(Lutheran perspective here, particularly LCMS perspective, but we just call it Christian...)
Christ already did all the work necessary to effect your salvation, as well as the salvation of all who had died previous to his own innocent suffering, as well as the salvation of all who shall be born until His second coming. The Holy Spirit works to many ends, a major one of which is to bring you and all created beings to Faith. For it is by Grace Alone, Faith Alone, and Word Alone that we are saved. We do nothing to "earn" it. We can, by our actions, reject Christ - which it sounds like you may have done. That being said, marks of the truly saved is one who makes all human effort to avoid sin, impossible though the task may be, is steadfast in attendance to Church, allowing mutual accountability and encouragement while hearing the Word and receiving Communion as He commands us (as a reminder of his sacrifice). The Holy Spirit works in the saved; good works proceed from this.
Hell is a state of full separation from God. That's really as much as it can be described; inversely, fallible imperfect (Adam) humans lack the ability to be fully present/with God ever since sin entered the world by our (Adam & Eve's) actions. Thus the whole reason why a Perfect Being had to live a Perfect Life - only God himself, as Jesus, could do this, and having been punished by death, saved all. God's "plan" is just his effecting a reunion of Us with Him.
We believers aren't the judges. We have a good idea, but we can never know, not on this fallen world, who is and is not headed to Heaven.
In the Early Church, there wasn't a complete Bible to read, but congregations (often persecuted and in hiding) would know each other to be of the same Faith by a creed of beliefs that came to be recited as explained here: http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php#creed
If you confess belief, in your heart, of those concepts, and fully understand their weight and basis in scripture (this can take time!), that is the Faith Alone part.
Thanks for this.
I have a qualm, however.
I want to know when Jesus said we need to attend a building every Sunday to listen to a man interpret the word of god for me. If Jesus never said to do this, I will not be able to accept that it is important even the littlest bit.
All we know is that Paul's letters to the new "churches" - really just gatherings of Christians - in Greece and Macedonia repeatedly emphasize the new faith in Christ's miraculous defeat of death be practiced in groups of bretheren. Paul encourages them to keep one another faithful. Nothing about buildings, however convenient. Lutherans don't want pastors to "interpret" anything for us; we read and study the Bible and ask hard questions of this man who was called by our congregation (we have a constitution and vote). He exists to lead a divine service and administer Communion as a servant of Christ.
What do you think of videos?
Despite it being one his least popular posts, I agree with his post about churches being evil. Obviously I’m not a traditional Christian to say such a thing, but that’s ok. All my life churches resonated negatively with me. I see evil depictions all over them. Often Mary is depicted as greater than or more important than Jesus. Sometimes there will be statures that look satanic . The priest will often wear a black robe or some other completely unneeded vestment that elevates him above the ‘meek’.
The weekly meeting and gathering of tithes and offerings was started by organized religion, not by Jesus. They're businesses that need income to pay the bills, even though Jesus said to ask not for gold nor filthy lucre.
I don’t like churches man.
I think the faith is buried in false activity. I’ve been saying this for couple a months now that the only thing you should need is the word of Jesus, and the more I read and see alternative info, the more I become sure that this is the narrow path.
The church is within.
The sabbath is saturday
(post is archived)