Eternal Security

[Azriel]

Did God need man's help to knock the walls of Jericho down?
No.
Did God require that the entire nation march around the city in a certain way before He knocked the wall down?
YES!!!

And there are a hundred other examples similar to this all through the OT. God does not NEED man to do anything for Him to do His will. But He does invite us in to participate in His doing of things, and He does require us to do certain things before His blessing is received.

Did the woman cause the oil to continue to flow into all the jars she had collected?
No.
Did the oil stop flowing at exactly the point when all of the jars she had collected were completely filled?
Yes!!!

Well the walls of Jericho... yes man had a part in that.

You shall march around the enclosure, all the men of war going around the city once. This you shall do for six days.
4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns; and on the seventh day you shall march around the enclosure seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
5 When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn and you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the enclosure shall fall down in its place and the people shall go up [over it], every man straight before him.
Jos 6:3–5.

 

[Rapture Bound]

"Just so you know both sides of the issue make good arguments."

Agreed, ... but one of those sides only seemingly makes a "good argument" - since only one side can possibly be right. Can those on both sides of the issue actually even agree that ... one of these positions are absolutely wrong?? There can only be one correct answer here ... there is no middle ground.

I grow weary of those professing Christians who tell me that nobody can know the answer ... since there are those on both sides of the issue. Do some of these people actually suppose that God is playing some type of game here? ... trying to "hide" the answer from us ... when the reality is that it is certainly not the case.

Others that I've met say, "oh, it really isn't that important of an issue... don't sweat it man ... ... so very, very sad indeed.

Those seemingly "good arguments", that are in fact not true according to the scriptures, must be contended against. This especially holds true in the matter of the eternal security of the believer, since it is intricately and inseparately connected to the finished [atoning] work of Christ ... the very "heart and soul" of the Christian faith. Therefore, since false doctrine in this arena most certainly poses a very real and potential peril to a person's salvation ... it becomes of utmost importance ... to not get this one wrong.

 

[Azriel]

Those seemingly "good arguments", that are in fact not true according to the scriptures, must be contended against. This especially holds true in the matter of the eternal security of the believer, since it is intricately and inseparately connected to the finished [atoning] work of Christ ... the very "heart and soul" of the Christian faith. Therefore, since false doctrine in this arena most certainly poses a very real and potential peril to a person's salvation ... it becomes of utmost importance ... to not get this one wrong.

I'm cool with that. I believe that people that think they can lose their salvation just don't realize how saved they actually are. They're saved to the utmost. They have what Jesus came to give us life to the utmost eternal life.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:1–5

 

[Grace ambassador]

in many places showing man must not only believe now but must also have an ongoing, sustained belief for life.

all the warning passages in the N.T. make sense only if they are including believers. There is no need to warn unbelievers about losing something they don't already possess- salvation.

false doctrine in this arena most certainly poses a very real and potential peril to a person's salvation

Precious friends, so I must misunderstand the following and need to interpret
them "to fit" the theology of "Unfaithful (righteous) believers can actually revert,
and become Condemned (unrighteous) unbelievers"?:

(A) An Unfaithful 'carnal' ( babe In Christ ) Corinthian (righteous) believer (1 Cor 1:2, 3:1):

Interpret "to fit" = may Not Be Saved?:

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that​

the spirit may Be Saved In The Day of The Lord Jesus. " (1 Corinthians 5:5)​

+
And interpret = 'shall NOT Be Saved [ but Condemned ]'?:

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for The Day Shall Declare it, because​

it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.​

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.​

​

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself Shall Be Saved;​

yet so as by fire." (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)​

By what authority can I go around God's Plain And Clear Words, Changing Them???

(B) FurtherMoreOver, Scripture Has These Two [ Harmonious ] Doctrines:

1) Christ Has Always Known them that "Are His Own" (2 Timothy 2:19; Ephesians 1:4-6)

[ But, Disharmonious = I Cannot 'find' this "in-between" doctrine of "Never knowing those

He Has Always known" = ↑ makes no sense! ↑ Correct? ]:​

2) He Never Knew "those that are not His Own" (Matthew 7:21-23)

C) As previous post 588 paraphrased: God's [Eternal] Relationship With us Cannot "be Broken,"
but our fellowship [for rewards] Can Be, by Unfaithful sin, "grieving and quenching" The
Holy Spirit, The New Owner, "reaping what we have sown!" (1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 6:7):
↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓
Should we not "check in" With Him, about this?:

"If we believe not, Yet He Abideth Faithful: He cannot deny Himself." (2 Timothy 2:13)​

Conclusion: He Cannot Deny "His members of His Body" = Himself!, eh?

Amen.

 

[Doug Brents]

Well the walls of Jericho... yes man had a part in that.

You shall march around the enclosure, all the men of war going around the city once. This you shall do for six days.
4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns; and on the seventh day you shall march around the enclosure seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.
5 When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn and you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the enclosure shall fall down in its place and the people shall go up [over it], every man straight before him.
Jos 6:3–5.

Correct, but man marching, staying silent for a time, then shouting and sounding the horns and such did NOT cause the walls to fall. God did that. But if man had not obeyed His command and marched, stayed silent, etc., then God would not have knocked the walls down. So too with salvation and continuing to remain in Christ, if we do not obey the commands that God says lead to salvation, then we do not receive salvation, and if we do not continue to walk in the Light, then we do not continue to receive the continual cleansing of sin that God promises to those who do.

 

[Hosanna]

Correct, but man marching, staying silent for a time, then shouting and sounding the horns and such did NOT cause the walls to fall. God did that. But if man had not obeyed His command and marched, stayed silent, etc., then God would not have knocked the walls down. So too with salvation and continuing to remain in Christ, if we do not obey the commands that God says lead to salvation, then we do not receive salvation, and if we do not continue to walk in the Light, then we do not continue to receive the continual cleansing of sin that God promises to those who do.

That's a good definition of works salvation. What we do and what we don't do instead of what Jesus did. He completed his mission. Believers receive the free gift of salvation that he purchased for us.

 

[Nadab]

That's a good definition of works salvation. What we do and what we don't do instead of what Jesus did. He completed his mission. Believers receive the free gift of salvation that he purchased for us.

I agree. What does the bible tell us? How can I be saved? What do I need to do? “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). God has already done all of the work. All you must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers (Ephesians 2:8-9). Fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sins.

 

[Azriel]

I agree. What does the bible tell us? How can I be saved? What do I need to do? “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). God has already done all of the work. All you must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers (Ephesians 2:8-9). Fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sins.

And I agree with you.

What must I do to be saved? Here in the simplest, shortest form is put the question to which every man must learn the answer, or spend eternity lost, away from God, suffering the torments of the damned! Makes me wonder why people want to make it so difficult.

Thank God, this question is asked and answered in the Word of God so simply that every soul can understand it. There are other questions in God's Word which affect the soul's welfare, and many places in the Bible is the plan of salvation made plain, but only one place is this question given word for word, and there, too, we find the answer.

Paul and Silas were in jail in the city of Philippi, and at midnight they sang and prayed until God broke down all the doors and broke the stocks which held their feet, with a mighty earthquake. The poor jailer, frightened and convicted of his sins, came to these two preachers and asked this question. Read it in Acts 16:29-31:

"Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

"What must I do to be saved?" "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved"! There is God's plan of salvation, the only plan He has for every man, woman and child who was ever born into the whole world.

 

[Seabass]

Precious friends, so I must misunderstand the following and need to interpret
them "to fit" the theology of "Unfaithful (righteous) believers can actually revert,
and become Condemned (unrighteous) unbelievers"?:

(A) An Unfaithful 'carnal' ( babe In Christ ) Corinthian (righteous) believer (1 Cor 1:2, 3:1):

Interpret "to fit" = may Not Be Saved?:

"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that​

the spirit may Be Saved In The Day of The Lord Jesus. " (1 Corinthians 5:5)​

+
And interpret = 'shall NOT Be Saved [ but Condemned ]'?:

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for The Day Shall Declare it, because​

it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.​

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.​

​

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself Shall Be Saved;​

yet so as by fire." (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)​

By what authority can I go around God's Plain And Clear Words, Changing Them???

(B) FurtherMoreOver, Scripture Has These Two [ Harmonious ] Doctrines:

1) Christ Has Always Known them that "Are His Own" (2 Timothy 2:19; Ephesians 1:4-6)

[ But, Disharmonious = I Cannot 'find' this "in-between" doctrine of "Never knowing those

He Has Always known" = ↑ makes no sense! ↑ Correct? ]:​

2) He Never Knew "those that are not His Own" (Matthew 7:21-23)

C) As previous post 588 paraphrased: God's [Eternal] Relationship With us Cannot "be Broken,"
but our fellowship [for rewards] Can Be, by Unfaithful sin, "grieving and quenching" The
Holy Spirit, The New Owner, "reaping what we have sown!" (1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 6:7):
↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓↑ ↓
Should we not "check in" With Him, about this?:

"If we believe not, Yet He Abideth Faithful: He cannot deny Himself." (2 Timothy 2:13)​

Conclusion: He Cannot Deny "His members of His Body" = Himself!, eh?

Amen.

Hi,

Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.


Hebrew converts were being warned about backsliding aay from Christian back into Judaism. They were warned about drifting away from the truths they learned about the Christ (Heb 2:1-3). They were warned about not allowing false teachers to corrupt their faith (Heb 3:12) and warned not to follow the same course some of their ancestors had who were not allowed to enter in the rest God had prepared for them (Heb 4:1-11)..... Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Those Hebrews had become dull of hearing (Heb 5:11) they had not grown in faith but regressed and as a result were warned of the peril of falling away ....Heb 6:
4- For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5- and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6- and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

The context here in Heb 6 who were saved (verse 4 & 5) but "have fallen away"...it not they they might fall away but already have fallen away,

Heb 4:11 - Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The idea of eternal security renders the words "fall" and "apostate" meaningless. The word fall carries the idea of a cahnge of location. If I fall from a tree to the ground then my location has changed. A person who has never been saved is already fallen hence cannot fall...one does not fall from an already lost state to a lost state. The idea is they fell from a saved state to a lost state.

Strong's Greek: 646. ἀποστασία (apostasia) -- Apostasy, rebellion, defection, falling away

Apostate - from the Greek:
646 apostasía (from 868 /aphístēmi, "leave, depart," which is derived from 575 /apó, "away from" and 2476 /histémi, "stand") – properly, departure (implying desertion); apostasy – literally, "a leaving, from a previous standing."

Apostate means to depart from, leave from a previous standing. A person always lost cannot depart from a lost standing to a lost standing. The idea of apostate is departing from, leaving from a saved standing to a lost standing. Again, a person always lost cannot desert, depart, leave a saved standing that he was never in to a lost standing.

================

In 1 Cor 3, the "work" under consideration are converts (are not ye (Paul's converts) my work in the Lord?" (1 Cor 9:1)).

in 1 Cor 3 Paul is making a analogy between building a building and building the church. A building is only as strong as the materials used to build wood hay stubble, gold, silver and precious stones. Therefore the church is only as strong as the faith of the converts there at Corinth.

v13 Every man's work (convert) shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. Every man's work, convert, will face judgement day, fire shall try those converts.

v14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
if Paul's converts abide which he had built the church thereon, then Paul will receive a reward.

v15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
If Paul's convert is judged to be lost, then Paul himself will srtill be saved but he will suffer a sense of loss over his lost converts as he was over those converts in Galatia who had become lost, fallen from grace (Gal 4:11 cf Gal 5:4)

===============

Lastly, I have had proponents of eternal security tell me those Christians who turn to live in sin were never really saved to begin with citing 1 Jn 2:19. Yet you cite 1 Cor 3 claiming they will be saved anyway. Which is it??? They cannot be both never really saved and saved anyway at the same time, that is a mutually exclusive contradiction that has been created by misapplication of two passages.

 

[Seabass]

I agree. What does the bible tell us? How can I be saved? What do I need to do? “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). God has already done all of the work. All you must do is receive, in faith, the salvation God offers (Ephesians 2:8-9). Fully trust in Jesus alone as the payment for your sins.

Hi,

On one hand you say "God has already done all the work for you" but then you say "all you must do"...

If God has already done all then work then there would be NOTHING I can do.

But you go on to say all I must do is receive, IN FAITH, the salvation God offers.

If I must have faith to receive salvation then having faith makes salvation CONDITIONAL not UNconditional as eternal security claims it is. And if I must have faith to have salvation God offers, then wouldn't I need to KEEP ON having faith all my life to KEEP ON having the salvation God offers? One can cast aside their faith (apostate - fall by leaving a previous saved standing, see my post #609 on falling and apostasy) then they no longer meet the necessary condition (faith) needed to have salvation.

 

[Hosanna]

Hi,

On one hand you say "God has already done all the work for you" but then you say "all you must do"...

If God has already done all then work then there would be NOTHING I can do.

But you go on to say all I must do is receive, IN FAITH, the salvation God offers.

If I must have faith to receive salvation then having faith makes salvation CONDITIONAL not UNconditional as eternal security claims it is. And if I must have faith to have salvation God offers, then wouldn't I need to KEEP ON having faith all my life to KEEP ON having the salvation God offers? One can cast aside their faith (apostate - fall by leaving a previous saved standing, see my post #609 on falling and apostasy) then they no longer meet the necessary condition (faith) needed to have salvation.

Believing is not work. You can believe without moving. you can believe without doing anything. Receiving is not doing anything. You can keep on keeping on earning your salvation If that's the way you want to do it. But how do you know when you've done enough work to earn your salvation?

The concept of works salvation is adding to the process. This explains it very well. How works salvation appeals to man’s pride and his desire to be in control.

Why is salvation by works the predominantly held viewpoint? | GotQuestions.org

Why is salvation by works the predominantly held viewpoint? Why do so many people believe that we can be saved by works?

www.gotquestions.org

 

[Handaan]

If I build a dog house and I give it to somebody they didn't do anything in the creation of that dog house. If they accept the gift of the dog house they still didn't do anything to create dead dog house. Receiving the dog house is not a work. They didn't do anything to earn the dog house.

 

[Seabass]

Believing is not work. You can believe without moving. you can believe without doing anything. Receiving is not doing anything. You can keep on keeping on earning your salvation If that's the way you want to do it. But how do you know when you've done enough work to earn your salvation?

The concept of works salvation is adding to the process. This explains it very well. How works salvation appeals to man’s pride and his desire to be in control.

Why is salvation by works the predominantly held viewpoint? | GotQuestions.org

Why is salvation by works the predominantly held viewpoint? Why do so many people believe that we can be saved by works?

www.gotquestions.org

Belief is a work. Belief is something done, not just a simple mental activity and nothing more.....belief is obedience to God's will. 'Belief only' is an attempt to take away the necessary obedience to God's will.

--NT salvation is not tied to "works" of the OT law
--NT salvation is not tied to "works" of merit
But NT salvation is tied to obedience to God's will. Jesus Himself said to "work" for the food that endures unto everlasting life, Jn 6:26.

Jn 3:36
"He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."
Believeth here is contrasted to 'obeyeth not" for believing is obeying.

Those who "doeth" (obeys) the will of the Father are the ones who enter the kingdom of heaven, Matt 7:21.

Heb 5:9 Christ is "the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him". One is either living in obedience to God's will or living in disobedience to God's will, no middle ground. And salvation is only for the obedient.

 

[Seabass]

If I build a dog house and I give it to somebody they didn't do anything in the creation of that dog house. If they accept the gift of the dog house they still didn't do anything to create dead dog house. Receiving the dog house is not a work. They didn't do anything to earn the dog house.

A local restaurant offered free ice cream cones, they owed no one a free ice cream cone so we can say they were giving them away out of their good grace. I did not want one so I did NOTHING and got NOTHING. But if I wanted one then I must meet the necessary conditions in doing the work in going to the restaurant to place an order and get a free ice cream cone. Even though I did this necessary work it earned me nothing, the ice cream cone was still given to me free. I could believe only in all my heart for an ice cream cone but belief only without the necessary works leaves me with no ice cream cone...belief only is dead.

Salvation is not completely unconditional, man must meet the conditions God has placed upon His free gift (belief, repentance, confession, baptism) in order to receive this free gift and meeting the conditions earns nothing.

 

[Hosanna]

A local restaurant offered free ice cream cones, they owed no one a free ice cream cone so we can say they were giving them away out of their good grace. I did not want one so I did NOTHING and got NOTHING. But if I wanted one then I must meet the necessary conditions in doing the work in going to the restaurant to place an order and get a free ice cream cone. Even though I did this necessary work it earned me nothing, the ice cream cone was still given to me free. I could believe only in all my heart for an ice cream cone but belief only without the necessary works leaves me with no ice cream cone...belief only is dead.

Salvation is not completely unconditional, man must meet the conditions God has placed upon His free gift (belief, repentance, confession, baptism) in order to receive this free gift and meeting the conditions earns nothing.

And that's why it's called works salvation. You have it down good. Let me ask this question again.

But how do you know when you've done enough work to earn your salvation? If you can't answer that question you have no assurance of salvation, no eternal security.

 

[Handaan]

A local restaurant offered free ice cream cones, they owed no one a free ice cream cone so we can say they were giving them away out of their good grace. I did not want one so I did NOTHING and got NOTHING. But if I wanted one then I must meet the necessary conditions in doing the work in going to the restaurant to place an order and get a free ice cream cone. Even though I did this necessary work it earned me nothing, the ice cream cone was still given to me free. I could believe only in all my heart for an ice cream cone but belief only without the necessary works leaves me with no ice cream cone...belief only is dead.

Salvation is not completely unconditional, man must meet the conditions God has placed upon His free gift (belief, repentance, confession, baptism) in order to receive this free gift and meeting the conditions earns nothing.

Completely different scenario. I never mentioned advertising for a free dog house. Or invited anyone to my place to come and get it. And exactly... if you don't believe your salvation is a free gift that you don't work for it you may not have it. That's a different gospel.

The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy. That’s the gospel.

The good news of the gospel is not forgiveness, justification, or eternal life — as good as these are. The highest, fullest, deepest, sweetest good news of the gospel is that God himself, is enjoyed by his redeemed people. The gospel is the good news that God bought for us the everlasting enjoyment of God. He's The author and finisher of our faith. It's a free gift. All you do is accept it.

 

[Azriel]

Belief is a work. Belief is something done, not just a simple mental activity and nothing more.....belief is obedience to God's will. 'Belief only' is an attempt to take away the necessary obedience to God's will.

Obedience to God is not solely a matter of duty. We obey Him because we love Him (John 14:23). Also obedience can be used to mask a sinful heart. Living the Christian life is not all about rules. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time relentlessly pursued acts of obedience to the Law, but they became self-righteous, believing they deserved heaven because of what they had done a lot like work salvation. They considered themselves worthy before God, who owed them a reward; however, the Bible tells us that, without Christ, even our best, most righteous works are as “filthy rags”. The Pharisees’ external obedience still lacked something, and Jesus exposed their heart attitude. They didn't believe in Jesus when he stood right in front of them. But they were good at those acts of obedience.

John 5:24​

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

1 John 5:13​

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 20:31​

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 3:16-17​

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 17:20​

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, (Evangelizing)

Romans 6:23​

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 1:45​

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

John 14:1​

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Mark 9:42​

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

​

1 John 5:1​

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

​

Mark 5:36​

But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

John 17:21​

That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

 

[Seabass]

And that's why it's called works salvation. You have it down good. Let me ask this question again.

But how do you know when you've done enough work to earn your salvation? If you can't answer that question you have no assurance of salvation, no eternal security.

I NEVER said salvation can be earned. Salvation is a FREE gift that comes with conditions and meeting the conditons (obedience) cannot earn the free gift.
Jn 6:27
"Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed." Jesus Himself clearly said to work for the food that endures unto eternal life...no work = no eternal life. Jesus goes on to say that He "GIVES", this means eternal life is a free gift that Christ GIVES but one must still work to meet the conditions Christ has put on His free gift in order to receive eternal life. No verse teaches eternal life is UNconditional.

Can you show me just one example from the Bible where a person who was obedient to God's will where that perosn's obedience was said to earn God's free gift? Also provide the verse that teaches those who live in disobedience to God's will are saved.

 

[Seabass]

Completely different scenario. I never mentioned advertising for a free dog house. Or invited anyone to my place to come and get it. And exactly... if you don't believe your salvation is a free gift that you don't work for it you may not have it. That's a different gospel.

The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy. That’s the gospel.

The good news of the gospel is not forgiveness, justification, or eternal life — as good as these are. The highest, fullest, deepest, sweetest good news of the gospel is that God himself, is enjoyed by his redeemed people. The gospel is the good news that God bought for us the everlasting enjoyment of God. He's The author and finisher of our faith. It's a free gift. All you do is accept it.

Your scenario is not accurate...you're having a free dog house given away with NO CONDITIONS, yet the BIble clearly teaches salvation is conditional. If salvation were completely UNconditional then everyone universally would UNconditionally be saved but we know all will not be saved universally for all will not obey to meet the conditions Christ place upon His free gift of eternal life.

2 Thess 1:8 the gospel is to be CONDITIONALLY obeyed and without conditional obedience to the gospel leaves one to be in flaming fire.

 

[Seabass]

Obedience to God is not solely a matter of duty. We obey Him because we love Him (John 14:23). Also obedience can be used to mask a sinful heart. Living the Christian life is not all about rules. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time relentlessly pursued acts of obedience to the Law, but they became self-righteous, believing they deserved heaven because of what they had done a lot like work salvation. They considered themselves worthy before God, who owed them a reward; however, the Bible tells us that, without Christ, even our best, most righteous works are as “filthy rags”. The Pharisees’ external obedience still lacked something, and Jesus exposed their heart attitude. They didn't believe in Jesus when he stood right in front of them. But they were good at those acts of obedience.

John 5:24​

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

1 John 5:13​

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 20:31​

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 3:16-17​

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 17:20​

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, (Evangelizing)

Romans 6:23​

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 1:45​

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

John 14:1​

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

Mark 9:42​

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

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1 John 5:1​

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.

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Mark 5:36​

But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

John 17:21​

That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Obedience to God's will is not an option but a necessity to being saved. Again, no verse teaches those living in disobedience are saved.

Rom 6:16
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

Each man will face condemnation or salvation...no other options. Paul puts forth both these options here in Rom 6:16. One is condemned by serving sin unto death. One is saved by serving obedience unto righteousness. No obedience = no salvation. The idea of beleif onlyism denies the idea of "obeidence unto righteounsessness" therefore beleif only has one serving sin unto death which is the only other option from obedience unto righteousness.

To be justified by the OT law, the OT law required the Jew to work to keep all of it perfectly sinless, which none could do leaving the Jew unjustified. Christ replaced that OT law that required perfect flawless law keeping with His NT gospel that brings salvation by grace not perfect flawless works. The NT gospel does not require the work of perfect flawless law keeping but a simple faithful obedience to it by which one receives grace.