[Elsie]

Is there such a thing as a ‘deathbed confession of faith’ and, if so, is that enough to ‘save’ and/or ‘justify’ us?

[Cronos]

What happens on the death-bed confession? Is it just Matt 7:21 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."?

NO. Remember -- James says "even the demons believe - and shudder" -- it is not faith ALONE that saves

Jesus himself says, faith, baptism, repentance, etc (see below) -- and if someone has led a horrible life (or even a normal, not good, not bad life) and on his/her death-bed just says "Lord, Lord, I believe", but does not repent, he will not be saved, that is what Jesus Himself told us. Take the good thief -- he REPENTED, he BELIEVED, he was baptised by the Blood of the lamb and he endured in this to his death and yes, he was saved

To reiterate -- from the moment of your acceptance, you must truly accept the Lord's freely given grace of salvation. The death-bed acceptance is the most extreme case, you have to admit, but even here, unless the person repents and believes, he is not baptised with the blood of the Lamb, he does not share in the body of Christ and no, he is not saved.

In a normal case, whether you are a Baptist or not, from the moment of your acceptance of Christ's saving grace, you must endure, you must repent, you must believe, you must share in the body of the Lamb and you must remember Matt 25:31-46

[Cronos]

Let's repeat == you asked us to Take it up with Jesus: -- well, this is what Jesus said

• He who believes and is baptized will be saved. (Mk 16:16)
• [U]nless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Lk 13:3
• [H]e who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (Jn 6:54)
• 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matt. 24:13 )
• Matt 25:31-46 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

  Isn't Jesus pretty clear? you MUST have faith to be saved by the freely given grace of salvation, however, it is not faith ALONE

  Do you believe Jesus's words or not?

[Cronos]

The first work of the grace of the Holy Spirit is conversion, effecting justification in accordance with Jesus' proclamation at the beginning of the Gospel: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Justification detaches man from sin which contradicts the love of God, and purifies his heart of sin. Justification follows upon God's merciful initiative of offering forgiveness. It reconciles man with God. It frees from the enslavement to sin, and it heals.

Justification is at the same time the acceptance of God's righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ

Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men

On the death-bed the person who repents, believes has accepted God's freely given grace of justification -- note, we do not justify ourselves, nor do we earn this