1574
• The necessity of being free from the love of money—“ No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money”( Mt 6:24).
• The necessity of love for God—“ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them”( 1Jn 2:15).
• The necessity to love others—“ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death”( 1Jn 3:14).
• The necessity of being childlike—“ Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven”( Mt 18:3).
• The necessity to bridle the tongue—“ Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless”( Jas 1:26).
• The necessity of perseverance—“ Christ is faithful as the Son over God’ s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory”( Heb 3:6).
• The necessity of walking in the light—“ If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin”( 1Jn 1:7).
• The necessity of repentance—“ Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”( Ac 3:19).
While this isn’ t an exhaustive list of all relevant verses on the connection between sanctification and salvation, it’ s enough to convey the importance Scripture places on the subject.
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAY: To inherit eternal life, we must have a saving faith that leads us to embrace the pursuit of holiness and obedience to Christ.
For your next reading, go to page 1575.