Salvation as I Understand It
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"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
"Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς [SUP][a][/SUP]καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας·" Hebrews 4:12
Here, the word of God or logos - ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ refers to the written Word of God. Not rhema or the spoken word of God.
As I said, I am very sorry for someone who has lost their way in their relationship with God and doesn't even know it. I know the Bible has been essential for both my salvation and for my sanctification and transformation. The more I read it, the more I learn and grow. And I have know many great men and women of the Bible, who have studied it and become pastors/missionaries/evangelists who read it every day and base their lives on it and have studied it for more decades than I have been alive! Learning Hebrew and Greek just added to that hunger for the Word of God. And I was so excited to read a Bible quote in German here the other day, which someone posted as I am just learning German to study theology more.
Sadly, even your quotations of the Bible are fuzzy and incorrect. But your arrogance really defines you, and as for resentment, I would never resent a poor, lost soul who thinks they somehow are the only one that hears from God, when she has not picked up a Bible in years? Decades? Losing your hunger for the Word of God is a sure sign of apostasy.
Praying you will find the God of the Bible again soon in your life!
"Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς [SUP][a][/SUP]καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας·" Hebrews 4:12
Here, the word of God or logos - ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ refers to the written Word of God. Not rhema or the spoken word of God.
As I said, I am very sorry for someone who has lost their way in their relationship with God and doesn't even know it. I know the Bible has been essential for both my salvation and for my sanctification and transformation. The more I read it, the more I learn and grow. And I have know many great men and women of the Bible, who have studied it and become pastors/missionaries/evangelists who read it every day and base their lives on it and have studied it for more decades than I have been alive! Learning Hebrew and Greek just added to that hunger for the Word of God. And I was so excited to read a Bible quote in German here the other day, which someone posted as I am just learning German to study theology more.
Sadly, even your quotations of the Bible are fuzzy and incorrect. But your arrogance really defines you, and as for resentment, I would never resent a poor, lost soul who thinks they somehow are the only one that hears from God, when she has not picked up a Bible in years? Decades? Losing your hunger for the Word of God is a sure sign of apostasy.
Praying you will find the God of the Bible again soon in your life!
Salvation, I believe, is repenting truly and with you whole heart believing that Jesus is lord. You are saved, but Santifiction is a whole other process.
God convicts you to bring you to this point. HOWEVER, it doesn't have to be at Church, God can convict you ANYWHERE, in fact he will. I know people who were in the club and God just convicted them so bad until they couldn't hold back tears in there. Salvation can happen and does happen everywhere.
Water baptism is just to show you are committed. I really don't believe you have too, but you really should do it. The thief wasn't baptisted, but yet Jesus said he would go to Heaven, so I don't believe you have to.
God convicts you to bring you to this point. HOWEVER, it doesn't have to be at Church, God can convict you ANYWHERE, in fact he will. I know people who were in the club and God just convicted them so bad until they couldn't hold back tears in there. Salvation can happen and does happen everywhere.
Water baptism is just to show you are committed. I really don't believe you have too, but you really should do it. The thief wasn't baptisted, but yet Jesus said he would go to Heaven, so I don't believe you have to.
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All that seems a lot more than just "believing" which is what Paul preached LOL
I refuse to be a part of this religious ceremony. I accept Christ as the atonement for my sinful nature and I have been crucified with him; baptised into his death and raised in life with him through faith.
You cannot take that away by demanding an A.B.C. step procedure to salvation. I'm comfortable with that but who knows how many people you've made question their "eternal security" with this thread who aren't as confident in Christ.
To all who have been discouraged by this long thread of what you have to do in order to be saved and stay saved:
Ephesians 1:13-14
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Love you guys. You're beautiful. Your belief and faith in Christ is all that has justified you and purified you forever.
I refuse to be a part of this religious ceremony. I accept Christ as the atonement for my sinful nature and I have been crucified with him; baptised into his death and raised in life with him through faith.
You cannot take that away by demanding an A.B.C. step procedure to salvation. I'm comfortable with that but who knows how many people you've made question their "eternal security" with this thread who aren't as confident in Christ.
To all who have been discouraged by this long thread of what you have to do in order to be saved and stay saved:
Ephesians 1:13-14
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Love you guys. You're beautiful. Your belief and faith in Christ is all that has justified you and purified you forever.
When we believe, we act upon our belief. Faith produces all works. Faith alone was counted to Abraham as works.
The Lord comes to each of us in the manner each needs. This is why so many use the term "Personal Savior."
A person who "just believes" may seem spiritually inactive to others while in truth is passionate about our Savior. We are told by Yeshua to judge for ourselves what is right, therefor we judge not by appearances but with right judgment. Praise our Blessed Salvation, Yeshua, and bless all who believe Him, amen.
The Lord comes to each of us in the manner each needs. This is why so many use the term "Personal Savior."
A person who "just believes" may seem spiritually inactive to others while in truth is passionate about our Savior. We are told by Yeshua to judge for ourselves what is right, therefor we judge not by appearances but with right judgment. Praise our Blessed Salvation, Yeshua, and bless all who believe Him, amen.
This is what I know salvation is.... God starts with a sinner and end up having HIS WILL BE DONE IN THE FLESH. WOW!
According to God it is three steps and a fourth if you see the predestination as a step also.
God's will is... BE PERFECT. And god does achive this through salvation. No matter how BIG the sinner, the man of God he makes of that sinner in BIGGER.
There is no denying, God's complete salvation is ANOTHER PERFECT MAN IN CHRIST...
Contrary as many teach this is only FINISHED when GOD FINISHES HIS WORK.... When God finish a sinner here on earth, that sinner is EXACTLY like GOD IN FLESH... LIKE JESUS! That is what teh Bible teach...
Best illistrated in Eph 4:13.... Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Just look where ALL God's Children end up RIGHT HERE ON EARTH.... GODLY HOLY PERFECT PEOPLE!
Look what God says..... Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Who here believes we CANNOT live GODLY or righteous as HE IS righteous here on earth? YOU ARE WRONG... God just proved it that God CAN make man GODLY right here on earth...
According to God it is three steps and a fourth if you see the predestination as a step also.
God's will is... BE PERFECT. And god does achive this through salvation. No matter how BIG the sinner, the man of God he makes of that sinner in BIGGER.
There is no denying, God's complete salvation is ANOTHER PERFECT MAN IN CHRIST...
Contrary as many teach this is only FINISHED when GOD FINISHES HIS WORK.... When God finish a sinner here on earth, that sinner is EXACTLY like GOD IN FLESH... LIKE JESUS! That is what teh Bible teach...
Best illistrated in Eph 4:13.... Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Just look where ALL God's Children end up RIGHT HERE ON EARTH.... GODLY HOLY PERFECT PEOPLE!
Look what God says..... Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Who here believes we CANNOT live GODLY or righteous as HE IS righteous here on earth? YOU ARE WRONG... God just proved it that God CAN make man GODLY right here on earth...
The dogma of salvation in Christ is the central dogma of Christianity, the heart of our Christian faith.
Christ did not make us sinless, as there is still sin in the world, even after the Resurrection of Christ. He delivered us from the power of sin, from pre-disposition to sin that man was unable to reverse by himself. The Holy Fathers say that Christ assumed the perfect nature (of Adam before fall) but with all the deficiencies (afflictions) caused by the fall. The Divine essence, as fleshless, does not partake in suffering. But since it was His Body that got subjected to all these sufferings, we say that the Word was suffering for us, because He Who is without passion was in a suffering body” (St. Cyril of Alexandria). Christ restored our human essence in Himself. Jesus Christ, by uniting humankind and God in His own person, reopened for us humans the path to union with God. In His Own person Christ showed what the true “likeness to God” is, and through His redeeming and victorious sacrifice He set that likeness once again within our reach.
Personal salvation is the restoration of our original communion with God.
Christ did not make us sinless, as there is still sin in the world, even after the Resurrection of Christ. He delivered us from the power of sin, from pre-disposition to sin that man was unable to reverse by himself. The Holy Fathers say that Christ assumed the perfect nature (of Adam before fall) but with all the deficiencies (afflictions) caused by the fall. The Divine essence, as fleshless, does not partake in suffering. But since it was His Body that got subjected to all these sufferings, we say that the Word was suffering for us, because He Who is without passion was in a suffering body” (St. Cyril of Alexandria). Christ restored our human essence in Himself. Jesus Christ, by uniting humankind and God in His own person, reopened for us humans the path to union with God. In His Own person Christ showed what the true “likeness to God” is, and through His redeeming and victorious sacrifice He set that likeness once again within our reach.
Personal salvation is the restoration of our original communion with God.
IF you are truly ONLY 15, then let me say YOU are well on your way to achieving a good and faithful understanding of the Word of God, and good for you!
As for water baptism, it is not necessary for salvation, and you are correct in that there are times when a new believer can not be water baptized, but they will still receive their reward, times such as a "death bed or battlefield" conversion. However, do not lose sight of the fact that water baptism is important for all new believers to do because there is a reason. If you reread the OP, you will see the reason(s) I discussed.
God bless, and hold strong to the Faith.
I'm not sure what "religious ceremony" you are referring to, so can't address that. I do hope you read with understanding the OP, and fully understand that I AGREE that Salvation IS NOT a process.......it is a GIFT of Grace. That being said, you must realize that many things had to/have to occur before one can receive that gift of Grace. Even you, in your opening paragraph list more than one event that leads to salvation.
Just saying.........and I agree that FAITH/believing in Him is God's salvation Plan, but the plan requires certain events to take place..........God bless, and reread your own comment.
[edited to add]
If someone reads the OP with understanding, and feels "uncomfortable" about their spiritual status, then that should be a good thing. They should be aware of their salvation, and should not doubt their salvation. Where "doubt" resides, salvation is needed in my opinion.
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From a thread on this forum:
http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/27584-systematic-theology-3.html#post548962
http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/27584-systematic-theology-3.html#post548962