Replies

John is writing about individual sin. We as Christians have to confess our sins to Christ. Not once saved always saved. You can see my original post.

We are not Robots. It is relationship with God. Two way street. Not everything is done and we walk in between the raindrops.

When we walk past the Pearly Gates of Heaven and we know for sure that we are at least 5 feet past then we are truly saved. Then we never will be tempted again by the enemy. But in the mean time we are still on earth. The enemy will still tempt us.

That kind of reasoning contradicts Scripture because it makes our salvation dependent on our own works righteousness and we are NOT saved by our own righteousness but by the righteousness of Christ FOR us. We are found IN HIM, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9)

Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy He saved us. (Titus 2:5)

Those who have received Christ KNOW we are sinners and deserve hell but we also know that Christ died for us so that we can be redeemed. He shed his precious blood as payment for those sins - for ALL sin - and to think that somehow we must add to that perfect sacrifice our goodness in order to be saved is to reject the grace of God. Will we still have a problem with sin in our lives after we have trusted in Christ? Yes, but we know that we can confess our sins and God is faithful and will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The Holy SPirit is within us convicting us of sin and enabling us to live as God wants us to - in victory. We are NOT saved because we are good, we are saved because God first loved us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We are not condemned if we have believed on Him. Only HIS blood cleanses us from sin. Only HIS blood pays for sin. I do not set aside the grace of God, if righteousness comes by obeying the law, Christ died for no reason. (Galatians 2:21) Please understand this.

BTW...cute pics.

"We as Christians have to confess our sins to Christ. Not once saved always saved..."

So if we neglect to confess our sin to Him who "knew all men" and to whom "nothing is hidden" then we would loose our salvation?

"When we walk past the Pearly Gates of Heaven and we know for sure that we are at least 5 feet past then we are truly saved..."

I understand that line of thinking johngrace but seeing the kingdom of God through the eyes of a child does not mean if I fail to list everything I do that is wrong He will no longer be my Father and I will no longer be His child.What earthly human father would do such a thing? Is their love and acceptance stronger than God's?

This is a guarantee.... 2 Peter 1:10 "Wherefore the rather brethren,give dilligence to make your calling and election sure,for if ye do these things ye shall never fall"

*IF* you "make your calling and election sure" ("sure" to whom? God who knows all things?)"ye shall NEVER FALL"

We can know now.

Galatians 2:20-21 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

When God sees me IN CHRIST, then He sees me crucified IN CHRIST, and I am clothed in Christ's righteousness, which is the righteousness God sees when He looks at me. He doesn't see my own righteousness, which can never meet His standards.

I died IN Christ. I live IN CHRIST. I am seated in the heavenlies NOW IN CHRIST.

Sin is only removed by forgiveness, and forgiveness by its very nature is a gift. It cannot be earned. No amount of good works can procure salvation. There is no good outweighing the bad. There is no accounting of our deeds or motivations because we already stand condemned by the fact that we sinned ONCE. Even if all we ever did was sin once, that would be enough to condemn us, just as Adam sinned ONCE and died.

Works cannot and do not save. They never have and they never will.

It is completely by God's mercy and grace and we can know for sure now because God who cannot lie said that if we believe in Jesus, our faith is counted to us as righteousness.

Romans 4:1-8 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

And where there is forgiveness, there is no more sin to account for or try to work off.

Hebrews 10:18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

If you're forgiven, there's nothing left to work off. If there's something to work off, then you haven't been forgiven.