True or False: A Person Who Believes In Jesus For Salvation WILL Have A Change Of Behavior
How often do you hear you MUST have a change of behavior or you are not a Christian? John MacArthur or Paul Washer ring a bell?
How often do you hear you MUST have a change of behavior or you are not a Christian? John MacArthur or Paul Washer ring a bell?
Thanks Holly,
Interested in reading what your friends say about this topic.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Thank you for this and your comment Holly… my hope is on nothing less than Jesus and HIS righteousness… is there a way to send this to a friend on facebook by private message?
Debbie Smith
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” John 18:36
Hi Debbie, yes, you can go to the original link over on expreacherman.com, by clicking ‘see full article’ above. Then just copy and paste the web address in an email. Some browsers allow for a ‘send’ then ’email, not sure exactly how to do that though…
“If you do not…do this and this and this…you are not worthy to be my disciple?”
Lordship Faith teachers and advocates love to quote discpleship passages from Matthew, Mark and Luke to attempt to prove their works-based gospel. They fail to acknowledge, however, that these texts were not at all intended to present the plan of salvation. These were admonitions given primarily to Christ’s followers, many or most of whom were already believers! They address the issue of sanctification, that is, the post-conversion process of growing in spiritual maturity and serving the Lord faithfully.
What about the fact that there is a wide path that leads to destruction but a narrow way that leads to life?The way to salvation is indeed narrow, but it is also uncomplicated and clear:
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.
Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out and said, 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.
The wide path that leads to destruction encompasses every other way which invariably tries to earn its way to heaven through meritorious works.
there is NOTHING that you or I or anyone else can do to add anything to the FREE gift of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone: not before, not during, not after. To add a post-conversion demand of commitment as a requirement to maintain or to prove one’s salvation, is to add works to salvation. Now, if you’re asking, Is it the right and proper thing for a true believer to serve God faithfully?, then the answer is, Of course! NOT to merit or to prove one’s salvation, but because it is the proper fitting thing to do it is what we SHOULD do (Ephesians 2:10).
So if you insist on visible good works as proof of true salvation, then how many good works must one complete?
Must he serve the Lord faithfully for one year, ten years, thirty years?
Is he ever allowed any periods of backsliding? If so, for how long?
What about changes of the heart that are known by God but not visible to men, such as inner grief over sin or a desire to overcome addictions?
Do these qualify as proper changes in your book?
Who will be the monitor and judge of all of these desired changes?
Have you considered biblical examples of true believers who lived for years in backslidden conditions: Lot, Samson, Solomon, the Church at Corinth come quickly to mind. ALL of them are declared in Scripture to be true believers. You see, the questions created by Lordship Faith teaching are endless and the answers are a scant few.
Singh, thank you for your excellent comment, which was in spam, and seemed intermingled with some other conversations, maybe it’s why it ended up in spam, so I edited out the comments, hopefully this reflects what you said. In Him, Holly