Author:
Sandy
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Date Posted: 16:17:00 02/06/10 Sat
I do not judge anothers salvation once they have come to believe. So therefore, I agree salvation begins once we do begin to see who Christ was, believing in Him as our Lord and Savior just as you seem to be saying Hillbilly.
But I also do not believe it ends there either. meaning once we do believe we are then told to repent, repentance to me meaning to do an about face as a result of what we have come to believe.
And then once we do truly repent, we are told then to come and follow after Him also.
So therefore, I believe as we do take up our cross and begin to follow after HIM, we then should be baptized in faith, believing for God to do what He has promised to do at that time within our hearts and lives.
And the same concerning the baptism in the Holy Ghost. Those three things seeminly having to do with the foundational principles of Christ according to what it says in Acts 2:38 as well as Hebr. 6:1-2 and many other scriptures that seems to tell us this is what they did in the beginning or the church age anyway. Whether it goes into ful detail about this everywhere in that book or not. Which there does seem to be variations of what was described they did always after Acts 2:38. One still needs to continue on into what is then written in Hebr. 6:4, as God permits of course. And seeminly what is written there in verses 6:1-2 seems to consist of what needs to happen to lay the foundational principles of Christ in ones life. Whether all scripture in Acts says they did so or not, many others in that same book does say just what is written there in Hebrews.
But yes, everyone begins by believing period. And nobody can begin until they do begin to "see" who Christ was and believe. But as I said, that is only the beginning, not the end.
But whether one does do what I personally believe one should do entirely or not, concerning ones salvation in the end, is not mine to judge at all, one way or the other. Meaning what I see concerning final judgement, isn't going to make any difference on that day at all. It is what God says then that is going to make the difference entirely.
But I also believe building a solid foundation is wise too, before beginning to build a house. And since I see God doing something important when we do what He he has said to do when laying that foundation, which IMHO does consist of repentance and baptisms. It is wise we do so, so that God can continue to build the house from then as well. Saying that because I do not believe scripture tells us to do anything that God is not involved in doing something within us when we do whatever it is we are told to do. His having a purpose for everything. Whether we know or understand that purpose of not. And this include repentance, as well as the baptisms, along with everything else we do thereafter too.
But who is saved, I leave that up to the Lord entirely anymore. Didn't at one time, but since then realized what I think isn't going to matter a wit in the end at all. It is still what God says period, that is going to matter. For it is He that we will come before at whichever judgement seat we appear at finally. And what man thinks or says then will not matter a wit anymore on that day at all. So I might say to one, I do not believe your saved, and I just might be as wrong as two left feet if and when I do.
So when I share anything with believers, my thoughts are not on whether they are saved. But whether they are walking in all that God has for us to walk in right here in the here and now. Only if someone tells me they do not believe, do I concentrate on that ones salvation. Generally praying more than talking to them then. As I can tell another about Jesus Christ until I am blue in the face. But until He reveals Himself to that one, I am wasting my time according to what he said in John chapter 6 period. Meaning until that happens, that one isn't truly going to believe anyway.
That is just my two cents on this subject so far anyway. As sometimes things happen that causes me to change my mind about what I think I do know somehow it seems. Doubtful at my age, that is ever going to change either. :-) Meaning I just think I have everything all figured out, and bam, the Lord says something to me like Are you sure, and I find myself realizing I don't have everything figured out after all. :-)
Luv,
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