Is there a strict order how to get saved?

Gerhard, repentence is the gift of God, you misunderstand me entirely


all comes of God... it is our response that matters, we have the ability to reject

 

Act 26:20But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and [then] to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Repentance is a gift from God but we are the ones who have to repent. Turn away from sin and be sorrowful.

 

If'n ya' keep preachin' like that we are gonna needs some water!

 

Say what????????

Commanded
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Gift
Act 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

2Cr 7:9Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

2Cr 7:10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.


Ever hear of the Holy Ghost baptisim?

 

This may sound like I'm trying to hijack the thread, but I want to ask about a much-used term: Accepting Jesus into my heart.

The Bible clearly speaks of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
It clearly calls for repentance. It clearly says we must confess Christ as Lord; believe that he rose from the dead; call on his name.

But nowhere do I find where the scripture says we must accept Christ into our hearts, ask him into our hearts, anything like that.

Ephesians 1:6 says: "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved."

God accepts us in Jesus Christ, but can someone show me where the scripture says we must accept Jesus?

Now back to the original thread.

 

Hey Tom,
That phrase that is not in the bible is much like the other phrases you like to use as well. ie. Theology, Calvinism, Trinity, ect...
These terms are not in scripture but are used to convey principles based on scripture. The phrase 'accept Christ into your heart' is the same as saying much of what Christ said about believing to be saved.

And then of course you have Jesus very discipels what stated these same things

Just to name a few of many. Also notice there is a condition to that salvation stated by both Christ and the Apostles AND whon that condition is place squarely on; "HE" and He MUST believe...

When one believes with their mind, it has the potential to be changed with every wind of doctrine or point of view that SOUNDS reasonable or probable, but to believe with the heart is that place where you are unmoved and resolved to hold fast that truth you recieve. Example. If someone told me that I hated my children. And it is proven it the fact that I don't let them believe Santa is real, or the Easter Bunny, or the toothfairy is real either. I could tell them without question they are wrong because my love is not based on fairytales I allow my children to know but how I act and enteract with them. I know in my heart and not my mind I love them and thereby no one can convience me otherwise.

Many people believe ABOUT Jesus (mind) but not ON Jesus (heart) They have not devoted themselves to all that He is and has done for them. Much like a man who claims to love a woman but will not marry her. He will not commit himself and therefore his heart to the matter.

We are not saved and then we find out about it but we are to believe that WE MAY BE saved that we may know and dwell therein (I John 5:13) because of that faith we have placed into Christ and not ourselves.

 

Rev: 3
"20": 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.

 

Yes, one can be saved without understanding the definition of a word.
The fact you state you knew you were wrong in your understanding and thereby seperated from God and is WHY Jesus died for you.
Is this not understanding sin?
Even though you didn't know what 'sin' definitively was you did know in yourself all that sin constituted via the Spirit revealing it to your spirit. Is this revelation not understanding the concept of sin even if you didn't know the 'word' sin. I can make up many words to take on the definition of sin but it still doesn't change WHAT it is not the understanding it is contrary and therefore wrong in the sight of God.

Brother Bob stated a good verse that speaks of knowing right and wrong before God not about knowing the definition of sin.

 

ge:
Claudia, 'a'' comes of God' ... our responses excepted.
How?
Our tendency or response to evil is determined not by our 'ability', but by our inability to decide or will or choose for God or against evil and sin: "We (are) haters of God".
Our tendency or response to 'reject' evil and 'accept' God and salvation, is also not determined by our 'ability', but by our inability, our "weakness" in this very matter, for God to excercise His strength in destroying our weakness and animosity and hatred toward Him and to recreate in us a NEW and strange and divine 'ability' and 'tendency' and 'response' - in a word, to show us GRACE. ("I am strong when I am weak", said Paul, and we are o so weak when we think we are strong or 'have the ability'. No before the God of judgment we stand powerless to be conquered either by His love or by His wrath.)

 

GE:
There is an interesting construction in the Greek here, which could perhaps be rendered as follows: "I announced / preached to the nations the to repent and the to turn to God worthy of the work of repentance".

Paul brought to the people or presented them with the objects of repentance and conversion worthy of that true repentance which is completely God's own work.

 

Marcia wrote:
"I had redefined "sin" to mean "not being true to your true Self" (I was an astrologer and New Ager). I actually didn't use the word "sin" but this is how I liked to think of it if I encountered it."

GE:
Thank you Marcia, now I understand a bit about New Age. To me it looks like a reincarnation of Pelagianism or Arminianism.

 

Wonder about all those people John the Baptist turn away and told them to bring "fruits worthy of repentance"?

GE;
Are you sure you know what you are saying? I don't!

 

GE:
I believe yes. Repentance is totally the work of God wherewith He follows up His own work of planting and generating faith in the heart of an elect. The Jews feigned repentance, so John dares them to prove their claims with fruits of repentance. They have not RECEIVED repentance from the true Source of repentance, so also had no fruits to match.

Very simple; and very simple not man's (independent) achievement before and conditionally of faith. We were talking about an 'order' or 'steps' to becoming and being a 'saved' person. I maintain repentance is no such step up the hill to become or to being a saved person that's all.

 

Acts, chapter 3
14": But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;

"15": And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

"16": And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

"17": And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.

"18": But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

"19": Repent ye 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, chapter 8

"20": But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

"21": Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

"22": Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

"23": For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Acts, chapter 17

"30": And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:


Acts, chapter 26
"20": But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Mark, chapter 1
"14": Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

"15": And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark, chapter 6
11": And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a

testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment,

than for that city.

"12": And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Revelation, chapter 2
"21": And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. (SHE repented not!!!)

 

Here is the problem that I see with believing in multi-step salvation.

Romans 8:2b-8
“through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in human flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind controlled by the sinful nature is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. The sinful mind is hostile to God|. He refuses to obey God’s law. And really he is not able to obey God’s law. Those people who are ruled by their sinful selves cannot please God” (TNIV|ICB).

Notice that while still unregenerate, we could not please God. Nothing we do will please Him until our regeneration. In the denominations I frequent, it is commonly believed that salvation comes from belief, then confession, then baptism, and only after the last step is anyone assured of salvation. Now, if we are not saved until we arise from the water, how could the confession please God? If we reverse the order and go baptism then confession, the baptism could not please God. God would not `reward' us with so much as a `notch toward salvation' because any action of an unregenerate person does not please God.

There can only be ONE step in regeneration, as John 6:28-9 specifies “The people asked Jesus, `What are the works God wants us to do?’ Jesus answered `The work God wants you to do is this: to believe |on him whom he hath sent” (ICB|ASV). The people asked for multiple works, and Jesus specified only one -- belief on Him.

At Acts 16:31a it says “‘Believe on the Lord Jesus|, and you will be saved’” (ASV|NASB). We must genuinely believe Jesus to be Lord, which means submission of our wills to His will, and hence obedience. We realize that Jesus opposed sin, and we shun our lives of sin in obedience to Him; this is repentance.

Galatians 5:6 says “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, |but only | the kind of faith that works through love” (NASB|ESV|ICB). Hence, when we accept the Gospel by biblical faith, we repent, and we obey, and are motivated to serve the Lord by our later works.

Ephesians 2:8-10 says “for by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For |in Christ Jesus, God made us new people| for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV|ICB|ESV). Our salvation is without works by biblical faith alone, and from it, works follow.

I hope what I am writing makes sense to others.

 

There is a Spirit in man that giveth him understanding.
Jesus said I stand at the door and knock and if any man will hear my voice I will come in and sup with him and he with me.
What if we took it by these steps?

1. Take heed to the Spirit that is striving with you and believe.
2. Repent and be baptized and that is a Holy Ghost baptism not the natural water.

3. By doing the above you are "born again" not of a corruptle seed but by an incorruptle and made alive in Christ Jesus raised to walk a newness of life.

4. Natural water baptism gives you membership into the visible church here on earth and shows a confession to the world the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Not the putting away the filth of the flesh but to answer a good
Conscious towards God.

footnote.
That Spirit strives with all men. Even Jezebelle was given a time and chance to repent but she repented not.
Don't you think if its not God's will that any would perish that the Scripture that says "I stand at the door and knock" is to all men makes sense?

Jesus laid out the steps, you think He got them wrong?

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. If a man can't hear and believe then in the end of time when Jesus says "depart I never knew you" they won't be able to hear Him.

 

GE:
Exactly! "she" repented, NOT; "men" repented, NOT, "Gentiles", repented, NOT, "ALL". repented, NOT!
No one is able to of himself to repent. Only one given faith first through grace and saved, just so, RECEIVEs repentance if ever he repented or belived.