Romans 4 v 2- 5:
If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about
–but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it
was credited to him as righteousness." Now when a man works, his wages are not
credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does
not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as
righteousness.
Matthew 18 v 3:
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little
children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
John 3 v 3 – 12:
In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of
God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus
asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God
unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the
spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'you
must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but
you cannot tell where it comes from or where it's going. So it is with everyone
born of the Spirit." "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. "You are Israel's
teacher," said Jesus "and you do not understand these things? I tell you the
truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still
you people do not accept out testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things
and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
John 5 v 24:
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."
Matthew 19 v 16 – 21:
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get
eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is
only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." "Which
ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery,
do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor you father and mother,' and
'love you neighbor as yourself.'" "All these I have kept," the young man said.
'"What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell
your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me."
John 6 v 28 – 29:
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus
answered, "the work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Acts 2 v 38 – 40: Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children
and for all who are far off –for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many
other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this
corrupt generation."
Matthew 24 v 12 – 14:
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he
who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel will be preached in
the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Acts 3 v 19:
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of
refreshing may come from the Lord.
Acts 3 v 23:
Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his
people.
Mark 1 v 4:
And so John came baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Luke 14 v 25 – 33:
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone
comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his
brothers and sisters –yes, even his own life –he cannot be my disciple. And
anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and
estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays a
foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or suppose a
king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and
consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming
against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation
while the other is still a ling way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the
same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my
disciple
Romans 10 v 3 – 9:
What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's
faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man liar. As it is written:
"So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge." But
if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall
we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human
argument.) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?
Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so
increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner? Why not say –as we
are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say –"Let us
do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved. What shall we
conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge
that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
James 2 v 14 – 26:
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and
daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well
fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same
way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone
will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and
I will show you my faith by what I do." You believe there is one God. Good! Even
the demons believe that – and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence
that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered
righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see
that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made
complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham
believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called
God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by
faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the prostitute considered righteous
for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a
different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
deeds is dead.
