I do see where these one line Christian cliches are composed from in scripture but.....
Is it just accepting and confessing that He/Jesus is indeed the promised savior and the only begotten Son of God ?
Doesn't it also involve following Him, learning from Him, transforming our lives into His image by our renewal and shouldn't we be up front about all of this when we present salvation to others as did Christ, He did not hide any of the cost involved.
Is it just inviting Him into our heart ?
Is it just surrendering to Him ?
Or is it all of the above ?

All of the above are indeed parts of the whole path to salvation taught by Christ, but alone each is sorely lacking and brings confusion to lost souls which robs them and eventually murders them.

Although the book of Romans tells us that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved...is that all there is to it ?
Although the book of Revelation tells us that Christ stands at the door and knocks and if we open the door He will enter and sup with us, is that all there is to it ?
Although NT wittings tell us multiple times that we must surrender to His will and forsake our own will, is that all there is to it ?

What is really involved in us having a relationship with Jesus Christ and being given direct access to our Father and eventually receiving eternal restoration of fellowship with our Creator, shouldn't we point to and lift up to others around us Salvations path as Christ presented it ?

Shouldn't we search diligently for the words to represent the entire concept of salvation to the lost ?
Or do some of us think it is sufficient to just hand out these comfortable short little Christian cliches to the lost ?

Sorry folk, I feel strongly about this and wont be content with out sharing these thoughts with others around me.

Jesus was questioned by His brethren the Jews several times while He walked on earth, questioned by them on the topic of what is required for salvation: Master what must we do to be saved ?
Did Jesus answer them with any of these single comfortable one line Christian cliches ?
Well then, how did He answer them, and shouldn't we answer the same way when we want to present the concept of salvation or are questioned about salvations requirements by the lost or unlearned ?

Once Jesus answered like this: Mark 10:17, Matt 19:16 and Luke 18:18
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Another time He answered like this: Luke 10:25
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

And another time He answered like this: Luke 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into
his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye
receive not our witness.
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly
things?
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man
which is in heaven.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might
be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are
wrought in God.

And yet another time He answered like this: Luke 9:57
And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will afollow thee whithersoever thou goest.
And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
And he said unto another, aFollow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
And another also said, Lord, I will afollow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.



Peter, Paul and John the baptist make it very clear that repentance and submission to baptism is involved in salvation. Jesus made it very clear many times that repentance is required for forgiveness and of course He also taught that forgiveness is a prerequisite for salvation.

Paul elaborates on baptism's part in salvation here: Rom 6:3
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
( baptism: to dip. Immerse, the introduction or placing of a person or thing into a new environment or into union with something else so as to alter its condition or its relationship to its previous environment or condition.)

Peter and the author of the book of Hebrews really hits home the point I want to express by posting this thread:
1 Pet 1:18-19 For asmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Doesn't salvation also involve following Him, learning from Him, transforming our lives into His image by our renewal and shouldn't we be up front about all of this when we present salvation to others as did Christ, He did not hide any of the cost involved.

So I am willing to drop the comfortable habit of using these one line Christian cliches and start testifying what Jesus testified to as to what is required for our salvation.
I am also hoping that my thoughts shared here may inspire provoking thoughts and challenges in some of you too.

Father Bless.