Roselove

I’m very scared, but I know it’s my human flesh/the devil. I’m scared I won’t be able to repent or what he will show me, but I know the condemnation is that light has come to the world and men hated the light, lest their deeds be reproved. 
PLEASE pray for me!!!

Relations do not equal marriage. 
God may have permitted this divorce ‘because of the hardness of their hearts’, as Jesus said, but we see fairly clearly that He hates divorce. I believe it’s safe to say that divorce is never mandatory in His eyes; if the union can be saved, He wants that. 

I’m dealing with something very difficult and need to get it right. I’m having an extremely hard time. 
Please pray hard for me!!

I would be so grateful if I could get some strong prayers/be put on your prayer list. 
I feel The Lord working on my heart about something very important and I need prayers for my doubts and my walls around my heart, to fall. 
I would appreciate it, so much. I also appreciate you, all! You all have been very helpful in helping to teach me things, that I was having difficulty with.
Thank you! ❤️

Guys, I need extra hard prayers today. 
I ask that you would please do that. ❤️ 
Thank you! 

I’m dealing with something very difficult and need to get it right. I’m having an extremely hard time. 
Please pray hard for me!!

Praying

I will be praying for you in my quiet time this morning. May God give you guidance, confidence, and peace in your heart.

I’m dealing with something very difficult and need to get it right. I’m having an extremely hard time. 
Please pray hard for me!!

I really appreciate your encouragement and sharing your sympathy towards my mental struggles. That’s very kind, hardly anyone is willing to discuss those things, so, thank you! 
I am also encouraged by your thoughts on the matter that I wrote about, I’m going to add those points to my notes! 
Doubts can be very hard to share, I hate telling everyone my struggles, I just get so upset. I’m a very sensitive person, I’ve always been. 
 I do have to trust that I’m saved. I believe/accept the Gospel and have called on the LORD to save me. I need to remember this! God gets the glory and longs for our fellowship, so I don’t think He would make it difficult! If someone wants Him, then He’s right there!
Thank you, I appreciate your take on this matter! It is helpful! I will keep this in mind!

Here is one way to think about it.  We seek to be obedient children of God but we will be imperfect. No one is good but God and He knows we will not reach his standard.  That is why we need his grace.  Anyway, we sincerely try to be good disciples but also we accept His forgiveness when we fall short.  This is not an excuse for living a wild life.  We keep striving toward the goal and we get better.  Look in the rear view mirror.  See how far we have come.  Progress seems slow but the mile markers stack up.  

I’m sorry to hear about your mental health struggles. I’ve had chronic depression and anxiety since I was very young, so I sympathize with you.
First I want to say that you a correct about the steps to salvation - Accept. Believe. Receive.. We can only accept Gods Grace, we cant earn it or manipulate its effectiveness by religious knowledge that would develope  a  “disciple heart”. 
I personally feel like you are expecting too much from yourself too soon. I’m guessing that the majority of people who come to salvation still have some doubt or feelings that they aren’t trusting enough like you. Your salvation isn’t dependent on your own feelings or doubt..salvation is from God alone. Your salvation was sealed when by FAITH you accepted Jesus sacrifice for you. 
In my own personal experience, there was no immediate change in my life. In fact it was almost three years after that I finally started to bear fruit and become more bold about my salvation. We are all in the process of learning to trust him more, and gradual sanctification.
I notice you keep mentioning “feelings”, and that is concerning. You have to realize that your own person doubts and feelings have no effect one way or another on if you are saved. God saves..all we can do is accept.
Lastly I would like to address what you think God is “saying” to you. From the way it’s worded I have the impression that you believe God is speaking to you audibly or mentally. This my personal belief about that. 1. It’s my understanding that God no longer speaks to us in the way you are explaining. I believe that since Jesus was the “Word” that means his teachings are the voice of God. Today God still speaks to us through the Bible that was God breathed and preserved so we can hear his voice today. So if you are hearing doubtful voices then my guess it is either your own feelings and insecurities coming to the surface, or it could be Satan attacking you because you are a daughter of God now.
Take your time. Stay in the WORD because it is God speaking to you. Surround yourself with Christian friends. Don’t be embarrassed about doubt, we all have it at one time or another. Go talk to your Pastor about your concerns. He is there to help reconcile these type of things.
Good luck.
- In Christ

Nuff said..... I am out.
No accusation - your starting position is the same as Thomas - I  WILL NOT BELIEVE...….
This attitude displayed in your responses to anyone who has tried to help, and displayed further in the quotes above tells me that you are not actually after answers You are convinced that the Bible is not true, and until you move from that premise you cannot make any forward progress.
You need to worry less about what men like CS Lewis or Peterson say and try studying the Bible in order to answer your own questions.
You are obviously not interested in what other people have to say (because you reject it without consideration), so the ONLY course of action for you to take is to diligently study the Word of God and find the answers for yourself.
If you are indeed in any way interested in getting the answers...….
Have fun, but I will take no further part.

I will address the scriptures you have listed as supposed contradictions. But before I do, I would like to exhort you, and say that there are many things in the scriptures that cannot be simply explained, or at times may not make sense, and seem to be contradictions. My suggestion to you is 1) Take what the scripture says as it reads. If you do not understand it or think there is a contradiction, give it time, and pray to God to reveal to you what the meaning is. 2) Keep your heart sincere. If you are truly seeking for the truth, and not proof there are errors, then God will either show you the answer through the Holy Ghost by opening your eyes to it, or he will show it to you through the Holy Ghost by using a preacher and teacher. Just as he used Philip to preach and teach the Ethiopian eunuch. 3) Accept and receive the truth you already have. If you cannot accept and receive the truth you already know, why would God reveal more to you? You must first be able to handle the milk of the word before you can handle the meat the word, or even the strong meat of the word.
I personally always default to the fact that I am the one that is not smart enough to figure it out or to understand it, and so I ask God to reveal it to me with sincere prayer, much study, and seeking preachers and teachers.
If you are sincere in your desire to know the truth, God will show it, and hopefully you will learn that when we think the scripture is wrong, that, eventually, God will reveal that the scripture is ALWAYS true, and we are the liars. (Rom 3:4)
EXAMPLE #1
Matt. 27:5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Acts 1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
As far as the example you gave above, you say that you were given a “half-butt” explanation, but if I may say, it was a PLAUSIBLE explanation. Is there not some cases where people hanged were decapitated or the rope broke, or what they were tied off to broke? (See the deaths of George Painter 1894, Tom Ketchum 1901, and Eva Dugan 1930 for a few examples)
OSHA says that a man tied off in a safety harness must be attached to an anchorage point that can withstand 5,000 lbs of force. They have determined that the average 200 pound man “falling” and then immediately stopping (in this case, very likely, a rope around the neck probably tied to a tree branch?) generates just under 5,000 lbs of weight. So basically his fall is generating enough force to turn him into the weight of a pickup truck if he were to suddenly stop. So yes it is very plausible that he BOTH hanged himself and when the rope tightened the weight he generated from his inertia broke either the limb, the rope, or his head, and he falling headlong burst asunder when he hit the ground.
So the question is, is the scripture contradicted or is it just giving some information here by one man's account, and a little more information from another man's account? This is no different than a detective interviewing more than one witness to piece the entire story together. And so it is with the bible...a little here, and a little there. And you are to be the workman studying and rightly dividing to fit the pieces together to make the whole puzzle fit together.
 
EXAMPLE #2
1 Chron 21:5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword.
2 Sam. 24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
Notice the wording. 1 Chron. 21:5 is a total all men that drew the sword while 2 Sam. 24:9 is a number of valient men that drew the sword – It would be the same if you were to say the total number of the US army was 1 million fighting men, but the number of Green Berets that are a part of the 1 million, was 100 thousand men.
And then again look at the words of the scripture with the number of men from Judah. The total number of men that drew the sword was 490,000, while the total of the entire army was 500,000.
 
EXAMPLE #3
2 Chron 36:9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
2 Kings 24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
Let us start at the beginning. Nebuchadnezzar began to reign, and had been reigning for 5 years before Jehoiakim became his servant for 3 years, and then he rebelled. Then Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiakim captive, which put Jehoiachin reigning the throne by default, with his mother acting as queen and reigning by proxy. This reign only lasted for 3 months and 10 days because according to scripture, he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. Which means he (his mother by proxy) was rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar (See 2 Chron. 36:13 when talking about Zedekiah “And he ALSO rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar…”) Therefore, because of this rebellion, he took him and his mother captive and carried them away to Babylon in the 8th year of his reign (2 Kings 24:12). Nebuchadnezzar then puts Zedekiah on the throne, which lasted only 11 years. Now notice, while Jehoiachin was still 8 years old, Zedekiah started his reign. Which means that when Zedekiah was taken off the throne after 11 years, Jehoiachin was 18, not 19, because Jehoiachin was 8 all during the first year of his reign. So with some simple math you can see that when Zedekiah was removed from the throne, Jehoiachin is now 18. So he was given the throne a second time by Nebuchadnezzar. Giving the “18 year old” with FULL reigning authority, and no mother to reign by proxy, an opportunity to show he can be in subjection to him. But this reign only lasts 3 months, because he was right back doing what his father had done (rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar). And so he was taken into captivity once again, being released in his 37th year of captivity (2 Kings 25:27) making him 44 years old. Which coincides with Nebuchadnezzar’s reign of 43 years. So, the way I interpret it, is as the scripture states with no contradictions. It just takes believing the bible is true, even when it seems it isn’t, diligent study, and having the patience to piece the puzzle together.
 
Hopefully, these explanations are clear enough for you to see, and has given you some more faith in believing that the bible is truth from cover to cover. It just needs to be studied and rightly divided in order to make sense of it, otherwise you could fall into a ditch. I am not sure what materials you have to help you in your studies, but if you are serious about learning the bible, may I suggest a vast library of commentaries and books by Dr. Peter S. Ruckman to help you with getting to know your bible. He has actually done an extensive and exhaustive work entitled “Problem Texts” that could assist you with these supposed contradictions within the scriptures.   

I have an illness that won’t go away, I would appreciate prayers for healing ❤️ 
I would be happy to pray for others, as well ❤️

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19)
There are always disagreements that I have with certain preachers and bible teachers of the past and the present; however, I do find one statement from C.H. Spurgeon that is absolutely TRUE as the Word of God can testify of its veracity. It is:
"Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you're not saved yourself, be sure of that!"
The Word of God is replete with passages instructing us to minister to those who are lost and in dire need of the Gospel message (Matt. 9:37-38; 10:7-14; Mk. 16:15; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:17; 2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 2:10; 4:11; 2 Tim. 2:15; 4:5; 1 Pet. 3:15). The major problem in "Christendom" today is that most of the "soldiers" have fallen by the wayside and given up. Even more disturbing are those in a higher position who have been given MORE talents in order to serve the Lord as they were called to do so; and that they seem to have no interest in saving those who are in danger of hellfire (cf. Jas. 3:1). I am NOT speaking of those who disemminate false teachings on a regualr basis; I am speaking of unbelievers who are NOT saved and are caught up in a cycle of sin which entangles them. The bible refers to such "servants" of the Lord as "fearful"; and "ashamed of the Gospel" (cf. Rev. 21:8; Matt. 25:26; Rom. 1:16).
Since our Lord used the fishing analogy -- and our Lord has made all of us believers "fishers of men" (Matt.4:19; Mk.1:17) -- we also know that every fisherman has his/her own technique and that all fish are different too. What all fish have in common is that if they are not biting, we are not going to catch them. But if they ARE biting, then a practiced fisherman who exercises patience always has a good chance. And in terms of actual witnessing, God is the One who is empowering the process and bringing success (cf. Ps. 90:17; Isa. 64:4; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 13:21). Divine love is the "anchor point" which compels genuine believers to reach out to the lost; and this is a sure sign that one has truly passed from death unto life (Matt. 7:12; Jn. 13:34-35; 1 Jn. 4:8-21).
So the first thing is to determine if we really are being offered an opportunity. That is fairly easy to do, it seems to me. If the person knows we are Christian (our outward manifestation of our hearts and motives; Matt. 5:16; 23:3; 1 Cor. 11:1; Eph. 5:1; Phil. 3:17; Col. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7; 3 Jn. 1:11; et al.), and if we dangle a little bait, something like, "yes, the recent tragedy at XYZ is terrible -- I don't know HOW people get through this world without the Christian hope!"  Now if someone really is searching for the solution to sin and death, they are likely to nibble at that one (and, by the way, I'm NOT suggesting this particular one for me -- everyone has their own way of stating the divine and godly viewpoint of anticipation of salvation and eternal life, and every prospective believer is different too, and we must take the audience into account in how exactly we express the truth, remembering that the truth always has to be presented truly).
If they don't nibble, we might want to think about waiting for a better time and a better opportunity. We can't force the issue. We wait in the boat for a bite. We can wiggle the hook, but we can't make the fish bite. If we bang on the water with an oar and command the fish to come up, guess what. We may be making ourselves feel better ("Look at me! I witnessed to so and so!" -- but they didn't respond), but we are not winning anyone to the Lord that way. The fish have a vote, because it's all about free will (Ps. 37:23; Prov. 16:9; Josh. 24:15; Jn. 1:12-13; 7:17; Rom. 10:9-10; cf. Rev. 3:20).
What if they do nibble?  I think it can be a mistake to introduce the issue of sin IMMEDIATELY in giving the gospel, except for the critical facts that we are all sinners, that Christ died for all of our sins, and that all of our sins are forgiven when we believe (Lk. 24:45-49; Rom. 1:16; 10:9-13,14; 1 Cor. 15:1-28; Eph. 1:13-14; 1 Pet. 3:18-22; 1 Jn. 4:9-10). Don't forget: the gospel changes all who respond to it. The heart is washed clean. The person is given a new heart, one devoid of hardness. At the point of salvation, the new believer is freed from all prior sinful entanglement (Ezek. 36:26; Rom. 6:6; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17; Eph. 4:24; 1 Jn. 5:4). If they really are ready to persevere with the Lord from that point forward, He will help them to walk a sanctified walk, and change whatever it is that needs to be changed. But if we make an issue of some sin or sinful behavior in which they are enmeshed BEFORE the fact, then we are putting conditions on salvation -- and there are no conditions on salvation . . . except to accept the Gift of Jesus Christ, acknowledging who He is and what He has done for us through faith in Him.
Death is something everyone dreads (except believers), and the offer of life eternal is the most wonderful thing on this earth. To avoid death, darkness and judgment is worth all a person has, like selling everything for the pearl of great price. If the Spirit convicts someone's heart of that truth, they will flee death by running to the gospel; they will need little convincing from us. The Spirit is the One who really does the convincing (Jn. 14:15-17,26; 16:8; 2 Cor. 7:9-10). Our job is to provide the truth, the simple yet incredibly powerful truth of the gospel. It is not up to us to try and fine tune an "after response".  If we do that, there may very well be no "after response" because the person will see the gospel as huge load that requires them to "give up" this and that. Now we know very well ourself that we all ended up giving up "this and that" after we believed because the gospel and the truth we learn and accept thereafter changed us. It is the same for everyone. But that happens AFTER; it is not a BEFORE condition.
And we don't have to worry about "saying sin is OK" either, not if we are witnessing correctly. Now if we are jamming the gospel down the throats of people who aren't interested in it, then this may be an issue because they are only interested in justifying their conduct and not in being saved, so that is where the discussion went. But if we are really only responding in love to those few who demonstrate that they DO want the truth, then it will all work fine (cf. 1 Jn. 4:11; Prov. 15:1-7; 27:6; Lk. 6:27; Rom. 8:28; 12:9-21; 1 Cor. 13:4-7; Col. 3:12). If they want eternal life and are grateful to accept Jesus Christ, guess what? They will easily begin to turn their lives to Him in all respects after they are saved. That is, if we net them after we have fished them.
How do we net them? All too many Christians and even major Christian groups engaged in evangelism get the fish to the surface and then let them go (Gal. 6:9; Rom. 10:13-14; cf. 1 Cor. 11:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 2 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Thess. 2:14-15; Jas. 5:19-20). No. We have to give them direction thereafter, help them to grow as we have grown. Of course, way too many Christians and Christian groups involved in evangelism have not grown to spiritual maturity themselves, so even if they have them their nets are filled with holes if and when they do use them. A new believer has to be led to a place where he/she can grow in the truth (cf. Rom. 12:13; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Col. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:14; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Pet. 4:8-11). That should be a local church but today most of these are sadly deficient of the score of helping to produce genuine growth because they don't teach the truth in any depth of detail. Nowadays one finds what one can find where one can find it. I would be pleased for any new believer to be pointed to (or Bible Academy) or any other place where the truth really is being taught. But pointing a new believer to a legalistic "church" that will dictate their behavior or to a libertarian church that will tell them it's all OK (whatever "it" is) will not produce growth in either case, and a very large number of such new believers "get away" and revert to the world as a result.
In Closing:
If a person really does want to hear the gospel, that is of God: give them the gospel. Once we do, if they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, their hearts will convict them to turn away from anything and everything sinful, regardless of past behavior or beliefs. And if they are led to a good place where they can grow, they will do so in increasing sanctification. But if they aren't really that interested in the truth, will they believe? And if they "believe" on condition of doing ABC, are they really saved or is it a works contract in their heart? And even if they legitimately accept Christ, without being led to a place where they can grow, will they be able to resist the siren song of the world and their prior lives so as not to fall back away? Only the truth can save a person. Only desire for the truth can motivate a person to be saved. Only continued attention to the truth can keep a person safe after being saved.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. (Proverbs 27:6)
God Bless!

I will be praying for your physical well being today.

I have an illness that won’t go away, I would appreciate prayers for healing ❤️ 
I would be happy to pray for others, as well ❤️

I have an illness that won’t go away, I would appreciate prayers for healing ❤️ 
I would be happy to pray for others, as well ❤️

I am a married Christian  who is being abused on a daily basis and am physically handicapped with migraines and hip pain. Please pray that God will daily remind me of His love, presence, will give me the strength to endure and health so I will be able to get a sit-down job, and be able to serve somehow in my church...& pray for my husband-He may say he is a Christian, but his actions, anger, and words shout the total oppiset! Thank you! God can do anything and I believe in miracles \ answered prayer

Repentance in Salvation (not unto) is a fruit of salvation And is a show that you have been adopted by God. Discipleship is what you do as a child of God as any child you can feel ashamed of your sin and the fact you cannot measure up or that you are not worthy to be a child of a perfect God but those feelings do not in any way determine your position in God Though Christ. If you have called upon God as your father for salvation then God's Spirit is in you and you cannot be separated from it, no matter what you do.
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Psalm 89:28-34 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. 29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. 30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31 if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; 32 then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. 34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Romans 8:34-39 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Knowimsaved.com

The grace of God be with you all,
              I am Seriously afraid for my Grampa, He has cancer and there is a risk that He might die. He, along with most of my relatives are catholic. He has been a Catholic since he was born and now he is old. My Family has a very hierarchal system and It would be an affront to them to share the Gospel with Him, Being my Great Grandfather. I have tried talking to my Grandmother, and pointed her to a ministry that helps Catholics. Please pray that
: My relatives would be saved
: My Great Grandfather would be healed
: My Grandma would come to the Lord 
: There would be revival In my Family and that us all and The Laodicean church would redeem the time and wake up 
Thank the Lord for being our Great high priest!
 
Titus 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
King James Bible
And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Donald... I forwarded your post to Bro. Cloud (the author of the book) and here is his reply:
----------------------------
A TRUE BELIEVER IS A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST
The following is excerpted from THE DISCIPLING CHURCH: THE CHURCH THAT WILLS STAND UNTIL CHRIST COMES, available from www.wayoflife.org - 
The church we see in the New Testament is a church of disciples. It is a disciplined, discipling environment. A New Testament church is not something to attend. It is a spiritual entity where disciples of Christ are trained, encouraged, and protected. 
New Testament discipleship is not merely a course in Christian fundamentals; it is the essence of the true Christian life. The entire church should be geared to producing and training disciples of Jesus Christ.
A pastor friend said that at a youth camp some years ago, he asked the youth to list words that God uses to describe those who are saved. He said, “We came up with something like fifty in total, and then I pointed out to them that they had forgotten the most used word, which is ‘disciple.’” 
Indeed, the most common name for a New Testament believer is “disciple” or “methetes” in Greek. The term “believer” appears two times (Acts 5:14; 1 Ti. 4:12); “Christian” appears three times (Acts 11:16; 26:28; 1 Pe. 4:16); “saint” appears 62 times; “brethren” appears about 135 times; but “disciple” (referring to a disciple of Christ) appears about 268 times. 
Scripturally speaking, a New Testament believer and a disciple are one and the same.
Jesus Christ defined discipleship in very serious terms. Consider John 8 and John 15.
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31).
In John 8:31, Christ said the “disciple indeed” is one who continues in His Word. The Lord was addressing Jews who believed on Him but not in a saving way. See John 2:23-24. They were believing in Jesus as a miracle worker, as a great prophet, as a political messiah, but they were not acknowledging their personal sinfulness and owning Him as their Lord and Saviour. 
A believing in God’s Word, a love for God’s Word, a continuing in God’s Word, a passion for God’s Word is the clearest evidence of salvation and true discipleship. 
“He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47).
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
A disciple’s heart burns within him at God’s Word (Lu. 24:31).
Later, the crowds that had “believed” on Jesus turned away from Him (John 6:66). They turned away because they did not receive His Word (Joh. 6:64), in contrast to Christ’s true disciples.
“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:66-69).
In John 15, Christ again identified the true believer as a disciple. “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (Joh. 15:8). Christ likens the believer to a branch in the vine. Christ is the vine and the believer is a branch. Fruit bearing is the evidence of the true believer. It is not possible for a branch to be attached to the vine and not share in the life of the vine. If someone seems to be a branch of Christ but does not bear fruit, he is taken away (Joh. 15:2, 6). This refers to the professor who is not a possessor (Titus 1:16). The true believer bears fruit and is pruned to bring forth more fruit (Joh. 15:2). This describes God’s sanctifying and chastening work in the believer’s life. This describes the true believer and the true disciple as one and the same.
Salvation and discipleship are two different things, but they are closely associated and not so sharply divided as is commonly taught today. Saving faith produces discipleship. Discipleship is the evidence of saving faith. The New Testament associates saving faith with following and obeying Christ in an intimate way. 
Charles Wesley got this right in the beautiful hymn “And Can It Be,” which was probably his personal testimony of salvation:
 Long my imprison’d spirit lay,
 Fast bound in sin and nature’s night:
 Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
 I woke; the dungeon flamed with light;
 My chains fell off, my heart was free,
 I ROSE, WENT FORTH, AND FOLLOW’D THEE.
To follow Christ is intimately connected with salvation. Following is not salvation, but it is the sure product of salvation. 
This is crystal clear in Christ’s words in John 10:27: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” 
This is clear in Ephesians, 2:8-10. It is common to quote verses 8-9 when sharing the gospel, but those verses cannot be divorced from verse 10. Verses 8-9 is salvation, and verse 10 is the evidence and product of salvation. The individual who has the reality of verses 8-9 will have the reality of verse 10, as well. This is true salvation as taught in the Bible.
There is no example in the New Testament of a true believer who is not also a disciple of Christ. In every case of the true believer, there is a dramatic change so that the individual becomes a follower and disciple of Christ.