Forum 5B-Changing Through Christ

It occurs to me again and again that the purpose of Christ's gospel is to change us. Just believing in Him is not enough and just doing good deeds is not enough. Being a good person is not enough because we need to be a Christ-like person. To those who say that we only need to believe to be saved, what good is believing if it doesn't change anything about you? To those who believe that good works are enough, they are not. You r works may be good but they are not going to be enough to make you into someone like Christ. In order to be saved, you must go to Christ and let Him change you and in order to do that, you have to believe.

The point of believing and the point of doing to to be changed. Letting Christ change you makes you a better person, makes you into the best kind of person. And that leads you to want to do good deeds because they are a part of who you have become. The paradoxical thing about good works is that they lead you to Chirst but they do not end when you believe. Instead, they increase, which in turn brings you closer to Christ, which leads to more good words, all because of the person that you are becoming and the person that you are following.

Yes, belief saves you, but only when that belief brings you to act as Christ does. Belief only saves you when it brings you closer to Christ and causes you to imitate Him. Belief only saves you when that belief is enough to bring you to open up and become more Christ-like. Belief is the foundation of salvation but it is only the beginning step. Salvation comes through Christ because He paid our price with His infinite Atonement and because He is also our perfect example.

Does your belief truly save you? I suggest that is only does if changes in your behavior result from your belief. If change does not occur, then you are saved in the sense that Christ has paid for you but you are not using His Atonement as fully as it was intended to be used and you are not living up to your potential. True belief changes attitudes and changes actions. It is who you become as a result of your actions by virtue of your belief in Christ that saves you. It is not that you save yourself, is is that you let Christ in to the fullest and you let His Atonement change you. It is truly Christ that saves us, has saved us, for we "are bought with a price" and it is Christ who has payed (1 Corinthians 6:20).