Why do Christians believe they are saved when Paul does not?

Question

Some Christians believe that if you accept Jesus into your hear after prayer you are saved and will go to heaven. (Once saved always saved). This is dangerous heresy, it is unbiblical, and Paul warned Christians about it in:
Ephesians 5:1-5
1
"So be imitators of God, as beloved children,
2
and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
3
Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones,
4
no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving.
5
Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God".

The word of God in the Bible is clear: it doesn't matter how saved you are, how born-again you are, how baptized you are, if you commit serious sin without repenting: you will not go to heaven.
Paul is being a true shephard in his writings.

Paul was Christian and not Jewish. He became a Christian after he encountered Christ in Damascus.

lasermouse9: How can you be a Christian if you reject Paul? His 14 letters are in the Bible. If you reject the Bible you are not Christian.

tirini: Jesus redeemed us on the cross. We are saved by the grace of God. You cannot continue to sin and think you will be saved. Christians have to be holy. Can you be saved if you commit adultury, murder, without repenting after you accepted Jesus?

tata romy: you are wrong. Jesus said in Matthew 19:16-17 "keep the commandments".

Matthew 7:21
Not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will go to heaven but the one who does the will of God.

Nickster: Of coarse you need faith, I'm not arguing that, you also need works. Just having faith won't save you. You have to repent of EVERY sin. If not one serious sin can send you to hell.

Answer 1

right
the idea of "once saved always saved" is so presumptuous.
Try Zeph. 2:3 seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.
Notice the writer does not presume: he say Probably you will be, instead of You will be saved.
The idea that people say I'M saved really shows in all likelyhood they are not saved as they lack humility, as their SAVED PRIDE they wear on their lips as if it were the high fashion of Christians.

Answer 2

You must believe Saint Saul-- He was never wrong ---++ And he always wanted to be the big Holy guy --By Force --Deception -- Conversion- Doctrine -- Or Belief ---- What ever makes you the holiest is Pauls way ---Self Proclamation was his forte ++ Its funny that Mithra never had a self appointed Apostle to explain his nature -- The Hellenized St Paul knew Mithra and its Cult well --Like the old testical-- Spin that Jesus Paul -- Spin that Jesus ---If Paul would have been a atheist __He would pray there was a God so he could witness the judgment of Christians

Answer 3

The Bible does teach that one can not lose their salvation. However salvation is not only done by confessing with your mouth, but also believing in your heart (Romans 10:9-10).

Many of the epistles that Paul wrote were to instruct, encourage, and at times correct practices in the church that were not Christ like.

Ephesians can be broken in half with the first 3 chapters telling us everything we have in Christ. Chapter 1 says that we have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (we've received everything we need to grow in God through Christ). The 2nd half is the practical application in response to all we've received, so Paul is saying believers- imitate Christ.

Once saved always saved yes- in the sense that if we sin after we've accepted Christ and forget to repent over one sin God isn't going to send us to hell for that. But once saved we also receive the Holy Spirit who convicts us and helps us become more Christ like.

So Paul is reminding the Ephesians that their behavior ought to reflect the genuiness of their profession and trust in Christ. The gospel of Matthew tells us there will be those who say: "Lord, Lord," and the Lord will say "I never knew you."

So your interpretation of Ephesians 5 is really out of context. Paul here is no teaching a doctrine on salvation but rather instructing the believer and reminding them that such behaviors described in v.3-4 are unfitting for those who claim Christ. For a believer engaged in such behaviors without any remorse or sense of its sinfulness- the genuiness of their faith is really in question.

Ephesians 2:8-10: (8) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- (9) not by works, so that no one can boast. (10) For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepare din advance for us to do.

Paul supports an idea that genuine faith produces behavior that reflects Christ-like character and is pleasing to God.

Even an unbeliever who has a "believing friend' who is immoral, impure, greedy, obscene, suggestive in talk, etc. would really question is this person really a believer in Christ?

So while Paul does warn the believer, here in Ephesians 5:1-5 his point is to remind the believer of the fitting behavior of a believer, and not to make a statement that Christians shouldn't believe they are not saved...

Answer 4

You hit it baby, this is where Luther or maybe his followers led the Christian masses into confusion. Christ died so they we may one day be with him. however any protestant would agree that sin seperates us from god. How can we be saved and be seperated from God at the same time, well we need a time in which the possibility of sin has vanished, post-life.. They quote John, the most lofty of the Gospels, John works off what is already aquired from the first 3 synoptics. Satan believed Jesus was dying on the cross for our sins, we know that, he tried to stop him, however we know he's not saved.

Answer 5

The whole point of salvation is eternal life and having a relationship with God. Answer this, if Christians aren't saved then what was the whole purpose of Christ dying on the cross? Have you read John 3:16? It says- "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

Answer 6

One will be judge not for what he had done but according to his faith. If you repent and beleive that God accepted it, in the name of Jesus and the holy Spirit then, you will be save. Even the most sinner, by uttering the name of God before dying, I'm sure he will be. Most of the apostles are confused and doesn't beleive that Jesus is the son of God, until He rose from the dead and show up before his disciple and let them feel the wound in his hand.

Answer 7

If you believe in Christ and follow him your need to follow the path he has set out or us.
Believing is more then a matter of words....this is what Paul was warning the people about.
If you love God you will give praise and thanksgiving for the blessings that you have,
Even if you have a "rough life" God has blessed his people with forgiveness of their sins and with the gift of eternal life.

Answer 8

Eph. 1:13, John 3:16

Answer 9

If Christ saved us not we ourselves, then what is the big deal. Did Christ do the job he came to do or was he a loser? I'm glad that God's mercy is forever. I'm glad that it depends on his faith and not mine. I'm glad that he is not willing that any should perish. Is your will greater than God's. If I were to put money on who's will would get fulfilled it would be God's. Why are you so quick to bring out scripture that you believe disqualifies people from the goodness of God?

Answer 10

In mild of the scriptures you quoted, how do you provide an explanation for the myth of the prodigal son in Luke Chapter 15? As for the grafting in of the Gentiles, that has to do with the Gentiles who suppose and comply with Jesus Christ fitting followed into the loved ones of God of which God selected the Jewish humans. Therefore, Gentiles might no longer be Jewish until they're grafted into the foundation that is Jesus Christ (a Jew). Another phrase for the grafting in is adoption.