Lets see what you've got, I am lost and need Christ.

You can be saved by believing on Jesus, that He died for your sins and rose again. There is nothing you can do to get to heaven on your own - it's a matter of faith in Jesus because he is the one who paid the penalty for your sins.
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I would actually want to ask this person how he knows Jesus died for him and if he knows what sin is, but you seemed to want a brief response just going on what is said above.

 

I would say, "Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God who came to earth, died on the cross for sins, and that the only way to be forgiven is through what Jesus did?" I would have to say more depending on how he answers. There's no formula for this - it depends on the person you are talking to, their knowledge or lack of it about Jesus, their background, age, etc.

I would say, "Yes, if you believe in Jesus you will be saved."

I think it's important to keep in mind that we cannot convince anyone of the truth - the Holy Spirit does that. We share the truth, we try to answer questions and explain, but the results are up to God.

If the person seems not to understand what faith is or does not seem to really believe, then I would offer to pray with him and ask that God opens his eyes so that he can believe. If I had a bible, I'd ask him if we could go over some scriptures together. I always try to get people to read the Bible because many are saved that way (I was saved while reading the Bible although people had been praying for me, too).

I wouldn't push it but I'd keep answering him as long as I could, unless he was doing it to argue (I've had experiences like that). But I don't think that's what you have in mind here.

 

I think you can say that the Bible says, "believe and be saved," but they have to content to their belief. IOW, they have to know who they are believing in and for what. It's not a formula. That may be where they are confused.

I think I've gone as far as I can as far as answering your questions since I don't know your friends. You can only say and do so much -- if your friends are confused or doubt their salvation, I say take them to the Bible. If they are saved, reading God's word will confirm it for them, if they aren't saved, they may get saved reading the Bible.

You are witnessing to them, which is good. Trust the Lord with that and don't be anxious about it -- just do your best and leave the results to the Lord.

 

Not my church, but they have it online.

FAITH Outline

I would walk you through that. FAITH is simple and straight-forward, and will answer most of your questions. Once we hae gone through it, I would answer whatever questions you still had.

Salvation is super simple... we are the ones who have made it so confusing. Do you believe? If so, accept what Jesus has done for you. That's it.

 

Don't know any "formula", but the first thing I ask anyone, "Do you know the Lord?"


Many will answer, "Yes.", but then I ask them if they died today where will they go? many will honestly answer, "Hell".

It is then the door opens to, "I thought you said you KNEW the Lord?"

Most would be surprized at the next few moments of conversation, but this has been used of the Lord many times to present the Gospel in simple form and see a few come to KNOW the Lord!!!

Sad to say quite a few go away without ever asking the Lord to save them, but I know they thought about it later. Why? Because i asked the Lord to follow them home and keep them up late at night dealing with their only being aquainted with the Gospel and not believing unto salvation.

Can anyone be saved? Sure! Just ask the Lord, he said he was not willing that any, um ANY should perish!

Of course the "nay-sayers" will attack the voracity of II Peter 3:9 by saying things like, "That any is limited to only the elect because the will of God is to save all that are included in being his already chosen.

But then the problems occur with that theology, beginning first with Eph 1:4 that the chosen are "in Him", but that they were chosen before they were born and the context deems the chosen ones are holy and without blame. That would mean by that theolo0gy that they never needed salvation or repentence because they were already holy and without blame!

The key is to being "in Him" to be holy and without blame.

Another question might come to mind about John 15 where those who don't prodice fruit are "lift up" out of the mire so as to produce the fruit unto righteousness and the glory of God/ the vine dresser. But that context, being a parable, and making doctrine out of parables can be very dangerous, is they were never able to produce due to the lack of the ability to produce fruit. Besides! any rsponsible vine dresser NEVER lets any of his branches touch the ground!

The idea of the Greek verb does mean "lift up", but that carries on into being taken away and DISPOSED of, y'know, just like and vine dresser does to prune the "sucker" vines away.

But wait a minute! Guess what? The "sucker vines" are to be taken away and placed into a fruitful environment, disassociating them with their former existence and given NEW LIFE!!!

Halelujah! Praise the Lord!

What once was D E A D! is now ALIVE! unto the Lord by and through the redemptive work of Christ!:godisgood:

 

Wow that was loud.

 

I will have to say that it takes faith, however that is one of the fruit of the spirit. Before one can have faith, he must be born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of GOD. Then you are born again and have the fruit of the spirit in you.

The shed blood of Jesus Christ is the only way that man can receive his saving grace.
If you squeez that old King James 1611 edition hard enough, you can see the blood come out. Not literally speaking.

 

Except for the fact that their is not such wording or insinuation in the scriptures that 'faith' is the "Fruit of the Spirit" and it is never refered to in the actaul list of the 'fruits of the Spirit'. Another thing we see is that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit only happens 'by faith' (Gal 3:14) and not before as you just stated.
All the things listed below are said to happen in the Reformed view before one has excersized their faith unto salvation. However in the list below you will notice that not one happens till faith is first excersized:

Thus there is no indwelling of the Holy Spirit apart from the excersizing of faith 'first'.

However regeneration/being born-agian is not the prelude to salvation but the very of act of salvation itself. You can see my argument here.


Sorry for the interuption, please continue with the Threads OP.

 

I disagree - faith is not listed as part of the fruit of the Spirit.

I do not think one must be born again in order to have faith, either. When the jailer asked Peter how to be saved, Peter said, "believe on the Lord Jesus" (Acts 16.31)

So that's what I said.

I agree with Allan's post.

 

Just practising for the Eternal Day!:godisgood:

 

Not for argument sake, but faith is a fruit of the spirit.
Gal. 5:22,But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, FAITH, meekness, temporance, against which there is no law.
King James 1611 edition

 

Yes Marcia, it is mentioned as a fruit of the spirit.
Kkv 1611 edition. Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, FAITH, meekness, temporance, against which there is no law.

 

am errer in typing, KJV 1611. I often hit the wrong keys.

 

You are right! Sorry, I was wrong.

It is good to learn. :thumbs: I should memorize these!

But I think this is for the believer - for their faith to grow. It's not salvific faith.

 

Poor lost sinner... I feel sorry that he has to wait for everyone to have a theological debate before he can get saved.

BELIEVE on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and THOU SHALT be SAVED.

AMEN and AMEN.