Posted on 05/31/2017 1:41:09 PM PDT by ealgeone
Question: "Can a Christian lose salvation?"
Answer: First, the term Christian must be defined. A “Christian” is not a person who has said a prayer or walked down an aisle or been raised in a Christian family. While each of these things can be a part of the Christian experience, they are not what makes a Christian. A Christian is a person who has fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior and therefore possesses the Holy Spirit (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8–9).
So, with this definition in mind, can a Christian lose salvation? It’s a crucially important question. Perhaps the best way to answer it is to examine what the Bible says occurs at salvation and to study what losing salvation would entail:
A Christian is a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). A Christian is not simply an “improved” version of a person; a Christian is an entirely new creature. He is “in Christ.” For a Christian to lose salvation, the new creation would have to be destroyed.
A Christian is redeemed. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18–19). The word redeemed refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid. We were purchased at the cost of Christ’s death. For a Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His purchase of the individual for whom He paid with the precious blood of Christ.
A Christian is justified. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). To justify is to declare righteous. All those who receive Jesus as Savior are “declared righteous” by God. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and “un-declare” what He had previously declared. Those absolved of guilt would have to be tried again and found guilty. God would have to reverse the sentence handed down from the divine bench.
A Christian is promised eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life is the promise of spending forever in heaven with God. God promises, “Believe and you will have eternal life.” For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be redefined. The Christian is promised to live forever. Does eternal not mean “eternal”?
A Christian is marked by God and sealed by the Spirit. “You also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14). At the moment of faith, the new Christian is marked and sealed with the Spirit, who was promised to act as a deposit to guarantee the heavenly inheritance. The end result is that God’s glory is praised. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to erase the mark, withdraw the Spirit, cancel the deposit, break His promise, revoke the guarantee, keep the inheritance, forego the praise, and lessen His glory.
A Christian is guaranteed glorification. “Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). According to Romans 5:1, justification is ours at the moment of faith. According to Romans 8:30, glorification comes with justification. All those whom God justifies are promised to be glorified. This promise will be fulfilled when Christians receive their perfect resurrection bodies in heaven. If a Christian can lose salvation, then Romans 8:30 is in error, because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies.
A Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible says happens to us when we receive Christ would be invalidated if salvation could be lost. Salvation is the gift of God, and God’s gifts are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). A Christian cannot be un-newly created. The redeemed cannot be unpurchased. Eternal life cannot be temporary. God cannot renege on His Word. Scripture says that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).
Two common objections to the belief that a Christian cannot lose salvation concern these experiential issues: 1) What about Christians who live in a sinful, unrepentant lifestyle? 2) What about Christians who reject the faith and deny Christ? The problem with these objections is the assumption that everyone who calls himself a “Christian” has actually been born again. The Bible declares that a true Christian will not live a state of continual, unrepentant sin (1 John 3:6). The Bible also says that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he was never truly a Christian (1 John 2:19). He may have been religious, he may have put on a good show, but he was never born again by the power of God. “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). The redeemed of God belong “to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Romans 7:4).
Nothing can separate a child of God from the Father’s love (Romans 8:38–39). Nothing can remove a Christian from God’s hand (John 10:28–29). God guarantees eternal life and maintains the salvation He has given us. The Good Shepherd searches for the lost sheep, and, “when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home” (Luke 15:5–6). The lamb is found, and the Shepherd gladly bears the burden; our Lord takes full responsibility for bringing the lost one safely home.
Jude 24–25 further emphasizes the goodness and faithfulness of our Savior: “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
A more fitting verse to describe Catholicism could not be found.
Jesus taught us how to pray and here we have Catholics accusing us of doing the devil’s work for following that commandment and teaching and instead should pray to idols, following the tradition of men and not the command of God.
How about you. Will you pray as Jesus taught and pray to the Father alone and forego praying to Mary, saints, or angels?
Take all the time and energy you focus on beings besides God and focus on Jesus alone?
You said it.
If you didn’t mean that then you could have chosen your words more wisely.
As it is, you put the images you pray to in the same category as idols.
THIS is...
Luke 11:1-13 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Please show us ONE place in Scripture where we are told, commanded, taught, or encouraged to pray to ANYONE but God.
Show us where we are told to pray to angels, Mary, those who are named saints by the Catholic church.
No way in which practices which are forbidden by God are *acceptable* to Him.
CANNOT happen.
It may be acceptable to the Catholic church but the Catholic church is not God.
How did Jesus teach us to pray? Who did HE tell us to pray to and why?
““All generations will call me blessed”: “The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship.”
And right there the Roman denomination goes off the rails!
Calling Mary blessed by God is not part of worship - which is reserved for God alone.
This points out that Roman Catholics do worship Mary... and it is endorsed.
Yet Catholics insist non-Catholics join the Roman Catholic church almost daily on these forums. Are Catholics being “disrespectful” when they do so?
I agree that it is disrespectful for Catholics to insist that those who are not Catholic join the Church. Just as it would be disrespectful for a Catholic to insist that a person who is not Catholic pray the Rosary or for a person who is not Catholic to insist that a Catholic stop praying the Rosary.
This indicates as does Apocalypse 20:5 & 6 that if your particular judgement puts you in Heaven, you are not liable to a second judgement. Also, when you are absent from the body, you are present with the Lord, for Judgement. Note: If you are in a state of justice, meaning your soul is without iniquity, then your judgement will put you in Heaven. If not, you go to Hell. This decision is finalized at the time of your last breath, as until then you have the opportunity to repent and confess and beg God's forgiveness and amend your life, or, commit more iniquity. See 1 John 5:16 & 17. Again, you can't lose what you never had.
*Only a fool would question Christ’s Church and the history...that the Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ.*
All Christians do not agree with everything that Catholicism teaches.
To brand all Christians as fools that don’t accept what you proclaim is an attack on a whole group of posters at Free Republic and will not be tolerated.
Good reminder for us all - no matter which denomination we worship at while here on earth.
Matthew 24:13
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
And you didn't lose it if you threw it away:
Hebrews 6:
[4] For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
[5] And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
[6] If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Hebrews 10:
[26] For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
2Peter 2:
9] The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
[10] But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
[11] Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
[12] But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
[13] And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
[14] Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
[15] Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
[16] But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
[17] These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
[18] For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
[19] While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
[20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
[21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
[22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
So the real question is can you stay on the narrow path until the end?
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Just cultic speak from Michael Rood!
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You need to check out 2Peter!
Therein he explains what ensues when you willfully turn away, and his words are clearly not theoretical in nature.
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It is confusing to everyone who tries to read what you post.
Of course it's confusing, but I don't know if it's deliberately confusing or not. One thing I DO know, is that God is not author of confusion.
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Just scripture, on subject, from Yehova!
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The passages quoted out of context have been classically used in understanding the doctrines of common grace and of efficacious grace.
Prior to salvation the natural man lacks a reborn spirit.
The rebirth occurs after a person faces God, confesses his sins and repents of them through faith in what Jesus Christ performed at the Cross.
In order to understand spiritual things, we have to first have a something of an untainted spirit to discern them. Since every man is born in the flesh and soul as a natural man prior to being reborn, 2 things have to happen.
We must first understand the Gospel message and then accept faith in Him.
God the Holy Spirit plays an active role in both Common Grace and in Efficacious Grace.
In Common Grace, the Word of God is communicated to man’s soul and made spiritually understood in his soul by God the Holy Spirit. This happens before he has a reborn spirit.
In Efficacious Grace, God the Father calls upon the elect and if the person responds favorably in accepting the work of the Son of God through faith alone, then God is free to create a new human spirit, and it is then placed in the believer by God the Holy Spirit.
The passages you quote make reference to having tasted the spiritual understanding having been given to the person by God the Holy Spirit. If denied, then the person simply remains condemned already and not having received salvation.
There may be situations where a believer begins to understand His Word and communicates His faith in Christ through prayer, which might be acceptable by God. I’m still reviewing this aspect of the doctrine which is classical doctrine.
I know the Son and the Father both are referenced in calling believers. I know the Son bases His Church upon those believers who were elect by the Father and respond positively through faith in Christ.
I also know that believers who assert they do not sin, are guilty of lying and not in fellowship with Him. I also know those who believe they must not sin or else they lose salvation, do not really understand the Gospel or do not believe it.
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>> “One thing I DO know, is that God is not author of confusion.” <<
But is God the author when someone cuts his word into small sound bites, excluding the fullness thereof?
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Well my goodness...then Jesus died for nothing....one slip up and all Christians are still born before they get going. Hmmmmm! Except when you take that passage and look at other passages that speak of “restoring erring ones to the faith” then one has to take a deeper look at faith and growth and the drifting away from it!
One also has to question the motives of those who bring the subject up and their insistence that the “losing salvation” passages override those passages that speak of a restoration to faith when one has erred deeply!
And some of us, present company included, found our way to God through Jesus, INSPITE of the interference from Catholicism. 😀😆😄
“cuts his word into small sound bites”
Which you are very good at doing yourself...! People have often presented to you their arguments “in fullness there-of” rounded out with scriptures quoted in proper context and you cut them up into little bits! You don’t look into a mirror much before you speak do you?
I think it’s really about tradition and mindset...of Mount Sinai vs Mount Zion which causes you to attack as you do!
Two points.
First off, whether he has or not, he's probably repented of bowing before an image.
The other thing is, at least he would have been praying to the RIGHT person - GOD.
You fail on both points.
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