What's with all the choices?

[Miles]

.

ALL YOU NEED DO TO BE SAVED IS TO PICK 1 OF THE 17 OPTIONS BELOW

This assumes,

.....Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit
.....Seeing/entering the kingdom of God
.....Getting eternal life
.....Not dying in one's sins
.....Not perishing
.....Surely living, not dying

is the same as salvation

1. HAVE FAITH
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith.

2. BELIEVE IN JESUS
Acts 16:31
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

3. CONFESS THAT JESUS IS LORD AND WAS RESURRECTED
Romans 10:9-10
if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

4. BE BAPTIZED
1 Peter 3:18-22
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you

5. REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED
Acts 2:38
“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

6. BELIEVE AND BE BAPTIZED
Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

7. BE BORN AGAIN
John 3:3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.

8. HAVE FAITH
Ephesians 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith.

9. WORK AND SEEK
Romans 2:6-8
He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

10. BELIEVE JESUS IS THE "I AM HE"
John 8:24
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

11. BELIEVE IN JESUS
John 3:15-18
That whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

12. REPENT
Luke 13:3
No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

13. REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED
Acts 2:38-39
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

14. CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD
Acts 2:21
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

15. RELY ON YOUR SAVIOR'S MERCY
Titus 3:4-5
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

16. DO THE WILL OF GOD
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

17. (for the wicked) TURN FROM YOUR SIN, DO WHAT IS RIGHT, RETURN WHAT YOU HAVE STOLEN, AND WALK IN THE STATUTES OF LIFE
Ezekiel 33:14-19
Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die.




.

.

[2timothy316]

[Replying to onewithhim in post #43]

The demons do not call Jesus Lord.

Doing the will of God is the hard part but not the saving part.

Jesus says differently, if you will look at the verses in Matthew.

"Not everyone that saith unto me 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father." (Matt.7:21, KJV)

(The demons called Jesus "the Holy One of God." Pretty close to the meaning of "Lord," wouldn't you say? (Luke 4:34) But they sure were not doing the will of God.)
Therefore, doing God's will is paramount to being saved in the end. (Matt.24:13) Don't you agree that "enduring" would involve some action on a person's part?

Seems to me you can't have one without the other. Both are the 'saving part'. Doing the will of God is the road to the gate Jesus opened through his sacrifice. If not obeying then one is not moving toward salvation. If Jesus didn't die, there would be nothing to move toward.

It comes down to obeying. A person can appear to be doing good things but if a person ignores a clear commandment, such as those still in Jerusalem in 70 CE who were told to leave years before but didn't. They died, not because they weren't doing good things, but because they didn't obey. Peter said it best, of Jesus he said, "you have sayings of everlasting life". Note Peter focused on what Jesus was saying and not what Jesus was going to do.

Good luck if you think you can obey God in a manner that earns your way into heaven.

I'm not looking to get into Heaven. I don't obey God for reward. I do it for the same reason Jesus obeyed God. (John 14:31) And because Jehovah loved me first. (1 John 4:19)
"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?" Romans 6:16
Obedience leads to righteousness and that leads to salvation. Disobedience leads to death. Certainly you're not saying that one can believe in the salvation of Christ but be disobedient to his commandments.

I don't need luck, because Jehovah never asks for anything that we can't do and here is why.
"Now this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it beyond your reach." Duet 10:11
"For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3
At the same time Jehovah doesn't expect perfection. (Romans 3:23)

This is why it is saved by grace and God is patient with us as we try to obey. Jesus has sayings of everlasting life because he is living water.

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Jesus is the Word.

No argument here. But, "Accept with mildness the implanting of the word which is able to save your souls. ... However, become doers of the word, and not hearers only.”​—James 1:21, 22.
To do is to obey.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to onewithhim in post #43]

The demons do not call Jesus Lord.

Doing the will of God is the hard part but not the saving part.

Jesus says differently, if you will look at the verses in Matthew.

"Not everyone that saith unto me 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father." (Matt.7:21, KJV)

(The demons called Jesus "the Holy One of God." Pretty close to the meaning of "Lord," wouldn't you say? (Luke 4:34) But they sure were not doing the will of God.)
Therefore, doing God's will is paramount to being saved in the end. (Matt.24:13) Don't you agree that "enduring" would involve some action on a person's part?

Seems to me you can't have one without the other. Both are the 'saving part'. Doing the will of God is the road to the gate Jesus opened through his sacrifice. If not obeying then one is not moving toward salvation. If Jesus didn't die, there would be nothing to move toward.

It comes down to obeying. A person can appear to be doing good things but if a person ignores a clear commandment, such as those still in Jerusalem in 70 CE who were told to leave years before but didn't. They died, not because they weren't doing good things, but because they didn't obey. Peter said it best, of Jesus he said, "you have sayings of everlasting life". Note Peter focused on what Jesus was saying and not what Jesus was going to do.

Good luck if you think you can obey God in a manner that earns your way into heaven.

I'm not looking to get into Heaven. I don't obey God for reward. I do it for the same reason Jesus obeyed God. (John 14:31) And because Jehovah loved me first. (1 John 4:19)
"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?" Romans 6:16
Obedience leads to righteousness and that leads to salvation. Disobedience leads to death. Certainly you're not saying that one can believe in the salvation of Christ but be disobedient to his commandments.

I don't need luck, because Jehovah never asks for anything that we can't do and here is why.
"Now this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it beyond your reach." Duet 10:11
"For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3
At the same time Jehovah doesn't expect perfection. (Romans 3:23)

This is why it is saved by grace and God is patient with us as we try to obey. Jesus has sayings of everlasting life because he is living water.

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Jesus is the Word.

No argument here. But, "Accept with mildness the implanting of the word which is able to save your souls. ... However, become doers of the word, and not hearers only.”​—James 1:21, 22.
To do is to obey.

As has been said many times, BOTH belief AND works must be in the mix. We can't be saved by works alone. The belief comes first, THEN we do God's will, as Jesus did. Obedience is important to Jehovah. The nation of Israel suffered because they were not obedient.

[Wootah]

As has been said many times, BOTH belief AND works must be in the mix. We can't be saved by works alone. The belief comes first, THEN we do God's will, as Jesus did. Obedience is important to Jehovah. The nation of Israel suffered because they were not obedient.

We are saved by grace through faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9
New International Version
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Anyone adding to the message is a pharisee trying to put heavy burdens on people

Matthew 23:4
New International Version
4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Works are our response. If a person is saved today and then a bus hits them - they are saved.

Now of course if there are no works then who can believe that the person was saved? But even then, what works have you done that you want to boast about? If it is faith and works what work will we boast in to get to heaven. Ours?

Galatians 6:14
New International Version
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

[Wootah]

[Replying to 2timothy316 in post #51]

As long as you are not conflating works with salvation then I have no argument either. Works are our response.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to 2timothy316 in post #51]

As long as you are not conflating works with salvation then I have no argument either. Works are our response.

Salvation is a free undeserved gift whuch cannot be earnt. Who God gives that free gift to is dependent on whether he deems them worthy of doing so. Scripture indicates he looks for faith which is evidenced by obedient actions (WORKS) in those that have it.

Its not rocket science.

[2timothy316]

[Replying to 2timothy316 in post #51]

As long as you are not conflating works with salvation then I have no argument either. Works are our response.

Works alone? No way! What work can be done where the wages are eternal life? Impossible.
This is why Jehovah's Witnesses uses the term 'exercising faith'. This term is more than just someone with faith or a person that just works. Its a person that works in faith. One works, not for eternal life, but for their love of God, gaining a closer relationship with Him, better themselves and the betterment of mankind.

[onewithhim]

As has been said many times, BOTH belief AND works must be in the mix. We can't be saved by works alone. The belief comes first, THEN we do God's will, as Jesus did. Obedience is important to Jehovah. The nation of Israel suffered because they were not obedient.

We are saved by grace through faith.

Ephesians 2:8-9
New International Version
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Anyone adding to the message is a pharisee trying to put heavy burdens on people

Matthew 23:4
New International Version
4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Works are our response. If a person is saved today and then a bus hits them - they are saved.

Now of course if there are no works then who can believe that the person was saved? But even then, what works have you done that you want to boast about? If it is faith and works what work will we boast in to get to heaven. Ours?

Galatians 6:14
New International Version
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Salvation is a work in progress. True, if someone believes and is doing the Father's will, and gets hit by a bus, he would be saved. Jesus said enough to point us to the fact that we must be doing the Father's will. (Matthew 7:21) "Likewise let your light shine before men, that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father who is in the heavens." (Matthew 5:16)

Paul said, "...I went bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance." (Acts 26:20b) Also, "Likewise I desire the women to adorn themselves with well-arranged dress, with modesty...in the way that befits women professing to reverence God, namely, through good works." (I Timothy 2:9,10)

There are many verses that back up the idea of first belief and then works. It can't be denied. Jesus himself said it, and also his disciples. "Peter said: 'For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.'" (Acts 10:34)

"He [God] will render to each one according to his works." (Romans 2:6)

So we can see that a person must do something to garner God's acceptance, and this would be after they repent and believe. "A certain one will say, 'You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith apart from the works, and I shall show you my faith by my works.' You believe there is one God, do you? you are doing well. And yet the demons believe and shudder. But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith apart from works is dead? ...Indeed, ...faith without works is dead." (James 2:18-20,26)

Belief + works = ultimate salvation And: "He that endures to the end is the one that shall be saved." (Matthew 24:13)

[Wootah]

[Replying to onewithhim in post #57]

How will you do the good works the father intended you to do if you are not saved and don't have the holy spirit indwelling in you?

[2timothy316]

[Replying to onewithhim in post #57]

How will you do the good works the father intended you to do if you are not saved and don't have the holy spirit indwelling in you?

Who said we didn't have holy spirit helping us?
“I have the Lord as helper and will not be frightened.”​—HEBREWS 13:6

Saved, as in the past tense, as if we are already saved, doesn't fit with scripture. "He that endures to the end is the one that shall be saved." The end of what? In context, that scripture comes as an answer to his disciples as to when the end of system of things would come. So, we must endure to the end of this system of things to be saved. Or the end of our life. Whichever comes first. But only if we endure and that takes working in faith to follow the commandments of God.

[Wootah]

[Replying to 2timothy316 in post #59]

Can a non saved person do the good works God has planned for them?