The Way of Salvation and Eternal Life

[wattie]

Dear Wattie

When Jesus says "he who endures to the end will be saved" in Matthew 24, He is speaking about the end times, but He is also speaking about salvation, because Jesus always ties endurance and obedience with eternal life, not only escaping trouble.

In Matthew 24:12–13 (NKJV) Jesus says in simple words that because sin will grow, many people’s love will turn cold, but the one who stays faithful until the end will be saved. Jesus is talking about the heart, about faithfulness to God, about standing firm when the world turns dark. That is not only physical protection. It is about staying true to Him so you can enter His kingdom.

In John’s writings, Jesus teaches the same truth. In John 14:21 He says that the one who keeps His word loves Him. In John 8:51 He says, “If anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” This is eternal life. So endurance and obedience are always connected to salvation.

The Book of Revelation says the same thing again and again. Jesus Himself speaks to His churches and tells them to keep going and to not give up. In Revelation 2:10 He says, “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” This crown is eternal life. In Revelation 3:10 He tells His faithful ones that because they kept His word, He will keep them in the time of testing. In Revelation 14:12 it says here is the patience of the saints, those who keep God’s commandments and stay faithful to Jesus.

So Matthew 24, John’s Gospel, and Revelation all speak the same message from Jesus. Endurance is not just surviving trouble. It is holding on to Him, keeping His word, loving Him, and staying loyal until the end. And the promise Jesus gives for this is life with Him forever.

Blessings Wattie

What is the context of the letters to the churches in Revelation?

Overcoming problems to be faithful church members, reflecting the state of different periods of churches history. Not about keeping or receiving eternal life.

The candlesticks here, or the lampstands, are the presence of the Holy Spirit in the midst of an assembly of saved, baptised believers. Not the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believers soul/spirit.

God spewing a lukewarm church out of His mouth is a church losing the Holy Spirit's presence, not an individual losing salvation.

 

[wattie]

Regardless of lds or sda, Scripture is clear faith without works is dead.

James 2.. is about THE faith.. not salvic faith.

The context is about how a believer uses their faith for the profit of others. That is it, not how you get eternal life, or keeping eternal life by works.

 

[vassal]

What is the context of the letters to the churches in Revelation?

Overcoming problems to be faithful church members, reflecting the state of different periods of churches history. Not about keeping or receiving eternal life.

The candlesticks here, or the lampstands, are the presence of the Holy Spirit in the midst of an assembly of saved, baptised believers. Not the presence of the Holy Spirit in a believers soul/spirit.

God spewing a lukewarm church out of His mouth is a church losing the Holy Spirit's presence, not an individual losing salvation.

Dear Wattie,

I understand what you mean about the letters to the churches in Revelation, yet when we look at Jesus’ own words to those churches, we see that He is speaking directly to the people inside them about their eternal destiny. Jesus Himself warns that a person can lose salvation if they turn away from Him. In Revelation 2:5Jesus says, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent.” This is a warning to people who once walked rightly but then fell. In Revelation 3:5 Jesus says, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life.” A name can only be blotted out if it was once written there. And in Revelation 3:16 Jesus says, “Because you are lukewarm… I will vomit you out of My mouth.” These are personal warnings to believers who were once close to Him. This is why Jesus speaks firmly: to call them back before it is too late.

When Jesus speaks to a church, He speaks to every soul inside it. And His warnings show clearly that a person can walk away from Him if they stop loving Him, stop obeying Him, or let their heart grow cold.

Jesus also teaches this truth in the Gospels. In Matthew 24:12–13, Jesus says, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Jesus is not speaking about physical protection here. He speaks about love growing cold because sin increases, and He speaks about staying faithful until the end in order to be saved. These are spiritual matters. They are matters of the heart. If someone lets their love die, they step away from Him. If they endure, they receive eternal life.

Jesus gives an even clearer picture in John 15:5–6, where He says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” In simple words, a branch was once connected to the vine, but if it does not stay connected, it dies. Jesus is speaking about a person who was once in Him but stopped abiding. This shows that a person can fall away if they stop walking with Him.

The letters in Revelation continue this same message. They are not only about problems in church gatherings. They are about eternal life and eternal loss. Jesus ends every message with a promise to the one who overcomes. These promises are not earthly rewards. They are eternal promises. In Revelation 2:7, Jesus says, “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” The tree of life is the promise of living forever. But only the one who overcomes receives it.

In Revelation 2:11, Jesus says, “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” The second death is the final judgment. Jesus is again speaking about eternal destiny.

In Revelation 3:5, Jesus says something very serious, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” A name can only be blotted out if it was once written there. Jesus is not warning a church building. He is warning the souls inside that if they stop overcoming, they risk losing their place in the Book of Life.

About the lampstand: Jesus says in Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent.” Jesus speaks to the people, telling them they have fallen. Recovering their lampstand is about recovering His light and His pleasure. Losing the lampstand is losing His favor and His presence among them because they have stopped doing the works they once did. This is not about a building losing something. It is about hearts losing something because they turned away.

Jesus also warns individuals about becoming lukewarm. In Revelation 3:16 He says, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” He says “you,” personal. Jesus is warning people who were once close to Him but have become proud, careless, and spiritually lazy. He calls them to repent so He may stay with them. If they refuse, the separation becomes real. Jesus speaks directly to the soul, not only to a group.

Salvation is a living relationship with Jesus, not a one-time moment finished long ago. He saves us by His grace, but He also calls us to follow Him daily. Jesus says in Luke 9:23, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

In John 15:10 He says, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

And in Matthew 7:21 Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

Jesus does not say, “Once saved, always saved.” He calls us to follow Him with a faithful heart, walking with Him to the end. His warnings are acts of love. They are not meant to frighten us but to keep us close to Him. He wants none to perish but all to stay with Him, keep His word, hold on to their first love, and finish the race with Him.

Jesus saves us by grace, and He also teaches us to remain faithful. A person can walk away from Him, but if they stay with Him, keep His word, and keep their love alive, Jesus promises them eternal life.

Blessings and peace to you, Wattie.

 

[pinebeach]

Why blood? Do you know that this has a deep meaning? Jesus Himself said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). The blood of Jesus—the Lamb of God—started the New Covenant. When He died on the cross, His blood, which is life, paid the full price for our sins.

It’s important to understand that the blood itself is not the covenant. The New Covenant is God putting His commandments into our hearts, writing them on our minds, so that we naturally follow Him (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10). When Jesus died, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). Do you understand what this means? It shows that Jesus Himself became our intercessor before God. We no longer need the sacrifices of the Levitical law for sin atonement.

Now, because of Jesus, we have full access to God. Anyone can come to Him and pray directly, and Jesus promised, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14). The New Covenant is about a transformed heart, access to God, and living according to His will, all made possible through Jesus’ sacrifice.



BLessings

He certainly did say that in reference to His death and resurrection to be fulfilled in accordance with prophecy and the fact that He was Himself, the total and absolute fulfillment of the Decalogue as the sinless and perfect One that God had promised. God, knowing no human being could possibly meet the impossible demands of the law that He gave ( which Jesus also summed up in two commands from God) had provided the answer to the dilemma of fallen mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, Himself. God made the rules, God cursed the earth and all mankind and then delivered both through His own answer to the impossible problem. The earth continues under the burden of sin (For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Rom. 8:22) but we are provided with a new life in Jesus, free from our sin and free of the impossible ability to keep a law that would result in perfection if it were possible to be kept by humankind.

The law is still in effect for all who are without the New Covenant and sadly it would seem, for all those who attempt to secure salvation through the keeping of it.

 

[Mem]

Placing Jesus words in John 5:39, in the context of speaking to the Jews at the pool of Bethesda and John 4:23-24 in the context of speaking with the woman at the well, next to Peter's confession in John 6:68 offers a clearer picture of how John 5:24 becomes our reality. It is His voice, not scripture that takes precedence in all life (John 5:27).

 

[pinebeach]

Jesus became a curse for us Gal. 3: 15 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" and of course Paul is referring to the law given in the OT.

It is concerning that a person would say the 10 commandments are the covenant. The law presents a curse, it draws attention to sin and condemns sin. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law as the scripture above tells us.

In fact, the Bible refers to the commandments as a ministry of death. Let there be no confusion here. Those who teach the commandments are a part of salvation, are representing a ministry of death.

7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. II Cor. 3: 7-10

 

[vassal]

He certainly did say that in reference to His death and resurrection to be fulfilled in accordance with prophecy and the fact that He was Himself, the total and absolute fulfillment of the Decalogue as the sinless and perfect One that God had promised. God, knowing no human being could possibly meet the impossible demands of the law that He gave ( which Jesus also summed up in two commands from God) had provided the answer to the dilemma of fallen mankind, Jew and Gentile alike, Himself. God made the rules, God cursed the earth and all mankind and then delivered both through His own answer to the impossible problem. The earth continues under the burden of sin (For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Rom. 8:22) but we are provided with a new life in Jesus, free from our sin and free of the impossible ability to keep a law that would result in perfection if it were possible to be kept by humankind.

The law is still in effect for all who are without the New Covenant and sadly it would seem, for all those who attempt to secure salvation through the keeping of it.

Pinebeach, I understand what you are trying to say but Jesus Himself never taught that God gave an impossible law. Jesus never spoke of the commandments as a trap or a burden meant to crush us. Instead, He spoke of them as a good and living guide that shows us how to walk in love. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. Right after this He warned that whoever breaks even the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great. If the commandments were impossible and useless, Jesus would not have spoken like this.

Jesus also said in Matthew 19:17 that if we want to enter into life we should keep the commandments. He pointed to the commandments about loving our neighbour, and He lifted them up as the path of life. He never said no one could keep them. Instead He taught that with God’s help we can walk in obedience. He said in John 14:21 that the one who keeps His commandments is the one who loves Him. His own disciples taught the same, because they learned from Him.

The idea that the law was impossible or too heavy comes from human teaching, not from Jesus. When He spoke of heavy burdens, He was not talking about God’s law but about the traditions the Pharisees added. He said in Matthew 23:4 that they tied up heavy loads and placed them on people’s shoulders. Jesus never accused His Father’s commandments of being impossible.

We also see in the Old Testament that God told Israel His commandments were not too hard. In Deuteronomy 30:11 He said the commandment was not hidden or far away. In the following verses He said He placed before them life and death and told them to choose life. God never gives commands that cannot be followed with His help.

Blessings.

 

[vassal]

Jesus became a curse for us Gal. 3: 15 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" and of course Paul is referring to the law given in the OT.

It is concerning that a person would say the 10 commandments are the covenant. The law presents a curse, it draws attention to sin and condemns sin. Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law as the scripture above tells us.

In fact, the Bible refers to the commandments as a ministry of death. Let there be no confusion here. Those who teach the commandments are a part of salvation, are representing a ministry of death.

7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. II Cor. 3: 7-10

Jesus never said the commandments are a curse. On the Contrary He said they are a guide to life and love. In Matthew 5:17, He clearly stated that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. Right after, He said that anyone who keeps the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. If the commandments were impossible or a “ministry of death,” Jesus would not have spoken like this.

What Paul calls the “curse of the law” refers to the penalties prescribed in parts of Moses’ law for disobedience, especially the ceremonial, civil, and civil penalties found in books like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27–28, where God outlines the consequences of sin—disease, famine, exile, or death. also Paul being a Pharisee, knew very well that they added so much to the law that ir truly became a burden. These passages show that disobedience has serious consequences, but they are not the Ten Commandments themselves. The Ten Commandments remain God’s moral law, meant to guide His people in righteousness and love.

Jesus also taught in Matthew 19:17 that if we want to enter life, we should keep the commandments, especially the commandments about loving God and loving our neighbor. Obedience is not a burden or a trap—it is the path of life. In John 14:21, He said that those who keep His commandments are the ones who love Him, and He reveals Himself to them.

The Old Testament also presents the commandments as life-giving. In Deuteronomy 30:11–14, God said that His commands are not too hard or far away, and He placed before Israel the choice of life and death, urging them to choose life. The law shows sin, yes, but it is meant to lead people to life and wisdom, not to be a curse. Paul's wording is a style they used at that time to get attention unfortunately it has a different effect for people who do not know scripture well.

Jesus came to forgive sins and give a new heart, but this does not remove the need for obedience. In fact, obedience becomes possible because He gives His Spirit to guide and strengthen us. Walking in His ways is not a crushing burden, and the law itself is not a “ministry of death.” It is the standard of God’s righteousness, showing us how to live rightly.

So teaching that the commandments themselves are a curse or a ministry of death is not what Jesus or the prophets taught. The commandments remain a guide for life, and Jesus came to make obedience possible, not impossible.

 

[pinebeach]

So teaching that the commandments themselves are a curse or a ministry of death is not what Jesus or the prophets taught. The commandments remain a guide for life, and Jesus came to make obedience possible, not impossible.

You might be gaslighting some people on this planet, only some mind you, but you are not gaslighting God.

 

[pinebeach]

Pinebeach, I understand what you are trying to say but Jesus Himself never taught that God gave an impossible law. Jesus never spoke of the commandments as a trap or a burden meant to crush us. Instead, He spoke of them as a good and living guide that shows us how to walk in love. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. Right after this He warned that whoever breaks even the least of the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great. If the commandments were impossible and useless, Jesus would not have spoken like this.

Jesus also said in Matthew 19:17 that if we want to enter into life we should keep the commandments. He pointed to the commandments about loving our neighbour, and He lifted them up as the path of life. He never said no one could keep them. Instead He taught that with God’s help we can walk in obedience. He said in John 14:21 that the one who keeps His commandments is the one who loves Him. His own disciples taught the same, because they learned from Him.

The idea that the law was impossible or too heavy comes from human teaching, not from Jesus. When He spoke of heavy burdens, He was not talking about God’s law but about the traditions the Pharisees added. He said in Matthew 23:4 that they tied up heavy loads and placed them on people’s shoulders. Jesus never accused His Father’s commandments of being impossible.

We also see in the Old Testament that God told Israel His commandments were not too hard. In Deuteronomy 30:11 He said the commandment was not hidden or far away. In the following verses He said He placed before them life and death and told them to choose life. God never gives commands that cannot be followed with His help.

Blessings.

The 10 commandments under the law of Moses (with all the rules, regulations, death penalties etc..) attached to them are not binding on the body of Christ under the new covenant.

The purpose of the Mosaic Law raises these questions: “Are you trusting in yourself to keep all the Ten Commandments all the time (which you can’t do)?” OR “Have you made the choice to accept Jesus as your Savior, realizing that He has fulfilled all the commandments all the time for you, even paying your penalty for breaking them?” The choice is yours.

 

[Ouch]

Good questions

Q:
Thank you how do we get rid of our sins or don't we have to?

When we talk about sin and the Holy Spirit, Jesus gives us a very simple and hopeful path that anyone can understand. He never told us to ignore sin, but He also never told us to carry the weight of our mistakes alone. Instead, He invites us to come to Him honestly. Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” showing that repentance is simply turning back toward God with a sincere heart. He also taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins,” which means forgiveness is always open to us when we ask for it. As we follow Him, He welcomes us without rejection, for He said that those who come to Him He will never cast out. Peter taught the same truth when he said, “Repent, that your sins may be blotted out.” So yes, getting rid of sin means we bring it to God, confess it, turn from it, and let Jesus wash our hearts clean. This is not something we do only once; it is a gentle, daily walk of trust, honesty, and obedience. And God never turns away a sincere heart.

Q:How do we know we have the Holy Ghost or don't we have to get it?

When we ask about receiving the Holy Spirit, Jesus explained that the Spirit is essential for the life of a believer. He called Him the Helper and the Spirit of truth, and He promised that the Father would give Him to those who love Him and keep His words. So how do we know we have the Spirit? Jesus and the apostles described simple signs that begin quietly but grow over time. The Spirit gives us a new desire to follow God; He softens the heart and gives us a growing love for what is right. He also gives us new understanding of God’s word, fulfilling Jesus’ promise that the Spirit would teach us and guide us into all truth. Another sign is a new love for others, a deeper patience and gentleness that grows inside us. John explained that we know God abides in us by the Spirit He gives. The Spirit also gives strength to resist sin, not making us perfect in a single moment, but helping us overcome things we could never defeat alone. And He provides a quiet inner witness, a gentle awareness of God’s presence that is steady and real, not loud or forced.
All of this leads to a simple and comforting truth. If you seek forgiveness, Jesus will forgive you. If you ask for the Holy Spirit, Jesus will give Him to you. He promised that the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. You do not need to be perfect first. You only need an honest heart that turns to God and says, “Lord, I want You.” And He will answer every time.

Peace be with you.

So you do agree we have to get rid of sins, that's a good start.

FYI, this is how HIS word says we get rid of our sins.

Acts 2:38-39
King James Version
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Do you have the Holy Ghost? You are right all we need to do is ask, but some people get it quicker than others.

This is an example of JESUS filling you,

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

[pinebeach]

The Old Testament also presents the commandments as life-giving. In Deuteronomy 30:11–14, God said that His commands are not too hard or far away, and He placed before Israel the choice of life and death, urging them to choose life. The law shows sin, yes, but it is meant to lead people to life and wisdom, not to be a curse. Paul's wording is a style they used at that time to get attention unfortunately it has a different effect for people who do not know scripture well.

19 Now we know that whatever the law says is addressed to those who are under the law, so that every mouth will be silenced and the whole world will be subject to God’s judgment. 20 For this reason, no one will be declared righteous in his sight by works of the law, for through the law we become aware of sin.

21 But now, completely apart from the law, a righteousness from God has been made known. The Law and the Prophets testify to it.
Romans 3

You have the truth placed before you straight from scripture but you reject it. It is clear from the verses above, the law speaks to those who are under it. However, completely apart from this judgement, is the righteousness God has made known.

The law and the prophets speak of the coming of Christ. He is the righteousness that has been given to us by God. What you say about the law, is in direct conflict with what God says.

 

[Inquisitor]

You interpret your own way, as I know you would. People who do not follow Jesus’ words often use this as an excuse—but it is not an excuse at all. Jesus said what He said to the rich young ruler for a reason, and it is important to understand the principle, not just the letter of that one situation.

The rich young ruler was asked to sell all his possessions because his heart was clinging to wealth more than to God. Jesus saw that his attachment would block him from fully following. He did not give the same instruction to everyone; He gave a test of the heart, not a universal rule that all must sell everything. Jesus said the commandments first—the Ten Commandments and the law of love—to show that eternal life is rooted in obedience and a pure heart. Only then did He point to the thing that was truly holding the young man back.

Notice what this means: Jesus’ instruction is measured, purposeful, and personal. It was not meant to condemn others who have possessions, but to reveal what was keeping that one man from wholehearted devotion. The principle is obedience from love, not a rigid checklist applied in the same way to every person. Jesus wanted him to prioritize God above everything else, showing that salvation is lived through love expressed in obedience.

So using this verse as an excuse to dismiss God’s commands or to say, “I don’t have to follow because I don’t sell all I have,” misses the point entirely. Jesus’ words are always about the heart’s orientation. He calls everyone to follow Him according to what is honestly required of their own hearts, in the way that obedience shows love. The story illustrates the seriousness of surrendering what keeps you from God, not a literal requirement that everyone sell everything they own.

Also, the rich young ruler was breaking a commandment—though not by outward sin like stealing or lying, but in his heart. God’s first commandment is: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3), and Jesus saw that the man’s attachment to wealth had become a god to him. By valuing his possessions more than God, he was disobeying the commandment to love God with all his heart (Matthew 22:37). Jesus emphasizes again and again that sin begins in the heart; obedience is shown by what we truly love and trust. The story shows that placing anything above God—even money—is breaking His law in the heart, which is exactly what Jesus calls us to correct through love and obedience.

Some how you missed the summary of the rich young ruler's obedience to the commandments.
By Jesus a few lines further below in Matthew 19. I see this chapter 19 quoted, from time to time, but almost no one
adds the following lines in that chapter. Shown below.

Matthew 19:25-26
When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?”
And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The ten commandments had nothing to do with the rich young ruler's salvation.

Because salvation is a gift from God given to those that believe in Jesus.

The gospel is the declaration of how to be saved and written by Jesus Christ.

 

[Gideon300]

We really live in an age of deception. I mean it was always around, but as we continue, it has gotten worse and will get worse. The internet has been a great tool for false prophets, teachers etc to spread their evil around.

Yes, we are in the age when sound doctrine is not valued. Those who do not love the truth end up believing lies.

 

[Gideon300]

So you do follow the Ten Commandments , this is What Jesus asked us to do. You do well to do as he Jesus, the Messiah, one with God who was given ALL authority in Heaven and on Earth asked. then why do we agree, we believe the same things.

God did say the ten Commandments are the Covenant, I know it ""shocked " a few and I myself was surprised I had overlooked this fact but it is very Important to know this. FIve times in the O,T, God words called the Ten commandments the Covenant. Do not close your heart to scripture please. and Yes the ten commandments are essential to salvation. they keep us from SIN and help us to REMEMBER and Love God above all else, also that GOD provides for His people ( Jews and Geniles) who do His Will.

..“Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
(Matthew 19:17)

​

Blessings

The 10 commandments were not given to us to keep. They were given to Israel to break. The commandments expose the sin nature of fallen men. Jesus answered the rich man's question, which is the question of too many: "What must I do....?" Salvation comes to those who depend on what Jesus did for us on the cross, through His death and resurrection.

You miss the point of the Law entirely:

"Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.…" (Galatians 3: 23 & 24)

"Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers,…" (1 Timothy 1: 8 & 9)

Believers are now under a new law, one that is not written commandments but the law of life in Christ. (Romans 8:2)

Yes, the Law is the covenant in the OT, for the people of Israel - "Hear O Israel" (Deuteronomy 6:3) It seems to escape you that there is a new covenant. Oh, you know the words. You do not know what they mean. You speak and think as if you are yet to come to Christ.

You need to read Acts 15.

 

[Jordon]

Beloved of God who believe in Christ and keep His words, grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I write to you concerning the most essential matter of life, the way to remain saved and possess eternal life. There is but one way, one truth, and one life, and it is through our Lord Jesus Christ. As He Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NKJV).

Salvation is not by works, so that no one may boast, but by grace through faith. We are saved when we believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross, trusting Him as the Son of God who bore our sins, died in our place, and rose again for our justification. The apostle Paul said, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, NKJV).

Those who are saved are not those who simply call themselves believers, but those who have genuinely received Christ into their hearts. They are those who have been born again, born of the Spirit, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, NKJV). The evidence of being born again is a transformed life—one that turns away from sin and follows Christ.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). The promise is clear: eternal life belongs to those who believe in Jesus Christ, who abide in His word, and who live according to His commands.

You who are saved, hold fast to the faith. Do not depart from the path that leads to life. The Scripture says, “But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13, NKJV). Your salvation is secure, but only as long as you remain in Him, for “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:6, NKJV).

The Danger of Not Keeping God’s Word

But woe to those who hear the word and do not keep it, for they will not inherit eternal life. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21, NKJV).

You must understand, beloved, that salvation is not merely a verbal profession; it is a life surrendered to God, lived out in obedience to His Word. Many in this world hear the gospel, and many even profess to know God, but they do not do His will. This is the danger of a heart that does not submit to His Word.

Consider the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9). Some hear the word of God, but their hearts are like the path where the seed is sown and quickly snatched away by the enemy. These are those who hear the gospel but do not hold fast to it, and so they are lost.

Others receive the word with joy, but when trials and tribulations arise, they fall away. These are those who do not endure to the end. They may seem to believe for a time, but when faced with difficulty, they abandon the faith, showing that their belief was not deep-rooted.

Then, there are those whose hearts are like the thorny ground. They receive the word, but the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful (Mark 4:18-19). These are the people whose love for the world exceeds their love for God, and as a result, they bear no fruit of righteousness.

Finally, there are those whose hearts are like good soil, those who hear the word, understand it, and keep it, and bear fruit in their lives (Matthew 13:23). These are the ones who will inherit eternal life, for they keep the word of Christ and endure in it.

As Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15, NKJV). The word of God is clear: to be saved, one must not only hear but obey His word. Those who do not keep God’s word, whose hearts are hardened, whose lives are unfruitful, will not inherit the kingdom of God. Their end will be like the foolish man who built his house on the sand. When the storms came, it fell, and great was its fall (Matthew 7:26-27).

The Lord also warned us with another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way” (Matthew 13:24-25, NKJV). The tares represent those who are among the true believers but are not genuinely saved. They look like believers on the outside, but they do not bear the fruit of the kingdom of God. In the end, the angels will gather the tares and cast them into the fire. So, it is with those who do not keep God’s word.

Let this be clear: eternal life is promised to those who remain in Christ, who live by His word, and who endure to the end. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me” (John 14:21, NKJV). The love of God is not a feeling or a mere verbal declaration; it is seen in action, in obedience to His word.

To Keep God’s Word and Inherit Eternal Life

Therefore, beloved, let us not be hearers only, deceiving ourselves, but doers of the word (James 1:22). Let us continue in the faith, steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in Him (1 Corinthians 15:58). Remember, Jesus has promised eternal life to those who remain faithful to His word, and He is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy (Jude 24).

Be encouraged, be diligent, and continue to press forward toward the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). For it is written, “And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life” (1 John 2:25, NKJV). Keep His word, endure in faith, and you will inherit the eternal life He has promised.

Grace and peace be with you.

on one hand your not advocating a works based salvation but on the other hand you are, the seeds that fell on Good soil are the ones who the father had predestined to the son, via his enabling grace, the seeds that Got choked where people being Built up by the father, whose hearts where softened but they hardened there own hearts again. And to others who's seed just fell by the way side, they never obeyed the father at all when he was pricking there conscience,

You must understand that there are two devine natures at work in people, and both are the sames both are Alive and the active words, that well up in the heart and bring it to life.

The other important factor you have to understand is the writings of Paul are mainly about once saved, and the Gospel is mainly about building people up before receiving the spirit as in the lord doing his father's work in building there hearts and testing there hearts in fire

Those who inherit his kingdom will keep his word,

 

[mailmandan]

Some how you missed the summary of the rich young ruler's obedience to the commandments.
By Jesus a few lines further below in Matthew 19. I see this chapter 19 quoted, from time to time, but almost no one
adds the following lines in that chapter. Shown below.

Matthew 19:25-26
When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?”
And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The ten commandments had nothing to do with the rich young ruler's salvation.

Because salvation is a gift from God given to those that believe in Jesus.

The gospel is the declaration of how to be saved and written by Jesus Christ.

Jesus' statement in Matthew 19:17 should have brought conviction to the rich young ruler but instead, he confidently (and self-righteously) declared that he has sufficiently kept the commandments from his youth up and qualified for heaven under those terms (which sounds familiar with certain folks in this thread). Yet Jesus knew the man's wealth had become his idolatrous god, which kept him from believing in Jesus unto salvation. (John 3:18) The rich young ruler missed the point that Jesus was making, failed to place his faith in Jesus for salvation, and continued instead to trust in his riches (vs. 21-23). His face fell and he went away sad because he could not part from his great wealth, not even in exchange for eternal life.

 

[vassal]

on one hand your not advocating a works based salvation but on the other hand you are, the seeds that fell on Good soil are the ones who the father had predestined to the son, via his enabling grace, the seeds that Got choked where people being Built up by the father, whose hearts where softened but they hardened there own hearts again. And to others who's seed just fell by the way side, they never obeyed the father at all when he was pricking there conscience,

You must understand that there are two devine natures at work in people, and both are the sames both are Alive and the active words, that well up in the heart and bring it to life.

The other important factor you have to understand is the writings of Paul are mainly about once saved, and the Gospel is mainly about building people up before receiving the spirit as in the lord doing his father's work in building there hearts and testing there hearts in fire

Those who inherit his kingdom will keep his word,

I am absolutely not teaching a works-based salvation. I am repeating what Jesus Himself taught. Jesus never said people are saved by earning heaven through works. He said that a living faith always listens to God and obeys Him. Obedience does not create life, it shows that life is truly there.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus explained that the seed is the word of God and the soil is the heart (Matthew 13:18–23). All the seed is the same, but the hearts are different. The good soil is not good because it was forced to be good, but because it received the word, held onto it, and bore fruit. Jesus said the fruit comes from hearing the word and understanding it. This shows response, not fate.
The seed that was choked was not rejected by God. Jesus said it was choked because people loved this world, worries, and riches more than God. That is not God withdrawing grace. That is people choosing other things over the word they already received. Jesus places responsibility on the hearer.
The seed by the wayside failed because it was never received in the heart at all. Jesus said they heard the word, but did not understand it, and the word was taken away (Matthew 13:19).

Again, the problem is not lack of opportunity, but lack of reception.
Jesus never taught that there are two divine natures working equally inside people. He taught that there is truth and there is deception, light and darkness. He said people either come to the light or avoid it because they love darkness (John 3:19–21). The difference is choice, not equal inner forces.

Jesus also never taught that the Gospel is only about preparation before salvation while something else handles life after. He taught one message from beginning to end. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). “He who keeps My word shall never see death” (John 8:51). “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28). These words are spoken to people being called, being tested, and being formed all at once.

You are right about one thing, and Jesus said it clearly. Those who inherit the kingdom are those who keep His word. Not to earn salvation, but because they truly belong to Him. “He who hears My sayings and does them” is the wise man who builds on the rock (Matthew 7:24).

So this is not works replacing grace. This is grace calling, teaching, correcting, and producing obedience in a willing heart. Jesus never separated faith from obedience. He joined them together.

 

[vassal]

Jesus' statement in Matthew 19:17 should have brought conviction to the rich young ruler but instead, he confidently (and self-righteously) declared that he has sufficiently kept the commandments from his youth up and qualified for heaven under those terms (which sounds familiar with certain folks in this thread). Yet Jesus knew the man's wealth had become his idolatrous god, which kept him from believing in Jesus unto salvation. (John 3:18) The rich young ruler missed the point that Jesus was making, failed to place his faith in Jesus for salvation, and continued instead to trust in his riches (vs. 21-23). His face fell and he went away sad because he could not part from his great wealth, not even in exchange for eternal life.

Jesus did not say what He said in Matthew 19:17 as a trick or as an impossible test meant to drive the man to despair. Jesus answered the young ruler’s honest question with a direct and true answer. “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). Jesus did not later correct Himself or say this was not really the way to life.

When the young man said he had kept the commandments from his youth, Jesus did not accuse him of lying or call him self-righteous. Instead, Jesus looked at him and loved him (Mark 10:21). This shows the man was sincere, not pretending. The problem was not that he misunderstood Jesus, but that his obedience was incomplete.

Jesus then pointed to the one commandment that revealed the man’s true heart. By asking him to give up his wealth and follow Him, Jesus exposed the hidden idol that still ruled him. This was not Jesus changing the requirement from obedience to “faith only.” It was Jesus showing that true obedience must be whole, not partial.
Jesus did not say the man failed because he tried to obey. He failed because he would not obey fully. His wealth came before God. That is exactly what the commandments warn against. “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

The man did not walk away because obedience cannot save. He walked away because he loved his riches more than God and was unwilling to let go. Jesus did not chase him and say, “Just believe and you are saved anyway.” He let him go, showing that entering life requires a heart willing to surrender everything to God.

Jesus later explained this lesson to His disciples by saying how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom (Matthew 19:23). The issue was trust and allegiance, not the idea that keeping God’s commandments is useless.

So the rich young ruler did not miss Jesus’ point by trying to obey. He missed it by refusing to obey completely. Jesus taught that eternal life belongs to those who love God with all their heart and show that love by keeping His word.

 

[NewLifeInChrist]

We apply it differently? How so?

I answered that question in my post. You think those words in James applies to the salvation of our souls. This is what I said about that. The first sentence is sarcasm. The second sentence is a question that you did not answer.

Yes, James makes it clear that in order to be saved you must offer up your firstborn son as a burnt offering to God (Ja 2:21) or you must lie to the authorities concerning the whereabouts of people they are looking for (Ja 2:25) or you must meet the needs of the hungry (Ja 2:15-16). Or have you not noticed that none of those examples are about salvation?​

The second paragraph of what I wrote explains the concept correctly...

What are they about? They demonstrate that your actions speak louder than your words. If you say you believe in Jesus for the salvation of your soul, but you are working hard to secure your salvation through obedience to the law, then you have not rested from your works (Heb 4:10) and your faith looks like it's dead.​

​

You didn't respond to that either. But now is your chance.