Maybe I'm misunderstanding you,can a person that hasn't been born of the Spirit of GOD be obedient enough that GOD will accept them?
Are you saying,a person has to be obedient with their own will before GOD will save them or are you saying,a person has to be obedient to faith/believe the word of GOD?
no, if a person rejects Jesus, they can obey the mosaic law to the letter and they still will not be born again, a person who rejects the gospel cant be born again, because the spirit comes through believing what Jesus said, that is what all of the apostles taught, the gospel, everything Jesus taught them, He then commanded them to go teach all nations to learn and obey His gospel ministry.
with Jesus gospel it is different from the law the law is regulations for earthly Life, blessings for earthly Life, rules for earthly worship ect......in the gospel, we are called to put whatever belongs to our earthly nature to death through the gospel. Our sinful thoughts, actions, desires that are contrary to what is good and right. the gospel is not calling sinners, but it calls " sinners to repentance" repentance is not just changing the mind, but changing the mind and applying it to actions, choices. a simple fact of this that really cant be argued just this point : If Jesus taught a lesson, it is the best wisdom man can ever know, it is Gods own word of the new covenant, Just like He gave His words for the first covenant to the people through moses, the mediator between man and God in the old testament. The Law came through moses it was Gods own Word, spoken to moses, then moses told the people, THEN moses told the people to obey Gods commandments, THEN there was shedding of blood to put the covenant into effect. the covenant came this way
God delivered the hebrews from slavery, because He promised abraham that He would, and because God is faithful to His word, and full of Love and compassion for His people. Then the hebrews were led into the desert, sustained by God through miracles, Then they were Given the Law, told to obey the Law, then those who refused to repent and obey the Law, were destroyed by Gods word that said " the wages of sin, is death.
the gospel came this way
God promised the messiah , the great prophet would come to the isrealites first, and then they would spread Gods Kingdom to all nations on earth. The isrealites were afraid of God he was lightning storms thunder, pillars of fire, His power displayed to man, when they approached Him they were destroyed, they were so afraid they were afriad of His word they asked moses to ask God to stop speaking to them it was fear based, because God is power and might. In response to this, God promised to "raise up a prophet Like moses from among thier own people, a brother, who God would speak through ( Jesus) the messiah, the promised annointed One of God, the only One, the Only name that really matters. God made it really clear, and then in acts, peter and paul both make it super clear that Jesus IS this prophet and the promised messiah, His IS the one all the prophets and Law testified to, He is the complete Son of the Only God, the source of All of creation is Jesus and His powerful word that sustains creation.
the real point to me is that Jesus Christs Words are identified throughout the n.t. as Life for Christians, peter, John, paul all clearly make the statements that anyone who deviates from Jesus teachings and doctrine are not to be believed clear statements that Jesus ministry is Christianity. there is no reason to think im saying obedience saves, im saying because Believe the teachings of Jesus if a person studies Jesus words, they will themselves see the clear message i saved you even when you were a sinner because i Love you, Now go live the way I taught you to Live Learn from Me i am Humble, my yoke is easy, my burden Lightm Just believe in me, hear my words, believe my words, trust my words , put yopur heart into Living the way i taught you, because I Loved you already i layed down my Life to show my Love...Now I , Jesus am, telling you " Love me and obey my teachings, my teachings teach YOU how to treat other people How to Love your neighboe as yourself. He is identified in the n.t. as The Son of God, the Light of the gentiles, The Savior of the whole world, the Lord of Heaven and earth, the Messiah, the first and Last, the WORD of God the apostle and High priest, the King of Kings and Lord of lords. Im saying any christian who believes Jesus died for thier sin, is supposed to then Live for Jesus. just Like the bible teaches.
Jesus " neither do i condemn you now go and leave your life of sin."
Paul you are saved by grace through faith, created in Jesus Christ TO DO GOOD WORKS, prepared for you to do."
Paul " it is by Grace you have been saved.....if you live to please the flesh you will die, BUT if by the spirit you put to death the MISDEEDS of the body, you will live."
Bieng saved by Grace and given the spirit by faith, is not the end it is like a seed entrusted to us, we then actually are supposed to put our own heart into learning Jesus gospel, and living it to Honor the price He paid. these things are what the bible actually teaches. it doesnt teach the things like the gog " dont work or your trying to save yourself...your already finished in christ, dont let anything make you feel guilty, convicted, because your the righteousness of Christ, just believe but dont make effort dont actually learn and follow Jesus thats " mosaic law he taught".....when people stray from scripture and create new ideas that arent taught throughout the scriptures, its a false doctrine begining to root in a persons mind. the things in the 4 gospels are witnesses to the world of Jesus eternal Ministry that Brings Life through faith in Jesus, the kind of faith that doesnt Just say " Lord, Lord" but actuially hears Jesus and does the things He teaches, Hes a teacher to us, he teaches so many amazing things that He learned from His Father ( His own words btw) things He saw in Heaven He spoke and taught the world first the jews and then commanding them to go teach those same things to all the world. these are the things taught in scripture. if Grace doesnt lead to repentance, then spmeone hasnt really accepted Jesus suffering and death for thier sin. repentance is the first step, and then we walk in that confession of repentance because its from the heart, we stumble, fall....but we get up and hold to repentance to pressing forward, Jesus is perfect, we arent....BUT we ARE COMMANDED to Learn His gospel and follow His words with our heart, our effort , our commitment.....again we stumble, and there id grace to lift us up but still we fight, we run the race, we bear one anothers burdens, we do the very thingsa JESUS says to actually do. hes really teaching Love as God Himself sees it