All discussion on the Book of Romans can go here.
I stated on another page:
Lets go to the Book of Romans:
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Some take a few selected passages from the Book of Romans such as Romans 3:23,24; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:18; Romans 7 and Romans 10:9,10 and construct their entire understanding of salvation based essentially on these verses alone, NEGLECTING the other statements in the Book of Romans which discuss the reality of the condition of a true believer in Christ.
I THANK GOD for the free gift of salvation. But just because someone gives you a gift, doesn't mean that it is impossible for you to throw it away.
Many people throw away their salvation because they wanted to keep their sins, and just get rid of the punishment for sins.
Paul warns that those who are self seeking and do not obey the truth will suffer indignation and wrath. This is because those who are fundamentally self-seeking are in no wise obeying the commandment of Christ to walk in love.
We must be God seekers. If a person doesn't seek God, it is because they don't think it is worthwhile to do it. Such a person does not believe that God is an effective rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) and as such, doesn't actually have the real faith which pleases God.
If God has no pleasure in you, you will be damned.
Its much better to repent.
Those who "speak evil of the law" and "judge the law" (see the Book of James) like to take the letter of Paul to the Romans and twist it to mean that God no longer considers whether the believer in Christ's salvation means to serve God or the devil – as far as their eternal salvation is concerned.
Paul guards against such interpretations in the Book of Romans itself. We see this in Paul's statement:
"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?"
Romans 6:1
If a person doesn't believe they have in some real sense died to sin, they are not in the category Paul includes himself in. I am not saying here that a Christian is perfect or sinless in behavior, but that the core heart choice of the true Christian is to be devoted to righteousness and not the self-seeking loveless kind of living that characterises an unsaved person.
Anyone serious about overcoming sin should meditate on Romans 6. Paul even says:
But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
Romans 6:22
Is Paul writing the honest-to-goodness truth here about the Christian community? Or is he really having himself on?
Paul warns about the danger of having a sinful mental focus in Romans 8:5,6:
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Again, Paul is writing to spirit-filled Christians. What is the mindset that is death? It is to have a mental focus on that which is sinful, selfish, lustful and so on. Just to please yourself. The mindset that is life and peace is that which is focused on Christ and the things of the Spirit.
There is also a strong warning against falling away in the Book of Romans.
Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
(Romans 11:20-22)
These verses teach us sober truth that the "free grace theologians" so-called have to gloss over or ignore. But you ignore God's warnings at your peril. They are there for a reason, and millions of otherwise intelligent people have ignored them to their eternal regret and destruction. Don't join them. Consider the reasonableness of Jesus Christ. He gives you everything, if you will only take hold of it, including the grace to walk with God in righteousness. Those who are on this path are beloved of God, are justified (though they still make mistakes as they learn), and are being sanctified. A righteous man can fall and get up. Just don't listen to those who say that you can stay down in the mud with the pigs and still be righteous. Like the Prodigal Son in Luke 15, you have to actually return home to the Father.