There are two aspects of salvation: 1) becoming saved (e.g. accepting
Christ, baptism), and 2) remaining saved (e.g. repent after every sin,
confess sins to a minister, go to church, take communion, or once saved
always saved).
Note: If you believe that becoming a Christian will give
you eternal life then the question becomes not "What must I do to be/stay
saved", but instead "What must I do to become/remain a Christian".
How To Attain/Maintain Salvation
In man's original agreement (covenant) with God, after Adam's sin, we needed
to perform a blood sacrifices and other rituals to atone for each of our
sins [Heb 9:22]. A new agreement was established when God sent his
son, Jesus, as a one time sacrifice for all of our sins. Because
Jesus lived a life without sin, he was allowed to take on the suffering
that we deserved. Jesus died in order that we might have the ability to
receive eternal life. After being dead three days, Jesus arose from
the dead. The fact that God raised Jesus from the dead shows that
God accepted the sacrifice.
Those who believe that Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient in God's eyes
as payment for all of our sins, admit that they are sinners, and will not
deny believing in Christ when in the presence of others, will receive salvation.
Only loosing this belief can make you lose your salvation, not your actions,
or your thoughts.
Although salvation frees us from eternal damnation, this doesn't mean
that we won't be punished for our sins, or rewarded for our good works
(see Judgment).
M.L.
See also repentance,
confession,
baptism.
How to Attain/Maintain Salvation: Scriptures
Jer 31:31-34
31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in
the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;
which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith
the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward
parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall
be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from
the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will
forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
(KJV)
John 3:14-18
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must
the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal
life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but
that the world through him might be saved.
[Jesus did not come into the world to make
you feel bad for not living up to his standards, but instead he came so
that your sins could be forgiven.]
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth
not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God.
He who believes will have eternal life, but
he who doesn't will receive punishment for his sins.
(KJV)
John 5:24
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth
on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation;
but is passed from death unto life.
(KJV)
John 14:6-7
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from
henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
(KJV)
Luke 23:39-43
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying,
If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear
God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds:
but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into
thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou
be with me in paradise.
(KJV)
Notice that the malefactor had only to believe
to go to heaven.
Acts 4:10-12
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that
by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised
from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which
is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
(KJV)
Acts 13:38-39
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this
man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from
which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
(KJV)
Acts 16:31-34
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were
in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes;
and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before
them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
(KJV)
Acts 17:30-31
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth
all men every where to repent:
31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the
world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath
given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
(KJV)
1 Cor 15:20-22
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection
of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be
made alive.
NKJV
Rom 3:23-28
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that
is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his
blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might
be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay:
but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the
deeds of the law.
(KJV)
Rom 4:1-15
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to
the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory;
but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but
of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom
God imputeth righteousness without works,
7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose
sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon
the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham
for righteousness.
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?
Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness
of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the
father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness
might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision
only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham,
which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not
to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness
of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and
the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no
transgression.
(KJV)
Rom 5:8-21
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
if Jesus' dying cleared us of our sins, Him
rising from the dead should help us even more
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom we have now received the atonement.
12 Wherefore, as by one man Adam sin entered into the world,
and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Adam was immortal until he sinned; the punishment
of his sin was death; this punishment, death, is passed on to all who sin
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed
when there is no law.
until God told us it was a sin, the punishment
could not be the same
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that
had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the
figure of him that was to come.
everyone died; even if their sins weren't
as big as Adam's
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through
the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift
by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment
was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto
justification.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they
which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall
reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to
condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon
all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
(KJV)
Rom 6:1-23
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like
as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even
so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body
of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live
with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death
hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth,
he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but
alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should
obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the
dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the
law, but under grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under
grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?
17 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.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your
flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and
to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness
unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?
for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye
have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(KJV)
Rom 8:1-17
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;
but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded
is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell
in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after
the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the
children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with
Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified
together.
(KJV)
Rom 10:4-13
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that
believeth.
5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That
the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say
not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ
down from above:)
7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ
again from the dead.)
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and
in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the
same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(KJV)
Gal 2:16-21
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but
by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that
we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the
law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also
are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself
a transgressor.
19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto
God.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by
the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
(KJV)
Gal 3:13-14
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
(KJV)
Eph 1:3-9
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ
to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us
accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his
good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
(KJV)
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
(KJV)
1 Tim 2:5-6
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man
Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
(KJV)
Heb 9:26-28
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the
world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
(KJV)
Heb 10:14-18
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
by offering himself to be crucified Jesus
in one offering took away ALL sins
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he
had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,
saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds
will I write them;
I will put the law in their conscious; they
will know when they sin
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
God doesn't remember the sins that have been
forgiven
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
you don't have to give offering, or any other
ritual, to forgive sin
(KJV)
1 Tim 4:10
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust
in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that
believe.
(KJV)
James 4:14-17
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your
life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth
away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do
this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him
it is sin.
(KJV)
1 Pet 1:17-19
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth
according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in
fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition
from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot:
(KJV)
1 Pet 2:24
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that
we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes
ye were healed.
(KJV)
Earning Salvation
People used to sacrifice animals and give up worldly possessions as "payment"
for their sins. That way their sins were "erased". Because
God loved us so, he allowed, Jesus who lived a sinless life, to become
the one time sacrifice for all of our sins.
All we need to do is accept this gift. There are no rituals, eating
habits, special church services, special prayers, good deeds, or any acts
that you can perform to earn salvation.
See also Judgment, repentance,
confession,
baptism,
forbidden
foods.
Earning/Deserving Salvation: Scriptures
Matt 11:18-19
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath
a devil.
19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a
man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But
wisdom is justified of her children.
(KJV)
Mark 7:15-23
15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can
defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile
the man.
16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples
asked him concerning the parable.
18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do
ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man,
it cannot defile him;
19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and
goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the
man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil
eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
(KJV)
1 Cor 15:20-22
21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection
of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be
made alive.
NKJV
Eph 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
(KJV)
Col 2:6-16
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in
him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have
been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality
and power:
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without
hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision
of Christ:
12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,
which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of
them openly, triumphing over them in it.
16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect
of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
(KJV)
Rom 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(KJV)
Rom 14:1-23
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak,
eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not
him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
[you cannot judge whether it is wrong for someone else to eat something
(e.g. pork) only yourself]
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master
he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to
make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every
day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that
regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth,
eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to
the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we
die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he
might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought
thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow
to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this
rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his
brother's way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing
unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to
him it is unclean.
[food and drink are only unclean to those who believe them to be]
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not
charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness,
and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God,
and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and
things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure;
but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing
whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that
condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not
of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
(KJV)
1 Tim 4:1-5
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a
hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which
God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe
and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if
it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
(KJV)
1 Tim 4:10
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust
in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that
believe.
(KJV)
I Jn 1:8-2:1
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word
is not in us.
CHAPTER 2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not.
And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous:
(KJV)
The New Covenant
There was a section of the temple named the "Holiest of Holies" where only
the high priest was allowed to go. This area symbolized God's throne in
heaven. Every year, the priest would perform blood sacrifices using animal's
blood to "cleanse" the people and himself from their past sins.
God would come here to accept the offerings from the priest. This
is why this area was so sacred, because God Himself would physically come
there.
Jesus was offered as a one-time blood sacrifice for all of our sins.
If the blood of goats and calves could cleanse all of the people's past
sins imagine how much more the blood of God's only son could cleanse.
If going into a man made temple into a place that symbolized heaven was
allowed to clear previous sins, imagine what Jesus' ascension into heaven
could actually "cleanse". Christ's one time sacrifice took the place
of all future blood offerings and rituals to forgive sin.
Christ has now taken the place of any mediator between us and God.
We no longer need any high priest, minister, pastor, brother, bishop, church,
or virgin to talk to God. Jesus is with us and we can talk to God
directly through him.
note: Water is used to clean your physical body; blood is used to cleanse
your spiritual body.
The New Covenant: Scriptures
Heb 8:7-9:28
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place
have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and
with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith
the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and
write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall
be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to
the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins
and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
CHAPTER 9
1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service,
and a worldly sanctuary.
2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick,
and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest
of all;
4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid
round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's
rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which
we cannot now speak particularly.
6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always
into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not
without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the
people:
8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of
all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered
both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service
perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal
ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by
a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to
say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he
entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer
sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from
dead works to serve the living God?
15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that
by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under
the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of
eternal inheritance.
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death
of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is
of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according
to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet
wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined
unto you.
21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the
vessels of the ministry.
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission.
23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens
should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with
better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear
in the presence of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth
into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the
world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
(KJV)
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