Discuss Romans 5 Page 11

I understand "no new thing under the sun " to pertain to human beings ,earthly things , the way we are ,as humans we have changed our enviroment significantly but we as a species are no better at all ,we are still murdering lying greedy selfish idolators etc ,all this technological progress but we still have people dying of starvation ,the haves still have and the have nots are still doing without even the basic necessities and we all turn our faces away ,roll over in bed and pull the covers over our heads and go to sleep ,we dont change ,weve always been the same .

The old testament is a big part of the Rock of my Salvation ! Jesus was brought up with it ,studied it believed it ,it would have been an enormous strength and comfort to him to actually read about himself in it and its a massive strengthener and comfort to me also ,any one who ignores it is missing out on a large chunk of Gods words and interaction with humans , it helps us to understand Him and ourselves better ,its a true treasure ,ignore it and you are really seriously missing a limb ! Thats how important it is .If God has spoken to us i want to know what He said ! Dont you ? !

Brother Michael,

You and others here are confusing and trying to complicate the issue....by trying to mix in the old ceremonial laws into the 10 Commandments.

Below you state:

Do you keep God's commandments by getting circumcised as per Leviticus 12:3?

Do you keep God's commandments and dwell in booths for seven days every year as per Leviticus 23:42?

Do you make fringes on the border of your garments as per God's commandment at Numbers 15:38?

Do you go up to Jerusalem three times a year as per God's commandment at Exodus 23:17?

God's 10 Commandments DO NOT include any of the above listed old testament ceremonial laws.

Brother Michael: Do you believe this scripture verse below spoken by Jesus?

John 14:15

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."

God bless

Dear Brother Vince,

I agree, when we read the Bible and pray for understanding from God's Holy Spirt we are blessed with full understanding.

We SHOULD NOT depend on men or the church to guide us.....but the TRUE scripture.

It's hard for me to observe many modern day christians and church's believing that they can ignore God's 10 Commandment's.

To me, it all boils down to the most powerful verse spoken by Jesus Christ:

John 14:15

"If ye love me, keep my commandments."

This verse is small but it says it ALL....

If we disagree with this verse, we disagree with Jesus Christ!

God Bless

Hi Vince,

I'm not here to get in between this discussion. Just wondering who are "these people" who teach and keep people from reading the Old Testament you have stated twice now? Obviously no one here, I know of, as the Old Testament is regularly spoken of and promoted.

There is a New Testament(Covenant). Here's God speaking of it in the Old Testament, Jeremiah 31:31-34. Yes the Old Testament is quoted several hundred times in the New Testament. Though there are many things in the New Testament not in the Old Testament.

Just to be clear to maybe help others you are conversing with. What are God's Laws or God's Commandments you are stating we should follow? All of the 613 Mitzvot laws or just the Ten Commandments?

Jesus Christ is the way.

1 John 3:22-24 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

And this is His commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.

Romans 13:8 & 10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

God Bless.

Michael,

Thank you for asking me to share my thoughts. Here they are:

In John 15:6, the word abide (MENO) denotes permanency. There are branches that are in the tree but are dead branches, and there are those branches that abide permanently in the tree or vine. It says if a man abide not in me. So this is talking about someone who is not saved. A saved person is a person who is abiding in Him, and that person is the one who abides permanently. It's the dead branches (Unsaved) that are cast into the fire. These branches do not produce fruit because they are dead.

I can't take Romans 11:21 without considering Verses 19 and 20 also. Why were the natural branches not spared? These branches were broken off because of their unbelief. This is referring to the Jews who rejected their Messiah. No salvation there.

2 Peter 2:20-22 does not tell me they were saved. Having knowledge of the Lord does not mean they were saved. In Verse 21, the emphasis is on what they know. They haven't surrendered their life to Christ. Verse 22 would indicate to me that they were never saved. They had the knowledge of the truth, but never surrendered to Christ.

There has to be a transformation and a change because a pig will always go back. You can wash it, put a bow around its neck, spray it with perfume, and you know what's going to happen. It's going to dive right back into that mud hole again.

Both verses in Hebrews are referring to Jews who were following along with the teachings and were being enlightened to the truth, but never surrendered their life to Christ because of the persecution they would face if they were to do so. Do you realize what it would cost a Jew, even today if they were to give up Judaism to receive Christ as their Messiah? These Jews were being enlightened to the truth but instead of surrendering to Christ, they decided to return back to Judaism.

Vince,

I can tell you that I am very secure in my salvation. Jesus Christ has given me eternal life. He gave me Himself, and He is eternal. As long as He lives in me, I will remain saved. And he said He will NEVER leave me. I'm not being arrogant. I'm just trusting in God's saving power. I'm sorry if you're not secure in your salvation. It would be hard for me to live day by day wondering if this is going to be the day I lose my salvation. I place my full trust in Jesus Christ when it comes to salvation. I don't agree that eternal security or "Once saved, always saved" comes from Satan. I would be more inclined to believe that Satan wants us to believe we can lose our salvation. Satan is the one who accuses us and puts doubt and fear in our minds and causes us to have doubts.

I've read through Revelation and I do not see any concrete evidence of a true believer, one who loves the Lord and keeps His commandments, losing their salvation. Jesus said if you love me, you will keep my commandments. That is not a challenge for us to try and keep them. He's giving us a factual statement. YOU WILL keep them. Why? Because His Spirit dwells within and causes that person to keep His commandments.

I'm also sorry to hear that you have been taught not to read the Old Testament. No one has ever taught me that. If you feel you might lose your salvation, I would start looking for verses that show you that you have eternal security in Christ Jesus. That's my hope for all who have doubts about their salvation, that they may find comfort in the one who has saved them, the one who has promised to never leave them, and the one who is keeping them until the day He comes back to redeem them!

Hello Vince,

Thank you for your response. Yes, we both agree that we must obey God's commandments and remain faithful until death to inherit the blessings. Where we don't, perhaps, see eye to eye is what are the commandments of God today.

Do you keep God's commandments by getting circumcised as per Leviticus 12:3?

Do you keep God's commandments and dwell in booths for seven days every year as per Leviticus 23:42?

Do you make fringes on the border of your garments as per God's commandment at Numbers 15:38?

Do you go up to Jerusalem three times a year as per God's commandment at Exodus 23:17?

If you answer no, it seems to me that you don't, after all, obey God's commandments. Jesus and the Apostle John did not say, "If you obey the 10 commandments", but rather, "If you obey the commandments" (all the commandments). The question arises, though, which commandments?

I would suggest the commandments of the New Covenant (or Testament) found in the portion of our Bibles called the New Testament.

As for Matthew 5:17-18, please note one important point - it says till all be fulfilled. The purpose of the law was fulfilled when Christ offered up his perfect life in sacrifice. Then, it was done away with. Notice:

Galatians 3:23-25 "But before faith came, we were kept under the law (a schoolmaster), shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore THE LAW WAS our SCHOOLMASTER to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But AFTER that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster (the law).

That's why Jesus also said at the parallel account of Matthew 5:17-18 found at Luke 16:16.

Luke 16:16 "The LAW and the prophets WERE UNTIL JOHN: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it."

Then, Jesus set up the New Covenant.

Luke 22:20 "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."

I welcome your further thoughts.

Good day, Vince.

Hi Michael.

It's 10:45 pm here in Ga. I will be glad to continue our conversation tomorrow after work. I have to get up at 4am.

Goodnight and God bless.

Hi Vince,

I was wanting to answer your question, "If God, Himself, told us that there is no New Thing under the Sun, why do we have a New Testament?"

Good question.

I would suggest you ask God that question since he himself prophesied through his prophet Jeremiah that he would set up a New Covenant (or Testament).

Jeremiah 31:31-32 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant (testament) with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant (testament) that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant (testament) THEY BRAKE, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

Notice why God sets up the New Covenant. It says they brake (in modern English, broke) the Mosaic law covenant or testament. Thus, when a contract is broken, you have to set up a new one.

Hebrews 8:7 "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second."

Hebrews 8:13 "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."

God is God. He does what he wants. We can be sure that whatever he does is just and perfect.

I welcome your comments.

Good day.

Daniel Rudolph and Jesse,

There is no such thing as "Once Saved Always Saved", that's straight from Satan himself. God told John Himself what he would do to Christians not keeping the Commandments.

( Rev 2:12) And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

God Himself is rebuking his Church and threatened to kill them with the sword of his mouth, which signifies Hell. But why would God do such a thing? Because people were not keeping the commandments, eating things sacrificed unto idols, commiting fornication, which are all Laws but since we have been taught not to read the Old Testament, we are ignorant of these things.

Answer me this, If God, Himself, told us that there is no New Thing under the Sun, why do we have a New Testament? We don't, its all one, connected. All the Disciples and Apostles studied and quoted the ,"so called Old Testament". Everything that they preached and taught came straight from there but these people keep us from even looking into it.

Read the remainder of Revelation chapter 2 and 3 for yourself, he's rebuking 6 of the 7 Churches and threated to kill them! These people were indeed followers of Christ but had Hell dangled over there heads. All Praises to the Great I AM!

Hello S Spencer,

Regarding Hebrews 6:13-19, I would direct your attention specifically to verse 15.

Hebrews 6:15 "And so, AFTER HE HAD PATIENTLY ENDURED, he obtained the promise."

Compare that with Hebrews 6:12.

Hebrews 6:12 "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them WHO THROUGH FAITH AND PATIENCE inherit the promises."

James 2:21 "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"

What would have happened had Abraham developed a wicked heart and refused to obey God? What if Abraham had cursed God and returned to his original place of residence - the land of Ur? Would he have inherited the promises?

What happened to Israel when they became bad? Did they inherit the promised land? Were they (that generation) not all destroyed in the desert and did not enter the promised land?

Hebrews 3:10-11 "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest."

Jude 1:5 "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having SAVED the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward DESTROYED them that believed not."

1 Corinthians 10:5 "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness."

God's promises are certain. They will never fail. They are, in fact, like an anchor. So we can absolutely trust God. However, for us to benefit from those promises, we must exercise faith in God - unwavering trust in obeying God and all that he asks of us.

James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD also."

2 Peter 1:10-11 "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election SURE: for IF ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Good day.

Hello Michael,

I totally understand your prospective, but lets think for a min. Did Paul and the other

Apostles contradict what Christ himself came to tell us? Christ said: ( Matthew 5:17) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. So I ask you, has the Heaven and Earth passed away? not at all. So, Here is Christ, himself telling you that the Law is not fulfilled or the Prophets. He also told us to keep his commandments, am I right?

( John 15:10) 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.

Here is Christ giving you a definition of what the Love of the Father is, it's keeping his commandments.

( 1 John 5:3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

( 1 John 5:2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

( John 14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

I can go on and on, The Commandments are a must, it's not an opinion of the Disciples, it's the Doctrine of Christ. The Churches have lied to us when they say we don't have to keep the commandments.

Now, you say once saved, a person must keep himself in God's Love, I showed you what God's love is, Keeping the Commandments but you have twisted that as well. ( Matthew 24:13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. This means that you are not saved until the end, meaning if you die now or when Christ returns. The scriptures are self evident, they need no interpretation from man.

The Creator gave us a road map and free will, Choose wisely but I beg anyone reading this, don't let the Church do your work, Christ gave you Books, read them and pray for understanding, The Spirit will guide you into all Truth!

Hello Vince,

Thank you for your comments. I was wanting to respond specifically to your comment, "I guess they think Christ died on the cross so we can be Lawless."

No, I do not believe that Jesus died for me so that I could be lawless. I do want to obey God's Laws. However, what has God commanded me to do? Would you suggest that I be circumcised so as to keep God's Law recorded at Leviticus 12:3? Why would I do that when the Apostles decided in Acts 15 that I need not be circumcised in order to serve God.

So, what do I obey. As a Christian, I obey the instructions that the Apostles gave to the first-century Church in the epistles from Romans to Revelation. They never tell me to keep the Sabbath or be circumcised or keep the festivals of Israel. In fact, they tell me the opposite:

Colossians 2:16 "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:"

Galatians 4:10 "Ye observe days (sabbaths), and months (lunar month), and times (festivals), and years (sabbatical). I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain."

I obey the New Testament made between God and the Church of God via the mediator Jesus Christ since I am a Christian. I do not obey the Old Testament made between God and ancient Israel via the mediator Moses. I am not an Israelite.

Please see Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:7-13.

Notice that the Bible is separated into 2 portions - the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus inaugurated the New Testament with his shed blood. See Luke 22:20. These are the laws that I obey - God's laws for Christians in the New Testament.

I kindly invite your comments.

Good day.

Hi Jesse,

The Bible warns many times that a person can lose their salvation. Here are a few places.

John 15:6 "If a man abide (remain) not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."

Romans 11:21 "For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee."

2 Peter 2:20-22 "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Hebrews 6:4-6 "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Hebrews 10:26-29 "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

I welcome your thoughts.

Good day.

Daniel,

I don't know of any place in scripture that teaches that a person who belongs to Christ can end up in Hell. No Christian who has been truly born of God's Spirit will ever end up in Hell.

The entire salvation process from start to finish is all of God. The only thing we as human beings can contribute is the sin from which we need to be saved from. Now, once we are saved, at what point does salvation go from God's grace to human works? Are we not saved by God's grace alone according to Ephesians 2:8-9?

If we believe we can lose our salvation, what do we have to do to lose it? Again, if it is something we do to lose it, then it is no longer grace, but works on our part.

If you can please share with me any place in scripture that says Christians can end up in Hell, I am open to checking out what you can show me that teaches that.

Thank you.

Amen Jesse.

Great declaration of clear truth.

To go along with the truth you presented brings us back to Genesis to the "UNCONDITIONAL" promise God performed "ALONE" to Abraham 430 years before the law given.

Hebrews 6:13-19. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of PROMISE. Galatians 4:28.

Greetings to all,

My feelings of believers, in Christ, being divided by all types of "doctrine and beliefs" is very saddening. I come as a peacemaker. As I have seen and been involved with debates about many things such as(needing to speak in tongues to know you have the Holy Spirit, keeping the 7th day Sabbath, you only have to believe to be saved, etc).

I so understand that no one is exactly the same and we may have different perspectives on things. Us being able to have peaceful conversations with one another is a Blessing. Even though we all being different, with different gifts and abilities, Christ is the same.

I just want to focus now on what I feel is most important. Love. If we truly live our lives with a pure heart founding ourselves on loving one another. We are fulfilling the law and God's Will. There is nothing greater than love. As Jesus Christ stated there is no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. We should lay down our lives for Jesus Christ and let Him be the author of our lives. Him showing His love for us as He gave His life, as a perfect sacrifice, to save us from our sins. Also how much our Father loves us by sending His own Son to be a free gift of Salvation. That we may all be one in Him. He is the only way to the Father. The Lord searches hearts and knows all who are His. Let the Holy Ghost lead you to follow after Christ in His ways. To do what pleases Him.

In truth I say that I love you all and all of you are in my prayers every day. I could go on and on though I want to just read the Holy Bible. I shall leave a just a couple Scriptures for you all that the Lord brought me to that fit this post.

Romans 13:8-10, 1 John 4:7-19.

In humbleness, God Bless you all!

(Part 3)

Temeko,

The most powerful Scriptures of God's keeping power are found in Romans 8:38-39. It says, "For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor powers, nor any thing which has come, nor things coming, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The only way a person can be saved is by a spiritual birth from God, and the only way a person can keep his salvation is through the keeping power of God.

This is what the Bible teaches about salvation. Salvation is permanent. It is man who has changed the emphasis from salvation by God to salvation by man, and it is part of the apostasy of the last days. People today are being told that they are saved because of some followed formula, but Jesus said in Matthew 7:16 that believers would be known by their fruits, not by their human works.

If a person believes they can lose their salvation based on something they do, then it is a works-based salvation and has nothing to do with the Spirit of God and God's power to keep us saved.

I place my trust in God and His power to keep me saved until the day he comes to redeem me. He says He is the one who is Keeping me and I believe and trust in His promise. It is Christ who lives in me. He has promised to NEVER leave me nor forsake me. And as long as He lives in me (Which He says He will never leave), I will be saved. And that is why I believe in the permanency of salvation.

My salvation is not based on what I do or don't do. It is strictly based on what God has done for me. God called me, and I responded to the call and received Christ. He saved me, and it is through His power alone that I remain saved. I cannot trust in my flesh to remain saved because my flesh will never submit to the things of the Lord. I have to trust in the one who saved me, the one who has given me His Spirit, and the one who is keeping me saved!

If salvation is permanent (not lost) why is it that people (Christians) find themselves in hell.

(Part 2)

Jesus Himself said in John 6:37, "All that the Father gives to me will come to me; and the one coming to me I will NEVER CAST OUT." Jesus goes on to say in John 6:39, "And this is the will of the Father who has sent me, in order that of all which he has given to me I SHOULD LOSE NOTHING, but should raise it up in the last day." If you read John 17:11-12, you see that we are kept by God's power.

I firmly believe in the permanency of salvation because the Bible teaches that God is the One who saves and He does so from out of His mercy. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8 that grace, faith, and salvation are gifted from God.

In 1 John Chapter 5 Verse 18, John says "We know that everyone who has been born from God does not practice sin; but the one who has been born from God, God IS KEEPING him, and the evil one does not touch him." John also says in John 10:27-29, "My sheep hear my voice and I know them; and they follow me. And I give to them eternal life; and they will NEVER PERISH FOREVER and not anyone will seize them from out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to seize them from out of the hand of my Father."

Paul emphasized the keeping power of God's Spirit. He says in Ephesians 1:13-14, "In whom also after having heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also, after having believed, you were SEALED with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance, for redemption of the possession, for the praise of His glory."

Paul says again in Ephesians 4:30, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God in whom you were SEALED FOR THE DAY OF REDEMPTION."

(One more post to come)

Temeko,

Salvation is the most important issue here and I need more than one post to give you an answer to your question, so please bear with me.

(Part 1)

There are those who believe that salvation can be lost and then there are others who believe in the permanency of salvation. I personally believe that salvation is permanent and here's why:

First of all, the Bible clearly teaches that salvation is based solely on God's Spirit coming into the spirit of a human being; and in so doing, causing that person to become a new creation in Christ. A person's experience of regeneration by the Holy Spirit is an act of God, not of man.

According to the Bible, the salvation process begins with God the Father. Jesus said, in John 6:44, "No one is able to come to me unless the Father who has sent me should draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day."

In the early Church, the requirement for salvation was the presence of God's Spirit dwelling within a person. Paul said in Romans 8:9, "Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this one is not of Him." Salvation happens only when God's Spirit enters and remains (Permanently) in a person's spirit, thereby causing spiritual birth.

God is the sole source of salvation. The Bible also teaches that every saved person is KEPT by the power of God. 1 Peter 1:5 says that believers are "The ones who are BEING KEPT in the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Paul says in Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are opposing to one another; in order that you should not do what you want."

These scriptures show that believers cannot be taken away from Christ by the flesh, because the Spirit of God is dwelling within to prevent that from happening.

More to follow:

Thank you kindly.

Thank you for answering my last question, here's what I need to know ?

Is the theory once saved always saved correct?and can you please explain salvation to me what does salvation mean?and can it be lost.

Temeko,

In 1 Peter 4:18, it says, "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

The word "scarcely" in the Greek text is a word that means difficulty. Jesus said that we would go through trials and difficulties as believers. What this is saying is that if the righteous are saved with difficulty accompanying them, not that it's difficult to get saved, but once we're saved, difficulty accompanies our salvation, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

I mean if we're going through hard times and we're saved, wow, wait 'til the sinner comes under the judgment of God. They won't even be found!

Hello Temeko, the book of Romans was written to the Romans, who are Gentiles. Paul, of course, was an Isrealite from the Tribe of Benjamin. The Gentiles were not given the Laws, Statutes and Commandments ( Romans 2:14) Only Isreal. Paul was explaining that the Law alone will not get you into the Kingdom, but by Grace and truth ( John 1:17). Most people don't understand what truth is because we have been taught not to read the Old Testement, but the truth is none other than the Laws of God ( Psalm 119:142), except animal sacrafice, which is the only law that was fullfilled on the Cross because Christ was the Perfect Sacrafice. We are commanded to keep the Laws that were given in the Torah ( Romans 3:31). Believe me, many will totally disagree, i guess they think Christ died on the cross so we can be Lawless but what will we be judged by in the Book of Revelations? We will be judged by our works!! (Revelations 20:13). Shalom!

Hello Tomeko,

Unfortunately, many misunderstand what being saved by grace means.

Yes, there is nothing we could do to save ourselves. Jesus had to die for us to save us. However, we have to repent of our sins and believe (or trust) in Jesus Christ as God's means of removing our sins and saving us. Repenting means that we tell God that we are sorry and that we no longer want to live in sin.

But, once saved, a person must keep himself in God's love.

Jude 1:21 "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

John 15:10 "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide (remain) in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide (remain) in his love."

We also need to walk in the light if we are to have the blood of Jesus wash away our sins.

1 John 1:7 "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."

The apostle Paul fought a good fight to remain in God's love and thus could receive the crown of righteousness.

2 Timothy 4:7, 8 "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Perhaps, an example could help.

A man kills another man. He will be executed. The judge has mercy on him and tells him he will free him if the man repents and promises to not repeat his act. The man agrees. The man was freely forgiven as an act of grace and mercy. There was nothing he could do to save himself. But, now, he must keep to the terms and not kill again. If he does, he will be executed.

Philippians 2:12 "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

I bid you a good day.

If we are saved by grace and not works,why does the scriptures say the righteous scarsley make it in?

Romans 5:7-9 came to mind for me. It doesn't answer your question directly, but indirectly....

that a "good" man will not know the Lord's salvation if his goodness is his own. It is knowledge of our

sins and our sinful nature that opens us to call out for Jesus Christ and his salvation. Otherwise we remain dead in our "good" works, though to the world we may appear important, powerful or saintly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.