Some presume (not assume) that "believing in Jesus" is all that is necessary to get into Heaven.

Yet:

James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe....and shudder.

Even though demons know that Jesus is Lord, and:

First Corinthians 12:3 .....no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit

....they can, of course, neither call Him their Lord (i.e. Master, in a lovingly-submissive sense) nor their Savior (in a personal redemptive sense applied to themself).

But if they could, that alone would not be inadequate.

Why that is is htat many arrogantly and flippantly presume (not assume) that faith (or trust) in Jesus Christ is the sole factor which people will be judged on the Final Day, spoken of various New Testament books.

To them, salvation is based upon faith alone, apart from (and thus devoid of and absent from) works of law.

But Saint James proves that insufficient by stating:

James 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.

Martin Luther (the real Christian reformer - not the plagiaristically-racist M. L. King) rightly considered it accursed heresy to for anyone to assert that they are justified by the anti-patriarchal works of embracing sexist-feminist maryolatry, live-like-the-Devil-now-in-this-life espousal of second-chance-after-death purgatory, idolatry of worshipping questionable-antiquity relics, self-atonement by payment of indulgences, despicable fear-of-man presumption of papal infallibility, and heretically misconsidering Apocrypha to be canonical Scripture (relating to the catholic Council of Trent].

It is clear that atonement against sins has not been accomplished by any errantly-human inconsistent faith in Christ, no mixed-bag (evil-and-good) works, nor any other human characteristic or factor such as feeling sorry about sins committed, repenting about sins done in the past, nor even the intention to live perfectly and never sin.

It is not faith, faith in Christ, good works, good works done in Christ, belief, noble intentions of attempted sinlessness...which Saint Paul considered of highest importance.

See if you can detect what THAT was in his following confession.

[ Hint: the answer is emphasized by what is underlined! ]:

Romans 7:6 But now we having been set free from the Law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Let it not be said! But I did not know sin except through the law. For also I did not know lust except the law said, You shall not lust.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, worked in me all kinds of lust. For apart from law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once. But when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was to life, was found to be death to me.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.
12 So indeed the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good.
13 Then has that which is good become death to me? Let it not be! But sin, that it might appear to be sin, working death in me by that which is good; in order that sin might become exceedingly sinful by the commandment.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For that which I do, I know not. For what I desire, that I do not do; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If then I do that which I do not desire, I consent to the law that it is good.
17 But now it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwells no good thing. For to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I do not find.
19 For I do not do the good that I desire; but the evil which I do not will, that I do.
20 But if I do what I do not desire, it is no more I working it out, but sin dwelling in me.
21 I find then a law: when I will to do right, evil is present with me.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man;
23 but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin being in my members.
24 Oh wretched man who I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Notice what Saint Paul considers most important, and preeminent..and notice that belief in the Gospel is not even mentioned:

- the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good
- I consent to the law that it is good
- I do not do the good that I desire
- I will to do right
- I delight in the law of God
- I myself serve the law of God

Does this not sound strangely familiar with:

Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not DO what I tell you?
Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the DOERS of the law who will be justified.
James 1:22 But be DOERS of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had DONE.
Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had DONE.

"By what they had done? And what does ALL THAT include?

How about their faith....alone? Works....alone? Belief....alone? Baptism....alone? Ingesting communion....alone? Good intentions to live perfectly....alone? Believing in Jesus....alone? Believing that Christ's death on a cross completely atoned for their sins....alone? Christ's death on a cross completely cancelling the penalty of all their sins....alone?

NO!

All those things are related and vital as what is involved in the process of salvation.

Yes....faith saves, works save, baptism saves, eating the metaphorical body and blood of Jesus saves, etc. etc. etc.

And, admittedly:

Matthew 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

But, what is mandatory and of highest importance - to both Saint Paul plus you and I, is and should be:

* the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good
* I consent to the law that it is good
* I do not do the good that I desire
* I will to do right
* I delight in the law of God
* I myself serve the law of God

Concordant with:

Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not DO what I tell you?
Romans 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the DOERS of the law who will be justified.
James 1:22 But be DOERS of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had DONE.
Revelation 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had DONE.

Believing in Christ's works are as important as believing that He and the Father are one:

John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.

Some might retort: "Judge a person by what their personal testimony -- not everything they do and are forgiven for."

Really?

Matthew 7:16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?
Matthew 7:20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

WHAT "fruits?" Fruits merely of profession of belief, or of faith in God's allegedly-"unconditional-love," "always-tolerant-of-evil-doings-and-not-the-persons-themselves" forgiving mercy?

[ Saracastically speaking, I did not know that mere abstractions of "sin" will burn in Hell forever. And - unsarcastically - how about instead the evildoers [who commit those sins] being eternally punished? ] No, but rather these fruits:

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
26 Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another.

Sound like "works righteousness" - no matter how one cuts it, yes? Where is "belief/faith in Christ" mentioned in that list above?

It isn't!

Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Matthew 23:2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;
Matthew 23:3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.

Was mere belief in God adequate self-sacrifice for David and the prophets?

Psalm 24:3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
Psalm 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully.
Psalm 24:5 He will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of his salvation.

Where's mere "belief in God" (as the demons believe, among those who In God They Trust) in the verse above? Where is faith?

It is not mentioned there!

Amos 5:21 "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon.
23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
25 Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, house of Israel?
26 You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves;
27 therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

But, some might try to circumvent the requirement to do good works with the excuses that:

- "no one is perfect nor can be, of themselves," or
- "I cannot do anything unless God calls me to do it," or
- "anything good I do I can only do if, then when, Christ empowers me," or
- "Christ is my goodness," or
- "Do not make salvation so complicated; keep it simple."

But those philosophical irrationalizations are no excuse for not - in reality - actually doing and trying to do PERFECTLY good works!

If such is NOT one's persistent and ultimate intention, they assuredly would NOT be happy in Heaven where absolute perfection is both mandatory and eternally flawless with NO exceptions - EVER.

In one sense, it does not matter if or if not Christ is used as a proxy substitute who was perfect in place of those who really do not want to do good nor be perfect:

Romans 2:14 For when the nations, who do not have the Law, do by nature the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves;
Romans 2:15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and the thoughts between one another accusing or even excusing one another,
Romans 2:16 in a day when God shall judge the secrets of humans by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

The Lord's redeeming sacrifice of Himself on a cross does no good nor does it apply to those who are bent on committing even one self-excused "accidental" "little" sin:

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,
Hebrews 10:27 but a certain fearful looking for judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

First John 3:9 No one born of God commits (even ONE) sin; for God's nature resides in him, and he cannot sin (ever), because he is born of God.

To be like Saint Paul, who said that "in my inmost self I delight in the law of God," in effect reveals not simply that Paul adjusted to, accommodated with, and essentially likes what God has created and made...but also that he loves God with his own free and sovereign God-given will in an active and seeking sense -- much like an affectionate wife wraps her receptive arms around the loving husband who first wraps his arms around her - instead of her merely standly there coldly like a emotionless zombie.

Even though:

John 3:27 John answered, "No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven.
John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day....

....wives can be make the first move every so often, and be quite sexually aggressive in all sorts of ways with their waiting husbands:

Song 3:2 "I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves." I sought him, but found him not.
Song 3:4 Scarcely had I passed them, when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

Song 7:10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is for me.
Song 7:11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the fields, and lodge in the villages;
Song 7:12 let us go out early to the vineyards, and see whether the vines have budded, whether the grape blossoms have opened and the pomegranates are in bloom. There I will give you my love.
Song 7:13 The mandrakes give forth fragrance, and over our doors are all choice fruits, new as well as old, which I have laid up for you, Oh my beloved.
Song 8:1 Oh that you were like a brother to me, that nursed at my mother's breast! If I met you outside, I would kiss you, and none would despise me.
Song 8:2 I would lead you and bring you into the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranates.

Titus 2:4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children...

It might be considered "Baptist" to state that human effort (without egotistical bragging nor self-aggrandizing boasting) to seek God is a necessary component in addition to the "Lutheran" idea of simply and inactively not rejecting God's love.

Isaiah 55:6 [YOU!:] Seek the LORD while He may be found, [YOU!:] call upon Him while He is near;
Isaiah 58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not reject the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments, they delight to draw near to God.

Hebrews 7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
Hebrews 7:25 Consequently He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that Hhe exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

James 4:8 [YOU!:] Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind.

Our vacillating and frequently-non-reliable [human] faith in Christ providing for us, and in time, without delay, at that....plus our on-and-off good-and-evil [human] works done by us (even though we were under sinful-environmental duress when committing the bad works)...are a gift from the [non-human] non-changeable God:

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.