Actscelerate.com

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **6/17/11 8:42 am**

While I completely agree that our good works flow from a heart transformed by grace through faith, and that we cannot ever earn our salvation, that we should forever serve Him for love of Him alone, passages such as the following (for but one example) indicate that our discipleship/following of Jesus must persevere until the end in order for us to be made partakers of Christ:

Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. NIV

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **6/17/11 8:51 am**

I agree. If you have an unbelieving heart, you are not saved. Good scripture!!

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **6/17/11 9:02 am**

The problem for OSAS is brethren/Christians are here warned to not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, not to have an evil heart of unbelief, and not to depart from the living God. It is not an exhortation to those who never believed in the first place.

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1741 **6/17/11 9:04 am**

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **6/17/11 9:25 am**

Just so you understand, I do not believe in OSAS. I think man has a free will to believe what he/she wants to believe. If you believe, you're saved. If you don't, you're not. It is as simple as the scripture teaches when the question is asked....what must I do to be saved.

Here is the problem. We can't really believe that we can gain eternal life with Christ without somehow doing something. We say we do, but all indications of our history and some of what I read here says we just can't do it. There are things we must do in addition to believing. It is my opinion and my belief that there is NOTHING I can do besides believing that Jesus is who He says He is.

Having done that, I strive to please Him through actions. That is the relationship I have with the Father. If I believe He is the Christ, I will strive to walk in His ways. BUT.....I cannot do it all. I could NEVER live up to ALL of His commandments and neither can anybody else. If you can, please come forward and tell your story.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **6/17/11 9:43 am**

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **6/17/11 10:00 am**

His divine power has given us all things that we need for life and godliness:

2 Pet 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to ADD to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. NIV

I guess Peter also didn't get the memo about "just believing in Jesus," doing nothing in order to persevere, and the supposed inability to obey Christ's commands.

Acts-celerate Owner Posts: 6957 **6/17/11 10:04 am**

We sometimes forget how high God's standard of Holiness is. We seek a let-us-slide number with hopes if we stay under that supposed limit, God will let us get by.

If God spared not the angels that sinned and chained those beings of light in darkness to await the Judgment, He will not overlook our sinfulness. I believe even one unconfessed sin could be lethal because God cannot allow sin to enter Heaven.

Jesus didn't come and die so everyone who only did 10 sins for example, would get a pass while those who did eleven, get zapped for eternity.

Without the shed blood of Jesus, even one sin would be lethal.

Doyle
writedoyle@yahoo.com
_________________
The largest room in the world is the room for improvement.

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16509 **6/17/11 10:24 am**

We must persevere in our belief. Agreed!! Another good thought.

Re: One

Friendly Face Posts: 161 **6/17/11 12:59 pm**

Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3382 **6/17/11 2:33 pm**

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **6/17/11 3:46 pm**

It is an idea foreign to the New Testament, that salvation can exist where discipleship does not, that salvation amounts to little more than just avoiding Hell and gaining heaven when you die. It's like saying Jesus can be one's Savior without necessarily being one's Lord. Jesus came to save His people from their sins, not in them (Matt 1:21)

I realize and anticipate the response of some, "What about the thief on the cross?" If you wish to use such an appeal then quickly let yourself be nailed to an actual cross, be crucified with Christ and die immediately.

Deathbed conversions are every bit as much a beginning of the journey of discipleship for the individual as any other conversion, even if the journey for such a one happens to be relatively brief.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **6/17/11 3:50 pm**

Luke 24:46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48“You are witnesses of these things. 49“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” NASB

Acts 20:21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. NASB

Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3382 **6/17/11 4:17 pm**