Its a perpetual struggle and not one of us will win every battle.
True, these passages of Scripture were the subject of this morning’s fellowship discussion.
If Paul, as you hypothetically state, had spent the first part of his life in a godly way and the last half persecuting Christians, no, he wouldn’t have gone to heaven.
But, someone who believes that once saved always saved, would say that therefore he was never actually saved.
The doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints - “once saved, always saved,” is often applied in a backwards fashion. I suppose, that in our naturally sinful mindsets, it is natural to us.
It does NOT mean you can say the sinner’s prayer, live a life of evil, and go to heaven. That is totally unbiblical.
It DOES mean that if you are truly saved, you will never fall away. Not because you are so faithful, but because God is so merciful.
So, Templeton (presumably) was never really saved. That’s all his apostacy showed.
It really depends upon which side of the telescope you are looking through.
If he repented-—genuinely—at death, perhaps he received forgiveness from our Lord.
Only God knows.
If we could get to heaven by being good why would it have been necessary for God to send His Son to die on a cross?
He paid a price He didn’t owe because we owe a price we cannot pay.
Brace for impact....
So many people think that salvation is the end of Christianity. In fact, it’s just the beginning.
Because God calls us to continue to be obedient to the Holy Spirit and do His work on earth after He saves us (notice HE saves us...we do not save ourselves).
One can live dissolutely if one wants...but it is not a life of spiritual peace. Paul's way is more glorifying to God and a life lived in harmony with Him.
Was Judas EVER saved? He did believe Jesus was the Son of God at one time. When Jesus sent out the disciples two by two, ALL disciples performed miracles (including Judas). He didn’t persevere. Satan did. Judas was replaced (as all who forfeit their place in the Kingdom of Heaven will be replaced).
**Does the Bible Teach ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’?**
No, otherwise someone could say “I am saved” and then go off and commit all kinds of sin.
Christ will greet this sort of person with the words, “I did not know you.”
It’s bad enough so many people interpret scriptures to mean God, out of infinite love, created people ignorant, with one shot - and one shot only - to receive heaven, otherwise everlasting hell.
Reincarnation? You mean that thing accepted all over the world as being completely rational, the foundation back through time of all spiritual philosophy, the sole explanation that would mean God really is a God of love and would never create someone who could end up in hell forever, and oh yeah, used to be a part of the original Christian belief system and had to be argued over so hard that its believers had to be killed to shut them up? That reincarnation?
Nah.
Yet, that’s not enough! No - people then have to set the bar higher - and higher, and higher! You get no reincarnation, but you’re saved? God says - what have you done for me recently!
You’ve done something recently? You’re still saved? Ah, but you’re the wrong faith!
Right faith?
Wrong denomination!
Jesus came and opened his arms.
“Christians” have been trying to close them ever since.
AND close His hands.
AND his fingers.
No wonder Jesus wept.
IT WASN’T THE NAILS THAT HELD HIM ON THAT CROSS - IT WAS HIS LOVE!
HE did THAT to let people IN!
NOT KEEP THEM OUT!
You know that “log” Jesus said to take out of your eye, so you can see the speck in someone elses?
WELL ORIGINALLY HE DIDN’T SAY “EYE.”
Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand - Mother Teresa
Love is the greatest of God’s gifts.
In the parable of the Lost Son we are taught of this exact situation. The end tells the story...when the good son was dismayed...
“Father, all these years I have served you, never disobeying your commands, yet you never gave me even roasted a young goat for me, that we might celebrate with my friends.
“But as soon as he, who squandered your money on prostitutes, waltzes back in again, you kill the fatted calf for him!””
“Son, you have and always will be with me; all I have is yours. It is right that we make merry, and be glad, for your brother was dead, and now lives…he was lost, but now is found.”
A misunderstanding of the doctrine, either by Jeremiah or by the writer.
This false doctrine has been the cause of millions being lost for eternity. The purveyors of it will be held held accountable for every one.
OSAS is explicitly repudiated in numerous places in scripture.
BTW, I’m an evangelical Christian.
No one really knows the answer to this question. Because compelling arguments exist on either side, the prudent course of action for a believer is to live their life as if losing their salvation is possible.
yes, when you are saved, you are saved until you die. the Bible clearly states that even the saved will be judged after death.. So if there is a judgement for saved peeps, that means there was wrong doing. No wrong doing means no judgement
This is the most egregious misapplication of scripture I can think of and it's just completely wrong.
First of all people who believe you can lose your salvation have to believe God's promise to keep them is a lie. John 3:16 has to be false. You do not "jeopardize salvation," if you could Jesus never had to die for ALL sin. It is immature and such undeveloped, deceptive thought to think scripture teaches you could lose salvation. Salvation is only God's to give, not anyone's to control at will. And frankly, quite arrogant to think one can give up, or lose salvation God has promised you.
What I think many of us Christians might not grasp is what HEAVEN is really like. Will there never be strife or struggle? I would like to hear the angels answer to this.
The account of Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8 is sufficient to disprove OSAS.
Many of the world’ greatest monsters may have been saved at one point in their lives.
No.