Beyond being saved, what must christians really do?

[Born Again 2004]

The Bible talks quite a bit about obedience.

Obedience infers free-will.
Otherwise it's subservience, slavery. While the Bible also says we can be slaves to righteous and Jesus, it makes it clear that it is due to obedience.
We can obey, or we can refuse to obey.

God saves us... but it's up to us to be obedient.
Every time we sin, we are disobedient.

So, when we fail to do a Commandment, we are disobedient?

 

[B-A-C]

ἐντολή
entolē
en-tol-ay'
From G1781; injunction, that is, an authoritative prescription: - commandment, precept.
Total KJV occurrences: 71

: a writ granted by a court of equity, or person in authority whereby one is required to do or to refrain from doing a specified act

They are called the commandments, not the suggestions. This contains the word "command" within it.
This is often a military term. A superior military officer gives a command to a lower ranking person. The command "must" be followed.

1Jn 2:3; By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.
1Jn 2:4; The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

Luke 6:46; "Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?

Luke 10:25; And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Luke 10:26; And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?"
Luke 10:27; And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
Luke 10:28; And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE."

.... so then the obvious question is... do I have follow all of them 100% of the time?
If we take the Bible literally - then yes.
The Bible says we can be perfect (I'm not there yet), it says some people in the Bible were blameless and righteous.
There is no verse that says we have to keep sinning.

But it also says if we do sin, there is mercy, grace, forgiveness and an advocate.

But it also talks about willful, wanton, premeditated, sin and people who willfully keep on sinning. It says some "fall short of grace".
Paul warns in several places about people who who use grace as an excuse to sin.

Rom 6:1; What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
Rom 6:2; May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

Rom 6:15; What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be!
Rom 6:16; Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?

Heb 12:15; See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

 

[B-A-C]

This has been talked about before, but the Bible talks about practicing sin.

Mat 7:23; "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
Rom 1:32; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Rom 2:3; But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Gal 5:21; envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1Jn 3:10; By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

Gal 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
Gal 5:21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

If I do something once or twice, I'm not "practicing" it.
If I'm doing something every day... I'm practicing it.

The same goes with repentance. Many people say they have repented, but they are still living in fornication, adultery, pornography, dissipation, and have been been for months, years, even decades after being a Christian.
If you're still doing this things, you haven't repented.

=============================================

Jas 2:9; But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10; For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
Jas 2:11; For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12; So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13; For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

It says here, that if you break any commandment, you're still just as guilty as if you broke all the commandments.
This is speaking to people who will say something like "I'm a good person". Now matter how good you are, you aren't perfect. You can't be perfect enough for God.
Jesus covers us, Jesus washes us. He makes us perfect. His sacrifice paid for our sins.

... but...

it says int the passage above if we don't show mercy to people, God won't show mercy to us either.
It says in the passage below, if we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us.

Matt 6:14; "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matt 6:15; "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

we can still fall short of grace.

Heb 10:26; For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Tit 1:16; They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

 

[Born Again 2004]

This has been talked about before, but the Bible talks about practicing sin.

Mat 7:23; "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'
Rom 1:32; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
Rom 2:3; But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Gal 5:21; envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1Jn 3:10; By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

Gal 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
Gal 5:21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

If I do something once or twice, I'm not "practicing" it.
If I'm doing something every day... I'm practicing it.

The same goes with repentance. Many people say they have repented, but they are still living in fornication, adultery, pornography, dissipation, and have been been for months, years, even decades after being a Christian.
If you're still doing this things, you haven't repented.

=============================================

Jas 2:9; But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Jas 2:10; For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
Jas 2:11; For He who said, "DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," also said, "DO NOT COMMIT MURDER." Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
Jas 2:12; So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
Jas 2:13; For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

It says here, that if you break any commandment, you're still just as guilty as if you broke all the commandments.
This is speaking to people who will say something like "I'm a good person". Now matter how good you are, you aren't perfect. You can't be perfect enough for God.
Jesus covers us, Jesus washes us. He makes us perfect. His sacrifice paid for our sins.

... but...

it says int the passage above if we don't show mercy to people, God won't show mercy to us either.
It says in the passage below, if we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us.

Matt 6:14; "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matt 6:15; "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

we can still fall short of grace.

Heb 10:26; For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

Tit 1:16; They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

So, you agree then....we are not saved by continuing to do good works ourselves but by God's continuing Grace alone?

 

[Born Again 2004]

So, you agree then....we are not saved by continuing to do good works ourselves but by God's continuing Grace alone?

Sooner or later , we would fail but God never fails!

 

[Born Again 2004]

Sooner or later , we would fail but God never fails!

God has a plan to defeat satin and no matter how hard we try, we can't do it because He is perfect at it and we are not!