My friend, even Satan and his minions "believe" in Christ. Even they know without a doubt that Christ is real. But they chose to NOT follow or surrender to Him.
I think the verse you quoted must be taken in context with the entire scripture. In that Acts 16 verse, Paul was answering the jailer who asks how he can be saved. It was a quick, general answer, but both Paul and Jesus Himself went on to tell us more details. Merely "Believing" is a works-based action. Saying, "I believe, thus I am saved", is self-centered rather than God centered. Thinking that we only have to "believe" and we can then stop sinning and live a Godly life al on our own strength is where many of those that will miss the Rapture have gone wrong. We must surrender our will to God so that His Holy Spirit can teach us to stop sinning. I do have faith that if one truly "believes" in a sense that he/she believes that ALL that Jesus taught is true and right, then the surrendering part will naturally happen. If you truly love Jesus more than yourself, then how can you not surrender your whole self to Him .... this is why we call the "Church" the Bride of Christ. I am not judging what is in your heart or what is your relationship with the Lord. I just wanted to say all this in case any readers were confused by the only believing part.
>>My friend, even Satan and his minions “believe” in Christ. Even they know without a doubt that Christ is real. But they chose to NOT follow or surrender to Him.<<
That’s an interesting concept that Satan and his minions have trusted in Christ for their salvation.
In Romans 12 Paul is exhorting BELIEVERS to offer themselves as living sacrifices.
The Corinthian believers were far from what you describe five years after the departure of Paul They were still CARBAL and immature.
You are adding to the Gospel message and subtracting from the FINISHED work of Christ.
>> Paul was answering the jailer who asks how he can be saved. It was a quick, general answer, but both Paul and Jesus Himself went on to tell us more details. <<
Where does this come from? Is the same true about the Ethiopian eunuch, about the thief on the Cross, about Cornelius.
Lastly, do you intend to add baptism as a saving requirement.
You are wrong about believing is a credit to the believer. The merit is in the object of faith.
Perhaps you are aware of the overt sins a believer commits. How about mental attitude sins? How about worry? covetousness? jealousy? Your focus is too narrow if you are only considering giving up carousing. Is the believer to forswear anxiety as well?
>>Merely “Believing” is a works-based action.<< Wrong, wrong, wrong. We aren’t just believing . . . We are exercising belief, faith, and trust in Christ Jesus, not in our surrendership. (btw, how do you know if you have surrendered enough? As a non-believer did you consider all the possibilities?
How do you surrender your will? An hour after you have surrendered it, and you want ice cream, is it OK to get it back and have some?
The problem is that you do not accept grace and want to earn salvation through surrendering, repenting, confessing, and . . . baptism(?).