Depends on how much evil you’re addicted to and need to turn away from. You can’t earn the grace that eliminates the penalty for those evil works (because only your death can pay that penalty, i.e. until Christ’s innocent death occurred and that can pay the penalty on behalf of all mankind), but turning to the good works and eschewing the evil shows that you even have faith to begin with. The grace can only be given through that faith as Ephesians 2:8 points out.
[[but turning to the good works and eschewing the evil shows that you even have faith to begin with.]]
So those Carnal Christians that Paul called BROTHERS and SISTERS in Christ were not really saved- k got it- We earn our salvation apprently
[[No use in believing that Jesus is the Christ by itself if Satan and his hordes also do,]]
That is not what i said-
Satan NEVEr had a change of mind about Christ and what Christ accomplished on the cross and accept Him as Savior-
[[The grace can only be given through that faith as Ephesians 2:8 points out.]]
Yup- Simple Faith that Christ is the Son of God and that He died for our sins, and We accept that as the ONLY condition for salvation- That is where the ‘repentance’ ie change of heart comes in- We no longer rely on our works and ‘hope God justifies us in the end’- no, Now We change our hearts and accept Christ as the only way to salvation and put our faith in that truth alone-