John Piper - What must someone believe in order to be saved?

[ShaneWalshMusic]

Jesus said "Many will come to Me on that day and say Lord, Lord ... and I'll say to them depart from Me I never knew you" (Matthew 7:22-23). It's not enough to simply confess Jesus as Lord. We must receive Him as our Lord which has radical implications and creates the opportunity for us to truly know Him. Many professing Christians have confessed Him as Lord, but have never received Him as Lord, picked up their cross, and followed Him.

[MatthewandMadison]

So true. Awesome.

[truckcompany]

I'm surprised comments aren't censored on this...

[Pythagoras211]

It sad that Christians now think you have to believe something to be saved. It never used to be this way - throughout antiquity and the medieval ages faith always came through good works.

[7181481]

thank god for this man

[Firestarter30fly]

i agree with him

[sonsbrightlight]

i agree with this totally! awesome John Piper. even though he didn't talk about sanctification, which is SO necessary to actually be a Christian. i.e. Matt 7:15-23 and the whole book of 1 John, specifically 1 John 2:3-6 that does not mean that it's not happening. like he said he didn't really mention the Holy spirit but that does not mean that he didn't indwell the new believer. sanctification is just the proof that we actually have justification. it's beautiful how it all fits together.

[TheDav0]

What must someone believe in order to be saved? Well that's pretty obvious - Be a Hedonist - A Christian Hedonist - whatever the heck that is. And remember to stay on that piper treadmill and buy his books.

[chieftalentofficer]

Thank you God for John Piper.

[cheshirelizzy]

Wonderful! May you be blessed on your journey and hold fast to the Rock upon whom you have fallen.

You are absolutely right.

Never give up diligent study of the Scriptures, either. These will help to protect your heart and be an encouragement to you should you find yourself in trial.

Thank you for your cheering words, my sister.

[cheshirelizzy]

Matthew Henry reads John 3.5 as comparing water washing with spiritual baptism. That is, like water washes away dirt, so Spiritual baptism (repentance unto Salvation) washes away the judicial guilt (not necessarily felt guilt). Water baptism does not equal spiritual baptism ... many of those who died atheists were baptised once and as we've seen from some comments, some were saved never having been physically baptised.

[lightbrownpoop]

@cheshirelizzy the biggest evidence that a person is really saved is a significant change in attitude, desires, and pursuits. i haven't been physically baptised yet, but my whole life has been transformed in just 1 year because my very identity has been transformed. i no longer pursue the passing pleasures of this world.

colossians 3:2 let heaven fill your thoughts, don't worry only about things down here on earth.

[MrUrosSrb]

@lightbrownpoop U are saved because u believe not because u change.We still in the flesh but spirit reborn,that is of faith.

[lightbrownpoop]

@MrUrosSrb along with belief comes change. evidence a person believes, is that they act like a new person.

[MrUrosSrb]

@lightbrownpoop It doesnt have to be.Some grow faster,some slover.But salvation is dependable on Christ work on the Cross,not on our change of behavior.We are still in flesh.Although we should grow in faith ,some grow slower.You can have a new behavior by converting to Buddhism too,does that make Buddhism true?U are saved because u believed.I am sure you are saved.But fruit inspecting can be hurtful to someone who is young in faith,and then he questions himself about salvation.God Bless.

[lightbrownpoop]

@MrUrosSrb i agree, that's why we need to be more patient, encouraging and less critical to help inspire people. the gateway is not through an intricate labyrinth of dogma, but by a simple belief in the person of Christ.

[cheshirelizzy]

I am a paedobaptist that disagrees with the Papist teaching that regeneration begins at baptism. We'd hold baptism is a dedication of a child to the Lord on the part if the parent, as circumcision was in the Old Testament. Adults who are baptised are consecrating themselves to the Lord with an outward sign of inward grace.

It's of interest to note that John-the-Baptist was never baptised with water, on record anyway.

[dmzle]

@iSATANRIKUZUSU If that was true, that doctrine would be plastered all over the New Testament but it's not. The supernatural act of God in Regeneration is. Being reborn in a persons soul is a invisible supernatural act. We must follow the ordinances Christ set up, but if baptism was so integral it would be elaborated on far more in the epistles but it is not. Who elaborates on baptism so much? It is only people like you.

[dmzle]

@iSATANRIKUZUSU Look at Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins... 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” The issue of baptism is the attitude of abstaining from this evil world not fulfilling some ordinance although a Christian should value the symbolism of baptism. Salvation is by Grace.

[Raindreamful]

@iSATANRIKUZUSU Being baptized is not essential. Was the thief on the cross saved? He wasn't baptized.

[Savethelostones]

turn on the TV News, Sin is rampant in our Hearts.Jesus Saved us from that.Examine yourself

[bobbyrubio]

You can provide compelling evidence and or proof but you can't persuade anybody who has emotional or psychological ties to the contrary. : (

[ImperfectXistence]

saved from what....a non-existent god

[Reasons2Celebrate]

there is nothing to be saved from

[Alkwondo11]

@Reasons2Celebrate I beg to differ - with that mind set you are asking to fall into the depths of Hell

[Reasons2Celebrate]

@Alkwondo11 Duh, there is no such place as hell, no heaven, no afterlife.. this is all there is and if you don't live by that, your life is completely wasted...

[Alkwondo11]

@Reasons2Celebrate

Might as well suicide right, since life has absolutely no purpose, and we are all accidents here that don't have any hope since there's nothing to come. You sir are BLINDED by corrupted information and your own ignorance. I laugh at the fact that people believe that our emotions are mere bodily mechanics. The fact that when you see beautiful scenery, it's merely an illusion that does not mean ANYTHING AT ALL. (cont...)

[Alkwondo11]

@Alkwondo11 That the powerful and tenacious love you pour out on your loved one is nothing but a response in your body that means NOTHING INTIMATELY. FORGET THAT.

The New Testament is a record of over 6,000 manuscripts that prove the existence of Jesus Christ and his miracles through the eye witnessing of over 300 people. Manuscripts that we can get a HOLD OF TODAY. Yet we deny his power and presence and accept Julius Caeser, even if proof of his existence is less than of Jesus'. (cont..)

[Alkwondo11]

@Alkwondo11 You know deep down in your heart that life has a deeper meaning and if not, then we have no purpose and our moral obligations meant NOTHING. If we are made from nothing, then there is no right or wrong, yet we say we do everyday. If we are made from nothing, then there is no good or evil, YET WE SAY THERE IS. Stop living life like a fool and search deep in your heart and find your hidden purpose. Because you know deep down life is not just an accident you cold, hardened man.

[Alkwondo11]

@Alkwondo11 HISTORIANS cannot DENY the existence of Jesus and the evidence of the New Testament. There are absolutely NO CONTRADICTIONS even though most of the authors did not EVEN MEET FACE TO FACE because it has been written over a course of many years. Yet the Bible folds together perfectly like a puzzle, fulfilling numerous prophecies in the OT like it was meant to be. Don't be fooled by society's corruption, it's merely the DEVIL trying to cast you away from God's love.

[elborquez]

must people believe in the reality of Satan, demons and the spiritual warfare?

What about hell?

[MindDisembodied]

I think Dr. Piper did a great job briefly articulating what a person needs to believe in order to be saved. It’s definitely a subject worthy of further study though.

[sunRsaturn]

Jesus's soul or knowledge of God is like the Sun has matter or gravity and pulls other matter down. And God is the ultimate pure knowledge or soul. So, Jesus will rise first and pull others who have enough soul or knowledge to rise out of matter and escape all gravity. Faster than light. That's why hell is down and heaven is up.

[nedmorlef]

all things n moderation.i am all things that I may prove Christ. Nothing is evil of itself. it's not wat goes n2 a man's mouth that defiles him but, wat comes out of a man's mouth that defiles him..abraham was justified by faith. your sins are nailed to the cross. jesus is the sacrifice. there's only one door. the way the truth and the life....light....I am. by faith and not by works should anyone boast. where sin abounds grace does much more abound.if thou shalt confess w/ thy mouth the lord jc

[minty11]

4:05 - 4:52 = WOW, such truth!!

[costinadaniel]

is smoking a sin??

[shine777]

@costinadaniel i wouldn't say it's a sin that offends God cuz that is what sin is... that which offends God... but then again, is smoking wise? AND, is smoking better than Jesus in your life... cuz if smoking takes precedence over Jesus, THEN that's a sin... if u turn to smoking rather than Jesus wholly... but smoking is just dumb... and that COULD lead to sin... addictions normally are that which is anything better than Jesus on the throne of our hearts... THAT is sin...

[Chocolateman116]

@costinadaniel hello there, the bible says that your body is the temple of God,

therefore you must be a faithful steward of the temple God has given you.

Smoking is not benefical to health and it is/can be addictive and thus you should keep away from things that can be physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs), 1 Corth 6:12

12"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.

[GodLovesUs100]

@costinadaniel I would say so.

[99minerkc]

@costinadaniel Yep, christians don't want you smoking, so you're bound for hell!

[strawberrylady1961]

every person, as a newborn, is born into sin because of original sin in this world. But whether they die while babies or grow and thrive, no one is accountable nor will be judged on sin until they have reached an age where they have learned right from wrong. That age is different for everyone, based on maturity. Each person must have knowledge of right and wrong. Any child that dies before that is automatically taken to heaven. Older has to repent of sin, believe in Jesus, accept salvation.

[AhoSenpai]

Are every children who are born under the just wrath of God at the point of their birth? (from Total Depravity) Has God not elected some of those children from the foundations of the world to be saved (from unconditional election).

So when an elected baby dies, it is saved? - even though the just wrath of God is upon him? And that baby has not been able to repent of any sins, or to believe in Jesus. Or are some children (elected) FREE from the just wrath of God at the point of their birth?

[GodLovesUs100]

@AhoSenpai I'm not John Piper but I would like to respond.

The Bible doesn't flat out tell us what happens to babies when they did but we can look at the character of our God,in how he is loving and Just.We can also look at some instances in the Bible, like when Jesus said to let the children come to him or when David's baby died and went to Heaven.Maybe God predestines all babies who die in their infant state?Life is in his hands.

[AhoSenpai]

@GodLovesUs100

I agree, God is just in what He does. What I was wondering was, how does the wrath of God, if it abides over all people including new born babies, deal with the assumption, that some of those babies have been elected from the beginning?

It seems to me that, either those elected babies that die, have never been under the just wrath of God - meaning they were saved since their birth.

Or God pardons for their "sinful nature" and saves them - but that they were under wrath...

[GodLovesUs100]

@AhoSenpai Maybe he finds a way to wash them by the blood of the Lamb...again, it all comes back to the character of God...we would really have to ask:Would he really not elect a baby he knew would never have a chance to hear/respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ?

[mime454]

@AhoSenpai John Piper has a lot of videos on this issue. He pulls from Romans that babies are saved because they have not had the opportunity to see God's creation objectively to be held accountable and without excuse.