Just being a believer is only the first step towards knowing the truth. You then need to become one of the people of Jesus by holding to his teachings. That is second step. You then go on to know the truth. This sets free from sin, but it is a two-way process requiring action on your part to follow through from being given knowledge of truth, to being purified by ceasing from ways of living which are contrary to this knowledge. The onus is on the individual to follow through. If you fail to live according to this knowledge Jesus gives, if you see how to behave in harmony with how you know heaven behaves, in line with God’s nature, as it is revealed to you, if you then chose to ignore it all and carry on living as you did before, then you lose the benefit of the cross. The Holy Spirit purifies by truth but the onus is on you to receive that purification and live according to it continually all your life. But miracles, gifts, conviction is all given to compel you to stop living in seriously sinful ways. There is a lot you would have to ignore to carry on as before. God is seriously invested in you being saved. He invested His Son’s life in it by sending him to die for you. To avail yourself of this investment made by God, you must believe, and then in faith you must hold to Jesus’ teachings, but you must keep on holding to them, so he keeps on setting you free and letting you participate in his knowledge of truth. Otherwise you risk being cut out of the vine.
