PART 8

In the previous post we began considering misunderstood passages that some people use in an attempt to prove that we cannot lose our salvation. We’ll continue to look at more of these passages over the next few posts. Let’s start here with a couple of passages from the Hebrews writer…

Hebrews 10:10 By his will we have been sanctified once for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Many will say that we have been sanctified (set apart and sins forgiven) "once for all" and that "we are perfected for all time", and that this means we were made perfect forever and cannot lose our salvation. I encourage you to read all of Hebrews chapter 10. You will learn what is meant in context if you do not already understand it. In summary... Jesus was the sacrifice "once for all"... He was sacrificed "once" and it was for "all" or "everyone". We obviously have to believe this and obey the gospel in order to be saved… we must accept the offer. Jesus, "by a single offering" and "once for all" has "perfected for all time" those who are saved. What this means is that our sins are forgiven "for all time". When we are saved, our sins are washed away and are remembered no more. We are then made perfect “in Christ”. Does that mean we will never sin again? Of course not... even a righteous man cannot be without sin (Eccl. 7:20). Do these passages indicate we cannot lose our salvation? Nope. Provided we "remain" in Christ... provided we "continue" to walk in the light... provided we do not "walk in darkness" and go back into a habitual state of sin, we will indeed be perfected forever. Remember, as long as we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, when God sees us, He sees Christ. If we fall into that habitual pattern of practicing sin, then we no longer have that perfection. As long as we remain faithful then we do indeed have that perfection for all time. Yes, Christ died once and it was for everyone, and it will always be forever as far as He is concerned, we only have to "remain" in Him. Let’s consider another passage in Hebrews...

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said, "I will never leave you or abandon you."

Many will claim that because God says, "I will never leave you or abandon you", that we cannot possibly lose our salvation. I agree that God will not abandon us, but as we reviewed last week, we can choose to walk away from God… we can abandon Him. Losing our salvation does not mean God abandoned us... rather we abandoned God. In this particular verse the writer has advised us to keep our lives "free from the love of money". Now, if we do not keep our lives free from the love of money, what happens? Let's look at what Paul warned us about the love of money…

1 Timothy 6:9-10 But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with much pain.

Clearly the "love of money" and "eagerness to get rich" causes people to wander "away from the faith". If we have this love of money then we may wander away from our faith, but that does not mean God abandoned us... instead, we would be abandoning God.

Here is a really good one that I found on a website that attempts to support the false doctrine of once saved always saved. This is exactly how they use this passage…

Matthew 28:20 "...and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

They fail to quote the entire passage and take the portion of it they need out of context. Some people that are not that familiar with the Bible might be deceived by this, but I would say that they are ignoring God's Word and not studying to show themselves approved. This is one reason we must study the scriptures… all of them… we cannot live by bread alone. Let's consider the passage in context…

Matthew 28:16-20 But the eleven disciples went in to Galilee, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

Jesus is speaking to His disciples who He is commissioning to be apostles. There is no doubt that Jesus was with the apostles until the end of the world ("completion of the age" is from the Manuscripts). Jesus was with them in the form of the Holy Spirit to guide and lead them through their age, just as He had previously promised to give them a “comforter”…

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever,

John 14:26 But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.

Provided we are saved, and continue to remain in Christ, He will also be with us until the end of our age.

__________________
In Christ,
brother Sonnie

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'