meaning of MAKE EVERY EFFORT (or strive) to enter in through the narrow gate.

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4

4ChristAlone

Guest
#61
Me, I say so.

Nobody will be able to say they earned salvation by any work what-so-ever. If it were so that salvation must be earned then the weakest, the most foolish and the most poor folks could not be saved.
Also, how do you figure that they are at some kind of disadantage?

1Cr 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
1,370
113
#62
It cannot mean salvation for salvation is a free gift and it can't be got any other way than to receive it as a free gift.

Discipleship is a different kettle of fish. That is costly, that is entering into the life of the Spirit, learning to manifest the life of Christ in the soul ... for that we must strive.
Salvation free but not easy, only few get that free gift, to get it require Matt 7:21. (Do the will of the Father.



Matt 7

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


Matt 7
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

In Matt 25 Jesus warn and remind us, a lot of people think they are save but aren't.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Verse 44 indicate people think they are go to heaven, they think they have faith in Jesus, but Jesus say no.

Remind me James 2

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Salvation by faith alone, it is biblical, but don't forget bible teach correlation faith and loving work.

Faith in Jesus to the point of inviting Jesus to our heart and Jesus in our heart will bear love make us like Him, helping the poor as discribe in Matt 25 and James 2

If a man say

1 John 4:20

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

If a man say love god but not love other he is liar, mean he isn't love god. Or hate god Don't expect we going to save if we hate god.

Matt 25 is not say salvation by work, but it indicate loving work is by product of salvation.
 
Aug 6, 2019
80
84
18
#63
[QUOTE="2ndTimothyGroup, post: 4561111, member: 305370"

Colossians 2:14 KJV - "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross . . ."

Romans 8:2 KJV - "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 6:14-15 NLT - "Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!"

Why does Jesus set us apart from worldly laws? Because no Law, not even the Laws of Moses could Truly Redeem a person.

Acts 13:39 NIV - "Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses."

As said above, the Law of Moses could not remove the Curse of Adam and Eve . . . it did not relieve the problem of the Law of Sin and Death.

So how does God know if a person has received the Circumcision of Christ . . . the only act that separates a person apart from the Laws of this world, creating them to be an Alien in a strange land? A foreigner amongst those whom he once called "mother" and "father" - "sister" and "brother"? It is the Lord who searches our Hearts to verify that the Circumcision of Christ has taken place. And this act was a picture for us in the Old Testament in the acts of the Passover . . . the sprinkling of Blood that the Spirit of God searched for . . . and thus made His Holy Judgments upon the people.

Romans 8:27 NIV - "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."

After Jesus cuts away the Sinful Nature from our now Purified Hearts, He sends the Free Gift of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when the Lord searches the Hearts of human beings, He searches for the Mark of the Indwelling Holy Spirit; the Lord listens and knows the Holy Voice of His Indwelling Spirit . . . should they Indwell His Children or not. No one can possess a Holy Spirit unless their Hearts have first been Purified, for no Holy Spirit will share His House with any demon . . . impossible.

So, the reason why Jesus referred to these seemingly good and Righteous people as lawbreakers, or, workers of iniquity, is because they had yet to be freed from the Law. They may have appeared to be good people according to many of their works, but they did not Truly Turn to Christ for His Holy Circumcision, the lifting of the Curse that beset us all, apparently from birth. The Purpose of Christ is to become the remedy for the malady that occupies, or at one point, occupied our stony hearts. That stony heart must be cut out and removed, and until that happens, Hell is our destination and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Deuteronomy 30:6 NIV - "The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live."

Deut 30:6 is a Keystone passage of the Bible. This shows us that it will be God who Circumcises our Hearts . . . not ourselves. And as the text shows, this Spiritual Circumcision of all that is ugly and evil must be done . . . don't miss this . . . "SO THAT . . . you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live." - If this Circumcision does not take place, we cannot and will not Love Him with all our Heart and with all our soul, and live. It cannot and will not happen. Christ MUST Circumcise our hearts so that we will be set apart from the Law.

Romans 7:8 NKJV - "But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all [manner of evil] desire. For apart from the law sin was dead."

That's right . . . where there is no law to break, sin cannot live. Where there is no law, there can be no transgression, just as Paul teaches below:

Romans 4:14-15 NKJV - "For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression."

There is so much more that could be written, in fact, I could write a book on this single question that you have asked. The reason for why there could be so much more material given to you about this topic is because this topic is the Core Doctrine of the entire Bible. Hundreds of pages, this fictitious book would be . . .
If your sermon about having no law, about not listening to any guidance! from the law is to preach lawlessness, or disobedience because the law is ignored, then it is a sermon against faith. If we have faith in Christ, if we have the holy Spirit within, we then walk in the straight and narrow way of Christ, we have faith in that way.[/QUOTE]

Thank you, Bilk. More prayer, more prayer for me. I still have a stony heart and trying to pray it away every day. I enjoyed what you said, though it hurts, lol.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
11,744
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#64
It means that Jesus wants us to do the best we can to be clean, pure, and holy. We can never be good enough, or even begin to earn our own way, but as long as we trust in the blood of Jesus and remain humbly committed to Him, the Father will see us though the Blood of His Son and all will be well. God looks upon the heart. We have nothing to fear. He loves us. God bless you and give you peace.

1 John
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Brother we have to walk in the light in order for the blood to cleanse our sins

This belongs to what you quoted there and works with it

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:5-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The blood of Jesus is not everything his blood , is for remission of sins but his word is the light that reveals and then cleanses what’s in our heart the light we must walk in is christs judgments or his commands , or his teachings

“Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭51:4-5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

the light we have to come into is the gospel we have to bring all our sins into the light so he can reprove them and cleanse us from unrighteousness

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:19-21‬ ‭

Our effort should be to hold on to Jesus and his teachings and stand in the light nt having our deeds reproved so we can become the children of light

light makes sin manifest , not like the law gives knowledge of sin but Jesus reveals sin living inside of us the lust he commands us to repent of , the greed and pride he warns against , the grudges we bear in our heart , the hate and devious plans we create in our heart those things require Gods word and faith to teach our hearts to discern food from evil

we need his word to fix this this is what makes us unclean before God

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭7:21-23‬ ‭

And we need this solution of the word of Christ going into our hearts to correct that knowledge of evil
In our hearts and minds we need the discernment that Jesus offers believers in our heart

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

we should be thankful for the blood of the covenant , but we should believe the words of the covenant that the blood was shed according to

Without the words of the gospel the blood would actually condemn us

When we say the blood saved us we have to acknowledge that if we reject the word and repentance the blood is going to condemn us

“Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:29‬ ‭

the words of Jesus and his blood is able to confront and cleanse away the sin living in our faith
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
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113
#65
the words of Jesus and his blood is able to confront and cleanse away the sin living in our faith
Yep, the word confront sin, in the sense, tell us if we doing sin, but it up to us if we want to stop singing or ignore the warning.

That is why some time I question the doctrine that say, it doesn't matter if we keep murder after being Christian we still go to heaven, because salvation not by work.

But I agree salvation by faith, real faith cleanse sin, it may take time, but light will remove the darkness.
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,001
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#66
In Luke 13:24, Jesus is not teaching salvation by works. Strive to enter through the narrow gate signifies a struggle against conflict. Christ was not suggesting that anyone could merit eternal life by striving or working hard enough to obtain it based on the merits of their performance. No matter how rigorously people labor, sinners could never save themselves by works. Entering through the narrow gate is nonetheless difficult because of it's cost in terms of human pride and desire for sinful living which prevents them from choosing to repent and believe the gospel. Salvation through faith in Christ is the narrow gate.
 

Evmur

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2021
4,863
2,515
113
London
christianchat.com
#67
Salvation free but not easy, only few get that free gift, to get it require Matt 7:21. (Do the will of the Father.



Matt 7

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


Matt 7
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

In Matt 25 Jesus warn and remind us, a lot of people think they are save but aren't.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Verse 44 indicate people think they are go to heaven, they think they have faith in Jesus, but Jesus say no.

Remind me James 2

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Salvation by faith alone, it is biblical, but don't forget bible teach correlation faith and loving work.

Faith in Jesus to the point of inviting Jesus to our heart and Jesus in our heart will bear love make us like Him, helping the poor as discribe in Matt 25 and James 2

If a man say

1 John 4:20

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

If a man say love god but not love other he is liar, mean he isn't love god. Or hate god Don't expect we going to save if we hate god.

Matt 25 is not say salvation by work, but it indicate loving work is by product of salvation.
The great difficulty is for men and women to humble themselves and to admit that nothing they have ever done or could ever do can earn them salvation.

As many as receive Christ receive power to become the sons of God ... salvation is the gift, becoming sons the process.

First we get saved, then we can start thinking about works.

There are plenty in the church who are saved who have not yet entered in to the life of the Spirit, it is there for them but it may cost them something.

Never-the-less they are saved, that is a free gift.
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
11,744
4,779
113
#68
Yep, the word confront sin, in the sense, tell us if we doing sin, but it up to us if we want to stop singing or ignore the warning.

That is why some time I question the doctrine that say, it doesn't matter if we keep murder after being Christian we still go to heaven, because salvation not by work.

But I agree salvation by faith, real faith cleanse sin, it may take time, but light will remove the darkness.
brother it isn’t about work it’s about this and only this

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭

the problem is we’ve been lied to by false doctrines and don’t actually know what the gospel is. We need to preach and believe the four gospels all the things he taught and did , how he treated sinners and self righteous , what he told us about the father , what he told us about ourselves who we really are in him

we need to believe the assurance like John 3:16 and also the instructions of John chapter 14 we need to just begin to believe what we can accept and receive like a seed his word is planted in our heart of faith and his living word changes our nature so we’re not working but we are just being the people he made us to be by our new nature

Grace and faith are the source but they teach us the path we need to walk along we still have to walk when we grow up and have strong legs but first we need to hear what the lord taught so we know the path the rest is Gods work in us because we believe his word

his word in us does this if we accept his word and believe it will make us will and act in Gods pleasure and will but we will be doing it by the spirit he gives through faith

You see God is working in us through faith but to have faith we have to hear and accept the gospel Jesus word

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:17‬ ‭KJV‬‬

But Gods work in us makes us able to do what we couldn’t before it’s only a work of it’s not a pleasure . The gospel can change us from lovers of sin to lovers of good works for others so that it’s not a work but a blessing to help another in need he’s able to change us if we will come to God as Jesus taught us to

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:13-15‬ ‭

So Many Christians think the gospel is only Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the dead. This is a central aspect of the gospel but it is not complete if we reject the gospel Jesus preached before he shed his blood.

do you understand brother the difference between a word of faith , and a word of work ?
 

Evmur

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2021
4,863
2,515
113
London
christianchat.com
#69
Salvation free but not easy, only few get that free gift, to get it require Matt 7:21. (Do the will of the Father.



Matt 7

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.


Matt 7
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

In Matt 25 Jesus warn and remind us, a lot of people think they are save but aren't.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Verse 44 indicate people think they are go to heaven, they think they have faith in Jesus, but Jesus say no.

Remind me James 2

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Salvation by faith alone, it is biblical, but don't forget bible teach correlation faith and loving work.

Faith in Jesus to the point of inviting Jesus to our heart and Jesus in our heart will bear love make us like Him, helping the poor as discribe in Matt 25 and James 2

If a man say

1 John 4:20

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

If a man say love god but not love other he is liar, mean he isn't love god. Or hate god Don't expect we going to save if we hate god.

Matt 25 is not say salvation by work, but it indicate loving work is by product of salvation.
They asked what the will of the Father is, how they might work the works of God and Jesus told them.

"believe on Him who God has sent"

what do you want? fruit inspectors in every church? someone to judge who is earning their salvation and who is not?
 

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
Sep 2, 2020
11,744
4,779
113
#70
They asked what the will of the Father is, how they might work the works of God and Jesus told them.

"believe on Him who God has sent"

what do you want? fruit inspectors in every church? someone to judge who is earning their salvation and who is not?
every Christian is their own fruit inspector no one else can do it if they bear no fruit or will be on them if they bear a little or a lot they will receive thier reward , but if they don’t bear fruit according to thier faith they are in danger and should inspect their own fruit because no one else can do it

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

there should be a fruit inspector inside every Christian
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
1,370
113
#71
There are plenty in the church who are saved who have not yet entered in to the life of the Spirit, it is there for them but it may cost them something.
I am not sure what you mean,

Save but not enter the life of the Spirit

Is that mean save but life in the flesh, like rob the bank, murder and drunk?
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
1,370
113
#72
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Salvation not by work, but work out for your own salvation with fear?
interesting, how not by work than work out your own salvation?

But I understand salvation not by work, but salvation produce good work

Produce good work but not by good work, because salvation only happen if we invite Jesus in to our heart, and Jesus in our heart will bear the fruit and the fruit is love/loving work, not hate murder like murder or stealing
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,001
13,008
113
58
#73
They asked what the will of the Father is, how they might work the works of God and Jesus told them.

"believe on Him who God has sent"

what do you want? fruit inspectors in every church? someone to judge who is earning their salvation and who is not?
I like Jesus' play on words in John 6:29 when he said, "This is the work (singular) of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent," when He answered the Jews (who were taking a legalistic approach) when they asked, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works (plural) of God?" So Jesus was not saying that believing is just another work in a series of works in a quest to receive salvation by works or else it would contradict Ephesians 2:8,9. *Note the distinction between faith "and" works - "saved through faith, not works."

We could never produce enough fruit to earn our salvation. All genuine believers are fruitful, yet not all are equally fruitful. (Matthew 13:23)
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,001
13,008
113
58
#74
brother it isn’t about work it’s about this and only this

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭

the problem is we’ve been lied to by false doctrines and don’t actually know what the gospel is.
Mark 16:16 - He who believes and is baptized will be saved (general cases without making a qualification for the unusual case of someone who believes but is not baptized) but he who does not believe will be condemned. The omission of baptized with "does not believe" shows that Jesus does not make baptism absolutely necessary for salvation. Condemnation rests on unbelief, not on a lack of baptism. So salvation rests on belief. *NOWHERE does the Bible say "baptized or condemned."

If water baptism is absolutely required for salvation, then why did Jesus not mention it in the following verses? (3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26). What is the one requirement that Jesus mentions nine different times in each of these complete statements? *BELIEVES. *What happened to baptism? *Hermeneutics.

*John 3:18 - He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who (is not water baptized? - NO) does not believe is condemned already, because he has not (been water baptized? - NO) because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16). To “believe” the gospel is to trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.

The gospel is a message of grace to be received through faith. The gospel is not a set of rituals to perform, a code of laws to be obeyed or a check list of good works (including water baptism) to accomplish as a prerequisite for salvation.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,696
113
#75
Salvation free but not easy, only few get that free gift, to get it require Matt 7:21. (Do the will of the Father.



Matt 7

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Yielding oneself to the Father's will is not equivalent to earning salvation.

Ephesians
2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
2:6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,001
13,008
113
58
#76
Yielding oneself to the Father's will is not equivalent to earning salvation.

Ephesians
2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
2:6 And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Amen! John 6:40 - For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Now believing is clearly not a work that merits salvation. Through believing, we are completely trusting in "Another's work," - Christ's finished work of redemption. (Romans 3:24-28)
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
8,696
113
#77
Brother we have to walk in the light in order for the blood to cleanse our sins
Walking in the light comes after Salvation, not before. We don't even have the ability or capacity to walk in the light until after we have been born again and received the Holy Spirit.

John
16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you.
16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew [it] unto you.
 

JohnRH

Junior Member
Mar 5, 2018
532
258
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#78
In Luke 13:24 Jesus said to MAKE EVERY EFFORT (or strive) to enter in through the narrow gate. The Greek verb for "strive" means to agonize. So I'm wondering what "MAKE EVERY EFFORT" (or agonize) means to y'all. This has been on my mind for weeks. I'd love your input.
It means to get saved now, before it's too late.

Strive against anything that can deter you from entering through the strait gate.

Strive against trusting a close physical proximity to Jesus for salvation (v. 26), strive against working iniquity, which will not lead you to salvation (v. 27), strive against trusting your religious tradition for salvation (v. 28), and strive against not coming to the kingdom during the time of opportunity (v.29).

:)
 

JohnRH

Junior Member
Mar 5, 2018
532
258
63
#79
Before a person can turn on the light using a light switch, doesn't the switch have to receive Power? Doesn't it have to first be enabled to Work properly?
That's just opportunity to be saved being enabled. You still haven't flipped the switch.

As for the passage I referred to, how can a person Turn to Christ while their Father is the Devil?
Simple. Disobey dear ole daddy.
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
1,370
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#80
They asked what the will of the Father is, how they might work the works of God and Jesus told them.

"believe on Him who God has sent"

what do you want? fruit inspectors in every church? someone to judge who is earning their salvation and who is not?
God not hire me to be fruit infect or.

But we try to understand in this topic, why Jesus say narrow is the way and only few will get the salvation.
Than we learn to be humble and ask ourselves, am I in the few group?

The will of the Father is believe and love Jesus.
If we hate Jesus we not save

Love Jesus mean love other, if a man or myself say I love god but hate other, I am a liar, and not love god
Not Love God not save.

Not to judge, but try to understand why Jesus narrow is the way, not only believe that Jesus is God, but love Him, that mean love other.