Posted on 09/20/2019 9:01:36 AM PDT by pastorbillrandles
Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” ( John 6:28-29)
Salvation cannot be obtained by our personal merit. Thank God , because there is not one of us who could ever merit salvation. We cannot earn it, nor can we who have received the gift, ever lose it due to lack of merit. The scriptures make it obvious, “By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight…”.
None of us can earn our salvation, nor can we in anywise put God in debt to us, all that He gives is freely given, it is grace. Salvation is Grace, undeserved favor.
If we couldn’t do anything to earn it, neither can we forfeit it by what we do. I do not believe that there is any particular sin that a believer can do which would cost him his salvation.
I cannot emphasize these blessed and simple truths enough, because those of us who set out the case against ‘unconditional assurance’ , (ie Once Saved Always Saved) are always accused of preaching ” good works”, or works based salvation.
Thank God for scriptures like Ephesians 2:8-10,
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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. ( Ephesians 2:8-10)
There is nothing I could ever do to earn my salvation, nor to lose it, nor to add to it or take away from it, thank God. Therefore there is nothing I can personally boast in, all of the glory for my salvation goes to Jesus, who,“…has Loved us and bought us from our sins with his own blood”.(Revelation 1:5)
Salvation is not unconditional however. There is one, and only one condition, and that is that we must believe. “He that believes…shall have eternal life”. “This is the Work, that you believe on Him whom the Father has sent”.
Over and over again, we are told by the Apostles that we must believe to be saved. All the Father requires is belief, steadfast, loyal faith. He knows we are weak, unsteady, liable to sin, fall and defect, yet all he requires is belief.
Is the requirement to believe, in the bible a “one time” experience, or is belief seen as an ongoing loyalty which sustaines to the very end, (the goal) of Salvation ?
Popular Bible teacher Charles Stanley presents a very common misconception about saving Faith when He assures people,
Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy.” (Stanley Charles, Eternal Security- Can You Be sure? Thomas Nelson pg 93)
The Apostles never taught anything like that. Instead they taught believers to “Hold fast the profession of their hope … to the end…”
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. ( Hebrews 3:6)
The danger to the soul, according to the teaching of Hebrews , is ‘unbelief’. The example from the Old Testament was the incident with the 12 spies. All of Israel heard the gospel of the land flowing with milk and honey. All of them rejoiced, until they came to Kadesh Barnea, where they saw the Giants.
From then on, only two out of that entire whole truly believed! The rest fell short of entering into God’s rest, because they cast aside their confidence, in unbelief.
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; ( Hebrews 3:14)
What does this say about people now, who once believed passionately in Christ and the gospel, but who no longer “hold fast”? I know people who set out believing in Christ, but who no longer maintain faith. Are they still saved? As we pointed out in the last message, “whoever goes on believing shall be saved…” , not whoever ever believed at one time!
Saving Faith is not mere mental assent to a set of propositions. It is an ongoing commitment of a loyalty to a Revelation from God, much like the vows at a wedding. it is “faithfulness”, a response to what God has done and revealed. Jesus called it “abiding in the vine” in John 15.
Neither Jesus or the Apostles ever held forth anything similar to Charles Stanley’s proposition that one can be saved on a temporary belief, which one eventually defects from. Believers “go on believing” whatever it takes. If that belief calls for self renunciation, so be it. When the belief requires personal repentance, true believers repent. None of those things are “works” they are simply elements of the one and only condition God has set on salvation, Faith.
Which reasoning was shown to be erroneous by the very fact that a seal can be broke,. and eternal life is both a gift yet something to be laid hold of, as shown, thus one can let go of it by denying th every faith that appropriated it.
The rest of your post is more attempts at reasoning away the only compelling conclusion there is to God clearly warning believers as believers against developing an evil heart of unbelief in departing from living God, from the faith they once held, falling from grace, making Christ of no effect, to no profit, drawing back to perdition," etc.
And thus I will leave you to what apparently are desire-driven conclusions.
The Second event happens splitting the Mount of Olives in two and has a list of signs pointing to the exact day it will happen. Thus it is Jews who will know the exact arrive time for the Kingdom and they will preach this Truth throughout the whole world as Jesus told you: 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. [Matthew 24]...
Dan, go get a breath of fresh air. Here is the beginning of my post to which you accuse I never showed how you fractured my sentence to support your agenda: I actually stated, “What you are defending, in order to reject OSAS equals God must have your work to insure His Seal.” Compare that full sentence to the fracture you posted in order to attack what you choose.
How very proud you must be to believe you can break God’s Seal on that which He purchased with His Blood. Good bye, daniel1212.
The rapture and second Advent may be one in the same - who really knows, only the Father and the Son.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
During the seven year tribulation, the focus is, as revealed in Daniel, God putting an end to sin in Israel.
During that time of tribulation around the world an uncountable number will call upon the Lord and be transported to Heaven as guests / invites to the Wedding of the Lamb. They are characterized in the Revelation as having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb to become white as snow ... for the Catholics who are metaphor challenged that is their spirits have been cleansed by the Blood of the Righteous One).
[[
In my opinion, this tends to be more of a problem with those who grow up in a Christian home, where they attended church before professing faith.]]
Agreed- another small point- many kids kinda just go through the motions of being saved simply because all their church buddies are saved- and they wanna fit in-
[[Those of us in this category must face the very real danger of false conversion in which we make a half-hearted commitment to Christ.]]
Yup- i was one who got saved at young age- but struggled in later years thinking “What if i was only half serious- or not sincere enough?”
I had a pastor say once “The fact that you are worried about your salvation being real or not is a strong indication it is-” I guess his reasoning was that non Christians probably wouldn’t be too worried about it- but i dunno- I think they too might be- wanting their cake and to eat it too kind of a scenario- They would want to have ‘all the bases covered’ so to speak- Even though they would not surrender by repenting-
Getting saved young is tough- not at the time- but years later, as the Evil One brings in the doubts- brings in the fear- We start thinking “Well, If I were truly saved I should be more caring about others- more sacrificial of my time, more this more that- etc”, and “I’ve been a Christian I thought for 20 years- I should be more mature spiritually than i am now- perhaps I wasn’t truly saved to begin with- maybe it was all just a head knowledge- Maybe I was too young to realize what it truly meant to be saved” etc- and the doubts can really seep in-
I do believe though that there is ample evidence from Gods’ word to ease the mind on these issues- especially when we start to recognize just what the fruit of the spirit is- and seeing glimpses of it in our lives- but it’s just hard to see it in our own lives sometimes- because we tend to be a bit self-critical-
Anyway- getting off track- good post- Agreed-
Your position is untenable because it does not offer to anyone an assurance of salvation and the present possession of an eternal life which cannot be taken away. It does not offer any explanatory power for how a person can know he or she is “elect” and how this gives us a basis for hope (assurance), confidence, consolation, boldness, and zeal for God.
While you find fault with my explanation and understanding of the proof texts often used to argue that no one can know he or she will make it into Heaven, you have completely ignored and failed to address the many passages that provide such assurance.
The confidence, assurance, and blessed hope of the believer lies in the certainty of a future salvation which has not been fully experienced yet. I asked early on (2nd response to you) how someone who is elect can ever be lost.
https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3780053/posts?page=195#195
I also gave a long list of examples. For convenience I’ll repost the passages cited here:
John 15:16 (NKJV)
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Philippians 1:29 (NKJV)
For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
Matthew 24:24 (NKJV)
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. [Note: Christ is saying it is NOT possible for the elect to follow antichrist, but that they are the only ones who have this hope of not being deceived.]
Ephesians 1:5 (NKJV)
He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV)
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
1 Peter 1:2-5 (NKJV)
[To the] elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Jude 1:24-25 (NKJV)
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
Hebrews 6:17-19 (NKJV)
Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.
You also did not respond to my example in which Paul was promised that all on the ship would survive the shipwreck, but Paul still provides that this outcome was conditional. And yet it happened exactly as God promised. Was there a danger of any perishing in that shipwreck? When you examine it closely you will find the answer is not as simple as some would like it to be.
You replied here:
https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3780053/posts?page=212#212
You NEVER addressed the issue of election. Why?
What do you think election is? Who are the elect? Can the elect ever be lost? What Biblical evidence supports your position?
As I said from the start, this issue is not going to be resolved on this forum. You continue to fixate on proving some technicality of theology / Bible doctrine while ignoring what I said about the practical implications. This is more problematic than the underlying error.
While it is important to have correct theology / doctrine, often the evidence of being correct shows in the fruit. More important than the theoretical is the practical implication of a balanced approach to the issue of the security of the believer. Regardless of one’s position on whether someone truly born again can ever cease to be a child of God, there are clearly several categories of individuals with regards to the Gospel:
Some have never heard the Gospel and therefore have not yet believed on Christ for salvation.
Some have heard and made a profession of faith. Among these are those who will ultimately make into the kingdom of God and those who will not.
Among those who have professed salvation but are not currently in the regenerate state there are those who are convinced they are in the regenerate state and those who question or doubt this.
Among those who have professed faith and are in a regenerate state, there are those who have confidence in their possession of eternal life and those who question or doubt this.
The message is basically the same: believe on Christ for salvation. If you have not yet trusted Christ, do so. If you have, continue in your faith. If you are backslidden, repent. If you have never repented of your sins, repent.
There is a dire warning to those who know the truth but depart from it. There is a great encouragement to those who are presently relying on the Lord for their present and future salvation. Trusting in Christ for my future salvation is not the wrong thinking that I can say a prayer / get baptized and then live in any way I choose with the assurance that no matter what I am guaranteed Heaven. However, trusting Christ for my past, present, and future salvation means that I believe God chose me for no merit of my own but only for His own glory, has drawn me to Himself, and will keep me in Christ by His mighty power. (See 1 Peter 1:5 above.) He is not going to do this for every person who identifies as “Christian”, but for the elect He will move Heaven and earth to be certain that none are lost.
Glen Miller is a good man- He’s struggled terribly with deep depression- He shares that in his site- I hope he can continue putting out great articles- He’s a brilliant person- and he has such a cool calm collective manner about him that sets people at ease- Haven’t seen anything from him in awhile though-
It's better not to know so much than to know so many things that aren’t so.
Whether you or I believe the Rapture is about to happen will not change the timing one iota. When the last Gentile is added to the Body of ALL Believers, don't blink or you will miss the departure.
Do you even read what I wrote, rather than resorting to your strawman? I have affirmed that the believer is given assurance that he presently has eternal life as per 1 Jn. 5:13, in which, as I told you, "These things have I written unto you" which refers to the previous delineation of saving faith, of its evidences."
A believer is secure, but if you want security for one who finally denies or recants his faith then you are reading that into Scripture, in which, as shown,
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. (John 10:27-28)
And i also wrote that "I believe that God will both preserve His word and continue the work He began with convicting me of sin, righteousness and judgment, and opening my heart, etc., for which i can claim zero credit, but i must take credit for not following the Lord. And since this following means continuing in faith (versus mere profession), then God works to chasten us to repentance if needed."
While you find fault with my explanation and understanding of the proof texts often used to argue that no one can know he or she will make it into Heaven, you have completely ignored and failed to address the many passages that provide such assurance.
Not so, and you are not the only poster who has attempted this, and which texts are conditional upon believing, of Scriptural saving faith, as in Jn. 10:27 not those who have made Christ of no effect, falling from grace, departing from the living God, etc. Which you in-credibly attempt to assign to souls who were never born again, contrary to the clear contextual statements that show these were believers being addressed.
I asked early on (2nd response to you) how someone who is elect can ever be lost.
This presumes that the elect are all who were regenerate, and if that is the case, then seeing as such are clearly warned against departing from the faith, then it would mean th elect are lost by finally denying the faith which made him one of the elect, which are evidenced by the fruit of faith, versus falling away as Paul feared the Thessalonians did.
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. (1 Thessalonians 1:3-4)
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. (1 Thessalonians 3:3-5)
But if the elect are only those who finally persevere, then it means that not all regenerate believers are the elect. Take your pick, but I think the elect are all regenerate believers yet it is incontrovertible that regenerate believers are warned against making Christ to be of no effect, to no profit, falling from grace, etc.
I also gave a long list of examples. For convenience I’ll repost the passages cited here: John 15:16 (NKJV) You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Philippians 1:29 (NKJV) For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
Which only affirms what I said about the nature of saving faith, and thus those who impenitently continue in known willfull sin are not of faith, and deny it, against which believers as believers are warned.
Matthew 24:24 (NKJV) For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.[Note: Christ is saying it is NOT possible for the elect to follow antichrist, but that they are the only ones who have this hope of not being deceived.]
A good verse, although the word for "if" is also can mean "whether," Mat_26:63, Mat_27:49, Mar_3:2, Mar_15:36, Mar_15:44, Luk_6:7, Luk_14:28, Luk_14:31, Luk_23:6, Joh_9:25, Act_4:19, Act_5:8, Act_10:18, Act_17:11, Act_19:2, Act_25:20, 1Co_7:16 (3), 2Co_2:9, 2Co_13:5, 1Jo_4:1 as in whether or not, (Mat_26:63; Mat_27:49; Luk_14:28; Luk_14:31; 2Co_13:5; 1Jn_4:1) with Matthew 24:24 meaning this is a test whether or not the elect will be deceived, versus a promise none will. Otherwise i do see it as a good verse for assurance, at least for the remnant.
Ephesians 1:5 (NKJV) He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
Which pertains to the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination, in which man cannot resist God, which effectively means God does will some to be dammed, due to leaving them no recourse but to follow (if not in degrees) their Adamic nature, and thus are effectively damned for something they had no choice over.
But Christ also willed Jerusalem/Israel to repent, weeping over its impending destruction, but they would not.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37)
But if the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination is correct, then yes, the predestinate will not be lost, and sets it in conflict with the all of which is another debate in itself, and (presuming all regenerate souls are the elect) sets itself in clear conflict the texts which clearly warn believers against making Christ to be of no effect, falling from grace, departing from the living God, etc. Including warning the elect not to be cast off:
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (Romans 11:7)
And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 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. (Romans 11:17-22)
2 Timothy 1:12 (NKJV) For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. 1 Peter 1:2-5 (NKJV) [To the] elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
I also believe that He is able to keep what I have chosen (by grace) to commit to /deposited with the Lord, and are kept by the power of God through faith, which thus means faith is required, and does not mean that a believer cannot withdrawn this choice by choosing top deny the faith.
Jude 1:24-25 (NKJV) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Indeed thank God He is able to keep us from stumbling, and us present you faultless, but this certainly does not mean we have not other choice but to obey Him, and not only not "abide in Him" and "be ashamed at His coming," (1 John 2:28) but depart from the living God, etc. which again, believers as believers are warned against doing.
God being able simply does not mean man is unable to resist Him, but the Lord will never forsake those who seek Him, which is all by grace, whereas any willfull stubborn resistance is on us.
Hebrews 6:17-19 (NKJV) Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.
And laying hold is contrary to letting go, which these same believers are clearly warned against. Believers have this anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, versus unbelievers, thus the former are warned, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12)
You also did not respond to my example in which Paul was promised that all on the ship would survive the shipwreck, but Paul still provides that this outcome was conditional. And yet it happened exactly as God promised. Was there a danger of any perishing in that shipwreck? When you examine it closely you will find the answer is not as simple as some would like it to be.
The answer is simple: because the warning was heeded then all were saved, which simply does not mean the souls had no choice in the matter, and which is not analogous to the warnings I cited againse choosing to not "abide in the ship" so to speak, and drew back to perdition, departing from the living God. Unless you want to argue that such clear warnings are only hypothetical, and a means of motivating the sheep to abide. In which case we should not tell anyone this.
ou NEVER addressed the issue of election. Why? What do you think election is? Who are the elect? Can the elect ever be lost? What Biblical evidence supports your position?
I did, showing that the elect could also fall away, and said more on this above.
As I said from the start, this issue is not going to be resolved on this forum. You continue to fixate on proving some technicality of theology / Bible doctrine while ignoring what I said about the practical implications. This is more problematic than the underlying error.
What?! If anyone this applies to you, as what I have shown are clear texts which incontrovertibly warn believers as believers against making Christ to be of no effect, going back into bondage, departing from the living God, etc. , to which your theory in election must conform to. The clear interpreting the disputable.
While it is important to have correct theology / doctrine, often the evidence of being correct shows in the fruit.
Trusting in Christ for my future salvation is not the wrong thinking that I can say a prayer / get baptized and then live in any way I choose with the assurance that no matter what I am guaranteed Heaven.
On this we concur, setting us at odds with another OSAS school.
There is a dire warning to those who know the truth but depart from it.
Again, no matter how prolix your polemic, contextually, as shown, you simply cannot relegate souls to being unbelievers who given such exhortations such as to "hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end," and "hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end," `Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised; as souls who manifested "things that accompany salvation," (Heb. 3:6, 14; 6:9; 10:23), even as souls who "had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." (Hebrews 10:34)
And the same are warned, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God," (Hebrews 3:12) and "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him,(Hebrews 10:38) which are also things that you do not tell believers in that context.
I think we have rather well exhausted this exchange , or at least i rather am, and I think we must agree to disagree, and be glad that we are among (the minority") who believe the saved are those who finally persevere, which I must seek to do in better yielding to the Spirit.
Recourse to ad hominem will not help, and according your premise, how very proud are they who believe they can oppose the omnipotent God who gives freedom to man to opt out if His plans for them, which believers are warned against. I prefer to deal with more reasonable souls.
Your little insult notwithstanding, it appears you prefer to not have any disagreement with your assertions especially when that opposition is based in The Word of God. Must I post the verses that erode your assertions? I don't lie. When I post 'It is written' I am referring directly to the Scriptures where it is written. I would write more but that would get into making it personal.
soem are arguing that some sins aren’t deadly- therefore they don’t separate us from God (ie we don’t lose our salvation because of them) However- EVERY sin, no matter how small, is unacceptable in heaven where no sin can exist- In order to stand before God in the heavenlies-
We MUST be sinless in order to share in the righteousness of God, and the only way to be blameless, sinless, is through the redeeming blood of Christ who makes us blameless- We could not approach God in prayer, unless we were sinless- that means that EVERY sin must be forgiven- and since no man can be sinless on his own, Christ must be the means through which we become blameless in the sight of God-
Every single sin we do, no matter how small, is a serious matter- which would separate us from God’s righteousness if it were possible to lose salvation. We couldn’t possibly maintain our own salvation in a sinless enough state to approach the throne of God in all His righteousness- Every single time we sinned, no matter how small that sin was, would separate us from His righteousness- Every single sin- every single time, IF we had to maintain our own righteousness through great effort not to ‘lose our salvation’
Salvation is the process of being made blameless- completely blameless- Once and for all since we can not possibly EVER make ourselves blameless since we all commit sins both great and small- ALL sin is deadly i nterms of eternity- This fact gives no room for ‘small insignificant sins’ because there is no such thing as small insignificant sins- ALL sin is serious and separates us from God- otherwise, a ‘good person’ who only ever commuted a small sin here, a small sin there, could brag that they were good enough to earn eternal life in heaven- The whole point of salvation is to cover ALL our sins, once and for all, so that we can stand in heavenly places in the presence of a righteous God
Amen, Brother!
I should say we are sinless in His sight, but still have a sin nature we must deal with while here on earth- We never lose our sinlessness in His sight because Christ’s blood makes us sinless even with our earthly sin nature or old nature
“There is none righteous, no, not one; v.12 “there is none who does good, no, not one.”
We can not make ourselves righteous because we are unrighteous- we can’t ‘good ourselves’ enough to earn back a lost salvation if losing salvation were a possibility- because God’s word tells us that there is ‘none who do good-, no, not one’ (This is why EVERY single sin we do is serious- because they make us unrighteous- no matter how small they are- Thankfully it is Christ who makes us righteous, not us).
Not even with Christ’s help can we do enough righteousness to gain back a lost salvation (Which brings up a good point- IF we lose our salvation, Christ is no longer in us- so how could He ‘help us become good enough to regain our salvation again?” The bible tells us that there are none that are righteous- not even one- We can’t righteous ourselves up to a point where God can accept us again- not even confessing our sins can make us righteous-) Not even turning from our sins can make us righteous enough to regain salvation- It’s a hopeless situation- That is why we NEED the righteousness of Christ to cover our sins- permanently- because we are incapable of maintaining our salvation
Salvation is a gift of God- it’s God’s grace towards us- We don’t merrit it- He gives it to us- lifts the scales from our eyes, and gives us the sight to see our need of a Messiah- this is a one time act- (Sanctification on the other hand is an ongoing act showing us more and more that we need Him to battle the old nature in ourselves- but this is sanctification, (ie being made more Christ-like) and is not salvation itself)
I should clarify one thing though- While We are blameless in God’s sight regarding eternal life in heaven with Him- We not sinless here on earth- We still battle sin here on earth, and always will, some more successfully than others- but in regards to eternity, we are blameless in His sight- even though we are not righteous on our own, or in our sin nature- Again- God’s word tells us there are none righteous, no not one
IF we are blameless i n His sight, yet still have our sin nature, how can we ever be saved if IF we must renounce all sin in order to be righteous enough to maintain salvation? It’s impossible to renounce all sin- even to renounce ‘enough sins’- noone can ever be righteous apart from the blood of Christ which covers our unrighteousness- Sin can not separate us from the family of God- only from fellowship with Him-
We stand righteous before God because of Christ and only because of Christ- That is what makes God’s grace such a wonderful thing- it is undeserved- We can NEVER become good enough to merrit His gift of grace in salvation- ever-
Titus 3:5
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
Our ‘righteousness’ is not adequate to save us- only Christ’s true righteousness can make us blameless before God, in spite of our sins, failures, and shortcomings- IF we must rely on our own righteousness in order to ‘maintain salvation’ then we’re all doomed- simply because there are none righteous- no not one
“No human being is “good enough” to earn righteousness”
Nor are we ever good enough to maintain our righteousness in God’s sight- it MUST Be Christ who maintains our righteous position before and and Christ alone- Our righteousness is as filthy rags- becasue we still have the old nature- and always will- the old nature is enmity with God- whether we do many grievous sins, or only a few ‘minor sins’- our old nature is always apposed to God, and that is why it doesn’t matter how small our sins are- they always make us unworthy of salvation- It is impossible to get right with God on our own merits- impossible-
When we are saved- we receive the gift of righteousness- What kind of gift would it be if it wasn’t good enough to remain our gift righteousness until the day we die because of something we did? ALL sin makes us unrighteous before God- but thankfully it is Christ’s righteousness that keeps us righteous despite our sins- otherwise noone could ever be save- no matter how little they sinned
one more quick point0- there is just so much to say o nthe subject- but I’ll try to keep it brief-
Romans 3:20
(20) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
To put this another way- There is noone who can maintain their salvation by trying not to sin, or ‘sinning as little as possible’ by ‘committing sins that aren’t too serious’
The reason? Because trying to sin as little as possible is trying to obey the law- the old law, in order to be righteous- ‘righteous enough’, that we don’t ‘lose our salvation’
The verse above clearly tells us we can NOT maintain our salvation by observance of the law- (ie not sinning- or sinning little)
“If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal. 2:21b).
Sadly we have a sense that we must do something- or keep doing something, in order to experience God’s love and gift of grace- but the bible tells us He loved us ‘while we were yet sinners’- but our misguided sense of morality tells us we have to earn His love- to earn our salvation by maintaining it- We feel we have to do something- That isn’t true-
“but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
That’s it- nothing added- Our sin is “Paid in full”, by the Blood of Christ. Not in part- in full- all of it- past present and future, and we did nothing to earn it- We are now righteous before God because of what His Son did for us
Rom 10 24
Verse 24: “And are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
We become free of blame- Completely free of blame- even though we still have the old nature, sin, in our lives- We become free of blame, not by vowing never to sin again- or by only committing small sins- but only through the blood of Christ- At the point of salvation we certainly don’t give up all sin to become blameless enough that Christ can now accept us- no- it’s all Christ- If we can’t make ourselves blameless enough to accept Christ and stand totally righteous in God’s sight- how would one think we could possibly keep ourselves blameless enough to maintain our salvation throughout our life? Doesn’t make sense-
We are bought with a price; we no longer have ownership of that which GOD has purchased and put His seal upon what He purchased with a price, a price so great payment could only be made by GOD..
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