BIBLICAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS...
Questions
And Answers About Salvation
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
—Acts 16:31
Jesus commanded in John 5:39... SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!! Thus, the Word of God ought to be our Final Authority in all matters. Here are some common questions about salvation and Biblical answers:
All Scriptures quoted only from the Trustworthy KING JAMES BIBLE:
Does a Person Have to Ask Jesus into Their Heart to Be
Saved?
No! There's nothing
in the Bible about "asking Jesus" into one's Heart to be saved. Revelation 3:20 states, "Behold, I stand
at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will
come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Howbeit, this Scripture was spoken to
believers (the church of Laodicea); not to lost sinners. To teach that a sinner needs to "ask
Jesus to come into their heart" will likely confuse young children. How do you invite Jesus into a muscle that
pumps blood? I do NOT believe it is
heresy to teach sinners to ask Jesus to come into their heart to be saved. Not at all.
BUT, the bottom line is that a person DOESN'T have to ask or invite
Jesus into their heart to be saved. We
must not require this of sinners to be saved.
Believing is enough. One need
only come as a guilty sinner, and BELIEVE on Jesus as their Savior to be
eternally forgiven. Salvation is
receiving; NOT giving.
Does a Person Have to Be Sorry for Their Sins to Be Saved?
No! There is nothing
in the Scriptures about "being sorry" for one's sins to be
saved. 2nd Corinthians 7:10 states,
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:
but the sorrow of the world worketh death." The Apostle Paul was speaking to the church,
concerning the man mentioned in 1st Corinthians 5:1-5 who was living in open
fornication in the church. He was a
believer (1st Corinthians 5:5). The man
afterwards repentant, because of godly sorrow, i.e., the convicting power of
the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 12:5-8). A lost
sinner, who has not the Holy Spirit, cannot reasonably be expected to have
godly sorrow before salvation. Being
"sorry" for one's sins is a matter of growing in grace, which
requires time. The church at Corinth was
carnal (1st Corinthians 3:1), and certainly had no "sorrow" over the
overwhelming abundance of sins in their church.
This is why Paul wrote 1st Corinthians—to rebuke them sharply. Jesus never asked anyone to "be sorry
for their sins" to be saved. Rather,
one need only come as a guilty sinner, and BELIEVE on Jesus as their Savior to
be eternally forgiven. Salvation is
receiving; NOT giving.
Does a Person Have to Repent to Be Saved?
Yes! Mark 1:15
states, "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
Carefully notice that repentance is synonymous with believing the Gospel
(i.e., the "good news" of God's plan of redemption through Jesus
Christ crucified). There is much
perversion today by unscholarly men, who misrepresent the true Biblical meaning
of the word "REPENT," which is the Greek word metanoia, meaning
"a change of mind." Dishonest
men claim that "repent" in the Bible means to forsake one's sin as
part of saving-faith; BUT, such heresy goes against the plainest teachings in
the Bible. Salvation is of God; not
men. There is no self-righteousness
involved. Eternal life is a "free
gift" (Romans 5:15), which cannot be acquired through any amount of
self-righteousness (Ephesians 2:8,9).
Biblical repentance is "a change of mind"
concerning sin and the Saviour, which causes a lost sinner to believe on the
Lord for forgiveness of sins to be saved.
Genesis 15:6 states... "And he [Abraham] believed in
the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." Also see Romans 4:3-5. Abraham's faith was COUNTED for righteousness. Why?
Because Christ's righteousness is imputed to the believer... "And
the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was
imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God"
(James 2:23). Abraham was saved by faith
alone, and then his faith was "made perfect" (James 2:22) in the eyes
of MEN by works.
It is important to make a distinction between a believer
who repents FROM sin in one's life (as a part of growing in the Lord); verses
an unsaved person who must repent OF sin to be saved. Romans 3:19 clearly tells us what the purpose
of God's Law is in salvation... "Now we know that what things soever the
law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be
stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." All that God requires to be saved is that one
come as a sinner, and trust upon the Lord Jesus Christ to be forgiven.
Romans 3:19 DOESN'T teach that sins must be forsaken to be
saved. The whole notion of
"Lordship Salvation" is unfair to a new believer, because even mature
Christians struggle with the temptations of sin. It often takes years before a believer grows
enough in the Lord to be willing to consecrate their life to God.
So, "Yes," a lost sinner must repent to be saved;
but not in the sense of giving up their sins and making a commitment to live
anew for God. You won't find the phrase
"repent from sin" in the Bible.
In sharp contrast, Acts 20:21 speaks of "repentance toward
God." So Biblical repentance is not
the forsaking of sins; rather, it is turning towards Jesus Christ to be
forgiven of sin. Jesus died on the cross to pay for our debt of sin, He doesn't
require that we forsake our sinful bad habits to receive God's free gift.
We must keep the FRUIT of the believer's faith separate
from the ROOT of the believer's faith, or else God's simple plan of salvation
will be corrupted by self-righteousness.
Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do.
Is Salvation a Process?
No! Salvation is not
a process. There are not 2-steps to
salvation; but rather, 2-parts to one step.
Repentance and faith are two separate parts of the same step. One who has believed on the Lord for
forgiveness has repented of their sins.
This is Biblical repentance concerning salvation. The Gospel of John mentions the word
"believe" 85 times; yet the word "repent" is never
mentioned. Clearly, if repentance were
something different than BELIEVING ON THE LORD, then the Bible would have said
so. It is obvious that believing on the
Lord is repentance. In repentance, one
TURNS from the awfulness of sin to the Precious Savior to be forgiven.
The plain teaching of the Scriptures is that even the
vilest sinner can be saved by simply believing on the Lord... "For
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans
10:13).
Does a Person Have to Forsake Their Sins to Be Saved?
No! This is perhaps
the most popular, and damning, misconception concerning salvation today. Although it is true that
"repentance" is required for salvation, the word "repent"
doesn't mean what a lot of people think.
"Repent" in the Greek (metanoia) simply means, "a change
of mind." Thus, repentance is a
change of attitude concerning one's sinnership and the Saviour, and NOT a
change of lifestyle or surrender to Christ.
The heresy of "Lordship Salvation" requires a lost sinner to
be willing to forsake their sinful lifestyle as a prerequisite to
salvation. This is unbiblical. In effect, Lordship Salvation combines the
FRUIT of one's faith with the ROOT of their faith, which is nothing less than
WORKS SALVATION. The FRUIT is a result
of the indwelling Holy Spirit, but only if a believer chooses to Walk in the
Spirit. Fruit is not automatic. Abraham was
justified in the eyes of men (James 2:21) when he offered up Isaac in Genesis
22; BUT, Abraham was justified in the eyes of God when he believed on the Lord
in Genesis 15:6. A person does not have
to forsake anything to be saved except the sin of unbelief. One need only come as a guilty sinner and
BELIEVE on Jesus as their Savior to be eternally forgiven. Salvation is receiving, NOT giving.
Does a Person Have to Pray a Prayer to Be Saved?
No! What if a person
were mute? I've read several Gospel
tracts which lead the reader to "pray a prayer." Although there's certainly no harm in praying
a sinner's prayer for salvation, it is NOT necessary. The danger is that many people will think
prayer alone can save them. It cannot. Any prayer that is not based upon faith in
Jesus Christ is void.
There MUST be repentance.
The sin issue must be dealt with, i.e., a man must come to Christ as a
guilty, hell-deserving sinner to be saved.
Only guilty sinners who "call upon the name of the Lord" shall
be saved (Romans 3:19;10:13). The word
"call" in Romans 10:13 is the Greek word "epikaleĊ" and
means "to appeal unto," i.e., to believe on Jesus for salvation.
Romans 10:10 states, "For with the heart man
believeth..." Thus, salvation is of
the heart. I believe that soulwinners
need to teach people that prayer by itself cannot save anyone. There must be belief in the heart. Ritualism cannot save. It is the precious, literal, physical blood
of Jesus Christ that washes one's sins away (1st John 1:7), in response to our
faith in Jesus Christ.
Can a Believer Commit the Unpardonable Sin?
No! "Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent
me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life" (John 5:24).
One who believes on Christ is saved safe and secure. The only "unpardonable sins" is
rejecting Jesus Christ as one's Saviour, to which there is no remed, taking out
and adding to the Word of God, blaspheming the Holy Ghost, worshipping the
Antichrist and his image and taking the mark of the beast. A person who dies in
their sins (John 8:24) will burn in Hellfire forever, suffering the wrath of
God against sin (2nd Thessalonians 1:8,9).
There are numerous examples of believers in the Bible who
commit the most horrible sins. David
killed Uriah and stole his wife in adultery (2nd Samuel 11:1-24). Samson had sex with a prostitute (Judges
16:1). Noah got drunk (Genesis
9:20,21). Moses murdered an Egyptian and
hid the body (Exodus 2:12). Yet, these men
found forgiveness in Christ.
Can a Person Lose God's Gift of Salvation?
No! It is God's
salvation; not ours. How can we lose
something that wasn't ours to give in the first place? If we cannot earn salvation by good works;
then how can we lose salvation by bad works?
We cannot. Jesus promised in John
6:37, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh
to me I will in no wise cast out."
To claim that a believer can lose salvation is to call God a liar.
In Philippians 2:12 the Apostle Paul states, "...work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Carefully notice that the Bible doesn't say
to work out God's salvation. In the Book
of Psalm, David uses the phrase "thy salvation" 21 times. David understood that salvation was of God
alone; and not men.
Some false prophets claim that salvation can be lost by
apostasy and sinful living. This is not
so. Oftentimes people find churchianity
and religion; but they reject Christianity, i.e., Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2nd Timothy
3:5). America's churches are filled
today with religious imposters, who are not saved, and are hell-bound in their
sins without Jesus Christ. They never
were saved to begin with.
Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be "born
again" to get to Heaven (John 3:3-7).
The Bible never speaks of being born again, and again, and again. No, just once! Just as the physical birth is irreversible,
so is the spiritual birth into God's family.
In Galatians 5:4 the Apostle Paul states, "Christ is
become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are
fallen from grace." The context of
this Scripture is clear... works salvation is a road to Hell. God's grace offers salvation to all men
through Jesus Christ: "For by grace are ye saved through faith..."
(Ephesians 2:8). If one neglects such
wondrous grace, refusing to believe on Christ for salvation, then no grace
remains for that Christ-rejecter. This
is what the Bible means in Galatians 5:4 when it speaks of "fallen from
grace." Anyone who tries to earn
their way into Heaven, by self-righteousness, has missed their only way to
Heaven through Christ (Romans 10:3,4).
Again, salvation cannot be lost for the believer. No believer can "fall from grace";
but an unbeliever can reject the grace of God that bringeth salvation.
Does a Person Have to Get Saved More Than Once?
No! This is
impossible. Just as it is impossible for
a human being to be born twice from its mother's womb, so it is impossible to
be born again TWICE into God's family.
2nd Corinthians 5:17 states, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become
new." We read in Ephesians 1:13,
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed
with that holy Spirit of promise."
Every born again Christian is sealed with the Holy Spirit of God at the
moment of salvation. God has promised to
NEVER leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
We may forsake God, and not feel His presence anymore in our life; but
God never abandons His own. Romans 10:17
states the cure, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God." Studying the Scriptures
will increase one's faith.
You can only be saved once, and you can never lose it. Salvation is a free gift, paid for by Jesus'
precious physical blood (Romans 5:15; Hebrews 9:12; 1st Peter 1:18,19).
Is Water Baptism Necessary for Salvation?
No! Water Baptism
won't save a person anymore than walking into a garage makes one an
automobile. Water Baptism is an
"ordinance" which the Lord instituted for BELIEVER'S ONLY. The same is true of the Lord's Supper.
The Bible plainly states that salvation has always been by
faith. We read in Acts 10:43, "To
him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in
him shall receive remission of sins."
No one in the Old Testament was baptized, but the Gospel message was the
same then as today. The thief on the
cross wasn't baptized. Paul said in 1st
Corinthians 1:17, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
gospel..." If water baptism were
necessary for salvation, then certainly the Apostle Paul wouldn't have made
light of it.
In 1st John 5:13, the Apostle states, "These things
have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may
know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son
of God." John wrote his Epistle so
that we could "KNOW" we are saved.
Interestingly, John never mentions any kind of baptism, nor
speaking-in-tongues, etc. Obviously,
water baptism is not a part of saving-faith.
Baptism is a work.
It would be self-righteousness to rely upon baptismal water to wash
one's sins away. 1st John 1:7 plainly
states, "...and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
sin." It's Jesus' blood that
cleanses away our sins.
Baptism is symbolic of the Lord's death, burial, and
resurrection (Romans 6:4). Water Baptism
is one's public profession of faith in Christ, just as a wedding ring signifies
that a person is married. Baptism is NOT
a Sacrament, i.e., it has no efficacy or special grace it bestows upon the
recipient. It is just water.
Must a Person Experience Feelings at the Time of Salvation?
No. Some people do
experience emotion, joy, and relief; however, most people don't feel anything
at the time of salvation. Remember,
salvation is NOT an experience; it is a lost sinner placing faith in Christ
alone for the forgiveness of sins.
Emotions and feelings are not necessary for salvation.
This is why "feeling sorry" for one's sins is NOT
a part of saving-faith, because sorrow is an emotion. The Bible simply asks us to BELIEVE on Jesus
Christ for salvation; not get emotional and have an experience. "For whosoever shall call upon the name
of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). That's a promise from God.
Certainly, the Apostle Paul had a remarkable salvation
experience in Acts 9; but this is out of the ordinary. One's salvation is not based upon feelings or
a past experience; but rather, upon the precious written Promises of God's
Word. As the song goes... "Jesus
loves me this I know, for the Bible TELLS ME SO."
So, we seen clearly from the Word of God that a lost sinner
DOESN'T need to "be sorry" for his sins, DOESN'T need to
"ask" Jesus into his heart, DOESN'T need to "forsake his
sins", DOESN'T need to "pray" a prayer, and DOESN'T need to
"surrender" his life to Christ to be saved. Salvation is receiving; NOT giving. Jesus paid our sin debt in full with His
redeeming blood (1st Peter 1:18,19).
To be saved, you need HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS... "But seek
ye first the kingdom of God, and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and all these things shall
be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).
You need Jesus' righteousness, which is by faith alone in Him...
"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him" (2nd Corinthians 5:21). "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness,
and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Romans 10:3,4).
Salvation is not some hocus-pocus. It is not a philosophy that one learns. It is not a mere prayer. It is not a religious experience or ritual. Salvation is a supernatural act of God
Almighty in response to our personal faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, Who came
to earth as the Godhead in the flesh (John 1:1-3,14; 1st Timothy 3:16;
Colossians 2:9). We are the sinners, and
Jesus is the Savior. It's that
simple. You don't need to give up
anything to be saved. Eternal life is a
"Free Gift" (Romans 5:15; 6:23), paid for by Jesus precious, literal,
physical, redeeming blood (Hebrews 9:12; Revelation 1:5).
Questions and Answers on Sin and Forgiveness'
What is the Unpardonable Sin?
The only unpardonable sins are rejecting Jesus Christ as
one's personal Saviour, adding and taking out from God’s Wod, Blaspheming the
Holy Spirit, Worshiping the Antichrist and his image and taking the Mark of the
Beast. Isaiah 1:18 teaches that God will forgive the vilest sinner who repents.
It was Jesus in Matthew 18:22 Who taught that we ought to forgive 7 times 70.
In other words, unlimited forgiveness for those who seek it. Do you think God
is less forgiving? 1st John 1:9 teaches that God is faithful and just to
forgive us. Although 1st John 1:9 is addressed to Christians, i.e., the Church;
other Scriptures such as Romans 10:13 promise that WHOSOEVER calls (i.e.,
appeals) unto the Lord Jesus for forgiveness shall be saved.
John 3:16 is the most precious Scripture in the Bible, “For
God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Amen! There is
no sin which God cannot, or will not forgive, except blaspheming the Spirit of
God concerning Jesus Christ, Worshiping the Antichrist and his image and taking
the Mark of the Beast. If you reject
Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, then you are fallen from God's grace and
there is no other way to Heaven. That's exactly what Galatians 5:4 means when
the Bible speaks of being “fallen from grace.” Acts 4:10-12 proclaims that
there is no other name by which we can be saved than JESUS CHRIST. Jesus
proclaimed this truth Himself in John 14:6. Jesus is precious!
What Does 1st John 3:9 Mean?
1st John 3:9 states: "Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is
born of God." A changed life is the FRUIT of genuine repentance; not a
part of the ROOT of saving-faith. If a person is genuinely saved, the Holy
Spirit of God comes to live in that person's soul (Romans 8:9). The evidence of
one's faith is a changed life for God (James 2:21). Please understand that
self-righteous works have nothing to do with salvation (Titus 3:5). We are saved
by faith, period (Romans 4:5-6). God takes care of everything else once we are
saved, including working in our heart and teaching us the truth through His
Word.
Jesus said in John 17:17 that we are sanctified by the Word
of God, i.e., by the truth. A professed Christian who lives in unrepentant sin,
with no conviction from the Holy Spirit of God, is likely not saved (Hebrews
12:6-8). There is no one as miserable as a believer who lives in sin, because
God will tear their heart out with conviction. A person who doesn't have the
Spirit of Christ is unsaved (Romans 8:9). That's what 1st John 3:9 means.
What Does 1st John 5:16 Mean... "a sin unto
death"
1st John 5:16,17 states: ''If any man see his brother sin a
sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them
that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall
pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto
death." I have found at least one
dozen explanations of this Scripture passage.
I prefer to allow the Bible to interpret Itself. Romans 6:16 states: "Know ye not, that
to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye
obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" So here we see that the opposite of the
"sin unto death" is "obedience unto righteousness."
Romans 8:6 states: "For to be carnally minded is
death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." I do believe that John is speaking to
Christian brethren in 1st John 5:16. It is also clear to me that John is not
talking about the unpardonable sin, i.e., rejecting Jesus Christ as one's
Saviour. It is obvious that the subject
at hand involves prayer, because 1st John 5:15 speaks of it. I think the only logical conclusion is that
the Apostle John is speaking about one who has become sick because of sin. I think a comparison of 1st John 5:16,17 with
James 5:14,15 clears up the matter...
"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of
the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise
him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."
This is what John is talking about. The Bible plainly teaches that some illnesses
are caused by one's own sins. 1st
Corinthians 11:30 tells us that many believers were becoming sick and dying
because of their abuse of the Lord's Supper... "For this cause many are
weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."
Galatians 6:1,2 states:
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so
fulfil the law of Christ."
1st John 5:13 tells us the sole purpose why the Epistle of
1st John was written...
"These things have I written unto you that believe on
the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and
that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
One of the evidences of salvation is a changed life which
causes a believer to love others with God's unconditional love, especially
fellow Christians. It is our duty to
bear one another's burdens, i.e., when they are "overtaken in a
fault" as Galatians 6:1 tells us.
So, John is likewise advising us to pray for our fellow brethren in the
Lord, if we have seen them sin and now, they are ill, that God might forgive
their sin and let them live. However,
upon examining 1st John 5:16 it is clear to me that this is a personal burden,
only applicable to those who have "seen" a brother or sister
sin. I believe Galatians 6:1,2 also
speaks of a personal burden, for the relationship of the fallen is close enough
to the "spiritual" believer that he may "restore such a
one."
Are There Greater Sins and Lesser Sins?
Yes. John 19:11, “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no
power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore, he
that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.”
Howbeit, we are all guilty, dirty, rotten sinners in God's
eyes. James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in
one point, he is guilty of all.” A hypocrite is someone who views another
person as being a worse sinner than them self. We are all sinners in need of a
Savior (Romans 3:23). Those who point fingers fail to realize that there are
3-fingers pointing back at them (on their own hand). Those people who are
hateful toward other sinners, or are unwilling to forgive those who seek their
forgiveness, fail to see their own wickedness in God's eyes. There is much
self-righteousness in churches today.
Is it Possible for a Christian to Live in Gross Sin?
Yes. 1st Corinthians 5:5, “To deliver such an one unto
Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day
of the Lord Jesus.” This man at the church at Corinth was living in open
adultery in the church (1st Corinthians 5:1). The Apostle Paul has heard of the
situation from another city and was disturbed over the lack of Biblical
preaching against sin in the church. Paul advised the church to confront the
man. Paul said if the man refused to repent, then to turn him over to Satan;
but notice that Paul said the man's spirit would BE SAVED in the Day of the
Lord.
The Bible is filled with examples of born-again believers
who sinned horribly. Romans 4:5 plainly states... “But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is COUNTED for
righteousness.” Did you read that? ... his faith is COUNTED for
righteousness!!! This means that a person can be saved and continue living in
sin. Before you get upset, you'd better stop and realize that the Bible is
filled with believers who lived in horrible sin. Noah was a drunkard. Samson was
a whoremonger. David was an adulterer and murderer. Rahab was a prostitute.
Isaiah had a dirty mouth. Jonah ran from God. Peter denied and cursed the name
of Jesus. Ananias and Sapphira stole from the church. The church at Corinth had
a serious problem with church members committing fornication, fighting against
each other and even showing up drunk at the Lord's Supper.
Romans 3:31 clearly teaches that no one has God's
permission to sin; but salvation is without works of self-righteousness, and a
good thing, because we have NONE to offer God (Isaiah 64:6). Jesus paid it all.
“I've Done Some Horrible Things, Will God Forgive Me?”
Yes. Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together,
saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Is it Possible to Live for God Without Sinning?
No. Paul plainly teaches in Romans 7:14-25 that he
struggled with sin on a regular basis. The unsaved world has no regard for God
nor His Word, so there is no struggle. They are children of the Devil. The best
Christian still struggles with sin, but with God's help is able to overcome
temptation (1st Corinthians 10:13). Yet, everyone falters at times because we
are sinful by nature. Those who deny being sinners are liars and call God a
liar (1st John 1:8,10). Sin is NEVER permissible; but the fact of the matter is
that everyone is a sinner. No one can live above sin. Those who claim to do so
are self-righteous hypocrites (Luke 18:10-14).
As my pastor used to say... We can choose to do right at
any given time; but we won't always make the right decision because we are
sinners. Galatians 5:25 plainly distinguishes between living in the Spirit
verses walking in the Spirit. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit.” Every born-again believer lives in the Holy Spirit of God, i.e.,
the Holy Spirit is the believer's spiritual life. Those who are saved ought to
also walk in the Spirit of God in obedience to the Scriptures. Many believers
don't walk in the Spirit, which is a sin. We are commanded to walk in the same
Spirit by which we have our very spiritual life (Ephesians 2:2).
Proverb 26:16, “For a just man falleth seven times, and
riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
Does a Person Have to Forsake Their Sins to Be Saved?
No. Romans 4:5-8, “But to him that worketh not, but
believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto
whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose
iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom
the Lord will not impute sin.” God will not impute sin to the man who places
his faith in Jesus as the Son of God, the Christ, to forgive his sins. By faith,
God attributes Christ's righteousness to our record (2nd Corinthians 5:21). We
are saved solely by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS (Matthew 6:33). We have no
self-righteousness to offer God (Isaiah 64:6). We are all guilty sinners in
God's eyes (Romans 3:10-23).
When Sins are Confessed and Forgiven, are They Also
Forgotten by God?
Yes. Psalm 103:11-12, “For as the heaven is high above the
earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is
from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” The Bible
plainly teaches that God will not remember our sins. Hebrews 8:12 and 10:17,
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more. And their sins and iniquities will I
remember no more.” Amen, what a precious Savior!
Please understand that all sins must be accounted for on
Judgment Day. For the saved, they will be judged at The Judgment Seat of Christ
(2nd Corinthians 5:10-111). For the unsaved, they will be judged at The Great
White Throne of Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). Romans 14:12 teaches that all
humanity will give account individually to God.
Should We Confess Our Sins to God Alone?
To God alone, for only Jesus has the nail-scared hands and
feet. Modern perversions of the Scriptures have changed James 5:16 from
“Confess your faults one to another” to “Confess your sins one to another.” The
Bible never teaches to confess our sins to anyone except God. Instead, we are
told to admit our faults. The New International Version [NIV] of the Bible
corrupts this Scripture to cater to Catholics, who errantly teach that priests
have the power to forgive sin. No, they don't. Only God can forgive sin (Mark
2:7). The Confessional Booth is evil. Only God can forgive sin, so only God
needs to know your sins.
Certainly, we ought to be willing to apologize to those we wrong, and make restitution; however, God is the only One against Whom we can sin. All sin is against God alone, because sin is the breaking of God's Law. A person may wrong their neighbor, or commit a crime; but sin is against God alone, Who is the divine Law-giver. Psalm 51:4, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” This Scripture was spoken by David, who killed Uriah after stealing his wife in adultery and impregnating her. What a horrible sin! King David committed a crime against Uriah and his family; but David's sins were against God alone, because God said, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:13) and “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). David broke God's Law. David later repented. 2nd Samuel 12:13, “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.”
How To Go To Heaven
According to the inspired holy Word of God in the King
James Bible!
It is very simple to
be saved and takes only a minute to explain. Please let me show you how to get
to Heaven from the Bible, God's Word...
Man is a Sinner in the Eyes of a Holy God.
Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of
us all.”
Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped,
and all the world may become guilty before God.”
John 3:3, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.”
Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There is none righteous,
no, not one.”
Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God.”
There is a Price For Our Sin―Burning in the Lake of Fire
Forever.
Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the
world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned.”
2nd Thessalonians 1:8, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on
them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Revelation 20:15, "And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.”
Jesus paid that price by dying on the cross and shedding
His blood; Christ was buried and bodily rose again the third day!
Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in
that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.”
1st Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom
I am chief.”
1st Peter 1:18-19, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious
blood of Christ...”
1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto
you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and
wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the
third day according to the scriptures.” This is the Gospel.
By faith in Jesus Christ ALONE we are immediately saved.
Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus.”
John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection,
and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”
John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do,
that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is
the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man
should boast.”
John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth,
and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that
every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life:
and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Acts 26:18, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith
that is in me.”
Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved.”
1st Corinthians 3:11, "For other foundation can no man
lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 3:26, “For ye are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus.”
Salvation is NOT found in a religion or good works, but in
a Person... The LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Simply BELIEVE the Gospel and You Are Saved!
Do you admit that you are a GUILTY sinner, under the
condemnation of God's LAW, deserving of Hellfire?
Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God (God in the
flesh) who died upon the cross, sacrificing His precious blood to pay for your
sins? Do you believe that Jesus was buried and bodily resurrected three days
later? This is the Good News of the Gospel... Jesus DIED ON THE CROSS, He was
BURIED and He is RISEN! Believe it friend, make it your only hope for eternal
life, and you are saved!!! Amen!
To be saved you simply come to God by faith, as a guilty
sinner, and BELIEVE the Gospel.
You must know that you are a sinner. No man ever got saved
who didn't know that he is a sinner. Repentance is that thing when you come
before God and see yourself as you are, and see Him as he is, and say with
Isaiah “Woe is me, for I am unclean!” Repentance is simply a change of mind,
where you admit that you are a woeful sinner totally incapable of saving
yourself. Thus, you believe the Gospel (Good News) of the Lord Jesus Christ to
be saved.
Perhaps you'd feel comfortable praying a sinner's prayer as
did the publican in Luke 18:13... “And the publican, standing afar off, would
not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,
God be merciful to me a sinner.” It doesn't matter exactly what you pray,
because you're saved by BELIEVING, not by praying. But if you'd like to pray as
an expression of your faith, you could pray something like this. ...
Dear Jesus,
I admit that I am a sinner deserving of Hell. I am guilty
for breaking your holy commandments. I believe that you died on the cross to
pay for my sins, was buried, and bodily resurrected three days later. Please
forgive me of my sins and take me to Heaven when I die. I now believe upon You
alone, apart from all self-righteous works and religion, as my personal Savior.
Thank you. Amen.
Just as you were born physically to your parents, so you
were born spiritually into the family of God when you received Jesus! John
1:12-13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Again, please understand that we are not saved because we
pray a prayer, but because we BELIEVE upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is certainly appropriate to ask the Lord in prayer to forgive and save us,
but it is our faith which prompts us to pray. You could just as easily believe
in your heart upon the Lord to be saved, and not pray at all. Salvation is of
the heart, as we read in Romans 10:10, “For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness...”
Likewise, it is an extra unnecessary step in God's plan of
salvation to require a person to walk down a church isle to be saved. Why
cannot people be saved right there in their pew seat? They certainly can! Only
God knows how many millions of people have gone to Hell, because they didn't
want to walk down a church isle to find out how to be saved. Preachers should
always give people a chance to be saved right there in the privacy of the pew.
If they hear the Gospel preached and gladly receive (believe) it, they are
saved (Acts 2:41).
It's not what you're doing that gets you to Heaven, it's
where you're looking. Look to Jesus!
You do NOT have to be water baptized nor do anything to get
to Heaven other than trust upon the Lord as your Savior. Romans 4:5-6
proclaims... “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him (Jesus) that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David
also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God Imputeth
Righteousness without works.” What a wonderful truth! Our faith is COUNTED for
righteousness! God's righteousness is IMPUTED (transferred) to us, and our sins
are IMPUTED to Christ.
There is NO self-righteousness (human effort) involved in
salvation. It is the gift of God. You see, we have no righteousness of our own
to offer God. No amount of good can undo the bad we've done. Jesus paid a debt
that He did not owe, because we owed a debt that we could not pay. Salvation is
receiving, not giving. We are sinners and Jesus is the Savior. Jesus is
precious! We are saved by trusting, not by trying.
And please BEWARE my friend of the horrible heresy of WRONG
REPENTANCE that says you must turn away from your sinful ways to be saved,
because THAT IS NOT A GIFT! Of course God wants everyone to turn away from
sinful behavior, but only because YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, and not to BECOME A
CHRISTIAN. The purpose of God's LAW is to give men the KNOWLEDGE OF SIN, to
bring us to Christ (the Gospel of GRACE).
Unbelief is the only sin which can keep a sinner out of
Heaven. But remember, faith is not the absence of doubt, but the presence of
trust. Even if you have 99% doubt, it is nothing less than 100% faith if you
call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13). To “call” means to place your
complete confidence in the Lord's death on the cross, burial and resurrection
to be saved. We are saved by completely resting in the Good News (i.e., Gospel)
of Jesus Christ.
Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith.
Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save
you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!
Trusting Jesus is meaningless without the cross. You must
believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins. 1st Corinthians 15:1-4
teaches that the Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
God's simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner.
Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend
eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen
Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal
salvation by faith.
You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple!” Yes, that
simple. It is scriptural, it is God's plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and
receive Him as Savior today.
If you've never been saved, then now is the time to believe
upon the name of Jesus, the Christ, that your sins will be blotted out forever
and you can know that your name is written in Heaven. Salvation is not doing
your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him
by faith. God will not save anyone who is trying to be saved, He will only save
those who are trusting to be saved.
Christ died for your sins. You are a sinner by nature and
by choice. Jesus took your sins and charged them to His own record. He went to
the cross and paid the penalty for your sins. He says if you're willing to
receive Him in faith; He will transfer His payment to your debt, and His
righteousness to your sins. He will impute to you His goodness, and impute to
His own record your sin; if you in faith will trust Him as your Savior.
Romans 8:34, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that
died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God,
who also maketh intercession for us.”
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