Jesus paid it all

Romans 4:2-8
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

Praise God! Sometimes I have to remind myself that I have been redeemed, that my sins are covered, and that the Lord will not impute sin to me. I am ungodly, but God has justified me! Not because of my works, but because of His work, by my believing on Him, He will count my faith for righteousness. He did all the work, and I can’t do anything to add to that work. Truly it is a blessed assurance to know that Jesus paid it all, in His perfect love, despising the shame and bearing the cross for our sins.

Can a man truly be saved by believing? I was. The imputed righteousness comes without works, so says David, and so says Paul. See how Paul clearly separates faith and works:
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

As you can see, according to the Bible, believing is not working. Why is it so hard to believe the Bible when it says believe? Some people cannot separate believing from working. They have to start redefining words and adding to scripture to incorporate their own works into God’s plan of salvation. If your own works could have saved you, Jesus would not have had to die for your sins! There was no other way then, and there is no other way now. If Jesus didn’t pay for all your sins, then they are still unpaid for, and you are living on borrowed time. Stop trying to bear the cross that Jesus already bore. He said it is finished, He doesn’t need your help.

Jesus said that whosoever believes on Him will be raised up on the last day. Whosoever means whosoever. If your mean neighbor who shoots cats with a BB gun believes on Jesus, he is going to be raised up on the last day. The man that left his baby in the car while he went in to rob a liquor store is going to be raised up on the last day if he believes on Jesus. You, too, will be raised up on the last day if you believe on Jesus. I’ll be there, so if you see me, you’ll know you made it.

 

Yep - the Gospel is a "good deal" a mangificent gift.

So -- be not deceived.

In Christ,

Bob </font>[/QUOTE]That is an interesting bible you are reading there, Bob. I don't think it says quite the same thing mine does. However, I do agree that fornicators, idolaters, drunkards, etc... will not be in the kingdom of God. But this is written not to unbelievers, but to those who are already saved by grace.

1 Corinthians 6:11 kjv
11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

The question is then, can a man be washed and be a fornicator? I think so. Does this mean that a fornicator will be in the kingdom of God? No, but it does mean that some fornicators will be raised up on the last day, like Jesus promised.

John 6:40
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Certainly this unconditional promise is not to be understood to give us license to sin, there will be consequences at the judgment seat of Christ. But inheritting the kingdom is not the same thing as being raised up on the last day. But we must be born again before we can even begin to qualify for the prize of the high calling.
John 3:3
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Being saved does not guarantee our entrance into this kingdom. But being an unbeliever does guarantee exclusion from it.

 

I have to disagree, being "Saved", means just that...SAVED...</font>[/QUOTE]What does it mean to be saved? Does salvation always mean the same thing?

 

Thats a little simplistic, isn't it? What do you do with a verse like this?

Acts 27:31
31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

 

I'm talking about the idea that just because we are initially saved by grace, we are then automatically entitled to all the benefits of obedience. Some promises are unconditional, some are conditional. You can't take every instance of salvation, justification, sanctification, etc... and say they are all the same. We are told to study, to rightly divide the word.

1 Corinthians 5:5
5 To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

is this the same saved as this:

Hebrews 10:39
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

I believe the Bible makes a distinction between the spirit and the soul. Must there not also be a distinction between the salvation of the spirit and the soul? We have already seen there is a distinction between either of those and the saving of the flesh, ala stay in the boat.

 

I looked for that promise in the Bible, but I didn't see it. I did see these:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

and this one with some verily's thrown in for good measure:
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

You are redefining the word believe to mean believe and work. Paul told you that belief and work were two different things (worketh not, but believeth.) How can we now mingle the two together? I don't think a man can truly repent of his sins until he has been washed in the blood by believing on Christ. As others have put it, "you don't get cleaned up to take a bath."

After we believe, then we should repent of our sins and be busy working for the reward, and we should expect to be chastened if we do not do so.