Most everybody knows 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." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.3.KJV Many Christians also know Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ACT.4.KJV But is that all that there is to being saved? Jesus was asked a question by a rich young ruler, Mark 10:17 "And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" Jesus answered: 19 "Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? 27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/MRK.10.KJV First Jesus reminded him about the commandments and then he told him to sell his possessions. The rich young ruler had made a god out of his possessions. That was actually breaking the first commandment. Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/EXO.20.KJV I'm certain that many of you have heard that "all that we need to do is believe in Jesus to be saved." Romans 10:9 "that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.10.KJV While this is true, there is actually a bit more to it than just believe. James 2:17 "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JAS.2.KJV The demons believe that there is a God, and obviously they will not be saved. Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.10.KJV Matthew 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.7.KJV What awful words, "I never knew you, depart from me." So how do we know God? Well, how do you know anyone? You spend time with them and you communicate with them. God has given us His Word, the Bible, in order to communicate with us, and we pray as communication with Him. So Matthew told us that there will be people who were doing good deeds, but are lost; and James chapter 2 told us that "faith without works is dead." Acts 17:11 "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ACT.17.KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1TH.5.17 Luke 18:1 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.18.KJV 1 John 2:3 "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.2.KJV 1 John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.1.KJV John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/JHN.14.15
In a marriage people do nice things for their spouse because they love the other person, not in order to get them to love them. So it is with our walk with God. He loved us and sent Jesus to die for our sins. Because we love Him we need to get to know Him and keep His commandments. We don't follow the commandments in order to get God to love us. Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/ROM.5.KJV 1 John 4:7 "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" https://www.bible.com/bible/1/1JN.4.KJV “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ― Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/943-darkness-cannot-drive-out-darkness-only-light-can-do-that
In conclusion: While the beginning of "Being saved" starts with belief in God and His love for us it cannot end there, even the devil believes. God says that we must show that love to others by our lives, by doing His will and by following His commandments. Matthew 25:31 "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." https://www.bible.com/bible/1/MAT.25.KJV Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast.” https://www.bible.com/bible/1/EPH.2.KJV https://youtu.be/FLOa0sUQjqs Revelation 22:14 "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." https://bible.com/bible/1/rev.22.14.KJV
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