I came across the above video in which Hayden Carrol interviews a former LDS convert to Protestantism, in which he explains his theological disagreements with LDS beliefs and practices, and focuses on John 6:47: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life”; arguing that once you have “believed,” all is done! You are unconditionally, instantly, eternally, and everlastingly redeemed and “saved”; nothing else needs to be done or happen after that for one to be saved. The problem with that argument is that John 6:47 is not the only verse in the Bible that talks about salvation; there are many more; all of which needs to be taken into account. It is easy to misinterpret the Bible by focusing on one or two isolated verses that can be misconstrued in a certain way, and turning a blind eye on the rest which, if taken into account, rectifies the error. Here are many more Bible verses that talk about gaining salvation and eternal life, which tell a somewhat different story:
Matthew 19:
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 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.
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29 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.
Matthew 25:
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Mark 10:
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
Luke 10:
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 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.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Luke 18:
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.
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29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
John 3:
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
• • •
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
John 4:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
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36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
John 5:
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 6:
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
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40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
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47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
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54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 10:
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
John 12:
25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
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49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
John 17:
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Acts 13:
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Romans 10:
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
2 Corinthians 7:
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Galatians 6:
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Philippians 1:
19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
Philippians 2:
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
1 Timothy 6:
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
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18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
2 Timothy 2:
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Jude 1:
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
The Bible does not contradict itself. These verses (and many others that could be given) contradict his interpretation of John 6:47. “Believing” alone doesn’t save, unless it is combined with “doing”. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22). “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21). The Bible is a big book. It is not just one verse. You take all of it into account when interpreting the verses in it, not take one or two isolated verses, and ignore the rest.
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