Requirements for Salvation

I disagree to a small degree. I do not think Jesus looks for a motivation when he saves someone. He will save you regardless of whether you will ever serve him. I do however think that a person needs to have a desire follow Jesus when accepts Christ. To me that is part of being sincere when you accept Christ.

 

I have to admit, I'm really surprised. If this is as close as the Bible comes to a written description of what it takes to attain salvation, it's incredibly vague. I'm surprised because so much of what I see in Protestantism (and Christianity in general) is literal passages from the Bible used as an instruction book (often to the detriment of the spirit of the religion in my opinion). To take Jesus's dying exchange with 2 specific individuals where he doesn't seem to make any general statements, and the Our Father, and deduce from that EXACTLY what is required for salvation seems like quite a leap in interpretation for what many would consider to be the most important question in their faith to answer. I mean, you can deduce from the Our Father how we're generally supposed to regard God, but how one can say "this is required for salvation...this is not" based on anything in the two examples provided seems almost arbitrary.

Even your number 4 below is way more specific than simply "accepting Christ", yet not specific enough to tell us exactly how.


"4) Commit the rest of your life to following God's/Jesus' will above your own, becoming like the disciples."

 

Here is a link to a webpage that explains it using bible verses. Maybe it will help you understand it better.

The Romans Road

 

That appears to be just a bunch of isolated qutoes that we're supposed to piece together in order to support the currently accepted doctrine. In fact, the commentary explaining how we should interpret these quotes is much longer than the quotes themselves. This is part of the problem in Christianity as a religion, as opposed to a faith, to me. Yuo can piece together stuff in the Bible to tell you to do anything. Bear in mind, I'm not arguing against the idea that one must accept Christ to attain salvation. I'm arguing against the idea that Bible is specific enough in telling us how to do this that we can argue about it and hone it down to an exact science.

 

All of those verses come from the same book of the bible so I think there is some continuity. Romans chapter ten and verses nine and ten are pretty straight forward.

I think the books written by Paul give the clearest definition of the way of salvation and Romans probably the most of all.

 

I think the bible is also very clear on whether or not good works are required for salvation. The answer is no.

 

If what's been provided so far is the "clearest", it's not all that clear. Unless the Bible defines what exactly it means to "accept Christ", it's pretty much wide open and there's absolutely no basis from which to say good works are or are not necessary. JMO, but the lack of specifics seems to bear it out.

 

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

I think those verses are clear and definitive on the subject.

 

It doesn't say anything abuot Christ. We don't need Him to be saved?

 

You are splitting hairs now. You expect it all to be in one verse. Paul wrote Romans and Ephesians and if you take his writtings together they spell out a clear picture of how to be saved.