[CS-FSLUG] TD: Scripture - Salvation & Change

[Stephen J. McCracken]

Don Parris wrote:
>> I have long submitted that the real evidence of salvation is a
>> changed life.  I'm just curious, what is your favorite scripture
>> regarding the relationship between salvation and a changed life?

Favorite?  I don't know, but some that come to mind are:

Mt 7:16-23
> 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from
> thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears
> good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear
> bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that
> does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
> 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21"Not everyone who
> says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only
> he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say
> to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and
> in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I
> will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you
> evildoers!'

and James 2:14-26
> 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has
> no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is
> without clothes and daily food. 16If 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? 17In the same way, faith by itself,
> if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But 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. 19You believe that there is
> one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You
> foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is
> useless[d]? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for
> what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see
> that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith
> was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled
> that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as
> righteousness,"[e] and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a
> person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25In the
> same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for
> what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in
> a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so
> faith without deeds is dead.

These (obviously) talk about doing and not only hearing, but
specifically for a *changed* life, I would think of Paul's writings on
the old "flesh" dying and renewing your mind and being transformed (Rom.
12:2 & 2 Cor 3:18)

See also these which talk about differentiating the old and new lives:

> Rom 7:5-6 - 5For when we were controlled by the sinful nature,[a] the
> sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so
> that we bore fruit for death. 6But now, by dying to what once bound
> us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new
> way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
> 
> and Rom 6:11-14 - 11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but
> alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in
> your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer
> the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but
> rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from
> death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments
> of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are
> not under law, but under grace.