Then maybe, David, the question should be, How may I be saved?
Jesus is in the business of telling how to live so we may be saved and spend eternity with Him. He spent a lifetime showing and teaching us How to be saved.
The word OBEY takes a bad wrap from our folks these days, but never the less it seems to play a great part in the "how to be saved" list. Satan found this out when he played his war games in heaven.
It is a given that salvation is not in our power but the power of Grace through Jesus Christ and our cooperation. Yes, "all His biddings are enablings" IF we claim the promise with a heart filled with love for our Redeemer/Savour.
His enabling power is given IF the conditions are met. This is not arbitrary.....This is the law of Liberty...we have a free choice.....We are not going to slide into heaven because we want to be there, in fact if we want to be there we will study to find out How to be there, And we are told.....
Rev 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."
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love"? "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him." "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me." "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him."
This Day with God--His Grace Is Sufficient- 167
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. 2:12, 13.
" Every one of us has a work to do in our own salvation, which is to meet every requirement of God. God does not do anything independent of the agency of him for whom the work is to be
done. His grace is sufficient to work in and with them that are His, in the fulfillment of every promise, while the one for whom this grace is supplied is to obey every command."
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Most important question?...Lord, I love you, How may I be saved?
The answer is above.
[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: Charlene Van Hook ]