“According to Protestant teachings, if a person becomes saved, are his future sins forgiven? Can a person lose his salvation? If not, can assurance of salvation become a license to sin?”
Yes, all sins are forgiven through Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross, for those who believe. No, you can’t lose your salvation. No, it is not a license to sin.
***
“If Ted Haggard had gone to be with the Lord early last year, while in the process of getting a ‘massage’ from his male ‘friend’, would he have gone straight to heaven?”
Yes, if he was truely a Christian, i.e. if he had a personal relationship with Jesus and had a true conversion (was born again, was a new person in Christ). We don’t know if he was/is or wasn’t/isn’t.
***
“Another Example - If you repented your sins last month, and got saved. But you then ended up dying suddenly, today, without fresh repentance for any sins you may have committed over the past month. Will you go to heaven?
Should you be sinless at the time of your death to go to heaven?”
Yes, you would go to heaven. Salvation is not dependent on confession of each and every sin. No, no one is “sinless” except for Jesus.
As I'm sitting here reviewing Bible passages, I am repeatedly encountering the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). (Thanks for the nudge, Holy Spirit!) :-)
If you read verses 20 and 21, you see that the son returns to his father's home. He has this wonderful plan to ask for forgiveness for all the bad things that he's done, BUT if you read carefully--he doesn't ask for forgiveness BEFORE he's forgiven by his father, but AFTERWARD!!!
As he nears his home, his father (God) sees him ( us/we sinners) coming and RUNS DOWN THE ROAD ~TO~ HIM. :*) He feels compassion for his son, and embraces his son, and kisses him before a single word is said. Is that the behavior of a wrathful judge who demands that we ask for forgiveness *first*? No! The son belonged to the father and was truly loved by him. The son sinned against his father and tried to come back to ask for forgiveness, but the father had already forgiven him! Still, after meeting his father again after so long being separated from him, the son DOES ask for forgiveness formally. The father responds by presenting the son with the highest honors possible because he is so overjoyed at their reunion. :*)
This is what awaits us as Christians. A Father who loves us so much He runs toward us to reunite with us. :*)
I love that story. :*) My daughter Maya's favorite too.