SALVATION: HERE TODAY - GONE TOMORROW?
The debate rages on. Can one lose his or her salvation after accepting Jesus Christ as Savior?
Is there a sin great enough to snatch a person's eternal security away from him?
In this article, we will examine the passages that many have claimed 'prove' their doctrine. Without being judgmental, and looking at the verses and passages in context, and in a literal sense, one should be able to arrive at a conclusion.
Most evangelicals DO NOT believe that this doctrine should be cause for argument, nor for breaking fellowship with those of different opinions. Unfortunately, this is exactly what has happened in many instances. Let's plunge into the subject, and see if we can come to a conclusion!
Matthew 10:22 is one of the many passages that indicates one can lose salvation. Let's examine it in detail. " And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (KJV-New Scofield Edition)
Following is what Scofield states about this passage:
"The word "saved" is used here, not in the sense of the salvation of the soul but of deliverance out of persecution."
The Greek for "saved" is "sozo" which also means "safe"; Deliver(ed)"; "Protect"; or "heal".
The Greek for "endure" is "hupomeno": "to stay under (behind)"; "remain"; "undergo"; "abide"; and "preserver".
The complete passage, Matt. 10: 16 - 42, has Jesus preparing His disciples for missionary work. Verse 16 states: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."
He is, in effect, warning the disciples of the persecutions they are about to face.
So the one who endures shall be "safe" or "protected" by his faith. This line of reasoning certainly makes more sense than that of "enduring to get saved" or "enduring to keep salvation".
Matthew 10: 32-33: "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father, who is in heaven.
"But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father, who is in heaven."
Again, He is instructing His disciples, who are saved, (except for Judas), preparing them for the work to come. His emphasis is on their love for Him. They (and we) must put the love of Christ ahead and above all other love. In verses 34-38, He states we are to Love Him more than father, mother, son, or daughter. We are to "take up our cross" and follow Him, no matter what persecutions and hardships we may face. If we are not willing to do this, we are not worthy to follow Him.
Therefore, one who confesses the Lord, (in other words, accepts His salvation), He will not, He CANNOT deny that person "before the Father". Obviously, if one denies Christ, (turns down His salvation), He (Christ) will deny that person before the Father.
A denial of Christ cannot be made in earnest from one who is truly saved. One may temporally have a lapse of faith, I E Peter's denial three times of Christ at his trial, but the actual message of these words pertains to the unsaved. If one does not confess or accept Christ, unto salvation. there is no way that Christ will confess him to God.
Matthew 13: 4-23 The Parable of the sower
(Esp. Verses 20 and 21):
"But he that received the seed in stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and immediately with joy receiveth it;
"Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while' for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, immediately he is offended".
The same parable is related in Mark 4: 1-25; and Luke 8:4-15.
"The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy, But since he has not root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away." (NIV Study Bible)
These two verses have been thought to indicate loss of salvation, after "hearing the word" and "receiving it with joy', and then becoming "offended" or "falling away" because of it.
(Matthew Henry): The 'stony ground'....represents the case of hearers who receive some good impressions of the word, but they are not lasting. It is possible we may be a great deal better than some others, and yet not so good as we should be.
(1) "They hear the word": They don't turn their backs to it, nor a deaf ear. Hearing the word will not bring us to salvation, or heaven. We must believe the word, and accept it fully.
(2) He hears the word and "at once" (anon) receives it. Without trying it, swallows it without chewing, and then there can never be a good digestion.
(3) "They receive it with joy". There are many that are very glad to hear a good sermon, that yet do not profit by it. Many taste the good word of God and say they find sweetness in it, but some sin or lust comes along with which it (the word) cannot agree, and so they spit it out.
(4) They endure for awhile, but do not endure to the end. They have no root in themselves , no settled, fixed principles in their judgments, no firm resolution in their wills. It is possible there may be the green blade of a profession, where yet there is not the rood of grace. Although there may be a profession, without total grace and acceptance, there can be no "enduring".
(5) When times of trials and persecutions come, there is no stability. Those who have no root are soon offended".
The question, of course, is was this person represented in Christ's parable, truly saved. The words "receiving the word with Joy" is not speaking of the "Word", i.e., the Word that was made flesh, or Jesus. The meaning of "word" here is the preaching of God's message. Notice the word "word" is not capitalized. It is the word of God, but not the Word.
Matthew 24:13: (KJV) "But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved".
Here Jesus is explaining to the disciples about the end times. Wars, rumors of wars, etc. The love of many shall grow cold. (verse 12). The same root word for "saved", 'sox', is the same as in Matthew 10. Scofield states: "The reference is not to the salvation of the soul of the believer who endures persecution, but to his deliverance by the Lord's return".
Technically speaking, if one would have to "endure", that shows a sign of works. Since Salvation is through no works of our own, then the meaning of being "safe" or "saved" by the Lord's return makes more sense, (Scriptually speaking).
Matthew 24:24 (KJV) "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."
This passage states that "if it were possible", the elect (Greek - chosen) would be deceived (Greek - erred). This being the case, it is obvious that it is NOT possible for the elect, or chosen, to be deceived. One could argue that this takes place during the Tribulation, and after the Holy Spirit is taken out of the world. However, the "tribulation saved" will still have the Holy Spirit doing the "saving". If He could be "taken away" then, He also could be taken away now, during the "age of Grace".
Some also could argue that the word "deceive" does not mean "lose salvation". However, even a Christian can be deceived into believing doctrines that are not true. The only thing is required to be saved in "trusting in Christ to save you", and confessing Christ as your Savior. Since the words in Matthew 24:24 states that "if it were possible......". This tells me that we're not speaking of just a "mis-understanding" of God's Word, but a total "losing" of God's Word, therefore, His salvation.
John 3:15 & 16: "That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life".
There is no question that belief in Christ gives eternal life. The question that arises is: Can someone who truly believes, ever willingly stop believing. Can someone willfully deny and turn away from, Christ. There are some passages that allude to the possibility of this happening, which we shall investigate as we go on. However, the reader should understand that in the Greek, certain words have a different and deeper meaning than we do in the English language. For example, the Greek word for "Believe" is "pisteuo", (verb); which denotes a deeper meaning than our English translation. In Greek, "pisteuo" denotes "adherence to, committal to, faith in, reliance upon, trust in" a person. Therefore, it doesn't simply mean: "I believe in Jesus". The Bible says even the demons knew Christ was Messiah. But they, of course, did not put their total trust in Him to save them. In accepting the salvation of the Lord, we go much further than simply "believing"; we must also put our complete and full "trust", "confidence" and "commitment" into Him. The question then becomes: "Can someone who has done all this, at some time in the future, turn away from this belief, trust, and commitment?" On the surface, it looks as if the answer could be: "Yes"! If it's possible to "change one's mind"; (and accept Christ); it is also possible to "change one's mind again", and stop believing, or "un-accept" Christ. But if we take other scripture at face value, which we will see a little later on, Christ "seals" * us unto the day of redemption. (Eph. 1:13; 4:30;) He states He will "never leave or forsake us" (Hebrews 13:5) and will "be with us always until the end of the age". (Matthew 28:20)
Note all of these statements do not include the words: "as long as you keep believing", or "as long as you don't deny me".
What about those who get saved, and do trust in Him, but then fall victim to a false doctrine, such as Mormonism, Jehovah's Witness, etc. We understand that only God knows the heart, and the Bible says the only requirement for Salvation is "Belief and confession". If these criteria are met, then the soul will be saved even though the "believer" may not understand or believe every doctrine.
If the Holy Spirit "seals" us, as the Scripture states, then I believe that the Holy Spirit will also "convict" the true believer that his ideas and doctrines are wrong. Whether or not the person involved listens to these "whisperings" of the Spirit is up to the individual. He may suffer loss of rewards and "crowns", but his soul will be saved.
When one is saved, he is "adopted" into the family of God. He becomes Christ's. While a father may "legally" disown a child, that child is still his child. Nothing can ever happen to make that child stop being an off-spring of his father. The blood relationship is still there. A Christian may stop believing for a time; he may fall into a severe back-slidden state, but I don't believe he can ever stop "being a child of God"; if in fact, he was truly saved in the first place.
John 5:22-24 seems to back this idea up. Christ says:
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son;
"That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father, who hath sent him.
"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 judgment, but is passed from death unto life."
If the believer "shall not come into judgment", then he is forgiven of all sin. That would, it seems, also take into account the possible sin of unbelief at some future time.
Jesus knows the hearts of all men. God has given Him the power and the responsibility of judgment. We know that Peter denied His Lord three times, and in fact this was predicted by Jesus before it even happened. Did Peter lose his salivation for a period of time before he repented. Of course not. Christ knew his heart. He knew it was out of fear: (a human emotion which I'm sure Christ felt at the Garden of Gethsemane as indicated by His prayers to His Father. His fears were not only regarding the pain and suffering, and death, He was about to endure, but the realization that there would be a period of time He would be separated from God the Father): and that Peter's love for Him was sincere, although his faith was weak. I wonder what we would do given the same set of circumstances.
John 6:27 "Labor not for the food which perisheth, but for that food which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you for Him hath God the Father sealed".
What exactly does in mean to be "sealed". In the above passage, the "sealing" is between God the Father and Christ. God has:"....given Him full authority to deal between God and man, as God's 'ambassador' to man and man's 'intercessor' with God, and has proved his commission by miracles". (Matthew Henry Commentary)
A seal in Biblical times was: "A signet ring or cylinder, engraved with the owner's name or some design, or both. It was worn on the finger, if a ring, or was strung on a cord and hung around the neck. Men affixed their seal as signature to letters or other documents. These were usually written on clay, and the seal was pressed on the soft material and left its mark. Chests, boxes, tombs or anything which required to be guarded from being opened, were sealed with the signet of the person who had authority to prohibit intrusion. (See Job 14:17; Dan. 7:17; Matthew 27:66; Revelation 5:1) (Davis Dictionary of the Bible).
Ephesians 1:13: "In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise."
"The Holy Spirit Himself is the seal. In the symbolism of Scripture a seal signifies: (1) a finished transaction (Jer.32:9-10; John 17:4; 19:30); (2) ownership (Jer. 32:11-12; 2 Timothy 2:19); and (3) security (Est. 8:8; Dan. 6:17; Eph. 4:30) (New Scofield Reference Bible; Pg 1273)
Based on our knowledge of how God works, that once He "seals" someone, it (the seal) cannot be removed or "unsealed", and we conclude that the only way for one to lose his or her salvation is for that seal to be removed, we must acknowledge the fact that once we are saved, and sealed with the Holy Spirit, we cannot become "unsealed".
9-John 6: 38-40: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will but the will of Him that sent me.
"And this is the Father's will who hath sent me, that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
"And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone who seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
It is God's will that Christ should lose no one. Those that believe on Him will absolutely have eternal life with Christ. The question that arises is, of course, can a person stop believing? Can a person stop trusting in the Lord. The answer, of course, is yes. But the real question that comes to mind is, did that person really believe unto salvation? If we are sealed, as the Scripture states, then a person may lose hope; he may get "angry" at God for a time; he may even deny any faith and belief in Christ. But according to God's word, he is still sealed. I believe that means that eventually, that person, if he's truly saved, will come back to Christ, just as Peter repented for his three denials. It appears from scripture, that God actually prevents a person from going too far. That His "Seal of Protection" will turn that person around, or, cause his premature "departure" from this world. It is possible to commit a "sin unto death", about which we'll examine a little later.
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, who gave them to me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."
The questions asked in the preceding section regarding the "changing of one's mind," is answered in the above passage. The words "no man" must include ones own self. In other words, if no man can pluck the sheep (the saved) from God's hands, that also must include the person himself, for he (or she) is a man (or woman).
"for no man (including the man in question) is able to pluck them out....."
Romans 8:35; 38-39: (New Scofield Reference Bible)
"What (Who-KJV) shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"
"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities (Greek - rulers; NIV - demons), nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation (creature-KJV), shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord."
Paul pretty much sums it all up in these three verses. What constitutes the "Love of God?" It is the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Without the Holy Spirit, we are lost. Paul states that none of these things, powers, etc. can separate us from "The Love of God", or, in other words, take the Holy Spirit from us, thereby causing a loss of salvation.
Since Christ's sacrifice, and our belief in it, forgave us of all sin, then no sin can separate us from the Love of Christ. And since it is belief and faith in Christ which saves us, (Belief in His atoning powers, by faith), then is it possible to lose one's salvation by discontinuing that belief, or faith? Let's get right down to the nitty-gritty! What power would cause such an act? It would naturally be that of Satan, through the work of one of his angels (demons). Now Paul said "no angel, or power" shall separate us from the Love of God. That would have to include the power of Satan and his angels.
Romans 8:29-30:
"For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the first born among many brethren.
"Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them he also glorified."
Romans 9: 23-24:
"And that He might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had before prepared unto glory,
"Even us, whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles."
Whoa, wait a minute! Can God change His mind? Can God make a mistake? Here in these passages, Paul states that God knew before hand who He was going to call unto salvation. He predestined certain ones of us to become His children. (See comments on Ephesians 1: 4-5, below) If it were possible to change our mind and become 'unsaved', that would mean that God either decided to allow that to happen, or God didn't really know before hand that it would happen. Therefore, if it is the former, that He allowed it to happen, that would mean that He changed his mind about us, and we know that is not possible.
We also know that the latter is not possible, because God is omniscient, and knows all.
2 Peter 3:9 states:
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is long-suffering (patient) toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance".
In reality, God knows some will and some won't. The ones that do come to Him, that do trust Jesus, he knew before hand. We still have a free will. God doesn't "force" us to get saved, but He, in His infinite wisdom and knowledge, knows those that are truly His children, and those who may claim to be, but are, in reality, not His children.
We'll get more into "predestination a little later....it's a fascination, and controversial, subject.
(Rom 11:17 KJV):
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
"The olive tree represents the blessings promised to Abraham's seed. (the Jews). Though Gentiles do not, by faith in Christ, inherit Israel's particular promises, they do receive the blessing promised to "all families of the earth" (Gen. 12:3) (New Scofield Reference Bible Pg. 1226)
(Rom 11:18-25 KJV):
18-Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
19-Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
20- Well; because of unbelief they (the Jews) were broken off, and thou (the Gentiles or Christian believers) standest by faith. Be not high-minded (or conceited), but fear:
21-For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
22- Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
23-And they (the Jews) also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
24-For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25-For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in."
We, as non-Jews (gentiles), are "grafted" onto the branch, while the Jews are the natural branch. Christ is the root. Paul warns against boasting by the Gentiles because they were chosen (grafted in) to partake of the "fatness" of the olive. This was due to the unbelief of the Jews. The Jews were "cut off". But the Gentiles can be cut off if they (we) do not remain in faith and belief. We will lose the promises and pleasures that was promised Abraham's seed, the "fatness" of the olive, but nowhere does it state that they (we ) would lose our salvation. Verse 25 states that "blindness in part has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." That won't be until midway between the tribulation period. Then Israel's eyes will be opened.
Admittedly, this is a tough passage. If read on the surface, it certainly looks like we could lose salvation by not "staying in God's goodness". But again, relying on other passages we have taken into consideration, These words cannot relate to loss of salvation.
By falling into a state of unbelief, or denial of the Lord, we definitely will lose our joy, and the pleasures and promises of God through the Holy Spirit. The "fatness of the Olive" certainly will not be ours if we're in this state.
Delivered to Satan, to be SAVED?
1 Corinthians 5: 4-5:
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
"To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (The NIV substitutes "flesh" with "sinful nature")
Here is a prime example of the fact that sin cannot cause us to lose our salvation. Paul is speaking to the Corinthian Church regarding a man who is living with, or having sexual relations with, his "father's wife". This is probably the man's step-mother. Leviticus 18: 6-8 prohibits the "coming together of a close kin". Not only is this man sinning, the Church is looking the other way. (Verse 2). Paul is admonishing the Church for this action, (or inaction as the case may be).
The word "destruction" in this case does not mean the killing or doing away with the flesh. The word comes from the Greek "olethros" and is used in many other places and is translated in the KJV as "destroy", Destruction," "Perish", "defile", and the like.
(Scofield): "There is no thought in these various words of annihilation but of something that is ruined and thus unsuitable or unable to fulfill it original purpose....."!
Paul is stating that even though this man is "turned over to Satan", he will still be saved. Paul doesn't mention anything about the man ever repenting. He just makes a flat statement, ".....his spirit will be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus".
It is apparent that if this man is living in this sin, he certainly can not be "walking in faith". He is committing an act of adultery, and incest. Yet, Paul confirms that this will not cause him to lose his salvation.
"Turning over to Satan could, in fact, end in taking that person out of this world prematurely, I.E., the "sin unto death".
Ephesians 1: 4-5 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Using almost the same language as in Romans 8:29-30, Paul reiterates the fact that since God "chose us before the foundation of the world", and "predistinated us", for us to in any way lose that salvation, would mean that God was in error. By being "adopted" into the family of Christ, we will claim all of the legal and personal glories and rewards that are available to us.
" 'Adoption', (Greek huiothesia, meaning 'placing as a son' ) is not so much a word of relationship as of position. In regeneration a Christian receives the nature of a child of God; in adoption he receives the position of a son of God. Every Christian obtains the place of a child and the right to be called a son the moment he believes (Gal.3:25-26; Gal. 4:6; 1John 3:1-2). The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the Christian's present experience (Gal. 4:6); but the full manifestation of his sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called "the redemption of the body" (Roman 8:23; Eph. 1:14; 1 Thes. 4:14-17; 1 John 3:2). ( New Scofield Reference Bible, Pg. 1272)
(More passages that indicate "loss of salvation")
This next passage is a toughie. I must admit, on the surface, the way it's translated, it looks as though one can fall out of reconciliation with the Lord by "not continuing in the faith" (see verse 23)
(Col 1:20 KJV) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
21-And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22- In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23- If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
24- Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
25- Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;
Following is the actual Greek word, and its meanings for the first word of verse 23. (The NASB, NIV, and NKJ all say "if indeed". Only the KJV omits "indeed").
eige, i'-gheh: if indeed, seeing that, unless, (with neg.) otherwise:--if (so be that, yet)
When we read verse 23 in a negative sense; "if indeed" connotes a negative feeling. However, notice it can also translate "seeing that", which is more of a positive tense. In other words, the reconciliation that has taken place is causing the person reconciled to continue in the faith, and keeping one from "moving away from the hope of the Gospel.
There is another explanation for this passage, and other passages that connote a possibility of loss of salvation "if" something or another happens or doesn't happen. H. A. Ironside, in his booklet Eternal Security explains these "if" passages thus: (See also Hebrews 3:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
"What does the Spirit of God mean by bringing these "ifs" in? In every one of the instances he is addressing bodies of people. (Ironside states there are other passages using the word "if", but they all fall under this explanation); I stand here to address you as a body of people. if I were to ask everybody who professes to be a Christian to stand, I suppose nearly everybody would rise. Would that prove that you are all Christians? it would show that you "profess" to be Christians. What would prove that you really are? "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel." You profess to have received the gospel' you are saved if you keep in memory what has been preached unto you. If you do not, it just shows that there is no reality.
The faith here is not the faith BY which you are saved, it is not the faith which you believe; but it is that which you believe. Jude says, "Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude verse 3). That is the body of Christian doctrine, and, if a real Christian, you will stand for that Christian doctrine to the end' but if not, you may become a Mormon, or a Christian Scientist, or a theosophist, or something like that. Then you simply show there is no reality. It is a very easy thing to say, "I am saved"; it is another thing to prove it"
Both explanations make sense, and, in fact, both may be applicable. Don't let these "if" passages throw you. The Word of God cannot go in two different directions. While these difficult verses that allude to losing salvation can be explained, I have not found a way to "explain away" those passages that guarantee security can NOT be lost. There are many who would disagree with these explanations, and I believe they are every bit as saved as those who do agree with these explanations. I do not believe that one's salvation is based upon whether or not he or she believes one way or the other. One's salvation is based upon belief and trust in Christ and His redemptive work. I DO believe we should seek out and discover, as much as we possibly can, what God's word says and means. But I certainly don't believe that God's word was meant to cause strife and arguments among His chosen. I believe that some denominations that adhere to the practice of having no fellowship with denominations that have different beliefs in some matters, are dead wrong. I believe that we're going to be surprised when we get to heaven and find many people there that we didn't think would be there. I also believe the opposite to be true, there may be some NOT there that we thought sure would be there. Time will tell.
(1 Tim 4:1 KJV) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2-Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3-Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5-For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Put this together with 2 Timothy 4:1-8.
1-This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2-For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3-Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despises of those that are good,
4-Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5-Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6-For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7-Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8-Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
The preceding passage in First Timothy has been used to "prove" loss of Salvation. The words "shall depart from the faith" is the trouble spot. (4:1)
We must realize that what is actually happening here is Paul is having a Spirit-led prophecy about some in the Church who are being led away by "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils". From the words he uses, it is obvious he is talking about a church or doctrine that is adding works to the plan of salvation. It is possible for a saved person to "depart from the (true) faith, and still be saved. What does it take for a person to receive salvation? Belief and confession (Romans 10: 9-10). If someone adds something to these requirements, it doesn't necessarily mean he is lost. There are many doctrines today that "add" something we must do in order to be saved. Many Christian doctrines, for example, believe one MUST be baptized to be saved. Is this not adding a "work" to God's plan? However, simply because one believes this to be fact, doesn't mean he isn't saved. It simply means he has misunderstood the total picture.
There are other doctrines that believe you "must speak in tongues" to "prove" an infilling of the Holy Spirit. This is not taught in Scripture, but I certainly don't believe that if someone believes this, they are lost.
On the other hand, if the doctrines are totally in violation of Scripture, I.E. the cultic teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, etc. then we have to believe these people cannot be saved, for they do not accept Jesus Christ as God, and therefore cannot put there faith in Him for salvation. However, I DO believe someone can get saved, and fall into error, possibly even join up with one of these cults, be led astray, but if he was truly saved to begin with, he will be in heaven when he dies. Since we cannot know the mind of God, we cannot judge. Only God, through Jesus, can judge.
Apostasy! This is what the above two passages is talking about. Like a said above, it appears that Paul, when writing to Timothy, had a prophetic vision, or sign. He foretold what was going to take place in the church in the "ladder days". It's obvious that a part of these "ladder days" has already taken place, with some doctrines forbidding certain meats, forbidding to marry, etc. But Paul is also talking about the "last days". This will be shortly before the coming of Our Lord in the clouds to take his Church home. Scofield defines apostasy thus:
"Apostasy, "falling away", is the act of professed Christian who deliberately reject revealed truth as to (1) the Deity of Jesus Christ, and (2) redemption through His atoning and redeeming sacrifice. (1 John 4:1-3; Phil. 3:18; 2 Peter 2:1). Apostasy differs, therefore, from error concerning truth, which may be the result of ignorance (Acts 19:1-6), or heresy, which may be due to the snare of Satan (2 Tim. 2:25-26), both of which may exist with true faith. The apostate is perfectly described in 2 Timothy 4:1-4.
Apostates depart from the faith, but not from the outward profession of Christianity (3:5). Apostate teachers are described in 4:3; 2 Peter 2:1-19; Jude 4,8,11-13,16. Apostasy in the church, as in Israel is irremediable (not to be remedied, un-repairable); and awaits judgment (2 Th. 2:10-12; 2 Peter 2:17,21; Jude 11-15; Rev. 3:14-16).
The Dictionary of Bible and Religion (Wm. Gentz, Editor)) defines an apostate thus:
A person who by choice separates from a body of which he or she belongs, whether that be a national or a church community. This means the repudiation of those tenets (beliefs) one has previously professed in the light of new or radically different commitments, or sometimes without adopting any substitute allegiance.
The big question is, is an apostate one who is born-again, truly saved, and departs from the faith, thereby losing his salvation? Again, only God knows the true heart of a person. On the surface, it looks like becoming an apostate would entail a loss of salvation. But, there seems to be a fine line between "going off in the wrong direction due to error", and completely denying your faith and turn to other doctrines. I do not believe that a person who is truly saved, washed in the blood, filled with the Holy Spirit, and born-again, can or will become an apostate. Scripture teaches that if a person starts leaning in that direction, one of two things will happen. (1)-God will set him straight, get him back in line with the Word, or (2)-take him out. Take him home prematurely before he can do any damage; before he can become a "stumbling block" to other Christians or potential Christians. There is a "sin unto death" spoken of in 1 John 5:16. Unfortunately, he doesn't elaborate as exactly what this sin is, but it has been generally accepted by most students of the Bible that this sin is that of purposely turning away from the faith. Denying Christ as Savior. Back-sliding to the extent that he becomes dangerous to the Gospel. This would take in becoming an apostate. This is not to be confused with the "unpardonable sin", the blaspheme of the Holy Spirit. The two are completely different.
Remember Matthew 24: 24: For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, IF POSSIBLE, even the elect.
It's obvious that the elect CANNOT be deceived, and it is for the elect's sake the days are shortened in verse 22.
Hebrews 6:4-6
This passage is one that has probably been interpreted in more ways than any other passage. Let's look at it from different Bible versions:
(New Scofield Reference Bible):
(4) (KJV) "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
(5) "And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,
(6) "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame."
(4) (NASB) "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit
(5) "and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
(6) "and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame."
(4) (NIV) "It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
(5) who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,
(6) if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace."
Read what Scofield states regarding the above passage:
"The warning in verses 6-8 has been understood in various ways. The major interpretations are:
(1) The warning is directed to some of the Jewish people who professed to be believers in Christ but stopped short of true faith in Him after advancing to the threshold of salvation.
(2) The admonition presents a hypothetical case; if one could "fall away", (v.6), it would be impossible to renew him again to repentance; for, in such an instance, it would be necessary for Christ to be crucified a second time. Obviously this will not occur (Heb. 10:12, 14); thus to fall away is impossible.
(3) The warning is directed toward believers who have fallen into sin to such an extent that they have crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh (v. 6), and are therefore disapproved and will lose their reward.
(4) the warning is to those who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and are in danger of falling away, through unbelief or sin, and losing their salvation.
Scripture abundantly affirms the Christian's eternal security; therefore this passage must not be interpreted as teaching that believers in Christ can lose their salvation."
So we have one of four scenarios.
One, we're talking about a person who is truly saved, falls away, losses his salvation. In this case, it would be impossible for him to be saved again. I have a problem with that meaning, because one, I don't believe a true believer can fall away so completely that he would become "un-saved". There are too many other passages and verses that say otherwise. Also, If that could happen, I don't understand why God would not allow that person to be "born-again", again.
Two, we're speaking of Jews who came very close to true salvation, but "stopped short" of becoming saved. They heard and received some of the word, and good thoughts, and even somewhat tasted "of the Holy Spirit", but didn't fully accept His salvation. This would also apply to men today.
Three, we're speaking of believers who have fallen into sin to the extent that they are close to committing the "sin unto death", and because of this sin, they risk losing their "rewards". This is not to be confused with losing salvation.
Or, four, we're speaking hypothetically, that if one "could" fall away, it would be impossible for him to get "saved again", for that would mean crucifying Christ a second time. Since Scripture states that through God, "all things are possible", then God could "re-save" a person, IF that person could lose his salvation. Their would be no reason He couldn't.
But if we take the word "Impossible" to mean "impossible to lose salvation, the passage makes sense.
Again, if we take the passage to mean it IS possible to lose salvation, and we cannot be "re-saved", then that contradicts all the other passages that guarantee full and complete security to the saved.
H. A. Ironside, in his booklet Eternal Security, goes to great lengths to explain this difficult passage. We quote in part:
"If this passage teaches that a man once saved can be lost again, then it also teaches that if that man is lost again, he can never repent and be saved. In other words, if that passage teaches that a man once saved can be lost again, it teaches that if you have ever been saved and you are now lost, you have a one-way ticket for hell, and there is no turning back.
The apostle is speaking to people who have the Old Testament and have been intellectually convinced that Jesus is the Messiah but who are exposed to persecution if they confess His name. Even if not genuine, they know that Jesus is the Messiah, and they must have felt the power and seen the evidence of His authority in the miracles wrought. Yet they can turn their backs upon it all and go back to Judaism, and go into the synagogue again and say "we do not believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God; we refuse the authority of this man. He should be crucified:. They crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. The Apostle says, "do not try to do anything there; you cannot, for they have gone too far. They are apostate." It proves that they are not real Christians. "
Ironside goes on to say that they were "enlightened, without being saved. Many people hear the gospel message and get a "good feeling" about it, but still do not accept Jesus as Savior.
He continues: "....and have tasted of the heavenly gift" It is one thing to taste; it is another thing to eat. Many a person has gone that far and never been saved."
" '......and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost.' They were neither sealed, nor indwelt, nor baptized, nor filled with the Spirit. He does not use one of the terms that refer to the Spirit's great offices, but says, "and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost."
"If you will keep in mind the difference between an apostate and a backslider, it will save you a lot of trouble over many Scriptures. The apostate knows all about Christianity but never has been a real Christian. The backslider is a person who has known Christ, who did love Him, but became cold in his soul, lost out in his spiritual life. There is not a Christian who has not often been guilty of backsliding. That is why we need the Lord as our advocate to restore our souls. When backslidden, it is not our 'union' with Him that is destroyed, but it is our ''communion.'
"You may say, 'Why are you so sure that a real Christian does not apostatize?' Because God says so in His Word. 1 John 2:18: "little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." Antichrist means 'opposed to Christ.' The apostate is always a man opposed to Christ. A man says, 'I have tried it all, there is nothing in it,' and so denounces Christ. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."
The words "no doubt" are in italics and really cast a doubt. Leave those words out for they do not belong in the (original) Greek text, and read it, "They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us." And then he adds, "They went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not altogether (that is the literal rendering) of us" (1 John 2:19) In other words, they were with us in profession, in outward fellowship, but not altogether of us, because they had never really been born of God.
Hebrews 13:5 (New Scofield)
Let your 'manner of life' (KJV: 'conversation') be without covetousness, (Lit. 'love of money') and be content with such things as ye have; for He hath said ' I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ' ".
In verses one through four, The writer has given directions to the Hebrews. He has said, "Let brotherly love continue; Welcome strangers into your home for they may be angels; remember those in bonds, and who suffer adversity; and speaks of marriage being 'honorable', and that God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Notice the words "I will never leave or forsake you." He doesn't say "if you do thus or so", or "if you continue this way or that". Christ puts no limitations on His statement. Some might say, "I agree with that, but what's to keep us from leaving or forsaking Christ?"
When and if that happens, is Christ still obligated to keep us saved?
I believe the answer to that is based on the fact that a truly born-again person cannot leave or forsake Christ. He might lose faith; he might lose fellowship by falling in to sin, (backsliding); he may even start to doubt his own salvation. But the Word of God says we are saved by FAITH. Not feelings, not emotions, but faith. Since we have read that we are sealed; since we have read that no power or force or principality etc. can separate us from the love of God, then I must believe that actual "falling away as to lose salvation" is prevented by God to his chosen, predestined, elected individual. Either God has the power over Satan, or he doesn't. I prefer to believe that he does. If it's true that there is no power on earth, below earth, or above earth that can separate us from God, then that must include the power of Satan, and, let's be realistic, the only way a person can lose faith, fall into dis-fellowship, is by the power of Satan. Since God's power is greater, He will not, He cannot allow Satan to take our salvation.
If he, (Satan) could take our salvation, that would mean that Satan's power is greater than God's. And that is impossible.
2 Peter 1:10" Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."
Some have taken the above passage to indicate a loss of salvation if we fail to "do these things". Do what things? In previous verses, Peter has listed the virtues and requirements to live a spirit filled life, and live according to Christ's example.
Verse 3 states: "According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue".
Verse 5: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; (6) and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, patience; and to patience, godliness; (7) and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love, (8) for if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ".
He goes on to say in verse 9 that if one lacks these things he is "blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."
Then we come to verse 10, that tells us to "be diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if we do these things, we won't fall." This implies that if we are not diligent, we will fall. And that is true. However, the word "fall" doesn't mean "lose salvation" The passage doesn't say "fall from grace", or fall "out of salvation". Many Christians fall from fellowship, fall from the peace and joy that they have in the Lord. Peter is giving us a list, so to speak, of the virtues and attributes a Christian should "be diligent toward" to keep this from happening.
2 Peter 2: 20-21: (KJV)
(20) "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
(21) "for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
This passage has also been shown to "prove" a loss of salvation. But notice what Peter is actually saying. They have "escaped......through the "knowledge" of the Lord. We have stated previously that a person can certainly have knowledge of the saving grace provided by Jesus, but not accept it as binding on their souls. Peter is stating that it is better as far as the personal "hell" an unbeliever will face, to have never heard the Word, than to have heard the Word, and not accepted it. There is a belief that there are "degrees" of hell. While it is true that the only way to Heaven is through Christ, God, being a just God, apparently has a plan in which the unbeliever who has never heard the Word, who has never been told of Christ, is given a less harsh sentence than the unbeliever that has heard the Word, and chosen to ignore it.
1 John 2: 1 - 5
(1) "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not, And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
(2) And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
(3) And by this we do know that we know Him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
(5) But whosoever keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; by this know we that we are in Him.
This passage, and others like it that we call the "if" verses, leave one to think that it is necessary to "keep His commandment" in order to remain saved. The words "if we keep his commandments" will do thus and so, then conversely, if we DON'T keep his commandments, the opposite will happen. It also has been taken by many that salvation is by works. The "keeping of commandments" is a form of works.
First of all, what are Christ's commandments. Are they still the Ten Commandments that God handed to Moses in the Old Testament? No! Christ said there's only two commandments, We find them in Matthew 22: verses 37 through 40: "Jesus said unto him 'Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God, with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all they mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
Logically, if we were to follow those two commandments totally, they cover and incorporate the original ten commandments, plus just about any others one could think up. Obviously, if someone doesn't love God as directed by Jesus, nor loves his neighbor as he loves God, then he is a liar. He cannot be saved. Now, here's the rub. Who among us actually loves God the way we should? How do we know we're loving God enough? Who among us loves our neighbor enough? Does it mean, then, if we don't love God enough or our neighbor, we are not saved?
Again, God knows the heart. We can never love God the way He loves us. That's a fact. We're human and He's God. The love of God is one of the mysteries that we'll not learn until we get to heaven with Him. But we must love God as much as we are humanly able. God knows our failures and weaknesses.
He knows the sincerity or lack of sincerity on our part. Therefore, if we love God, and Christ as much as we are able, holding nothing back, and being in submission to Him, that's all we can do.
Now, as far as loving our neighbor. We all have a problem with this. It's one thing to love our family, our wives or husbands, our parents. We all have one or two "best friends" that we truly love. There may be people in the church that we have known for some time that we can truly say we love. But a stranger? A person we don't even know? Come on, now, Lord, how can we love whom we don't have any real contact with.
Well, we can't, not without the help of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the action of wanting to love our neighbor as we do God; I believe the desire to love is what God looks at. Again, being human, we cannot have the ability to love as God loves. And God knows this. I believe God reaches into the heart and feels what we are trying to accomplish. And we ourselves cannot accomplish anything without God's help, through the Holy Spirit. Letting ourselves be open to His leading, to His "still small voice" will enable us, eventually, to understand and feel the love the Scriptures are describing. Let's face it, if this kind of love were really in every Christian's heart, this whole world would be turned upside-down. We still don't want to give love without getting love in return. That's human nature. But God's nature is "love your fellow man as you love me."
Now, regarding the "if you keep my commandments" part, let's face it, if someone who claims salvation doesn't keep the only two commandments Christ gave, or at least to the best of his ability, keep them, it's doubtful he is truly born-again. You can't say "I know Him" (verse 4), and not keep his commandments, else you lie. Many people call themselves "Christian" and have no idea what being a Christian really means. If you have been truly born-again, you will want to keep the commandments, even knowing full well that as sinners, we're going to fall from time to time. John is talking here of a continuous attitude of "non-love" by a person claiming to be a Christian.
If we want proof that we "Love God with all our heart, soul and mind", then ask yourself this question: Is there anything in my life that comes before God? Is there in sin, any habit, anything at all that I put before my love for God and His Christ? if the answer is "yes", then you, and I, need to examine ourselves to allow God to work on these things. We will sin. But the guilt of that sin should cause us to want to stop. If we have no guilt about the sin we're committing, then it is a sign that we're not loving God as we should.
1 John 2:23-27
"Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father; he that confesseth the Son hath the Father also.
(24) Let that, therefore, abide in you which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
(25) And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
(26) These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
(27) But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Verse 24 seems to indicate that "if that which ye heard from the beginning...." doesn't remain in us, then we will not continue in the Son and the Father. What is this they have heard? The Gospel. The Word of God. The words of salvation.
Does this, in fact, mean a loss of salvation? Notice verse 23 that state whoever denies Christ, also denies the Father. If someone denies the Lord, he cannot be saved, right?
Well, what are we going to do with Peter? He denied Jesus not once, but three times. (Matthew 26: 69-75)
This fact is recorded in all four Gospels. (Mark 14: 66-72; Luke 22: 55-62; John 18: 15-18, 25-27).
The Lord must have thought in important enough to relate the story as many times as He did. Why? to show that God knows the heart. Was Peter lost at this very time he was denying Christ? I don't think so. I believe his human weakness, fear, is what took over. If Peter had, in fact, lost his salvation for a time until he repented, as it says he did in verse 75, where he wept bitterly after remembering Christ's words to him, then his salvation was not secure, and that goes against all the other verses and passages that tells us our salvation is secure.
Notice that nowhere in the above verses does it say: "if you don't continue in the Lord, you'll lose your salvation." No, it says "if that which you heard doesn't abide, you can't "continue" in the Father. I take that to mean loss of fellowship. Loss of the walk with God. It's a fact that when our faith becomes weak, when we stop praying and "abiding in the Lord", we lose fellowship. We are miserable. We feel totally separated from God.
1 John 4:4
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them (the antichrists mentioned in verse 3), because greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world."
Since the One who is in us, God Almighty, is stronger and more powerful than "he who is in the world", Satan, the king of evil, then that means Satan cannot cause any thing to happen that would let us turn away from or deny our salvation. Let's be honest, if it were possible for a true born-again person, one who has accepted Christ, to willfully turn away, deny, and completely denounce the Lord, what power on earth would cause this action? Satan, naturally, working in the mind and heart of a believer. This verse states that that cannot happen, that Satan just isn't powerful enough to "take us from the hand of God". We can fall, we can lose faith, we can back-slide, but Satan can never be strong enough to make us completely give up our salvation, and that's what many doctrines that teach salvation can be lost believe; that we can't lose it by sinning, but only buy refusing to believe. By changing our mind and saying, "I renounce or deny Jesus as Savior".
Since all our sins were committed after Christ's death, how can there be a separation of the two. If He died for your past sins, His death has to cover your future sins. For all of your sins, past and future, took place (or will take place), after His death, and Resurrection.
Also, we have the doctrine known as "predestination" with which to deal.
Predestination, as I understand it, is the doctrine that God, in His Omniscience, forknew, (knew before the world was), who was going accept His Son as savior, and who wasn't. This doctrine has been blown way out of proportion by some denominations, as to believe that is makes no difference whether or not we witness, utilize missionaries, etc., because God has already chosen those who are to be saved. this is not the case.
Since man has a free will, and of course, man doesn't know who is going to be saved or not, we are to follow the great commission and "go out to all parts of the earth" to witness and tell people about Jesus.
It does, however, mean that God has entered the names of the saved into His book of life, and those whose names are not in this book, are condemned already.
Predestination
Now let's look at the doctrine of "predestination" as promised. Most of what we know about predestination comes to us in the New Testament.
Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Romans 8:29 and 30 tells us that the saved, the true believers were predestinated before they were born to be part of God's chosen family.
Romans 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Eph. 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
When did God begin working on your salvation and mine? Before the world was created. Before time and space came into being. Our names were written in the Book of Life in eternity past.
1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Here, Peter talks of Christ being foreordained to become the Savior of mankind, to those who believed and accepted His Salvation.
O.K.! What's the bottom line?
Either you can, or cannot lose your salvation. After doing this research and study, I maintain that when a person accepts Jesus Christ as his personal Savior; he confesses he's a sinner; he repents from that sin-filled life; he becomes "born-again"; he gains an eternally kept, secure salvation that no power or force on, above, or below this earth can take away.
I also believe that your salvation is not based on whether or not you believe you can or cannot lose your salvation. In other words, if your saved, your saved. Let's assume for a moment that you can lose your salvation in some way or another. This belief in itself, will not cause you to lose your salvation. Or, keep you from becoming saved. So, we must stop belittling and condemning one another for our beliefs.
I have heard many who do not accept eternal security call the doctrine of eternal security such things as "that damnable doctrine" of eternal security. Why?
Why must we be at odds with those who do not agree with us? We all worship the same God! We all are saved by the same Blood of Christ! So why all the bickering.
I have been in Churches where they take the idea of "separation" so far, that they won't fellowship with other denominations, simply because they have different thoughts and tenets regarding salvation, baptism, and so on.
I sincerely hope this article will help you through some of the rough areas of this eternal security thing.
My prayer is that, whatever you believe, believe this: Jesus died for our sins. He died to set us free. This freedom from the penalty of sin should make us happy and joyful. I do not believe God's plan was to create a situation whereas we would constantly be in fear of losing our place with Him. I am secure in the knowledge that, even if I should fail once in a while, (which I certainly do), I am still His. I am still in His secure position of being saved. I don't have to wait until "judgment day" to find out if I made it or not. I sincerely hope you can say the same thing.
One last thought. This article was written with the Christian in mind. If you are not a Christian and happen to be reading this, it won't mean a thing to you, because you're lost. You have no hope of gaining eternal life, secure or otherwise, without being "born-again" into the brotherhood of Jesus. This much I know, and the Bible backs up: Without Christ, you are condemned to an eternity of separation from God in a burning, literal hell. That's a fact whether you accept it or not.
My plea to you, the un-saved, is this: Accept Jesus as your Savior. Ask Him to come into your life, believing that He died to take away your enslavement to sin, and to rescue you from eternal punishment. Confess this, and believe in His death, burial and resurrection. Ask Him to restore your spirit, heart, soul and mind to His love, and you will be saved. Without this, you have no hope.
Thank you Jesus!
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