Before I begin, I'd like to preface that salvation can come even at one's death bed if they lived as a sinner all their life but honestly believed even a moment before sleeping. In THIS case one was ignorant of that which God requires but DID believe.
However, if you are a long-time believer and have not come into this knowledge already, it is because you haven't earnestly sought to be faithful to God-in-Christ. Thus, what I write will convict you.
"Go and sin no more." This is what Jesus said. Do we believe that Jesus speaks lightly? That anything the Lord our God commands of us is impossible to do?
Not so!
Far be it from us to say that what the Lord has commanded we cannot do. For if we cannot do what our Lord has commanded we are nothing but false worshipers, false followers, fake Christians!
Salvation is not a "one-and-done" deal. Salvation is a package. You must believe, repent, do, and overcome all things which the Lord has commanded. This is more difficult than many would deceitfully tell you it is. Many will tell you "once saved, always saved." That is not so, for I tell you, you were never saved if you had the time to do - but did not do!
This is what we Christians must do:
- Earnestly seek and believe God through Jesus Christ, listening and trusting for His Holy Spirit.
- Pray, and do so often in a personal and humble manner. When you pray, begin with the Lord's Prayer (Mathew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4).
- Separate yourself from your old life: your old sins, sinful relations, sinful hobbies, and habits.
- Do what the Lord Jesus Christ has done: be Baptized, bear your cross, love one another, do good works.
- Keep the Ten Commandments. The 4th Commandment Sabbath is the Lord's seal (very important for the soon coming Mark of the Beast).
- Repent and overcome (Sin no more). Get your physical sins under control. Do not lie to yourself, saying, "It is impossible." Where there is yet argument for the difficulty of overcoming the sins of the mind, sins of the flesh are inexcusable. Push through temptation, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you. For strength and authority, use the Lord's Prayer (Mathew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4).
All these things are, in Truth, required for salvation. For if you do not desire to do them you were never saved at all, and if you were saved you would LOVE to do them. The old must pass away, and the new must enter into you. Jesus Christ demands we obey Him. These works the Lord commanded follow our faith. Our faith without these works is dead.
Remember O Christians, "To whom much is given, much is required." The closer your relationship with God, the more difficult it shall be for you to live in this world. But it is not a burden. No, this is a blessing.
God-in-Christ send you His Holy Spirit to help you in these things,
Logos Prevailing.
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