Becoming versus Being

Often I hear someone say something like "Being saved isn't about doing the right thing. It's about believing the right thing."

This is true if they're talking about becoming a Christian. 

We become Christians based on our committed belief *in Christ. Good things we've done don't cause our salvation and bad things we've done don't prevent it.

BUT... and this is an all caps BUT, there's a huge difference between becoming a Christian and being a Christian. 

If we're truly saved, our beliefs will begin changing our actions, our speech, our thoughts and our goals (Titus 2:11-14).

• We aren't saved by works, but we're saved for works (Ephesians 2:10). 
• We aren't saved by obeying God, but we're saved so we'll obey Him:

"We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person... Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." 1 John 2:4-6

When we talk about salvation, let's make sure we clarify this important truth.
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* We can believe in Jesus without committing our lives to Him, but that is "useless" faith. Demons believe in Jesus, but they do not serve Him. James 2:18-20

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