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CLEAR SALVATION PASSAGES = FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
(v. 14) "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
(v. 15) that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.
[Faith alone in Christ alone being lifted up (on the cross for you) and you have eternal life]
(v. 16) For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
[Faith alone in the Son alone being given for you - being lifted up on the cross to die for you
For
a complete exegesis of this verse: 
]
(v. 17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
[Notice: through Him not through anything or anyone else - no other actions or people - Christ alone and what He did alone: faith in Him alone]
(v. 18) Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
["believed in the name of" = believed in the capacity and willingness of God to grant eternal life as a gift - just for trusting alone in Him alone
Notice: faith alone in Christ alone. Condemnation is only in view for those who do not believe in Christ, no mention of anything else. So any deeds such as water baptism, repentant behavior, etc. are missing, i.e., simply NOT in the picture of what it takes to be saved or what must be done or you stand condemned]
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it it the gift of God -
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast."
"For it is by grace =
[unmerited favor - so you do nothing to earn it = no works, no baptism, not anything]
you have been saved through faith and this [salvation] is not of yourselves =
[you don't do anything since 'yourself' is not involved, i.e., you must not be water baptized or anything else in order to be saved]
it is the gift of God =
[one does not pay for a gift - no deeds required: faith alone]
not of works =
[no deeds permitted. A work is anything you do proactively to receive the result]
so that no one can boast =
[so that you are in a position such that you cannot boast having done something in order to be saved.
Faith alone in Christ alone + nothing]
Notice in the next passage that works are also stipulated as not part of what a man must do to be saved unto eternal life in the kingdom of heaven:
(v. 27) "[Jesus said] 'Do not work for food that spoil, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.'
(v. 28) Then they asked Him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?'
(v. 29) Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.' "
[Our Lord picks up on the word 'work' which the disciples were mindful of; but He used it not in a literal sense but a figurative one and provided the answer which is no work at all: but to simply believe in Jesus Christ as Savior = the One that God sent:
Faith alone in Christ alone.
Just as a father can answer his precocious young son's question using drive in a non literal fashion as follows: 'Which car can I drive to class, Dad?' with: 'I'll tell you which car you can drive. You can drive the school bus to class;" so our Lord uses the word work in a non literal fashion also]
(v. 12) "Yet to all who received Him [Christ], to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God -
(v. 13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God [lit. from above = born again]"
[Notice: faith alone and not anything else = born again to eternal life]
(Jn 3:36 NAS) "He who believes in the Son has eternal life: and he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him"
(Jn 3:36 Greek) "Ho ..pisteuOn ..........eis ton huion echei zOEn aiOnion
............................"The believing [one] .on the Son ...has ...life ....eternal
ho .de ...apeithOn .......................tO ......huiO ouk .opsetai zOEn, all' .hE orgE ..tou theou menei ep' auton"
the and .not being subject [one] .to the Son ..not ..will see life, ....but the wrath of ..God ...stays .on .him.
A) THE BELIEVING ONE IN THE SON - IN HIS ATONING SACRIFICE FOR SINS - AT THE MOMENT OF FAITH HAS IMMEDIATE POSSESSION OF ETERNAL LIFE FOREVER; BUT THE ONE WHO DOES NOT OBEY, I.E., WHO IS CHOOSING NOT TO BE SUBJECT TO CHRIST'S REQUIREMENT TO BELIEVE IN HIM - WHO HAS NEVER EXPRESSED A MOMENT OF FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE UNTO ETERNAL LIFE WILL NOT SEE THAT LIFE - THE ETERNAL WRATH OF GOD REMAINS ON HIM.
The Greek phrase "Ho pisteuOn eis ton huion" rendered "He who believes in the Son" in the NAS contains the nominative participle,"Ho pisteuOn," which literally means "The believing [one] (in the Son), portraying the individual who has expressed a moment of faith alone in the Son, Jesus Christ alone, i.e., the believer. And the result of that moment of faith alone in the Son alone: possession of eternal life forever, because it is eternal. The second half of verse 36 is presented in opposition to the first half. The Greek phrase "ho de apeithOn tO huiO" has the nominative present participle "ho apeithOn" which literally means "the [one who is] not being subject [to the Son]," and rendered "he who does not obey the Son" in the NAS. Due to the conjunction of opposition rendered "but," in Jn 3:36b, the phrase portrays the opposite of being the believing one. So in view is one who is choosing not to be subject to,i.e., not to obey Christ's requirement to believe in Him in order to have eternal life. This continued disobedience results in not seeing eternal life and remaining under God's eternal wrath. So, in the context of John chapter three, the Greek nominative participle verb "apeithon," means "one that is the disbelieving [one]," i.e., one who rejects the Son by not ever believing in Him. Hence he has chosen to remain an unbeliever, remaining under God's eternal wrath. The Greek verb.apeitheo, from which "apeithOn" comes, is frequently used in the New Testament to refer to the disobedience of unbelief - refusal in the mind to not give mental assent to the truth about Christ's atoning sacrifice for sins, (Acts 14:2; 17:5; 19:9; Ro 2:8; Heb 3:18). Just as the mental attitude of violating God's commandment to not covet, (Ex 20:17), is a disoobedience of the mind of that commandment; so the attitude of the mind of choosing not to be subject to the Son in the sense of not believing in Him is disobeying God's requirement to believe in Him for eternal life.
Finally, the phrase rendered "but the wrath of God abides on him" in Jn 3:36c in the NAS, signifies that the individual who has never expressed a moment of faith alone in the Son alone, hence who has never received the gift of eternal life, has the wrath of God remaining upon him from the point in time of his life when he began to chose not to believe in God's Son.
1) Compare [Jn 3:18]:
(Jn
3:18 NKJV) "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does
not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name
of the [one and only] Son of God."
OBEY CHRIST AND HE BECOMES YOUR SOURCE OF ETERNAL LIFE = TRUSTING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE
"He [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him."
The phrase "tois hupakouousin autO" from Heb 5:9, is a dative participle which literally is rendered,"to the ones obeying Him" or the best rendering, "to those who obey Him".
Since salvation unto eternal life is via faith alone, (Eph 2:8-9);
and since one can obey not only with deeds, but also with the mind including certain mental attitudes such as believing;
then "tois Hupakouousin autO" is properly interpreted as an obedience by simply believing.
The Ten Commandments, for example, prohibit a number of mental attitude sins, such as coveteousness. To disobey one of these mental attitude commandments is to have that mental attitude of coveteousness - no actual deeds required! If one believed that coveteousness was a sin and did not practice such a mental attitude, then one was obeying that commandment within one's mind, and without any actions. Therefore, faith in Christ as Savior is indeed obeying the Gospel of salvation by simply exercising a mental assent - a simple trust in Christ in obedience to His command to believe in Him unto eternal life.
OBEY THE LORD UNTO SALVATION IS TO OBEY HIS COMMAND TO TRUST IN HIM ALONE - NO WORK REQUIRED
(v. 27) "[Jesus answered] Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.
(v. 28) Then they asked Him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?'
(v. 29) Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent'"
In John 6:27-29 our Lord explicitly states that the work that one must do for eternal life is exclusively a matter of faith. So to obey the Lord unto eternal salvation must necessarily be to obey His command to trust alone in Him alone for eternal life, no deeds required:
Our Lord picks up on the word 'work' which the disciples used but not in a literal sense and provided the answer which is no work at all: but to simply to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior.
Just as a father can answer his precocious young son's question using drive in a non literal fashion as follows: 'Which car can I drive to class, Dad?' with: 'I'll tell you which car you can drive. You can drive the school bus to class;" so our Lord uses the work in a non literal fashion also.
VIII) [Compare 1 Pet 1:17-23]:
OBEY THE TRUTH UNTO ETERNAL LIFE = TRUSTING ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE
(v. 17) "Since you [believers, v. 18] call on a Father Who judges each man's work impartially, [relative to rewards, 1 Cor 3:11-15] live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.
(v. 18) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers.
[Notice the word "redeemed". The subject is salvation. Peter is reminding Jewish believers that they were saved not by things nor by their "empty way of life", i.e., by trying to be saved by the deeds of the Law handed down by their forefathers but they were saved by the blood of Jesus Christ]:
(v. 18 cont.) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers.
(v. 19) but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
(v. 20) He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
[And the basis upon which the blood of Christ saved you, Peter says to fellow believers, is faith, i.e., belief in the gospel of salvation]:
(v. 21) Through Him you believe in God, Who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God [relative to salvation unto eternal life]
(v. 22) Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart."
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth" = Now that you have received perfect righteousness, i.e., purification unto eternal life by "obeying the truth" = by believing in the gospel of salvation, (cp v. 21).
(v. 23) For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God."
So obeying the truth according to Scripture is believing in it. Verse 21 states that believing in God, in what He did relative to His Son: His Son's death, burial, resurrection and glorifiication (the Gospel of salvation) will result in purification, i.e., eternal life. And verse 22 describes this action of believing in the gospel of salvation as "obeying the truth." Then verse 23 confirms that the subject is being born again, i.e., salvation.
~~~jn5.htm
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him Who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; He has crossed over from death to life."
[Notice: "whoever....believes" = "pisteuon" = present, active, nominative participle, singular, masculine = "one who is a believer".
Whoever is a believer in God's Word about His Son then as a result of this believing he "has eternal life" = "has life...eternal
"echei zoen aionion"
"echei" = "has" = present tense possession of eternal life once one becomes a believer, ("pisteuon" = one who is a believer) which duration is forever.
"and will not be condemned, he has crossed over from death to [eternal] life"
"has crossed over" ="metabebeken" = 3 pers. sing., PERFECT tense, active, indicative. The perfect tense signifies that he has permanently crossed over from death to eternal life. Notice no deeds are in view, faith alone in Christ alone which results in eternal life. It is permanent not only because of the lasting quality of eternal life, (eternal = forever), once one has possession of it when one believes in Christ, (lit, "pisteuon" = one who is a believer), but it is also permanent because of the perfect tense of the verb "has passed" = "metabebeken", representing an action that was completed in the past with continuing results in the present, i.e., an everlasting concept. The believer has thus completely passed from death to eternal life. The perfect tense has no exact equivalent in English, but it is usually best translated as it is here by using the auxiliary 'has' or 'have', i.e., has passed [completely and permanently] out of death into eternal life. So when one trusts alone in Christ alone he completely passes from death unto eternal life with continuing results forever, especially considering that what he has passed into is eternal in duration]
~~~jn5.htm
"I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life."
[Faith alone in Christ alone]
(v. 25) "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies;
(v. 26) and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe in this?"
[Notice: faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life]
"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."
[Notice: the content: believing on His name, not believing that any deeds are required in order to be saved but believing solely in His name, i.e., what He will do for you]
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child as well."
[Notice "everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God". The term "Jesus... the Christ" = Messiah implies God incarnate paying the penalty for your sins per OT references, resulting in being born of God, i.e., saved unto eternal life.
(v. 9) "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son.
(v. 10) Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about His Son.
[Believing in the Son of God produces the result of having the testimony of God in one's 'heart', (i.e., in one's mind, ref. Heb 4:12)]
(v. 11) And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
[You want eternal life: trust alone in God's Son to provide it for you]
(v. 12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
["He who has the Son has life" = He who believes in God's testimony about His Son - that the Son will provide eternal life for him if he merely believes in the Son doing this, has eternal life.
["He who does not have the Son of God does not have life." = To have the Son means to believe that He will provide eternal life for you. To not have the Son is to not take God at His Word, (i.e., believe), that the Son alone will provide eternal life for you. And he who has not believed in Christ as Savior "does not have [eternal] life"]
(v. 13) I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you many know that you have eternal life."
[So, taking God at His Word about eternal life through His Son provides assurance that you do NOW possess the gift of life everlasting in heaven never to lose it
Consider if one could know now at the point of faith alone in Christ alone that one is absolutely saved, then it obviously would not depend upon any future thoughts, words, or deeds of the believer only on the faithfulness of God to keep His promise]
(v. 13) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
(v. 14) Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - the praise of His glory."
[Faith alone in Christ alone and you are included in Christ, marked in Him with a seal, baptized with the Holy Spirit, and guaranteed the inheritance of eternal life]
"All the prophets testify about him [Christ] that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name."
[Notice that through faith in His name alone and not including anything like faith in one's own actions such as in water baptism, repentant behavior, etc. is forgiveness of sins: faith alone in Christ alone + nothing]
(v. 38) "Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
(v. 39) Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses."
[Notice: faith alone in Christ alone and one is justified - no deeds in view and as a matter of fact deeds are not possible to contribute to anyone's salvation: if deeds of the Law are not acceptable certainly no deeds are]
"They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household.' "
[Believe = "pisteuson", aorist tense: a moment of faith alone in Christ alone and one is forever saved]
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew and then for the Gentile."
(v. 22) "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe
[Notice: 'all who believe' not all who get water baptized, or demonstrate repentant behavior]
(v. 23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
(v. 24) and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
[notice freely = nothing required to be done, it's free!]
(v. 25a) God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith [in that atonement which was] in His blood.
(v. 26b) So as to be just and the One Who justifies those who have faith in Jesus"
[Again: faith alone in Christ's atonement alone repeated here over and over - no mention of water baptism or repentant behavior or anything but through faith alone]
(v. 1) "What shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter?
(v. 2) If, in fact, Abraham was justified [saved unto eternal life] by works, he had something to boast about - but not before God
[Notice: any works that Abraham did are not something he can boast about before God, i.e., God does not accept works toward Abraham's justification, who is our forefather in these matters of salvation]
(v. 3) What does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
(v. 4) Now when a man works [like water baptism and repentant behavior], his wages are not credited to him as a gift [which is the only way salvation is granted] but as an obligation.
(v. 5) However, to the man who does not work but trusts God Who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness."
[Notice: faith alone in Christ alone, no works]
(v. 1) "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(v. 2) through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand."
[Notice again: faith alone provides peace with God through the grace of God unto eternal life: water baptism, repentant behavior, et al excluded]
(v. 11) "As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.'
[Faith alone in Christ alone]
(v. 12) For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him,
(v. 13) for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
[And to call on the name of the Lord is to trust in His name, i.e., His capacity, i.e., in Him to deliver you unto eternal life]
(v. 14) How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?"
[Notice that calling on the Lord unto eternal life is indicated as simply believing in Him]
(v. 6) "Consider Abraham: 'He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. [i.e., he was saved]
(v. 7) Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
(v. 8) The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
[Notice: faith alone unto justification]
and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'
(v. 9) So those who have faith are blessed [with justification unto eternal life by faith alone] along with Abraham, the man of faith.
(v. 14) He redeemed us in order that the blessing [of justification by faith] given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit"
[Faith alone is repeated over and over, no mention of water baptism or repentant behavior or anything else]
(v. 13) "But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth."
[Notice: faith alone through the work of God the Holy Spirit, no mention of anything else a man must do like water baptism or repentant behavior, etc.]
"Who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because if anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace."
[Notice: we are saved not through anything man does but through God's purpose and grace = unmerited favor]
(v. 22) "But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."
[Faith alone in Christ alone]
(v. 23) Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
(v. 24) So the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
(v. 25) Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law
(v. 26) You are all sons of God through faith in Christ,
[Notice: faith alone in Christ alone]
(v. 27) for all of you who were baptized [by the Holy Spirit - NOT WATER - which happens at the moment of faith, (Eph 1:13-14)] into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."
"And be found in Him, [Christ] not having a righteousness of my own that comes from law
[law, (no article) = any kind of behavior, action]
but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
[Faith alone in Christ alone unto the righteousness of God unto eternal life - no water baptism, no repentant behavior, no actions permitted, just faith]
XXIX) [1 Pet 1:3-5]:
(v. 3) "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and
[Note: "hope" in the Greek = "Elpida" = a sure hope. This hope was through a moment of faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead]
(v. 4) into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you,
[Notice this inheritance is a sure hope and can never perish, spoil or fade and is kept in heaven for you as a sure thing that you will inherit eternal life through a moment of faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ]
(v. 5) who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time."
[Notice that it is through faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ that one has a sure hope of salvation. Since it became a sure hope when faith began to be expressed then a moment of faith was all that was needed.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ signifies the completion of our Lord's complete sacrifice for sins of the whole world. So we have once more a moment of faith alone in Christ alone unto eternal life forever]