge someone's salvation.) Some trees, I have heard, can go years before bearing fruit. In fact, the Chinese bamboo will spend years developing roots under the ground before anything ever appears above ground. Some people are like that. It takes years for outward growth and the fruit that follows to appear. That's why we're not called to judge one another, but to love one another. For love covers a multitude of sins, and none of us is immune.

So to return to the question of what does believe mean, I want to stress that nothing I am saying on this topic implies an incorrect translation of the Greek. It's just that the meaning of a word in one language is not always exactly the same as the meaning of that word in another. (This fact is why the Amplified Bible was created.) So, does this mean that unless we read the original language we are deprived of the real meaning, the real truth that God is trying to convey to us? That as a result we cannot know how to be saved? Not at all! Not at all! You see, God being God, He has constructed His Word in the most amazing way! When we read God's Word --not taking any verse in isolation but always comparing verse with verse, scripture with scripture-- we will always see the truth that God wishes us to know. All error has entered the church because men decided to build some doctrine or other on just a verse or two, rather than on all the verses bearing on a subject. So, when we read all the verses In the New Testament regarding salvation, it becomes clear to us that the idea of believing and trusting in Jesus involves some form of commitment to Him. To risk belaboring my point: it's not just a matter of believing something about Jesus, or believing in Him intellectually (that He existed in some form, or that He did some things), but as I bold-faced a few sentences earlier, it is believing in Jesus for our salvation.

This is why every presentation of the Gospel recorded in the Bible begins with the word "repent". We need to have a change of mind regarding ourselves and God. But once that happens, once we believe we need salvation and that Jesus alone can save us, once we have given up all hope except Him, then we ARE saved. And the Holy Spirit who has, in that very moment, come to dwell within us, will begin to do His work and produce in us what He desires ... as we allow him to.

And that is my chief concern as a minister of the gospel-- that people understand this. That is the reason I cannot let this topic go without making this abundantly clear. One day I will stand before God and have to answer for how I cared for the souls he entrusted to me. I cannot, must not, shirk this duty. And God helping me I will not.

But, pastoral responsibility is one thing; living as a Christian is another. Our salvation is between us and God, not between us and anybody else. Nobody else is to judge whether we are saved or not. God alone knows. He loves us so deeply and does not want us to ever doubt that we are His. So, despite our fears at times, the Holy Spirit will always find a way to reassure us. He may do it by scripture, He may do it by a word in our heart, or He may use someone else ... even a thread such as this!

What a blessing, what a wonder, is our relationship with the Creator of all things! Our relationship with Him begins the moment we accept His offer. And it is rooted in Him and focused on Him alone. The beauty and the wonder of this relationship is that, as that we allow it to develop, we will find ourselves more and more in relationship not just with God, but with others ... a growing relationship built on God's work within us, one rooted in personal humility and love.

Anything else is just religion.

I hope this helps someone.

 

[mattfivefour]

Good thread, thought I would add the below what Jack Kelley said:


“In my opinion, believing that Jesus exists or even that He’s God in the flesh is not sufficient to save us. Paul said that we were included in Christ when we heard the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation, and believed it (Ephesians 1:13-14).

He said the gospel we have to believe is that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

To “believe in the one He has sent” is to be persuaded that the purpose for which Jesus came to Earth was to die in our place in order to pay the penalty that was due us for our sins, canceling our debt to God.

The Greek word for believe comes from the same root as the one translated faith and indicates that we’re trusting our eternal destiny to Him. So it’s not just a matter of believing in Him. It’s believing in the sufficiency of what He did for us that saves us.

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed”(Isaiah 53:5).”

Believing By Faith – Grace thru faith

gracethrufaith.com

Exactly!!!

 

[Goodboy]

It carries with it the idea of belief and hope, yes; but more than that it carries with it the idea of commitment. Belief in Jesus has to be more than merely intellectual. A person can accept the idea that Jesus was real without committing themselves to Christ as their hope both in this life and the next.

I have a problem reading long posts which is my problem, not yours, so I am not at all suggesting that you shorten what you write. That said, I did not read all of what you posted as I already had a problem with your first few statements.

You and I still disagree regarding salvation. For me as soon as you add the word commitment you are saying there is a work you must do. A FREE GIFT requires nothing but acceptance.

I guess we all have our callings. Some are called to teach God's love and acceptance. Some all called to teach God's wrath and Hell. Some are called to make sure we take God seriously enough. Some like me are called to teach that salvation is a FREE GIFT, which is the only reason I am saved today. When I prayed the prayer accepting Jesus as my Savior, I did not commit to anything. In fact, at that time I was not even sure it was true. It took about a month later before God totally convinced me of the truth of it.

So my point is two fold.
1) A FREE GIFT does not require any commitment.
2) I am proof of that as I was not committed in any way when I prayed the prayer of salvation, yet God saved me and convinced me.

If you don't agree, that's OK. I have no problem with you, but I will share what I know to be the truth. If I am wrong, God will have to show me. Many have tried in the last 43 or so years that some form of what I would call works or even commitment is required to be saved. They have never succeeded because they could not explain how a FREE GIFT requires anything other than acceptance.

Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

God Bless!

 

[Goodboy]

Belief in Jesus has to be more than merely intellectual.

Now I actually agree with this statement, but I have explained before it is not belief alone, but acceptance is required. There are many people who believe in Jesus but refuse to accept his free gift. Believe me I have shared with enough people in my years who I convinced that Jesus is real, but they refused to accept him. When I used the word "Believe" I assumed you knew that acceptance was part of that.

Romans 10:9 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.

1) Believe (Agree with who Jesus is and what he did)
2) Confess (a decision to accept Jesus)

 

[Tall Timbers]

The word translated "believe" that Jesus spoke (as I wrote in my earlier post) is Greek verb πιστεύω (pisteuo). It carries with it the idea of belief and hope, yes; but more than that it carries with it the idea of commitment. Belief in Jesus has to be more than merely intellectual. A person can accept the idea that Jesus was real without committing themselves to Christ as their hope both in this life and the next.

I understand the above without knowing the breakdown of the meaning of the greek word. When I got saved there was a knowing and a commitment in that.

 

[mattfivefour]

I understand the above without knowing the breakdown of the meaning of the greek word. When I got saved there was a knowing and a commitment in that.

Yes. And that's the point. You know, for the Holy Spirit does a work in you. Amen!

 

[Andy C]

I hear you, brother; and I'm totally in agreement with you-- we need to stop mixing salvation together with our Christian walk. Absolutely! You and I are in 100% agreement on this.

However, I find my concern as a pastor, who is called to shepherd those whom God puts before me and to preach and teach wherever He sends me, is that people truly understand salvation. And that all hinges on what Christ is telling us in His Word that we need to do. On the surface that is very simple --and indeed it is very simple-- but it must be His way, His idea, not ours.

The word translated "believe" that Jesus spoke (as I wrote in my earlier post) is Greek verb πιστεύω (pisteuo). It carries with it the idea of belief and hope, yes; but more than that it carries with it the idea of commitment. Belief in Jesus has to be more than merely intellectual. A person can accept the idea that Jesus was real without committing themselves to Christ as their hope both in this life and the next.

I know atheists who acknowledge that there was a person called Jesus who many believe to be the Jews' Messiah. They believe He lived and led a noteworthy life. Many accept that He died on a cross at the hands of the Romans and the Jews. But that belief doesn't save them.

I have come across other people who claim to have been saved at a crusade of some kind but they have no interest in Jesus or in anything to do with Him. They feel they did their part by saying some prayer and that's it. They believe they're good people and upon that basis they will go to heaven. Therefore they have no relationship with Jesus; they have no real comprehension of the idea that Christ died for their sins. What sins? Unfortunately, their brief encounter with the gospel hasn't changed them; it has inoculated them against the true gospel.

It is for those people that I fear. They have no understanding of why Christ died, at least as it relates to them. They're not about to change the way they live, or allow Him to change them. In fact they see no need for change. But because they once had an experience and said some words from their head (not from their heart), they believe they are saved. And so they go on and lead their lives their way with no thought or concern for God or Jesus. They remind me of the crowds that followed Jesus, as describes in the gospel of John. They saw His works and followed Him; but when they heard His words they shook their heads and turned away. They wanted to get something from Him, but they were not interested in committing themselves to Him. They did not biblically believe in Him.

Remember, brother, it was the same people who strewed palm leaves in the path of Jesus on that final Sunday before the crucifixion and welcomed Him, shouting "Hosanna!" (which means "Lord save" ) and "Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord", it was these very same people who just a few days later we're crying "Crucify him!" Thank God for His forgiveness and mercy that a few weeks later on the day of Pentecost when their hearts were pricked by the preaching of the gospel and the evidence of the Lord's resurrection, thousands of them began to repent and turn to Christ in true belief... a heart belief, not a mere head acknowledgment. And what was the evidence --the fruit, if you will-- of their heart belief? It was their commitment to Him. As it says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42) And they did this regardless of the personal cost. The rest of the Book of Acts confirms this.

You see, brother, saving faith in Jesus Christ will always result in our change. It has to, because when one truly believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live within them. And God's Word tells us what the Holy Spirit does in us. So it is unquestionable that there has to be a change within. Now notice I'm saying "within". This is crucial. The work starts inwardly and may take a long time to be seen outwardly. (This is one reason why we are not to judge someone's salvation.) Some trees, I have heard, can go years before bearing fruit. In fact, the Chinese bamboo will spend years developing roots under the ground before anything ever appears above ground. Some people are like that. It takes years for outward growth and the fruit that follows to appear. That's why we're not called to judge one another, but to love one another. For love covers a multitude of sins, and none of us is immune.

So to return to the question of what does believe mean, I want to stress that nothing I am saying on this topic implies an incorrect translation of the Greek. It's just that the meaning of a word in one language is not always exactly the same as the meaning of that word in another. (This fact is why the Amplified Bible was created.) So, does this mean that unless we read the original language we are deprived of the real meaning, the real truth that God is trying to convey to us? That as a result we cannot know how to be saved? Not at all! Not at all! You see, God being God, He has constructed His Word in the most amazing way! When we read God's Word --not taking any verse in isolation but always comparing verse with verse, scripture with scripture-- we will always see the truth that God wishes us to know. All error has entered the church because men decided to build some doctrine or other on just a verse or two, rather than on all the verses bearing on a subject. So, when we read all the verses In the New Testament regarding salvation, it becomes clear to us that the idea of believing and trusting in Jesus involves some form of commitment to Him. To risk belaboring my point: it's not just a matter of believing something about Jesus, or believing in Him intellectually (that He existed in some form, or that He did some things), but as I bold-faced a few sentences earlier, it is believing in Jesus for our salvation.

This is why every presentation of the Gospel recorded in the Bible begins with the word "repent". We need to have a change of mind regarding ourselves and God. But once that happens, once we believe we need salvation and that Jesus alone can save us, once we have given up all hope except Him, then we ARE saved. And the Holy Spirit who has, in that very moment, come to dwell within us, will begin to do His work and produce in us what He desires ... as we allow him to.

And that is my chief concern as a minister of the gospel-- that people understand this. That is the reason I cannot let this topic go without making this abundantly clear. One day I will stand before God and have to answer for how I cared for the souls he entrusted to me. I cannot, must not, shirk this duty. And God helping me I will not.

But, pastoral responsibility is one thing; living as a Christian is another. Our salvation is between us and God, not between us and anybody else. Nobody else is to judge whether we are saved or not. God alone knows. He loves us so deeply and does not want us to ever doubt that we are His. So, despite our fears at times, the Holy Spirit will always find a way to reassure us. He may do it by scripture, He may do it by a word in our heart, or He may use someone else ... even a thread such as this!

What a blessing, what a wonder, is our relationship with the Creator of all things! Our relationship with Him begins the moment we accept His offer. And it is rooted in Him and focused on Him alone. The beauty and the wonder of this relationship is that, as that we allow it to develop, we will find ourselves more and more in relationship not just with God, but with others ... a growing relationship built on God's work within us, one rooted in personal humility and love.

Anything else is just religion.

I hope this helps someone.

I had to read this again. Very well stated Adrian, agree with all points.