Ephesians 2:9 says that you are not saved by works, lest any man should boast. And yet, saying that little prayer to Jesus, accepting Him as your personal savior, is, by definition, an ACT. Indeed, a act of good. Furthermore, I have never met anyone from any religion more boastful than the many who go around boasting continuously that they are saved. "I'm saved! I have accepted Jesus and I am now saved!" Seriously!
?
Favorite Answer
I agree. Jesus said that only those who endure to the "end" will be saved. We are not saved yet.
(Matthew 24:13) But he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.
?
***"And yet, saying that little prayer to Jesus, accepting Him as your personal savior, is, by definition, an ACT. Indeed, a act of good."
Accepting salvation is actually an act of ceasing from activity, resting and relying on the work of Christ to save you rather then on your own works of righteousness to save you (which are useless [Isaiah 64:6])
Saying a little prayer is not what saves you, if it were then mute people would be condemned to hell. What matters is the heart, what matters is trusting in Christ... again, not as an active work but as in letting go. Just as someone who is drowning has to stop fighting to stay above water and let the lifeguard save them, if they keep fighting after the lifeguard arrives they'll actually be fighting against their own rescue. They have to put their life in the hands of the one trying to save them.
***"Furthermore, I have never met anyone from any religion more boastful than the many who go around boasting continuously that they are saved. "I'm saved! I have accepted Jesus and I am now saved!" Seriously!"
What you see as boastful is an expression of joy... This happens in many facets of life; when a couple learns they're going to have a child, when someone gets a new job, when someone wins a contest, etc... It's only natural human behavior to express and share joy when something wonderful happens.
Linda
The bible gives explicit instructions as to what we should do to please God and be acceptable to Him. If you have done these things to the best of your ability you might live through Armageddon which is the destruction of all that is evil on earth.
The governments, the false religions and the people who have not been able to find the time to be concerned with what God wants or who find reading the bible too much trouble.
If you survive Armageddon you will have 1000 years to learn the truth about God (if you haven't already) and return to perfection. At the end of that time Satan who has been confined, will be" let loose a little while" to try to persuade anyone to follow him. Then he and all his followers will be done away with. If you are still alive then you will be given everlasting life and you can say, Hallelujah, I've been saved." To say it at any time before then is just kidding yourself. Seriously!
Rocky
Brent, just what does that have to do with not working for our salvation. We call it witnessing, Jesus calls it telling, Paul tells us it is the way of Jesus---where the work---we do work but it is not to gain salvation, we work because Jesus instructed us to do so.
You do know Jesus talked about you--he said of himself, that he has come to seek and to save that which are lost--No work--just a decision on your part. Seriously!
WATCHER
Wow, are you desperate. That's it?? So love is an act and that nullifies faith too? It means works like volunteerism, donations, etc. Those are good and believers should do this, but poor and unfortunate people don't have access to monies and supplies in all countries, so God being just and fair gives all peoples who have heard His word the chance to be saved, even if they can't do anything more.