"If You Are Doing This ONE Thing, You May Not Be Saved"

[KenH]

wasn't Jesus speaking directly there to the Pharisees about how they were quick to judge only by outward appearances?

No. It is during the sermon on the mount when Christ was teaching His disciples: Matthew 5:1-2 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

 

[KenH]

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Heb 10

Amen!

 

[tyndale1946]

The pig can put on fine clothes, learn the terminology and actions, but in the end, sow returns to its own vomit!

I stumble and I fall and I get up and start again and old scratch (for you young ones that's the devil), is going about as he does seeking whom he may devour... I'm not a saint, sometimes I win and sometimes I lose but I know there is someone I can go to, when I fall flat on my face... I particularly like how an old theologian signed his letters... William Gadsby signed it SS... Sinner Saved... He knew by nature he was still a sinner and I am sure he went through trials and tribulation, like we all do... Some more, some less and what may work in one situation, may not work in another... Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater... I heard a man preach and give his testimony... I don't think he would mind if I related it.

He said I was a drug addict for over 30 years with another one I married... We would do anything to feed our habit... The next fix was all that mattered... No matter who we hurt, the high was all we needed... Imagine being shackled to that for 30 years?... You can't unless you've been there... In no uncertain terms "YOU ARE A SLAVE"... Then one day... "YOU HIT ROCK BOTTOM"... After the "HELL"... You've been through... "THERE IS GOD"... He's been waiting... Until you've done everything you could and finally given up... "THERE IS GOD"... He never stopped loving you, you just stopped loving yourself... And listening to others saying how could God love you?... He continued we ALL go through stuff, weather we want to admit it or not... Have you ever asked yourself why Jesus hung out with sinners?... Because they had no where else to go and when you reach the end of your rope, whatever your rope is?..."GOD IS THERE"... Oh he said in case you wondering, "GOD BROUGHT MY WIFE TOO" after his testimony, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Btw... No I've never been drug addict, drunk, gambler, womanizer and the only one I ever killed was in combat if I killed anyone... Don't know I was in a tank... I grew up a Christian family in church but churches have their problem too... Its not a building, its people... Same as this board, you don't get to big for your britches with God... Now this old timer has a message for all, lets treat each other a little kinder, shall we!... Brother Glen

 

[SavedByGrace]

Right here, I circled it for you.

1 John 3:6, "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him"

verse 9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God"

This is talking about "practice of sin". There are MANY Christians who do not live lives that they KNOWINGLY sin against the Lord.

 

[Guido]

I like this guy. I subscribe to him on Youtube.

If you don't want to watch the brief video, I'll give you the skeleton outline.

He gives some questions to answer about Jesus Christ and salvation and about some lifestyle teachings of the Bible that most Christians believe and adhere to.

The ONE thing that MAY mean one is not really saved, he says, is treating Christianity like a "buffet". Taking what you want and rejecting what you don't want.

Some examples:

• Saying, "Yes, I believe in Jesus, but I am gay and that is just who I am. I am not changing."
• Saying, "Yes, I believe in God and Christ, but my girlfriend and I just don't want to get married. We will just live together until it feels right to be married. We aren't going to change"
• Saying, "Yes, I believe in Christ and I go to church, but my porn addiction is too strong. And besides, it isn't hurting anyone. I'm not going to change."
• Saying, "Yes, I trust God for salvation, but I can't deal with this baby right now and besides, my boyfriend doesn't want it either. I'm getting an abortion. I'm not going to change."

He says this "buffet" style of Christianity, which in my opinion includes other things like deliberate and incessant gluttony, drunkenness, bitterness and hatred, greed, lying, adultery, and a whole lot more that Christians will NOT let go of, is not true Christianity.

He says they MAY, MAY not be saved. He said he isn't talking about Christians in bondage and in need of rescue nor baby Christians who don't know and haven't been instructed properly.

He said he is talking about people who treat the teachings of God like a buffet. Choosing what's "right" for them and what "doesn't work" for them. In essence, shaping their own religion

I think he is right. Do you?

If You're Doing this ONE Thing, You May Not Be Saved - YouTube

No, I disagree. That's legalism. That doctrine requires people to behave a certain way to prove that they are saved. The Bible is very clear that no one does good, and that we are freely saved by God's grace when we trust in Jesus and believe the gospel. Then, as believers, we ought to live holy lives.

We shouldn't live in a holy way because we are afraid of going to hell, or because we want to earn God's grace. The word grace means, "unmerited favor". Neither should we live holy lives because we want to earn a reward. We should live holy lives because we love God and because we love people. If we don't love them enough, then that doesn't mean we aren't saved. Plenty of people live more righteous lives than Christians, as I've heard it said, but they're all going to hell because they haven't believed the gospel.

I'm starting to wonder exactly what is required for one to be saved, because the Bible cannot be so hard to understand about salvation. The book of John has many promises, written in very clear language, about eternal life and how to receive it.

If someone accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, maybe they start living holy lives because they have submitted to His Lordship and are filled with the Holy Spirit. In my opinion, that's possible. But I believe we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, not by works, either to prove salvation, or to earn it.

I'm starting to think that simply believing in the promises in the book of John for eternal life is enough. Some Baptist might teach this -- I was raised a Baptist -- but I'm pretty sure many Baptists don't, not even the ones in some churches I've been in.

Also, I'm still not sure about Bible translations.

 

[Reynolds]

Also, the poster referenced the term "saints". All of God's elect are saints. It is not a term reserved for some kind of non-existent "Super-Christian".

Quite correct. Saint is a position in Christ. It is not a descriptive of how one outwardly appears. Most Christians today have confused what Saint truly means.

 

[KenH]

There are MANY Christians who do not live lives that they KNOWINGLY sin against the Lord.

You can't back that up with Scripture. Think of who we consider the "heros" of the Bible. Do you think that Noah didn't know he was drunk? Do you think that Abraham didn't know he was lying - twice - about Sarah? Do you think that Lot didn't know that he was drunk - twice - and committed incest with his daughters - not once, but twice? Do you think that David didn't know he was committing adultery and murder? Do you think that Peter didn't know he was denying Christ - not once, not twice, but three times? Do you think that Paul was just making it up when he wrote about his struggles with sin in Romans chapter 7 and said, "For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice." (Romans 7:19), and is led to cry out, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24) ?

I would not be surprised if some people who call themselves "Christians" may think they are above sinning "knowingly". Human pride is a powerful spiritual poison as Christ taught us and as the apostle Paul pointed out - Luke 18:10-14 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”; 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

The measuring rod is "perfect righteousness", not "sincere obedience".

 

[5 point Gillinist]

No, I disagree. That's legalism. That doctrine requires people to behave a certain way to prove that they are saved. The Bible is very clear that no one does good, and that we are freely saved by God's grace when we trust in Jesus and believe the gospel. Then, as believers, we ought to live holy lives.

We shouldn't live in a holy way because we are afraid of going to hell, or because we want to earn God's grace. The word grace means, "unmerited favor". Neither should we live holy lives because we want to earn a reward. We should live holy lives because we love God and because we love people. If we don't love them enough, then that doesn't mean we aren't saved. Plenty of people live more righteous lives than Christians, as I've heard it said, but they're all going to hell because they haven't believed the gospel.

I'm starting to wonder exactly what is required for one to be saved, because the Bible cannot be so hard to understand about salvation. The book of John has many promises, written in very clear language, about eternal life and how to receive it.

If someone accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior, maybe they start living holy lives because they have submitted to His Lordship and are filled with the Holy Spirit. In my opinion, that's possible. But I believe we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, not by works, either to prove salvation, or to earn it.

I'm starting to think that simply believing in the promises in the book of John for eternal life is enough. Some Baptist might teach this -- I was raised a Baptist -- but I'm pretty sure many Baptists don't, not even the ones in some churches I've been in.

Also, I'm still not sure about Bible translations.

What he is saying is that those who live in unrepentant sin, who live knowingly in sin, but make exception/have no convictions of it - are not saved . There is a difference between a Christian who sins, but hates it, struggles against it, or maybe even falls into a pattern of it but is rescued out of it through God's chastening, and then the one whose life shows no change, but lives the same exact way they did before. The Christian is still sinful, but there is an increasing love of righteousness, and a decreasing in the amount of sin, both of which are byproducts of rebirth.

 

[DaveXR650]

1 John 3:6, "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him"

verse 9, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God"

This is talking about "practice of sin". There are MANY Christians who do not live lives that they KNOWINGLY sin against the Lord.

This thread is interesting. I agree 100 percent with the posts above when they are referring to the flaws we all have and the amazing love and patience God shows to us. At the same time I always thought as SBG apparently does - that the continual ongoing practice of WILLFUL conscious sin is impossible in a real Christian.

In the OP, in the examples given, it is specifically stated that "we are not going to change". I put this in a different category than someone failing as they walk the Christian life. 1 John teaches this, as does the last half of Galatians 5 and the first part of Galatians 6.

 

[SavedByGrace]

You can't back that up with Scripture. Think of who we consider the "heros" of the Bible. Do you think that Noah didn't know he was drunk? Do you think that Abraham didn't know he was lying - twice - about Sarah? Do you think that Lot didn't know that he was drunk - twice - and committed incest with his daughters - not once, but twice? Do you think that David didn't know he was committing adultery and murder? Do you think that Peter didn't know he was denying Christ - not once, not twice, but three times? Do you think that Paul was just making it up when he wrote about his struggles with sin in Romans chapter 7 and said, "For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice." (Romans 7:19), and is led to cry out, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24) ?

I would not be surprised if some people who call themselves "Christians" may think they are above sinning "knowingly". Human pride is a powerful spiritual poison as Christ taught us and as the apostle Paul pointed out - Luke 18:10-14 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”; 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

The measuring rod is "perfect righteousness", not "sincere obedience".

I come back to Enoch. Let's hear what you have to say

 

[KenH]

I come back to Enoch. Let's hear what you have to say

David was described thusly: Acts 13:22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

Now, do you think David didn't know that he committed adultery? Do you think that David didn't know that he committed murder? And apparently, he wasn't even thinking about it after he got rid of Uriah, he probably thought that was the end of the matter, as when Nathan was telling him the story about the man and his lamb, David didn't realize it was about him until Nathan straight out told him, "You are the man!"

Now what were you saying about Enoch, a man of whom it is not even said that he was man after God's own heart? Enoch "walked by faith in the promises of God, and in the view of the Messiah, the promised seed (John Gill's commentary). All true Christians walk with God. That doesn't mean that we do not sin, even willfully. Do you think Christians, as they walk with God, never have a bad thought or never say an unkind word? A flawed understanding of "willful" is not useful in dealing with our sin problem which is pervasive throughout our entire earthly existence. However, I understand that we as humans tend to be prideful and don't understand, until God shows us, that we must look outside of ourselves for a perfect righteousness that we are totally incapable of producing,

 

[JesusFan]

I come back to Enoch. Let's hear what you have to say

NONE save Lord Jesus have ever kept the law as required by the Father to be justified and perfect in His sight!

 

[JesusFan]

David was described thusly: Acts 13:22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

Now, do you think David didn't know that he committed adultery? Do you think that David didn't know that he committed murder? And apparently, he wasn't even thinking about it after he got rid of Uriah, he probably thought that was the end of the matter, as when Nathan was telling him the story about the man and his lamb, David didn't realize it was about him until Nathan straight out told him, "You are the man!"

Now what were you saying about Enoch, a man of whom it is not even said that he was man after God's own heart? Enoch "walked by faith in the promises of God, and in the view of the Messiah, the promised seed (John Gill's commentary). All true Christians walk with God. That doesn't mean that we do not sin, even willfully. Do you think Christians, as they walk with God, never have a bad thought or never say an unkind word? A flawed understanding of "willful" is not useful in dealing with our sin problem which is pervasive throughout our entire earthly existence. However, I understand that we as humans tend to be prideful and don't understand, until God shows us, that we must look outside of ourselves for a perfect righteousness that we are totally incapable of producing,

The examples in the scriptures to us are those whom we might deem as being 'special" were very aware of how short they fell to meeting the standards of a Holy God on their own merits!