I believe the Bible tells us that it takes more than willingness. Willingness has a sense of futurity about it. Let me give you the definition of willingness from the Webster�s 1828 Dictionary. �WILLINGNESS, n. Free choice or consent of the will; freedom from reluctance; readiness of the mind to do or forbear.� Notice that it tells us that it concerns a READINESS of the mind. The readiness comes prior to the action. In order to have everlasting life the next step must be taken. We must believe. That is much more than a willingness or readiness. Let me give you a couple of real-life examples that I am personally aware of.

There was a young man not too long ago, if I remember correctly he was 10 or 12 years of age, who willing to be saved. He had the willingness and he had the readiness. The Sunday morning he determined to answer the invitation as he was readying to step out his mother placed her hand on his shoulder and said to him, �Why don�t you wait for a bit? If you feel the same way next Sunday you can go forward then.� A few days later while riding his bicycle the youngster was hit by a drunk driver and died. This young man died and went to hell but he had the willingness. He was ready to be saved but he had not actually taken the steps necessary to receive Salvation.

In another case there was a very promising young athlete. This young man had recently graduated from high school and received an athletic scholarship to a college to play football. He knew that he needed to be saved. He has set aside a date to answer the invitation but some of his friends invited him to attend an event at the college on the weekend he had intended to answer the call. His mother attempted to talk him out of going on the trip to stay and perform that, which is necessary to be saved. He decided to go on the trip anyway. The next day they found the young man�s car on the side of the road some miles from his home. He was inside full of bullet holes. He had apparently picked up a hitchhiker that pumped a full clip from a semi-automatic handgun into him. This young man was another that died and went to hell even though he had the willingness and the readiness.

I realize these are two extreme examples but valid examples nonetheless. Let us therefore take a look at what I believe John 6:47 to say. I am going to attempt to use the King James Version + wording here to see if the Strong�s number come out in the post.

Now to dissect and define that verse: Notice that Strong has assigned the number of G4100 to the word �believeth.� Here is the language defining G4100:

G4100
πιστεύω
pisteuō
pist-yoo'-o
From G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit; by implication to entrust (especially one�s spiritual well being to Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

Please note that the definition appears to be that of a done deal. Rather than have willingness or be ready to take an action the definition shows that we have to actually put our faith in, believe, commit and put trust with. Those are action words. Willingness and readiness are more to the aspect of a state of mind rather than denoting any action.

For the sake of what is to follow I would like to address the meaning of the word, �everlasting� at this point. It is vital to the rest of the document.

G166
αἰώνιος
aiōnios
ahee-o'-nee-os
From G165; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well): - eternal, for ever, everlasting, world (began).

This word will occur a number of times in the verses following as part of the phrase, �everlasting life,� or Salvation. I believe this will show that the Calvinist doctrine of the chosen few and also the false doctrine of many Pentecostal and charismatic churches that it is possible to lose one�s Salvation will both be put to rest.

The above three verses from the Gospel of John are almost identical in meaning. I must add that not only these three verses, but the one mentioned which spurred this study, John 6:47, are not only almost identical in meaning but are basically identical in the words used. It is rather easy to see therefore that not only are the words alike but the sense of the verses is alike.

To this particular study the three key words that appear in each of these verses are believeth, everlasting and life. I have included the Strong�s definitions of believeth and everlasting above. Life pretty much explains itself. According to Strong�s the word life means literally or figuratively, life.

I find this all quite interesting in that we see the key here to Salvation. In another forum some time back there was a rather lengthy discussion on repentance and Salvation. I believe this to be included here also. In the other forum the tendency was to insist that one had to complete the form of repentance that has to do with turning away from sin prior to Salvation. I disagreed with that notion then as I do now. If we look carefully at the verses in this study we will see that there has to be repentance in order to be saved.

However it is necessary to look at the form of repentance necessary as it relates to our Salvation. Understand that the word repent merely means to have a change of mind. It goes without saying that a person must have that form of repentance in a change of mind from a state of unbelief to a state of belief in order to achieve so great a Salvation. (Heb 2:3)

If one looks at the four verses quoted in this study in is rather plain that nothing is required for everlasting life (Salvation) other than to believe. Look again at the definition of G4100, believeth. It means to have faith in. We must repent (have a change of mind) from a state of unbelief to a state of belief as I stated previously. We must go from having no faith or only faith in ourselves to having faith in (believing) our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

That form of repentance that deals with turning away from sin is expected to follow. Why would one have faith in Christ if one did not believe that their life would change? That change in our lives comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells us at the time of Salvation. It is after we are saved we begin to have the change, the absolute change, in our lives. For some the change is instantaneous but quite obviously takes place AFTER Salvation. Again I believe that to be fact based again on the four verses quoted above.

There are steps involved which are completely separate from one another. First we have to have the form of repentance (change of mind) to lead us to having faith. That is the willingness. That is followed by the act of accepting Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour. That is a separate act. First we believe or have faith in, then we ask. Then after all of that comes the form of repentance that again deals with cleaning up the mess we have made of our lives. It is rather simple and actually as plain as 1,2,3 or A, B, C.

I believe I understand what was said when John 6:47 was first mentioned. But again I believe the verses shown above to indicate that it takes more than willingness. It takes the actual act of asking Jesus to save us from eternal damnation.

In closing I would like to bring out a verse from one of the Pastoral Epistles:

I did this in the King James Version + so that it can readily be seen the same words are used in this verse as the ones used in the other four. The phrase �everlasting life,� or �life everlasting,� is used quite often in the New Testament and each time in relation to exactly the same meaning.

It is as if writing a mathematical equation: Believe (or believeth) = everlasting life. There is no other requirement.

In Christ,
George

Are you sure this boy was not saved

There was a young man not too long ago, if I remember correctly he was 10 or 12 years of age, who willing to be saved.

He heard the gospel preached

He had the willingness and he had the readiness. The Sunday morning he determined to answer the invitation

His intenetion(sp) was made known he stood up (confession)

as he was readying to step out his mother placed her hand on his shoulder and said to him, ?Why don?t you wait for a bit? If you feel the same way next Sunday you can go forward then.?

OBEYED his mom as God commaned!

A few days later while riding his bicycle the youngster was hit by a drunk driver and died. This young man died and went to hell but he had the willingness. He was ready to be saved but he had not actually taken the steps necessary to receive Salvation.

What steps?? Does one need to be saved in Church on Sunday morn
Are you sure he didnt tell his frends about Jesus
Dont forget salvation is GOD's job not yours!
Bro. Harold

This story is an urban legend or urban myth that has been around for many years.

In Christ,
george

Gotta love the "what-if's" huh brother George?

How do you know the 2 people mentioned went to Hell? They may have prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour moments before while they were travelling.

Brother after I wrote that piece I discovered the two stories I related, which I got from what I considered a very reliable source, are both urban myths or urban legends that have been kicking around for quite a while. I apologize for not going back and correcting that error some time ago.

I have no way of knowing whether in situations like that the people went to hell for sure but all indications are that they would. It is useless to speculate on such a thing.

In Christ,
George