Salvation comes through faith and confession. You are saved FOR good works, but you don't have to perform works. The works are the treasure you store up in Heaven. Who wants to go to Heaven broke? If you truly love the Lord, works will follow. If they are empty works, they don't even count. The thief went to Heaven with Jesus just because he confessed Christ, but had he lived, he would have been expected to get baptized and do something for Christ. I can't imagine a person that is saved not wanting to do something to glorify his Savior. If you don't, I have to question your salvation and if you even understand what Christ did for you. Confessing Christ is NOT fire insurance. It calls for you to love Him as He loved you. The "pew sitters" left behind will have to face the Beast and get their heads removed to show their love for Christ. Wouldn't it be easier to pay someones light bill or mow their lawn while they recoup from surgery? Maybe help a lady with her groceries or fix a child's bike? We come to the Lord as we are, but He expects us to change. It's called sanctification. If you think you can have an experience some night with God and stay on your booze and dope while living with your girlfriend, or worse yet your boyfriend, you didn't understand the covenant you made with Him. You are expected to leave the world behind and live for Him. That requires some works. If you confess Jesus is Lord with your mouth, I believe you are saved, but if you don't leave the world behind, He make take you home early.
AMEN!!!!!
**Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.**
Written to people already born again. As were all of the epistles. That’s the context.
“..the Son of God....by whom we have received grace and apostleship, for OBEDIENCE to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be at Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.” Rom. 1:4-7
Paul reminds them:
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death...”. Rom. 6:3,4
Paul further reminds them:
“But God be thanked, that ye WERE the servants of sin, but ye have OBEYED from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being THEN made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Rom. 6:17,18