justbyfaith
Well-Known Member
The love of God being shed abroad in our hearts is a part fo the salvation that is given to us; but it does not save us.Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
We receive the Holy Spirit by faith (Galatians 3:14). That is salvation. The love of the Lord is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5).
The works that we do because of love dwelling in our hearts (see 1 John 3:17-18) did not regenerate us or renew us (Titus 3:5). That was only accomplished through faith in Christ's finished work (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
The love of God dwelling in our hearts is the result of regeneration and renewing.
And the works that we do, prepared beforehand for us to do (Ephesians 2:10), are done because we have been saved by grace through faith; and that not of ourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, least any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
No one will be boasting after they have entered into the kingdom of what they did to get there. Everyone will know that each one of us who does reach that goal, obtained it through faith in Jesus Christ, and/or by calling on the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13).