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A. STATED CONDUCT JESUS EQUATED WITH REMAINING SAVED AND ENTERING HEAVEN. 1. A willingness to forgive one another. "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses... neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:15). See also Matt. 18:21-35. 2. Faithfulness until death. "...you will be hated by all for My name's sake...he who endures to the end...will be saved" (Matt. 10:22). "Be faithful until death...and I will give unto you eternal life" (Rev. 2:10). 3. Proper speech. "...whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit...it will not be forgiven him...every idle word men may speak...they will give account...by our words ... justified ... by our words ... condemned..." (Matt. 12:31-37). 4. A responsible use of money. "He who received one (talent) dug in the ground and hid his lord's money. Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness...there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt.25:15,18,30). 5. Helping the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, imprisoned. Those who do...inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. Those who don't...receive eternal punishment (Matt. 25:34-46). B. STATED CONDUCT THE APOSTLES EQUATED WITH REMAINING SAVED AND ENTERING HEAVEN. (Instructions from the apostles to congregations and individuals who were already Christians) 6. Put to death the flesh and live by the spirit of God within you. "...to be carnally minded...is death...to be spiritually minded...is life and peace...if you live according to the flesh...you will die…if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body...you will live"(Rom.8:6,13). He who sows to the Spirit…will reap everlasting life(Gal.6:9). 7. Confess (openly profess) the Lord Jesus. If you do...you will be saved (Rm.10:9,10). Whoever confesses (professes) that Jesus is the Son of God...God abides in him and he in God (1Jn. 4:15). Whoever will not confess (openly profess) that Jesus is the Christ...is a deceiver and an anti-Christ (1Jn. 2:22; 2 Jn. 7). 8. Don't defile (destroy) the temple of God (the body of Christ, the church). If anyone defiles (destroys) the temple of God...God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are (1 Cor. 3:11-17). 9. Proper participation of the Lord's Supper. "...whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup in an unworthy manner …will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord...he eats and drinks judgment to himself (1 Cor. 11:27,29). 10. Hold fast the gospel preached by the apostles."...the gospel which I preached to you...by which you are saved ...if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -unless -you believed in vain" (1 Cor.15:1-3; Gal.1:8). 11. Believe and love the truth. "...they did not receive the love of the truth...that they might be saved...that they all may be condemned...who did not believe the truth...(2 Th. 2:10,12). Truth is to be believed and obeyed (Rm.2:8). 12. Provide for our own and our household. "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his own household...he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim. 5:8; Rev. 21:8). 13. Don't forsake the "assembly" of the church, but exhort one another to faithfulness. "...not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another...for if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a cer- tain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation..." (Heb. 10:25-27). 14. Pursue peace with all people and holiness... "without which"...no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). 15. Giving all diligence, add to your faith. "...for if you do these things, you will never stumble, for so an entrance will be supplied to you...into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ " (2 Pet. 1:5-11). 16. Walk in the light as Jesus is in the light. "If" we do...the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7). 17. Confess our sins, when we sin. "If" we do...Jesus forgives and cleanses from all unrighteousness (1Jn.1:9). 18. Love the brethren. "We know we have passed from death to life...because we love the brethren" (1Jn.3:14-17). 19. Active in good works. The "final judgment" is according to our works (2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:12,13). Rewards will be based on ones works (Mt. 16:27; 1 Cor. 3:8; Rev.22:12) ranging from scarcely being saved with loss of reward (1 Cor. 3:13-15), to receiving a full reward (2 John 8). "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot - So then, because you are lukewarm and neither cold or hot...I will vomit you out of my mouth" (Rev. 3:15,16). 20. Overcome sin, temptations, trials, etc. "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the book of life..." (Rev. 3:5). "He who overcomes...shall inherit all things" (Rev.21:7). 21. Obedience to God's commands. "Blessed are those who do His commandments...that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14; 21:27). It should be clear to any serious student of the Scripture, that God does have expectations for all who accept Jesus Christ as a way of life and desire the hope of an eternal inheritance. The above Scriptures emphasize the importance of forgiving, faithfulness, responsibility, caring, diligence, professing Christ, good works, overcoming, obedience, etc. Whatever God associates (equates) with salvation and entering heaven we must consider "essential" doctrine of God.
Arranged by Eugene Lockling |
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