Based on Romans 8:1-18 (New King James Version)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
One of the great apostasies within the church today is the concept that salvation or eternal life is attained by just believing in Christ only. And this teaching is very attractive and convenient (and that is what makes it so dangerous) because it gives room for a person to do whatever they want with the idea that they will be saved with the sole fact that they believe in God. And thus, many other evils are justified, such as disorder, sin, in short, doing as one pleases because they subject everything to a simple belief, and nothing more. With such a false gospel, one can do whatever they want, even please the desires of the flesh, as long as they believe in Christ. But salvation is not attained that way.
The point is that believing in Christ generically is not enough. Some will ask, “Do you mean that you have to do other things to be saved, and that salvation is not by grace alone?” This is what we have to understand. One does not get to heaven with partial truths. That is what Satan himself uses to tempt man, as he did with Eve. Eve was not going to die carnally the moment she ate the forbidden fruit, but the consequences of the death that God spoke of were going to come spiritually immediately, and also carnally, but over time. So, from a certain momentary point of view (so to speak), it was true that Eve was not going to die, and that is the thing about how deception and lies work, because they are based on things that seem like the truth, on partial truths. So, yes, one becomes saved through faith in Christ, and yes, it is by grace, but there are other things that must take place so that a person can legitimately attain God's salvation. That is why we cannot base faith on one verse here and another verse there, but rather on the complement of the Word in Its fullness. For example, this is what the Word says about a simple belief in God: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:19. So, do demons receive forgiveness for their sin (if it were possible) because they just believe in God? And take notice, they believe and tremble, which means that they fear God, therefore, they do much more than many people today, more than the same ones who say they believe in God. The answer is a resounding no! Therefore, mere belief is not enough for man either. So how does one become saved and obtain eternal life? According to the Word of God, salvation or eternal life is obtained through three fundamental things: there must be complete repentance and conversion of sins, without partiality, the Lord Jesus must be received as Lord by faith, not only as Savior, and this leads to the third thing, and what Paul is precisely dealing with in the passage we read, that a person must live according to the Spirit, that is, to do God's will and not their own will. And this is where the problems that many have are revealed, even so-called believers, those who do not wish to leave sin, nor stop doing their own will.
The fullness of the Gospel, and also the reason for our existence, is that we were created by God (we are not the product of a cosmic accident), and God created us to serve Him, and not to serve ourselves. The Lord came to restore that same purpose through the cross, to once again give us the opportunity to fulfill the purpose of our existence. This is what the Word says: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. What many confuse as predestination is the simple fact that God made us for His service, and not that there is a set of predetermined actions in our lives. But, if we do not fulfill the purpose of our existence, no matter how much we confess to having faith in Christ, we will not obtain either salvation or eternal life. This is what the Word says: “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-25. If we don’t live in the Spirit, there is no salvation. This is what the Lord Himself said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. Therefore, “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again…” Romans 14:8-9a. So, are you living according to the flesh, carrying out your own will, or living for Christ, doing the will of the Father for eternal life? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!