Satan works in very deceptive ways in attempt to cause us to believe that once we are saved we have nothing to worry about. Satan would have us to believe that we can live and do as we please and God will simply ignore our wrong doings. He uses some very persuasive people and arguments in his mission to deceive us. Below is no exception. However, we as Christians know the truth will ultimately prevail.
The following was written in response to this thread, although after reading this information, it is apparent the writer made no real effort to read the thread completely, but rather responded after realizing it was a thread that would not comply with the writers’ close mindedness.
Let us consider the following carefully and fully understand how Scripture can be so easily taken out of context in an attempt to prove a false doctrine.
Quote:
The Eternal Security of the Believer
Is it scriptural proof, or is it fiction? Among professing Christians, there is a division on this subject. There are some who believe that once saved, they would put it, always saved. There are others which say, you could be saved today and lost tomorrow. The Armenians would take that view. The Calvinist would take the former view, once saved always saved.
|
There is no doubt there is Scriptural proof that we can be eternally secure provided we remain faithful. The Bible is very clear that all we have to do is remain faithful.
Rev 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
I ask this writer, what happens if we DO NOT remain faithful unto death?
I suppose the person writing about the false doctrine of once saved always saved is a Calvinist since he believes in the false doctrine. However, Christians, whether Armenian or not, will know and understand the truth. I see no reason to be a Calvinist, Baptist, Methodist or to be called by any other name other than Christian… the name by which God has given us.
Quote:
For myself, I am always distrustful of schools for interpretation, and I would say that we who are as the noble Bereans, that is to say, we who are testing all we hear and say by the Word of God, always hesitate to attach ourselves to any school. We will extract all we can from any thought, but the final test is, What sayeth the Lord in Scripture. And so it is with this subject, and with that, let us bring it before the bar of God, and see if it teaches one or the other. We had better start off, with this fact, that the Scripture teaches collaboration in three tenses, Past Present Future.
PAST – starting when sin is removed
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
PRESENT - our old man is crucified with him, is freed from sin’s power
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
FUTURE - gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Freed from the power of sin, Freed from the presence of sin, Because one day we are going to be conformed to the image of His Son and we are going to be spotless and holy as He is. Now if one believes that you can be Saved today and Lost tomorrow, you can heartily ascent to the past aspect of sin. Yes, you can say, I am being saved from its power, but I’m not infallible, I might slip and fall. And if I slip and fall, I can possibly lose Salvation. So they cannot believe, really, in a future Salvation for themselves, because they might miss it, they might slip and fall and its gone forever. Now that seems a pity doesn’t it, seeing as how Salvation is Lost if that is so. Well, we need to turn to the Word of God, and see if our initial supposition is founded in Truth or Fancy.
|
Satan used Scripture when he tempted Jesus, but it did not work.
Christians would not disagree that there is no condemnation “in Christ”. When we are baptized into Christ, our sins are washed away, just as Paul’s sins were washed away. (Acts 22:16)
The writer supporting this false doctrine of once save always saved would have us believe that once we are freed from sin, we no longer sin… and there is nothing we have to worry about. However, Paul never implies this… otherwise he would be contradicting his own writings.
Gal 5:4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
Of course Scripture also clearly shows that we cannot say that we do not sin.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
1Jo 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jo 1:10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Notice also that John writes, “But if we walk in the light”… then “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin”.
Now we know that John is writing to Christians… no doubt about that (1Jo 2:1). Why would he have to write, “But if”? Because it is possible for Christians to not always be walking in the light.
Clearly, according to John, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin “if” we walk in the light. He also makes it clear that we cannot always walk in the light.
1Jo 1:10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
I would ask the writer and those supporting this false doctrine to consider these questions…
What is the necessity of confessing our sins when we sin if there is in fact nothing to worry about?
If we cannot lose our salvation, why even bother to confess our sins?
Did God inspire John to write something that was totally unnecessary?
Quote:
Col 2:13 “…having forgiven you all trespasses”. Note the past tense. If all means all, then this means past sins, present sins, future sins. So if All sins have been Forgiven, is it possible that any one sin can cause a loss of Salvation? If God says He has forgiven All sins, and we remember God’s Principle, He says that not only does He Forgive, but He Forgets.
]What about that?
|
What about it? Well… this is an attempt to take Scripture out of context… a typical error of the unlearned and unstable. The writer here even states, “Note the past tense.” However, an attempt is made by the writer to somehow apply this to present and future sins. Has the writer so soon forgotten his own statement?
Let us consider the passage in its context…
Col 2:11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
Col 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Col 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
Col 2:14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
This is obviously a reference to the remission of old sins of which we are guilty of when we are buried with Him (baptized into Christ) and our sins are washed away. Note that Paul explains that our “debt that stood against us” was canceled. Peter clears this up for us…
2Pe 1:9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
As mentioned earlier… John clears up how we are forgiven for present and future sins in 1 John 1.
Quote:
|
“I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer. 31:34). If God can Forgive and Forget, and Put them behind His back, and all of those glorious Figures in Scripture, then how is it that one can trip that believer up and make that believer insecure about God’s Infinite Loving Mercy, Infinite Wisdom and Grace, His Unbounded Will, and take hold of the idea that the believer can forfeit Salvation?
|
We Christians will not argue that God forgets our sins when He forgives us our sins. First, when we are baptized into Christ. Then continually provided we walk in the light and confess our sins as He commands us to do in 1 John 1.
There is nothing in the Scriptures that teach any of the other deceptive comments made by the writer who would have us believe that God would be unloving, unmerciful, lacking wisdom and grace, if we lost our salvation.
Quote:
What I thought we could do, is bring a number of Scriptures together and then think of them as a whole, where we can come together and see that we can honestly come to the Lord’s Salvation plan for us, and then Lose it through any fall or slip of our own.
In John chapter 10, starting at verse 27, we read, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and They Shall Never Perish,” (does that look as though they can, well no – because The Savior says they can’t; They Shall Never Perish, and not only that) “neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”. (And the next verse says they can’t be plucked out of the Father’s hand)
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Well, if that isn’t a guarantee, then I don’t know what is! Three statements there. Three unambiguous statements saying They Shall Never Perish, strongly brought before us by the Savior Himself:
They are in my hands
They are in my Father’s hands
They cannot be plucked out
No exceptions made, He didn’t say they shall never perish until they slip and fall.
|
Again, our writer takes Scripture out of context in an attempt to support this false doctrine of once saves always saved.
We believe this is proof in itself that the writer has not fully read all that has been so thoroughly explained previously in this thread… as it is apparent that the writer has ignored our earlier explanation of this, but we will share it once again in hopes that the writer will read it this time.
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
In order to understand what Jesus is communicating to us in this passage, we have to consider the passage in context with what Jesus said earlier…
John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life."
We must "follow" Him, not just once, but continually. If we follow Him, we will have eternal life. Jesus said, "he who follows Me will not walk in darkness,". What does it mean to "walk in darkness"? It is to continually and willfully practice sin. So if we are saved we are obviously following Christ. If we fall into a habit of sin and continue in this sin, are we still following Christ? Absolutely not! Is it possible that there has never been any Christian that has fallen into a sinful pattern and continued in that sinful habit? Consider the repented and confessed sin versus willful sin…
1 John 1:6-9 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Repented and confessed sin.)
Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. (Willful sin.)
If we are following Christ and not walking in darkness, as John explains in 1 John, then the blood of Christ cleanses us from all of our sins. We must confess our sins and we will be forgiven and cleansed. But, if we walk in darkness we are practicing sin continually and willfully, and if we fail to repent and confess this sin we have no more sacrifice for sin. We have rejected Christ (our sacrifice) and lost our salvation.
Now let's go back to the original passage when Jesus says, "they shall never perish". From these last few passages we learn that as long as we walk in the light, and not in darkness, we will in fact never perish. Jesus says we must continue to "follow" Him and not "walk in darkness", obviously while we are saved. As long as we "follow" Him, we will certainly never perish. Also from the original passage Jesus says, "no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." The Greek word for "pluck" or "snatch" (harpazo¯) has a definition which means "to seize" or "carry off by force". This can only refer to anyone other than our own self. There is that possibility that we could turn away from God ourselves. If we lose something or give it away, are we plucking or snatching it from our self? Are we carrying it off by force? Plucking or snatching requires force by someone other than our self. You or no other person could take my salvation away, but I can fall away or walk away from God by my own free will. So to say that our salvation cannot be "plucked" out of God's hand is true. But, it does not mean we cannot lose our salvation by walking in darkness and turning away from God on our own... which in no way requires any "plucking".
Quote:
Let’s now turn and see what Peter says, 1 Peter v. 3:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively (Living) hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance Incorruptible, and Undefiled, and that Fadeth not away, Reserved in heaven for you, Who are Kept”
(Kept by who? Kept by You? Oh no, that wouldn’t be good),
“Kept by the Power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Kept, or guarded until the last time. That is future, at the Resurrection. So there is no doubt in Peter’s mind that some could go on for a short time, or even for a long time and then slip and lose Salvation. They’re kept by the power of God right on till the End.
|
Once again we see the writer has taken Scripture out of context as well as ignored Peter’s firm warning of falling away in 2 Peter.
2 Peter 1:1-3 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received the same precious faith with us, in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through a full knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord; who by His divine power has given us all things relating to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and virtue.
There can be no doubt that Peter is writing to Christians in this letter. He addresses "those who have received the SAME precious faith with us". Then Peter explains "through a FULL knowledge", that God, "by His divine power", has given us (the saved) all things relating to life and godliness "through the knowledge of Him". Let's look at what John wrote concerning what it means to “know” God…
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
When we "know" God, and Jesus Christ, who God has sent, we have eternal life. Again, there can be no doubt that in Peter's letter he is writing to those that "know" God, and are indeed saved. I really do not believe anyone would argue with this scriptural fact. Now let's continue with Peter's letter…
2 Peter 1:4 Through whom He gave us great and precious promises; that through these we may have fellowship with the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Once again we have evidence that Peter is writing to Christians... God gave us (Christians) great and precious promises. Peter further wrote that as Christians we have "escaped the corruption that is in the world". Through “these” promises we share (“have fellowship” - “partakers” in the KJV) in the divine nature—the holy character which God possesses. Now let's read what Peter explains to Christians that we should add to our faith after we are saved…
2 Peter 1:5-7 Because of this, give all diligence to add with your faith moral excellence, and with the moral excellence add knowledge; and with knowledge add self-control; and with self-control add steadfastness, and with steadfastness add godliness; and with godliness add brotherly love; and with brotherly love add love.
Because of these promises and our fellowship with the divine nature, we should strive to "add" to our faith all of these things he has mentioned. Next we learn what happens when we add "these things" and what happens if we do not add "these things"... let's continue with Peter's letter…
2 Peter 1:8-9 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
We learn that IF we have “these qualities”, that we are not idle or unproductive, but those that lack “these qualities”, he has “forgotten his purification from his former sins” (“cleansed of his old sins” KJV). If we have been cleansed from our old sins (purified), we have been washed of our sins, baptized into Christ, we have been forgiven of our sins... we are saved. Now we get to Peter's warning…
2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things you shall never fall. For in this manner the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.
If we do "these things" we will not fall. If we do not do "these things" then we have "forgotten" that our sins were cleansed, and we have a extremely clear warning from the apostle Peter that we must be very careful not to fall. Later in his letter, Peter warns of some who may cause us to fall…
2 Peter 2:1-3 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Peter explains that there will be "false teachers" among us and they will "secretly introduce" their own doctrines, teachings, and their own ways. Peter wrote "many" will follow their wrong ways, and that they will malign the truth. These false teachers will exploit us with their false words. Peter says more...
2 Peter 2:20-22 For if, after escaping the world's corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled and conquered by them, then their last condition is worse than their former one. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them. The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: "A dog returns to its vomit," and "A pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud."
Keeping in context, the “they” in “they are again entangled” is referring to the false teachers previously spoken of. They, "after escaping the world's corruptions through a full knowledge" (clearly indicating they were saved), "are again entangled and conquered" by the world. As Peter explains, it will not be good for them. In this same letter, Peter re-emphasizes that we must be careful not to fall... we cannot get all tangled up and fall back into the world... we must keep our guard up against such false teachers. Notice he says, “knowing these things before, be on guard”…
2 Peter 3:17 You then, beloved, knowing these things before, be on guard so that you will not be led astray by the error of the wicked, and fall from your own steadfastness.
Remember what Peter wrote earlier... that we should add "steadfastness" to our faith. We must take heed so that we will not fall from our “own steadfastness”. If it were impossible for us to lose our salvation, Peter’s warning is a moot point. Consider also what Peter wrote before his final warning... it further supports his earlier comments about false teachers deceiving us…
2 Peter 3:15-16 And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you. As also he speaks about these things in all his letters; in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, even as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
Fortunately, God is patient with us, giving us time to understand His word and to know Him. However, we must make wise use of our study time so that we can understand His word and come to know Him personally. Peter explains that there are those who do not understand the Scriptures because they have not learned the truth. Many people will simply listen to what others tell them and fail to study for themselves. Many people will take these false teachings they have learned and distort them further, to their own destruction. This is one reason it is so vitally important for us to study and understand the scriptures for ourselves, so that we can know the truth and not be misled by those that distort the scriptures. We must study God’s word, accept it for what it says, and not try to twist or wrestle with the scriptures. We do not want to follow that “broad” path that “leadeth to destruction”, and be eternally lost. (Matthew 7:13).
So… is Peter contradicting himself when he says God keeps us in 1 Peter and that we can fall from our steadfastness in 2 Peter? If not, what does he mean in 1 Peter?
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Does this passage somehow tell us that our salvation is kept and guarded unconditionally? Absolutely not!
There is no doubt that our inheritance is kept and guarded for us in heaven. There is no one who can take that away from us. Peter explains how that salvation is guarded… we have a part in receiving that inheritance that we must live up to. How then is God’s power guarding our inheritance… “through faith”. Faith is our part and God tells us that we must “remain faithful unto death” in order to receive that crown of life. (Rev 2:10)
Now we can clearly see that Peter is not contradicting himself, it is merely a matter of keeping the Scripture in context.
Quote:
Now lets go to Philippians 1 v 3. Paul is thanking them for receiving him and all their loyal fellowship, and he says:
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing”, Now, what’s is “This Very Thing”? Well, its this:
“that He (God) which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” Look at the word perform, “will finish it”.
He who has begun is going to finish.
Well, Can God not finish His work if you have fallen away? Well, that can’t be true can it? God doesn’t do His Work by Halves, I think that what some have forgotten, is that the whole thing from start to finish is God’s work and not the believer’s.
He is the One who Saves
He is the One who Begins
And He is the One who Finishes
He doesn’t say, ok, now I’ve started you off and now you can go on on your own strength, oh no, Never. He who has begun is going to finish His Glorious Work. And Loved ones, if that wasn’t so, can’t you see, that the Plan that is made known in the Bible would never come to its Glorious Finish. It would be ruined, because some, who the Lord had Redeemed, just wouldn’t be there.
|
The writer here loads us up with many words and opinions with no Scriptural support, but this passage in no way proves once saved always saved.
Phi 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
Phi 1:4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
Phi 1:5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Phi 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
We must consider why Paul is so sure that God will bring the good work that was started in them to completion. It does not imply that God does this in every case. This is merely Paul being confident that it will happen with the Philippians. Why? He tells us why…. “because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Paul was confident the Philippians would stand firm because of their faithfulness to God. I am also just as confident in anyone that partners with the gospel and continues in it faithfully. I am confident that any such Christian can be secure in their salvation provided they stand firm and remain faithful as the Philippians did. We simply cannot ignore the Scriptures that tell us we must remain faithful.
Quote:
Lets go back to the words of the Savior in John 17:11:
“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are”.
Keep them, Guard them Father
Through thine own Name
Now, do you think that anyone is going to snatch Salvation away when they are guarded like that? Paul and Peter says you are guarded till that day of Glory. The Savior says the same thing.
“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept”,
He had kept them, He has kept them, and He keeps telling them that, they’ve been guarded, they are kept:
“and None of them is Lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled”.
He’s referring to the 12, primarily, but surely this is true for all that are His. The Lord has guarded, the Father has guarded, None of His are Lost. But that’s not all, come down to v 24:
“Father, I will”, Now, I can’t say that, I can’t go to the Father and say “I will” (see the 5 I wills of Satan in Isaiah 14:13-14), I can’t make demands like that! I have to come to the Father in supplication before the Great and Mighty God and pray for His Will, but this is The One Who Is Equal, Who Has Said, “I and the Father are One”.
“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world".
This is the Will of The Son! now, are any going to drop out? are any going to slip and be turned away from God’s Glory who He has already foreordained and now making clear to all whom He Loves? Of course not, that just wouldn’t do, Christ says, All that thou hast given me will be with me and not one will be lost and they will see my Glory. Is that prayer of the Savior going to fail?
Surely this prayer cannot fail, “I have kept them”, and has His Power decreased, is He not able to complete His Plan for His children? Of course not.
Jesus Christ the same
yesterday,
and today,
and forever. All the true seed,
He has kept,
He is keeping,
and He they will be with Him, every single one. You can be sure that this is absolutely true, Praise His Name.
|
Here we have a gross misapplication of Scripture. Even the writer understands that Jesus is speaking of his 12 disciples, but then implies something Jesus never implied. This is adding to the Scriptures and we may not add to or take away from the Scripture or our name will be taken away.
The prayer of Jesus was expressly for His 12 disciples. There is no indication of any other purpose of the prayer. To imply such is not by faith, therefore the writer’s rhetoric here is in vain.
The writer would do good to adhere to his own guidelines initially supporting how the Scriptures speak in past, present and future tense.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
As we can read… Jesus is clearly speaking in the past tense, not future.
Quote:
lets go to Romans chapter 8, where we find the Godhead and His Love, who says:
“If God be for us, who can be against us?” Well, its not even worth considering is it? if you’ve got Almighty God for you, on your side, and that is then expanded, in verse 26 telling us we’ve got the Holy Spirit helping our weaknesses. He’s on our side and He’s making intercession for us, then later on not only the Holy Spirit, but the Lord in Glory.
Now those who believe that they can be Saved today and Lost tomorrow, they’ve got the Holy Sprit constantly interceding for them, AND they’ve got the risen Savior who’s doing the same thing, and then apparently that isn’t sufficient to Keep them. They can fall into some sin and then lose everything. Do you believe that? I can’t, I can’t, because I believe this is Absolutely Effective, and not only that, the Glorious challenge at the closing of this chapter would not be true if you could be saved then lost finally through our own failure. Paul says of his persuasion in verse 38:
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
Now wouldn’t it be Stupid to say, after all that language, that well, I might sin and lose God’s Salvation? Well lets take that and take comfort from it.
|
Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I could not agree more than the next person with what this verse tells us... but clearly it does not tell us that we cannot lose our salvation. What many would like us to believe is that because the verse says nothing can separate us from the love of God means God does not love the unsaved and only loves us once we are saved, therefore, losing our salvation would mean God no longer loves us (or it somehow separates His love from us). We could consider this passage in context and clearly learn this is not Paul’s point here, but instead of getting that deep into it, we’ll stick with the obvious. God gave His only begotten Son because He loved the whole world... that is everyone, lost and saved (John 3:16). Consider also what Paul wrote earlier in this chapter…
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Quote:
NOTHING can separate you from God’s Infinite Love, for God Is Love, and He is not the God of the Dead but of the Living, and not only that, but if your life is Hid in Christ With God, then NOTHING, NOONE, can take you, not even you yourself. Well, where does it say that you might ask, lets turn to Colossians 3, the first verses:
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory”.
Well then, what’s all this talk about losing something, because it is certainly safely hid With Christ IN God. But there must be something that says I can lose something, Yes, yes, there is something you can lose, but it can’t be speaking of the same thing, for God cannot contradict Himself.
|
Exactly… God cannot contradict Himself and to assume this passage somehow gives us protection from walking in darkness and being separated from salvation would cause there to be numerous contradictions by God, therefore we cannot try to add to God’s word and get something that is not there in an attempt to prove a false doctrine.
As God inspired many of the apostles to write, we are in Christ, our life is hid with Christ in God, we are promised the inheritance of heaven and eternal life, but it is absolutely not without condition. We must remain faithful. We cannot do as we desire after being saved and expect God to ignore it as if it never happened.
Quote:
Lets go to Titus, where we find written to us who are Gentiles,
“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began”.
He has promised us before the world began a sure hope, something we can most certainly hold and keep as our own truth, because if it is His Truth being made known to us, then it is our Truth as well. Now there are different spheres of blessings in the Bible, and although you CANNOT lose your Salvation, you can lose your prize. There is much to look at regarding the difference between your Salvation and continuing on in Faith for the receiving of a special Prize, or you can "draw back" so as to lose this Prize, but the Prize is not your Salvation.
Salvation is a gift,
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.not of yourselfs, lest any man should boast," (Eph 2:8-9)
The Prize is the Prize, it is the something in addition to your free gift of Salvation,
"the free gift is of many offenses unto justification", we read in Romans 5:15,16,18.
And you certainly want to continue on and receive the Prize, to be standing and hearing the words "Well done My good and faithful servant". Now, there is talk of working out your own Salvation, and this has to do with continuing on in your Faith and receiving the Prize. Work out your Salvation is to work for your Prize, or draw back and cast it away for some short term frill, casting off God for the moment. And THAT friends, is something every individual must seek to work out INDIVIDUALLY, to "work out your own Salvation".
|
This is more rhetoric and opinion by our writer supporting this false doctrine. I’m not sure how to respond to such nonsense with no Scriptural support. The passages included in no way support once save always saved and have been erroneously taken out of context. The writer would do well to study and observe his own warning to be like the Bereans.
Quote:
|
This is a very, very short study on this Most Glorious Subject, which is nothing less than the Goal of God's Redemptive Plan for the Ages. A very short look into this vast subject, for there is so, so very much, much more to look at, but I thought this might help some come to terms with the scare tactic, doom and gloom type teachers who have something else on their minds, (usually your money), because it just is not so beloved. God Love You More Than You Know And More Than You Can Know.
|
Yes, this has been a very short attempt at a study with numerous Scripture taken out of context, much rhetoric added to the Word of God, and a gross misapplication of Scripture in order to attempt to support a false doctrine.
And for this false teacher to imply we are after anyone’s money is totally uncalled for. This site is maintained free of charge with no advertising of any kind. We have never asked anyone for a dime and do not allow anyone else to do so. This false teacher and writer “Agreed” to our terms of service when registering with this forum. Our terms of service require you to read the forum rules and you acknowledge that you do so by checking the Agree block. Had this writer actually read our forum rules as he has falsely led us to believe he has, then there were be no need for such an insinuation on his part.
Satan will have you believe as this false teacher writes, twists, maligns and distorts the Scriptures to his own destruction. It is no wonder why Jesus said “many” will follow that broad path to destruction and only a “few” will find eternal life.
It is truly amazing how we can present Scripture (as we have in the first several posts of this thread) and those who would present their false doctrines will ignore all of the Scripture presented and offer up nothing more than what would appear to be contradiction. Not once do these naysayer’s attempt to explain any of the Scripture presented, yet we Christians continue to disprove their false doctrine, over and over and over again. Satan just never gives up.
It is my prayer that anyone reading this will look clearly at the Scriptures and see the truth of the matter. We have provided the Scriptures in truth for your study. We make no attempt to arrange the text to suit any false doctrines, but to merely support the truth of the matter.