How to be saved...

[Michiah-Imla]

How have you as a Christian found ways and what are they to relieve your temptations and become free from sin?

By Thorough knowledge of scriptures (1 Timothy 4:16).

By Denying the flesh of its evil desires (Titus 2:12).

By Walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).

By obeying righteousness, not the desires of the flesh (Romans 6:16).

By the fear of God (Proverbs 16:6).

By abiding in Christ (John 15:10).

By not fellowshiping with evil doers (1 Corinthians 6:14-15).

By putting off the former lifestyle (Ephesians 4:22).

Just some examples that come to mind at the moment...

 

[Enoch111]

How have you as a Christian found ways and what are they to relieve your temptations and become free from sin?

This does not answer the question of "How to be saved". It addresses the question of "How to be sanctified". Two different things.

Jesus told Nicodemus and all mankind how to be saved:

JOHN 3: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Here "water" is a metaphor for the Gospel, the Word of God, which is the "incorruptible seed" of the New Birth (1 Pet 1:23-25)

Then Jesus went on to explain how a person can be born again:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: [crucified]
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.
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.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

So this whole OP comes down to one thing that I would like to discuss. How have you as a Christian found ways and what are they to relieve your temptations and become free from sin? I found that for me daily Mass is helping, but I would like to hear other peoples examples.

Well the principle of going to a service often is part and parcel of what Scripture tells us to do:

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

this is guarenteed to work 100% of the time.

 

[dev553344]

All the institutionalized churches in the world today. They focus on proper worship and liturgy and Christian duties instead of on godly character. Our differences stem from those things. If we'd just keep the main thing the main thing we'd get along pretty well I think.

I like your idea, but works are Godly character. Who was Jesus, savior of mankind? He said and he did.

 

[historyb]

So this whole OP comes down to one thing that I would like to discuss. How have you as a Christian found ways and what are they to relieve your temptations and become free from sin? I found that for me daily Mass is helping, but I would like to hear other peoples examples.

The prayer of St. Michael has helped me:

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

 

[Eternally Grateful]

1. Seek after the things of the spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh

2. love the lord your God and your neighbor as yourself. In this is all the law fulfilled

the only way to fight temptation is to live as Christ, loving all people above yourself. And serving them which is doing the things of the spirit,

also to help

1. get in a discipleship relationship,
2. Confess your sins to your peer disciple and God, don’t hide them
3. Study the word, use the word when you are tempted as Christ did when he was tempted.

question though. What does this have to do with how you are saved?

 

[tabletalk]

So this whole OP comes down to one thing that I would like to discuss. How have you as a Christian found ways and what are they to relieve your temptations and become free from sin? I found that for me daily Mass is helping, but I would like to hear other peoples examples.

If you follow the commands of your church you are sinning by worshipping (at Mass) a physical object: the wafer and wine.

So, for your sanctification: 'put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit' (Romans 8:13).

 

[marks]

So what you're saying is that to serve God is to not sin? That appears to be what the bible teaches and is something I think I'm learning. I have little opportunity to serve so I attend online church services as of lately, and I find my temptations are lifting. So that is a "cannot serve two masters" concept? Thanks.

Matthew 6:24

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The simplicity of this is, if you are busy doing what pleases God, you just don't have the time to do what doesn't please Him.

Much love!

 

[Kobo]

So this whole OP comes down to one thing that I would like to discuss. How have you as a Christian found ways and what are they to relieve your temptations and become free from sin? I found that for me daily Mass is helping, but I would like to hear other peoples examples.

According to Jesus Christ, there is only one way to be free of Sin, and that one way is to accept( Trust) and obey the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant, Jesus Christ, comes with just about 46 commandments (unlike the 613 commandments included in the Old Covenant) define for us what constitutes sin in this agreement we now have between God and individual man. Since each commandment defines sin, all one has to do, according to Jesus Christ, is obey.

By definition, sin is disobedience of the law, and Jesus Christ(full of Grace) is the Covenant by which we are bound to God as believers in Him. So, following the teaching of Jesus Christ, as presented in John 8, those who accept and obey His teachings are those who live above sin, and are said to be said free from sin by the Son of God.

23 But Jesus said to them, “You people are from here below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don’t belong to this world.
24 I told you that you would die in your sins. Yes, if you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.”
25 They asked, “Then who are you?”
Jesus answered, “I am what I have told you from the beginning.
26 I have much more I could say to judge you. But I tell people only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he speaks the truth.”
27 They did not understand who he was talking about. He was telling them about the Father.
28 So he said to them, “You will lift up the Son of Man. Then you will know that I Am. You will know that whatever I do is not by my own authority. You will know that I say only what the Father has taught me.
29 The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him. So he has not left me alone.”
30 While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you are really my followers.
32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
33 They answered, “We are Abraham’s descendants. And we have never been slaves. So why do you say that we will be free?”
34 Jesus said, “The truth is, everyone who sins is a slave—a slave to sin.
35 A slave does not stay with a family forever. But a son belongs to the family forever.
36 So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.​

 

[dev553344]

According to Jesus Christ, there is only one way to be free of Sin, and that one way is to accept( Trust) and obey the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant, Jesus Christ, comes with just about 46 commandments (unlike the 613 commandments included in the Old Covenant) define for us what constitutes sin in this agreement we now have between God and individual man. Since each commandment defines sin, all one has to do, according to Jesus Christ, is obey.

By definition, sin is disobedience of the law, and Jesus Christ(full of Grace) is the Covenant by which we are bound to God as believers in Him. So, following the teaching of Jesus Christ, as presented in John 8, those who accept and obey His teachings are those who live above sin, and are said to be said free from sin by the Son of God.

23 But Jesus said to them, “You people are from here below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don’t belong to this world.
24 I told you that you would die in your sins. Yes, if you don’t believe that I Am, you will die in your sins.”
25 They asked, “Then who are you?”
Jesus answered, “I am what I have told you from the beginning.
26 I have much more I could say to judge you. But I tell people only what I have heard from the one who sent me, and he speaks the truth.”
27 They did not understand who he was talking about. He was telling them about the Father.
28 So he said to them, “You will lift up the Son of Man. Then you will know that I Am. You will know that whatever I do is not by my own authority. You will know that I say only what the Father has taught me.
29 The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him. So he has not left me alone.”
30 While he was saying these things, many people believed in him.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you are really my followers.
32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
33 They answered, “We are Abraham’s descendants. And we have never been slaves. So why do you say that we will be free?”
34 Jesus said, “The truth is, everyone who sins is a slave—a slave to sin.
35 A slave does not stay with a family forever. But a son belongs to the family forever.
36 So if the Son makes you free, you are really free.​

Thanks @Kobo and welcome to the forums! I understand what you are saying and many have trouble following Jesus laws including myself at times. Recently I found that watching daily Mass has helped to relieve temptations to better allow me to follow Jesus' teachings. I see that the passages you referenced indicate that the Son makes you free. Is that his Holy Spirit or Body or something else in your opinion and what must a person do to receive the Son?

What advice might you have to someone that is having trouble following Jesus?

 

[Kobo]

Thanks @Kobo and welcome to the forums! I understand what you are saying and many have trouble following Jesus laws including myself at times. Recently I found that watching daily Mass has helped to relieve temptations to better allow me to follow Jesus' teachings. I see that the passages you referenced indicate that the Son makes you free. Is that his Holy Spirit or Body or something else in your opinion and what must a person do to receive the Son?

What advice might you have to someone that is having trouble following Jesus?

Watching daily mass as a way to relieve temptation is not "freedom" but dependence. So, what happens when you don't have time to watch daily mass, do you panic or would your temptations run wild then?

Temptation comes from what is stored inside of you, not from outside of you, as Jesus Christ said, and reading through the Gospels to learn what Jesus Christ in fact commands, so you can have it written in your heart, would be an option available to you, so when temptation stirs up, you squash it by obeying the appropriate commandment.

From Matthew 15 vs 15 - 20

15 Peter said, “Explain to us what you said earlier to the people.”
16 Jesus said, “Do you still have trouble understanding?
17 Surely you know that all the food that enters the mouth goes into the stomach. Then it goes out of the body.
18 But the bad things people say with their mouth come from the way they think. And that’s what can make people wrong.
19 All these bad things begin in the mind: evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual sins, stealing, lying, and insulting people.
20 These are the things that make people wrong. Eating without washing their hands will never make people unacceptable to God.”​

The Son refers to the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is the Lawgiver and the Law(Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the New Covenant we have with God) to all those who come to God through Him. If you don't already believe in Jesus Christ, well, all you have to do is believe in Him(believe He is who He says He is, get baptized, learn His truth and eat Communion), then you are saved from the condemnation of sin which is Death - NB: you are saved or free from sin - and are bestowed with Eternal life as a gift. However,

 

[dev553344]

Watching daily mass as a way to relieve temptation is not "freedom" but dependence. So, what happens when you don't have time to watch daily mass, do you panic or would your temptations run wild then?

Temptation comes from what is stored inside of you, not from outside of you, as Jesus Christ said, and reading through the Gospels to learn what Jesus Christ in fact commands, so you can have it written in your heart, would be an option available to you, so when temptation stirs up, you squash it by obeying the appropriate commandment.

From Matthew 15 vs 15 - 20

15 Peter said, “Explain to us what you said earlier to the people.”
16 Jesus said, “Do you still have trouble understanding?
17 Surely you know that all the food that enters the mouth goes into the stomach. Then it goes out of the body.
18 But the bad things people say with their mouth come from the way they think. And that’s what can make people wrong.
19 All these bad things begin in the mind: evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual sins, stealing, lying, and insulting people.
20 These are the things that make people wrong. Eating without washing their hands will never make people unacceptable to God.”​

The Son refers to the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is the Lawgiver and the Law(Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the New Covenant we have with God) to all those who come to God through Him. If you don't already believe in Jesus Christ, well, all you have to do is believe in Him(believe He is who He says He is, get baptized, learn His truth and eat Communion), then you are saved from the condemnation of sin which is Death - NB: you are saved or free from sin - and are bestowed with Eternal life as a gift. However,

I don't totally agree with that since temptations often come from external sources that we must sometimes depart from. But I think I see your point. So I'm understanding that you think people should just obey the commandments and they have a choice in it? But this isn't what the slaves to sin scripture points out. Slaves don't have a choice. This brings me to the point I was getting at where the Holy Spirit and Body of Christ deliver us from being slaves to sin and we must do things to be in the spirit.

 

[Kobo]

I don't totally agree with that since temptations often come from external sources that we must sometimes depart from. But I think I see your point.

You are right if you mean that we are wired to believe that temptation comes from the external sources, but on careful examination, I am certain that you will come to realize that it is indeed not the external that is the problem but the mind. And as Jesus Christ said, it is what is stored in your heart that you are in fact bringing forth when you are tempted.

So I'm understanding that you think people should just obey the commandments and they have a choice in it?

I don't think it! It is what Jesus Christ, the Truth of God, says. If you do not believe that Jesus Christ is indeed who He says He is, then you would not believe what He says is true.

But this isn't what the slaves to sin scripture points out. Slaves don't have a choice.

If you carefully examine the verses in the context provided, you realize that Jesus Christ was not telling the Jews in question that as slaves, they have no choice. In fact, He presented them with a choice, and some, right there, believed Him, choosing to be set free from sin by accepting and obeying the teachings of Jesus Christ. (Read John 8).

This brings me to the point I was getting at where the Holy Spirit and Body of Christ deliver us from being slaves to sin and we must do things to be in the spirit.

How do the Holy Spirit and the body of Jesus Christ deliver you from being slaves to sin? Where is this written?

According to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will only live inside of those who have chosen to accept and obey His teachings - He does not abide in those who refuse to obey His teachings. And this can be found in John 15.

By the body of Jesus Christ, I assume you mean by the eating of the Last supper/communion. In John 6, Jesus Christ explains there that those who eat His body and drink His blood will live forever - they are gifted with eternal life. There is no freedom from sin specified as coming from the eating communion/the Last supper.

 

[dev553344]

According to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will only live inside of those who have chosen to accept and obey His teachings - He does not abide in those who refuse to obey His teachings. And this can be found in John 15.

Yes the spirit of God does not always dwell with man:

Genesis 6:3 "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."

God draws in the sinner:

John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."

The Holy Spirit cleansing might be interpreted from this verse:

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?Hebrews 9:1

 

[Kobo]

Yes the spirit of God does not always dwell with man:

Genesis 6:3 "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years."
God draws in the sinner:
John 6:44 "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
The Holy Spirit cleansing might be interpreted from this verse:
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?Hebrews 9:1

None of the verses you pulled there, out-of-context mind you, mention sin or the purging of your sins.

Now let's get this straight - What is sin? Sin is disobedience of the teachings/commandments of God, and as Jesus Christ said, the only way to overcome sin is to do the opposite, accept(trust) and obey the teachings/commandments of God as given through Jesus Christ. And according to Jesus Christ, His Spirit will only dwell in those who accept(trust) and obey His teachings. Following the teachings of Jesus Christ, you cannot refuse His teachings and have His Spirit - this is never going to happen. And by the way, the one you call the Holy Spirit is the same Spirit that lives inside of Jesus Christ.

S0 this all boils down to whether you trust the teachings of Jesus Christ enough to obey them, or not. Believers who die in their sins have no part in the Kingdom of Heaven,fyi.

 

[dev553344]

None of the verses you pulled there, out-of-context mind you, mention sin or the purging of your sins.

Now let's get this straight - What is sin? Sin is disobedience of the teachings/commandments of God, and as Jesus Christ said, the only way to overcome sin is to do the opposite, accept(trust) and obey the teachings/commandments of God as given through Jesus Christ. And according to Jesus Christ, His Spirit will only dwell in those who accept(trust) and obey His teachings. Following the teachings of Jesus Christ, you cannot refuse His teachings and have His Spirit - this is never going to happen. And by the way, the one you call the Holy Spirit is the same Spirit that lives inside of Jesus Christ.

S0 this all boils down to whether you trust the teachings of Jesus Christ enough to obey them, or not. Believers who die in their sins have no part in the Kingdom of Heaven,fyi.

So you're a legalist? I'm curious as to what church taught you that way, it is foreign to me?

 

[Triumph1300]

So you're a legalist?

 

[dev553344]

Teaching to be perfect or go to hell is nothing new to me on these forums, it's a little disturbing.

 

[Kobo]

I'm curious as to what church taught you that way, it is foreign to me?

I don't believe in man's churches or their many doctrines.

I asked God to teach me of Himself just as He said He would during the time of the prophets. I opened the book and began to read it for myself and that was when I realized what Jesus Christ is, He is a Covenant and we are called to obey Him, just as the Children of Israel were called to obey the Covenant God gave the people through Moses.

 

[Triumph1300]

I'm curious as to what church taught you that way, it is foreign to me?

This is going to be interesting, believe me.
I saw a discussion like this before.
Sit back, grab a cup of coffee.
(I am not saying "Hold my beer", that would trigger another response.....)