True Humility Is Needed to Cry Out for Salvation

True humility will make any sincere Christian broken before God about not being perfect, making mistakes and messing up all the time. If you don't see these things as your misery, then you are all set: you love your life (G5590) the way it is. But if you see these things as your misery and you truly want it to end, because you do love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and want to please Him above all, nobody will need to tell you anything and you will cry out to God to be SAVED from that misery and to receive a new life, even eternal life (G2222).

John 12:25
He who loves his life (G5590) will lose it, and he who hates his life (G5590) in this world will keep it for eternal life (G2222).

Mark 8:34
For whoever desires to save his life (G5590) will lose it, but whoever loses his life (G5590) for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

You must die to sin and be raised from the dead in newness of life (G2222):

Romans 6:3-11
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death (cf. repent and be baptized - Acts 2:38)? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (G2222) 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (not sin), for they shall be filled.

See also:
The Goal of Repentance - video

Godly Sorrow Leads to Repentance

Forgiveness of Sins Is Not Something You Just Claim

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

Complete Surrender - video

Coming as you are to God does imply a changed heart

What does "by grace are you saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) really mean?

 
See definitions and lists of passages using those different words for "life":
Strong's G2222 - zōē (eternal life):
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=G2222

Strong's G5590 - psychē (this passing life):
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=G5590

 Image by BedexpStock from Pixabay

"God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble"

(James 4:6)

What is the Grace of God?

Original publication date: 2017-09-12
Last modified: 2020-09-14 

What does "by grace are you saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) really mean?

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)

God's grace is his empowerment to live the life that He calls us to live. So, being saved "by grace" means having received that empowerment from God and actually be living the life that we can live for God because of it. It's also possible to receive the grace of God "in vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1), meaning someone's life doesn't change as a result of receiving the grace of God. For instance, the person continues to live in sin and claims God's grace is allowing that or that there is nothing to worry about because salvation is "by grace." These would be misunderstandings of what the grace of God is given for. God's grace isn't his favor for looking the other way from our sins if we're still sinning (many wrongly believe that about God's grace). But God's grace is what teaches us how to say 'No' to sin. Read Titus 2:11-14 to connect the grace of God with salvation and what it means to be saved by grace, what kind of new life actually comes from that. See also Romans 6:1-2, 12-15, 2 Peter 1:2-11. 

And "through faith" would mean that faith is what allows us to connect to God's grace and be saved. So, when a person hears God's word and believes it and acts upon it, the grace of God will be at work to bring that person to a new life in Christ (Romans 6:4, 2 Corinthians 5:17). 

yet we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, ... (Galatians 2:16)

Faith in Jesus Christ consists of obeying Him (John 3:36), doing what He says (Luke 6:46, Matthew 7:21), being a doer of the word and not a hearer only (James 1:22). And faithfulness to the end is implied (Hebrews 10:39).

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:36)

Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness [that's repentance], receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word [that's faith], and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. (James 1:21-22) 

35 Therefore do not throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. 36 For you need patient endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. 37 "For in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay. 38 But the righteous will live by faith, and if he holds back, my soul has no pleasure in him." 39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul. (Hebrews 10:35-39)

Let it also be noted that the epistle to the Ephesians was addressed to an assembly of believers who had experienced being saved by grace through faith. So, the saying in Ephesians 2:8 was not in itself an instruction on how to get saved or born again, even possibly without having a precise understanding of what the Bible actually teaches about grace or faith or even repentance, which is necessary for salvation. But since that scripture is being used in that way and leading many to be deceived about what they think is their salvation by grace through faith, this post is intended for those who are seeking the truth. 

God be with you!

See also:
Is Repentance Just a Change of Mind?

Freedom From Sin

Bible Study on Sin

Connecting with God - video playlist

Works Of Faith Are Not Works Of The Law - video

Forgiveness of Sins Is Not Something You Just Claim

True Humility Is Needed to Cry Out for Salvation

Romans 10:9 Salvation

"Am I Saved?" Why Do You Ask? 

 "Our own righteousness is as filthy rags"

What is the Grace of God?

The Meaning of Repentance and Faith

 

 

 

You Are Accountable to Repent

 

"Am I Saved?" Why Do You Ask?

There are many videos on YouTube and many blogs/websites that purpose to address questions such as, "Am I saved?" or "How to know if I am saved?" But there is no reason any saved person would need to wonder about that. 

What is salvation? It's redemption from the bondage of sin (John 8:34-36, Romans 6:4-7, 16-18). Redemption is release from bondage by the payment of a ransom. In the context of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that payment is his blood that He shed on the cross (e.g. Acts 20:28, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 2 Peter 2:1). When people believe that Jesus shed his blood to save them personally, then that payment is personally applied for their release from bondage to sin when they repent and believe in Jesus (Acts 20:20-21). They come out of the devil's snare (or death trap) that they are in before being saved (2 Timothy 2:26, Acts 26:18). A new life comes for the person who gets saved and is now "in Christ," and no longer under condemnation because of sin precisely (Romans 8:1-2). That new life is given by the power of God. It's a miracle. A "new birth" or regeneration occurs (Titus 3:3-7). That's a real experience, not something a person has to try to hold on to "by faith" and wrestle with his/her mind about whether it happened or not. If it happened, there will be evidences of that and a testimony (Revelation 12:11) that goes along with it. 

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Someone who was a prisoner and gets released out of jail does not need anyone to tell him/her, "Hey, you are not in jail now, look around, no jail cell." Or "Answer these 3 questions and you will know if you are in jail or not." That's ridiculous. Why? Because the person who is saved has tasted freedom. Freedom is not captivity. The experience of freedom is not the experience of bondage/slavery. It's only the truth out of Jesus' mouth that can set people free from sin when they become obedient to Him. That means submission to God's will, not doing one's own will anymore and choosing to serve self and sin rather than choosing to serve God.

John 8:31-36
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Salvation isn't a mindset that you get into because you have understood a few things from the Bible. It's the reality — in this present age — of no longer being a slave of sin!

Romans 6:16-18
16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

A saved person is a slave of righteousness. It's the complete opposite of being a slave of sin. What does a slave of righteousness do? Righteousness, not sin (these are opposites and they don't mix). False teachings will have you understand that Jesus covers your sins with his righteousness... But what about the part of Him coming into the world to save you from your sins, pulling you out of the death trap of sin? So, you have to ask, who is the "Jesus" who has saved you, the Son of God that the Bible speaks of or another "Jesus," a "false Christ" that has been presented to you, as the Bible also warns against those (Matthew 24:4-5, 2 Corinthians 11:4).

1 John 3:6-8
6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

What we see everywhere because of the false teachings that abound (2 Timothy 4:3-4) is people wondering to various degrees if they are saved and others who want to argue about freedom while still sitting in the death trap of sin. The scriptures say they do not love the truth so that they may be saved, but instead have pleasure in unrighteousness/sin (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

Saved people hate sin enough to keep themselves away from it by God's grace. The grace of God at work in one's life means sin no longer has power over that person (Romans 6:1-2, 14). So, when the reality is that one is living under the power of sin, the reality of being saved by grace and being free from sin is not there. The two opposite things can't co-exist.
 
Jesus also says that a slave does not remain in the house forever (John 8:35). Being in the house of God as free from sin/saved indeed then going back to being a slave of sin is a no-no. It's possible but it's a no-no (2 Peter 2:20-22). That's all Jesus is saying. In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus addressed backsliders and told them to repent or they would perish (cf. Revelation 2:5, 2:16, 2:22, 3:3, 3:19). They would not be saved in the end just because they had been saved once, although they have failed to walk the walk of a Christian thereafter. John 15:4-6 teaches the same lesson about abiding in Jesus and failing to abide in Jesus. 

One can always find a person that thinks prison life was better than being a free man or woman, and then finds his/her way back into prison. But the best "life" that person will have will be "life in prison," and inevitably, death will follow --not eternal life. Eternal life is guaranteed for those who have and maintain a (saving) relationship with Jesus Christ until the end (physical death or Jesus' second coming). Jesus warned people about dying in their sins (John 8:24). That means having denied Him, because He didn't come into the world for people to die in their sins, but to be saved from their sins (Matthew 1:21) as they get born again and the works of the devil are destroyed in their own lives (1 John 3:8-9).

Faith in Jesus means obedience to Him/submission to God and faithfulness in that.

Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him,

Luke 6:46-49
46 “But why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

John 12:46-48
46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears my words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects me, and does not receive my words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

John 14:15
If you love me, keep my commandments.

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

There is no Christianity or salvation apart from obedience to God (the opposite of sinning).

Revelation 14:12
Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, who are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

The grace of God is an empowerment from God to walk in his ways faithfully to the end, until Jesus comes back for his people. They will be found ready like the wise virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) only if they have been saved by grace and have walked in that grace (not sin) until his return. Grace is not a cover for ongoing sin. Ongoing rebellion in the heart that produces the fruit of continuing to sin (knowing right from wrong and continuing to do wrong) is a contradiction to freedom from sin/salvation (John 8:36).

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 instructing us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Sinners have to cleanse their hands and purify their hearts to be saved. They have to be in 100% agreement with God about recognizing sin as evil that God hates and turning away from it. That's the call to repentance. 



See also:
Freedom From Sin

Saved From What?

Willful Sins and Unintentional Sins

Is Repentance Just a Change of Mind?

The Essence of Faith

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

The Great Tribulation

The Bible speaks about the wicked (sinners) and the righteous (saints)

Exercise: use a bible app to look for all the verses in the bible that mention 'sinner' (or 'sinners') and see what the word is saying. Then look for all the verses in the bible that mention the 'righteous' and see what the word is saying. Pray before you begin. Read whole passages to get their context (as opposed to reading isolated verses and risk taking them out of context).

The bible says nothing about "sinners saved by grace" as a class of sinners separated from other sinners or "lost sinners." Not being saved has everything to do with being in bondage to sin, so salvation has everything to do with being set free from sin and doing righteousness. And the one who does righteousness is righteous (1 John 3:7).

Jesus is the truth who came down from heaven to save sinners (Romans 5:6-8) and set them free to serve God, no longer serve sin! What Jesus addresses in salvation is bondage to sin first of all. That is, the fact of being taken captive by the devil to obey one's evil desires in agreement with him (the devil), and so to do his will (sin) rather than the will of God. There is a release from that bondage because of Jesus’ sacrifice. It comes through the knowledge of the truth (John 14:6; John 8:31-36; 1 Timothy 2:4). Then Jesus enables those He has so redeemed or made free from sin to progress to perfection (maturity), helped by his grace through the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2) so as to be like Him in the end.

1 John 1:6-7
6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Note that 1 John 1:8 that comes right after the above passage can never be used as an excuse to sin, or to say that unless someone admits to be sinning all the time that person is a liar by claiming to be perfect like Jesus. It reads: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." The next verse from that, 1 John 1:9, reaffirms that cleansing from all sin is found in Christ: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." And the last verse of the chapter, verse 10, further clarifies 1 John 1:8: "If we say that we have not sinned (never sinned), we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." The apostle then exhorts believers to not sin in 1 John 2:1-2: "My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." Finally, consider well the understanding of the apostle John about sin when he writes later in 1 John 5:18, "We know that whosoever is born of God does not sin; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one doesn't touch him."

Proverbs 28:13
He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whosoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.

Mistakes in judgment happen, thoughts must be guarded, attitudes must be checked, especially with pride that is a blinding agent masking one's flaws and abundant need of God's grace to be transformed according to his will. But these things are not one and the same in the Bible as issues of willful sin that should end once salvation in Jesus (freedom from sin) comes. Willful sin proceeds out of a rebellious, uncircumcised heart that has not been reconciled to God through brokenness in repentance (Psalm 51:17; Psalm 34:18; Luke 18:13). In terms of identity (who one is), things that do not pertain to willful sins of the flesh do not threaten believers’ standing with God as righteous and make them regarded as "sinners" or "workers of iniquity." Of course they need forgiveness once they realize how they have missed the mark and not truly represented Jesus in their action or way of thinking. But there is a clear difference between a rebel who does not care about God's ways and a saint (righteous person) who has stumbled in a way. The Bible says that that person will receive correction (Hebrews 12:3-11), get back up, and press on as a servant of God (Proverbs 24:16). That person will be on his/her guard to not stumble in the same manner ever again, empowered by God's grace.

Being righteous and doing righteousness is not about being perfect as Jesus (or there would not be a need for instruction and exhortations for believers), but it’s about putting on Christ (Galatians 3:27) and having severed ties with former ways as the "old man" is crucified, that is, put to death (Romans 6:6). Standing as righteous is a testimony that someone has been made right with God through repentance and faith in Jesus (Acts 20:20-21; Acts 26:19-20). And by God's grace (Titus 2:11-14) that person has been empowered to walk in his ways of righteousness and holiness as a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:10). Sinning willfully after coming to the knowledge of the truth (Jesus) is an insult to the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:26-29). 

Remark also that "There is no one righteous; no, not one" (Romans 3:10) is not talking about born again believers comprising the body of Christ. It only suffices to read the verse in its context (e.g. Romans 3:10-18) to realize who it is talking about. That passage describes sinners doing all things contrary to how a Christian (follower of Jesus) is instructed to walk in the light by the grace of God.

Be on your guard, many false prophets / false teachers / false ministers of God / wolves in sheep's clothing have been preaching lies for hundreds of years (1 John 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1; Matthew 24:11). Remember in Elijah's time the ratio was 850 to 1 (1 Kings 18:19)! Imagine today. Know who you are or who you are supposed to be in Christ if you have been saved by grace through faith.

Also, being righteous is again about doing righteousness (1 John 3:7; Ezekiel 18:20-32), not being "self-righteous." So, if no one is doing righteousness, of course we can say, "we are all sinners," too. And that would mean no one got the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. But thankfully that is not the case!

1 John 2:29
If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone that does righteousness is born of Him.

The Gospel is preached to call all to repent and be made right with God and be accounted by Him as righteous. Now do we have repentance right? Do we have faith right? Let's make sure we are walking on the narrow/constricted road to eternal life that Jesus said few will find (Matthew 7:14). He said, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in and will not be able" (Luke 13:24).

Peter understood that when he asked:
1 Peter 4:1
If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Jesus is coming back for his servants, the righteous, not the sinners. He came for sinners the first time, to call them to repentance and save them from sin. So, a sinner who has been saved by grace is really an ex-sinner, an ex-evil doer, an ex-worker of iniquity, an ex-enemy of God. These things are synonymous! God does not call his servants sinners, evil doers, workers of iniquity, enemies. A saved person is called righteous by God because of Jesus' atoning sacrifice.

Matthew 13:41-43
41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. 

May Jesus bless you!


See also:
Are we are all sinners?

Are You an Ex-Sinner Calling yourself a Sinner?

Saints or Sinners?

Struggle with sin and double-mindedness
 
Sinners don't have a sinful nature but evil desires they act upon

False Prophets Today

If I Say I have No Sin! WHO is the Liar?

Salvation From Sin

Call to Repentance

The Goal of Repentance

This is what a punch of the devil against Christians looks like

Imagine all these things coming at you at once from many different directions...


When Christians are ready to argue about ongoing sin that they are dealing with in their lives as if the cross that Jesus commands them to pick up and follow Him (Luke 9:23) does not bring an end to sin (Romans 6:2; 1 Peter 4:1), that is a problem.

When Christians are ready to crush a brother or sister who shares the truth of the scriptures about being delivered from sin for good (the "Good News") with them while they have no idea who may be a false prophet in this world in this day (1 John 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1), that is a problem.

When these wolves in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:15-20) who can't possibly be saved themselves are elevated on pedestals as idols and regarded as great men and women of God (2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Luke 6:26) who preach what tickles the ears of believers who do not love the truth (1 Timothy 4:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:12), that is a problem.

When Christians are ready to defend what they have been taught and believed (while already being oblivious to who may be a false teacher/prophet/"minister of God" in this perilous time), but don't have time to study what the bible is saying and pray for understanding to show themselves approved to God (2 Timothy 2:15), that is a problem.

When Christians don't know that those who have been saved have been saved (set free) from sin (Matthew 1:21; Acts 3:26) and empowered by the grace of God to live for Him, no longer to gratify their sinful desires (1 Peter 4:3), that is a problem.

When Christians never hear from their preachers what that grace of God is, why they receive it and what it's supposed to enable them to do (Titus 2:11-14) if they don't receive it in vain (2 Corinthians 6:1), that is a problem.

When Christians know Ephesians 2:8 about being saved by grace but are never taught nor have considered themselves Titus 2:11-14 that defines the grace that brings salvation, that is a problem.

When Christians are under a spell called "it's not of works lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 8:9) and once they have that in their minds, they are unable to study any other scriptures to know God's will, that is demonic and that is a problem.

What do you do with this? What's the context? Faith or keeping the law of Moses?
James 2:24
You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

When Christians don't care about the fruit they are bearing (Luke 6:43-45) and use the "judge not" card so no one disturbs them about the sins they are still doing, and so no one dares to expose that evil (Ephesians 5:11) and exhort them in love to do well (Hebrews 10:24; Galatians 6:1), that is a problem.

When Christians go after motivational messages but can't hear any exhortation to obey God and walk in the truth because they see that as opposed to grace, that is a problem.

When Christians know more about self-righteousness than they know about actual righteousness (1 John 3:7; Ezekiel 18:20-32), that is a problem.

When Christians do not know that Jesus did not identify his followers who chose to follow Him faithfully as "sinners" (Luke 6:32-34), that is a problem.

When Christians are identified as "the sinners saved by grace" while they are still sinning under that grace and are ready to fight the supposed "self-righteous" who simply state the truth that Jesus came so people can have their eyes opened and turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18), they show they have not understood the salvation Jesus has shed his blood for them to experience. Sinners who have been saved by grace should understand that they are ex-sinners (precisely because they have been saved) and when that's not understood because salvation is not understood, it's like Jesus came to die for nothing, and that is a problem.

When Christians who are still sinning under grace don't see that as being in bondage to sin, trapped in the snare of the devil (John 8:34-36; 1 John 3:8; 2 Timothy 2:26), that is a problem.

When Christians call anyone who does not confess with his mouth "we are all sinners" (with no end in sight) a "self-righteous hypocrite", that is a problem (because we are not all sinners actually).

When Christians do not discern in the bible who are called the children of God who love, trust and obey Him, his servants, the righteous vs. the people called "sinners" or "wicked" or "evil doers" (those who are called to repent and be saved), that is a problem.

Luke 5:31-32
31 Jesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Matthew 13:41-43
41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness (sinners), 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous (not sinners saved by grace) will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Those who are truly Jesus' disciples hear Him and obey Him. That's what having faith in Him means practically. They do what He says (Luke 6:46-49). Especially, He does not tell them anything that leads them to sin. They apply his teachings and see the promised results like freedom from sin (John 8:31-36). They are walking on the narrow way to eternal life (Matthew 7:14).

When Christians are taught "it has all been done on the cross", "put your trust in what has been done" and that makes you a believer, they think they have nothing to do. And Jesus comes in and says, "Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34), or "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15), or "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (not be saved)" (Luke 13:5) or "Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46), they can't receive Jesus' words in any beneficial way because He is telling them to do things. And they have been taught that if they do anything, they are doing works and they are trying to save themselves (like it was even possible), and that they have rejected grace and when they believe all those things, that's a problem.

See:
The Essence of Faith

When Christians do not know that obedience is God's love language (John 14:15; John 14:21), the very fabric of faith that works by love (Galatians 5:6), and that they have to "return the love" He has shown to them by sending his Son to die on the cross to reconcile them to Him (that's "doing something"), that's a problem.

When believers are taught passages of scriptures discussing the works of the law given to the Israelites with the understanding that keeping those works of the law have no role in making a person right with God (ex: Romans 3:25-31, Galatians 2:15-16, 21), they are taught right. But when those same scriptures are applied to believers who know nothing about keeping that law in the first place to make them understand that there is nothing to "DO" that accompanies faith, that is a deceptive use of the scriptures. On the contrary, when the bible gives examples of faith, it says what the people did which proved their faith (Hebrews 11). Believing is inseparable from obeying God, as Abraham did and that was accounted to him as righteousness (James 2:21-23). No righteousness was magically transferred to him. It's what he did that was right in God's sight and God declared him righteous ("He that does righteousness is righteous" cf. 1 John 3:7; Ezekiel 18:20-32). And disobedience to God is unbelief (Hebrews 3:12-19). So, people who are not in the faith need to be taught what it means to walk in the faith as disciples of Jesus if they believe the Gospel. That is why Jesus commanded the apostles to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;" (Matthew 28:19-20a). So many suppose that this means "put your trust in the finished work on the cross" but that does not mean one is a believer or saved. Jesus has called people who want to follow Him to do just that (hear his instructions and put them into practice). Each believer has his/her own walk to walk in submission to Jesus as Lord and Savior and if he/she believes that has been done for him/her already, that's a problem.

When Christian take the apostle Paul's words ***out of context*** to describe their present state in bondage to sin as "chief of sinners" (Romans 6:2 contradiction), that is a problem. Do Christians really believe that the man who was Jesus' greatest apostle remained a "top sinner" after his conversion? Was that what Paul had wanted to boast about? What does conversion mean then? Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mathew 18:3). The apostle Peter said to people who weren't saved, "Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19). So why would such a chief of sinners, if that's what the apostle Paul was till he died, tell new believers "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). He said Christ was his example, so then Christ led him to sin and be a great sinner? Believing that may be close to blasphemy. May God be the judge. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and if that is not happening in the life of a Christian, that is a problem.



May God help all those who love Him!




Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.


1 Peter 4:17-19
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don't obey the Good News of God? 18 "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will happen to the ungodly and the sinner?" 19 Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.


See also:
The Gospel of Jesus

Call to Repentance