Posted on 02/20/2017 5:31:52 AM PST by metmom
A common question for many is, Can I lose my salvation? Ive heard both sides of the argument, and only God truly knows a persons heart, but I can share a few thoughts. The reason there is a debate is because the Scriptures teach that salvation is a gift from God that cannot be earned, but they also offer warnings about falling away. There should be a healthy tension between Gods sovereignty and mans responsibility. This issue should not create a spirit of division, elitism, or theological superiority.
One school of thought suggests that salvation cannot be lost, as in losing your car keys, but that it can be left, as in walking away from it. This may be why Jesus spoke of the man who said in his heart my master delays His coming; therefore, I will turn from living a godly life. When the master returned unexpectedly, the servant was banished because he chose to turn from what he knew to be right.
In another passage, Jesus said, You have left your first love, when speaking to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:4). James 5:19-20 adds, if anyone wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, a soul is saved from death. If anything, these Scriptures, and many more, reinforce the fact that we have certain responsibilities.
(Excerpt) Read more at westsidechristianfellowship.org ...
Red is a little tough for me to read, but I think I got your point.
I suppose, but how many reading that will take the time to see what the Greek definitions are? Not many I imagine.
Still, there are additional caveats with other translations.
But on the other hand I am assuming a person is reading the Bible on their own without any instruction or individual to ask for clarification. The vast majority of readers would have a teacher who would obviously straighten out any confusion.
Following the analogy, wouldn’t Jesus have known if he was going to repent?
My apologies on the red. That was an HTML typo that I did not catch before I posted.
And that is why “... He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ ...” (Ephesians 4:11-12)
"I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." - Gal. 5
Yes, but would anyone else have done the job?
As it is, I'm a 50-something year old who is still in Christian kindergarten and only now just beginning to learn how to let God be God.
Otoh, sure, why not. With human free will and a spirited ego, anything is possible, and woe unto those who sell His Blood for their own glory.
Then again, is it also true that one can't lose what one doesn't have? Is that the case here?
"I Never Knew You"Fwiw, every time I think I have an answer, I always end up just having more questions.21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?
23 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!Matthew 7:21-23 New King James Version
No worries.
For the record, I do appreciate these discussions, as they give me additional ammunition, if I can put it that way, for the inevitable one-on-one discussions that happen at a moment’s notice.
Plus, it’s satisfying to associate with other believers who are truly men and women of God, even if it is in cyberspace!
Then I take it , you are without sin, eh?
The problem is, the fruit of the Spirit is NOT works or miracles, or number of professions at a rally or meeting, but what Galatians says is the fruit of the Spirit.
It's the growing in Christlikeness and holiness.
it doesn't mean we are perfect, as NONE of us are ever perfect and some people have MUCH further to go than others. They start out with far more baggage.
The point is that we are getting there, putting on the mind of Christ.
Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
That verse, in context, is referring to those who are not saved, those who are not being led by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:18-20 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Tell me, do you believe that salvation is gotten by works? Or is salvation by faith?
There are many who believe that we are all Judas in some respects. All the sins common to the Disciples are common to all men, even betrayal for our own desires.
Some believe Judas betrayed Jesus because he really did believe He was the Messiah and Judas was trying to kick-start the revolution against the Romans. Perhaps it is the modern day equivalent of praying for Jesus to come soon.
Those passages from John are pertinent. You can’t be lost. If you choose the wrong decision on something, you get the Holy Ghost Miserables until you figure it out and apologize and go the other way. When you choose the right thing, even if it hurts in an earthly or materialistic way, you feel a glow.
It just happens. You don’t have to keep choosing salvation. You do have keep making decisions as more and more challenges—those appropriate to where you are spiritually at the time—are set in your path.
My humble words for today . . .
Eph 2:8
Eph 2:8
(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Both CHARIS (Grace) and PISTIS (faith) are in the feminine, while the demonstrative pronoun HOUTOS (”this”) is in the neuter gender. The near demonstrative pronoun refers to neither grace, nor faith, but to the entire idea of salvation.
You don't have your salvation.
As our Savior plainly stated: “He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved.”
Yeshua discussed what salvation required with Nicodemus in John ch 3. You must be reborn into a specially created body that is a part of the realm of the Father, rather than the present biological body that can exist only in space-time.
Those that endure in the faith to the end will experience this rebirth. Those that do not are discussed in Hebrews ch 6 and 10.
That Faith cometh by hearing the Word of YHVH.
The “word” at the time that Paul penned that admonishment was the Tanakh.
In Acts 15, the gathered apostles in Jerusalem stated that the new believers needed to hear Moses read in their synogogue “every Sabbath day.”
The “inherited lies” of our fathers (Jeremiah 16:19) attempt to deny this fact.
O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
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"...let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things"..."no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing." - James 3
"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. - Gal. 6
it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." - I John 3
Isn't it amazing what we can learn when led to scripture, taking them literally, instead of trying to make them fit some preconceived doctrine?
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If you can’t be lost, then Hebrews 6 and 10 are just lies, and ditto for Peter’s epistles.
You can be lost.
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>> “Isn’t it amazing what we can learn when led to scripture, taking them literally, instead of trying to make them fit some preconceived doctrine?” <<
Are you trying to put the Nicolaitans out of business?
Shame on you! :o)
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“I create evil.” Isaiah
“The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked one for the day of evil.” Proverbs
Notice how many parables refer to the Kingdom. That is the inheritance. It can be refused--but the saving of your spirit remains.
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