As it is written I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,
and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Martin Luther believed that original sin completely corrupted all of human nature. Because of this fact, human acts of virtue have no value at all. Therefore, we are saved by faith alone.
This is why Martin Luther is reported to have said that even if he were to commit adultery many times, it would not matter: once saved, always saved.
Once Saved Always Saved.
John 10:28-29
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
John 6:37
All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me: And him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.
John 10:28
And I give unto them eternal life: and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Jesus Christ made both these statements and they unmistakably reveal the permanence of salvation, once received. When an understanding is so plainly given as this, we must use it to establish our basic convictions before interpreting other Scriptures which may seem to say something to the contrary.
Then we can more reasonably evaluate the more difficult-to-grasp passage to see what it is, in fact, saying. This is precisely what the admonition rightly dividing means.
Approaching Scripture this way will invariably show the tougher passage to actually be teaching something entirely different than a mere glance might seem to reveal.
Never suppose that once saved, always saved but ask yourself honestly how much am I saved.
What is lacking in my salvation?
Have I stopped working out my salvation in fear and trembling?
Am I relying on my first encounter with Jesus to get me into heaven?
If you are, beware! Because in a way you are trusting in your own righteousness to keep you saved since the day you first received Christ. Such an attitude is always a prelude to a fall.
Many so many so-called Christians are filled with hostility and anger against others who do not accept their point of view because they think they are saved for good.
Such have put themselves into the jaws of the lion and are storing up a terrible condemnation for themselves.
The concept of Once Saved Always Saved can be derived from all sorts of arguments from theology, but it cannot be derived from Scripture.
The strange logic of Once Saved Always Saved seems to state that man is free to accept or reject the offer of grace before salvation, but when he gets saved, he is no longer free to accept or reject this grace.
This is utterly illogical. Nothing within Scripture states that we have freedom of the will before salvation, and none afterwards.
This is nonsense. John 8:36 states that If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
In this it is implied that a believer in Christ has more freedom than they had before when they were not a Christian.
So how can it be said that we are less free after salvation? All because of a Once Saved Always Saved doctrine that no one can find in the Bible?
An example of the absurdity of this belief can be demonstrated this way:
A man is walking along the lake, and suddenly he trips and falls headlong into the lake. Now, he cannot swim. He splashes and gasps for air, screaming for help.
A bystander notices his dilemma and dives in and pulls the man to safety. He was "saved" from drowning.
Now, according to the Once Saved Always Saved concept this man could never again become careless while walking by a lake and fall in and drown. This is the logic that we are asked to abandon our intellect to.
As for the Once Saved Always Saved teaching would be much better leaving cliches to those in the greeting card industry, and the seriousness of theology and doctrine to those who actually believe the Bible.
Sins are forgiven and covered when confessed and forsaken. So long as the sinner remains in Christ his past sins remain covered and forgiven.
If however, this person returns to his former life without Christ, his sins, past and present will be open in the books of Heaven.
He will meet the record of his entire life on judgment day. This lesson is taught in the parable of the unmerciful servant, who after he had been forgiven his entire debt, (been saved) dealt harshly with his debtors, and the Lord then required him to pay all that had once been forgiven him.
The Once Saved Always Saved belief which is only technically correct when applied to those (Few) True Worshippers who ultimately become one of The Chosen Few.
Matthew 20:16 ; 22:14
Almost everyone who believes he or she is Saved is sadly, but simply Not Saved.
The vast majority of professing Christians who were ever born are quite frankly not going to be Chosen because they unwittingly worship the Anti-Messiah and they don't even know it.
They are the very ones who rest on their laurels with the false confidence provided by the Once Saved Always Save belief.
The Bible teaches that once a person is saved he is always saved... if he continues faithfully to walk in the light.
But it does not teach that salvation is guaranteed no matter what one may do thereafter. Salvation is given to those who have faithfully endured,not to those who have turned away.
To teach otherwise is to teach false message.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure to the end the same shall be saved.
The guarantee of salvation is confirmed specifically in a number of verses.
In Philippians 1.6 Paul speaks of Being confident of this very thing, that He Who has begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2.13 adds, For it is God Who is at work within you to will and to do of His good pleasure.
In both cases the assumption is that God's work will produce results, slowly but surely, because it is He who is doing it.
We must have an accurate knowledge of God's purposes and his way of salvation, then we must exercise faith in the Chief Agent of salvation, Jesus Christ, and do God's Will the rest of our lives.
Salvation is sure for those who follow this course. But it involves persevering right to the end of our present life or of this system of things.
Only he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.
Matthew 24:13.
When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he continue to have life?
All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die.
We are told that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, so apparently any sin can be forgiven.
Even those who teach falling away rarely if ever say they got saved again. Rather, they confessed their sin and were forgiven.
Hebrews 12:3-11 tells us that every Christian sins, and that instead of causing a loss of salvation, sin brings God's chastening upon us as His children.
If when we sinned we ceased to be God's children, He would have no one to chastise-yet he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Indeed, chastening is a sign that we are God's children not that we have lost our salvation: if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Teaching that once saved always saved can give a new Christian the impression that he can continue to live a worldly, carnal life.
It enhances the working of the carnal mind and body. The carnal mind and body wants to sin, and wars against the Spirit of God now working in the heart of the believer.
A babe in Christ must never be taught that any sin is acceptable or excusable. We all must remember that sin of any color caused the death Jesus.
After we get saved, none of us are guaranteed that our lifes will be rosy and clear sailing.
Some of us will fall by the wayside and lose faith. Some of us will just carry on life and do a little here and there for the Lord and yet others, will try to give our all until the day we die.
For after salvation we again have to choose whether we want to follow God. This is why He keeps saying to all even to the saved.
IF any man or woman will come after me then they must take up their cross and die daily to themselves... and follow me.
Luke 9: 23
So all Christians will not follow Jesus even though they are saved, but still they shall retain their salvation.
We are encouraged to make straight paths, looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God.
Heb12:13-15
Therefore let him who thinks he stands (firmly) take heed lest he fall.
1Cor10:12
The rejection of the biblical teaching of justification by faith and works leads some to believe in an absolute assurance of salvation.
Since a person is justified at the moment he has faith in Christ the person is saved and therefore will go to heaven regardless of how he lives from that day on.
No matter how sinful they live the rest of their lives their salvation is assured.
According to the once saved always saved belief there is no way they can forfeit their salvation.
There is nowhere in the bible that says once saved, always saved.
A person can fall away from God and go to hell.
If he doesn't make his heart right with God then he will go to hell. Sorry but that is the word. In order for him to come back to God, God's spirit has to be dealing with him, and then he has to humble himself and ask for forgiveness, if God isn't dealing with him, he wont' make it into heaven.
While we are saved and kept by Christ alone yet part of the evidence that we are indeed saved is by our good works i.e.holy living.
We were not saved in our sins or saved for our sins but saved from our sins. By grace through faith unto good works is the order of scriptures.
Chosen in Christ to be holy conformed unto the image of His Son is how it is stated elsewhere.
If there is no holiness then no matter what we did some years ago or thought we did will get us into Heaven.
We are not saved by holiness (legalism) but salvation is evidenced by it, just as the tree is evidenced by its fruit.
Some believe that a person who is saved can never lose his salvation only if he continues in the Lord.
And a person is eternally secure only if he abides in Jesus Christ. (John 15:6)
This is simply to say that a born again person who is disobedient and unrepentant will lose his salvation because he has become an enemy of God and God will not invite His enemies into His eternal kingdom.
The Bible is replete with chapter and verse expounding this teaching with warnings given by way of examples from the Old Testament.
Those who are truly saved will never lose their salvation.
Jesus said in John 10:27-29 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.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
The once saved always belief is based on the premise that once God has decided to forgive a sinner He will never change His mind.
The problem is, God does not change His mind, we do. The sin problem doesn't centre in God's opinion of man but in man's opinion of God.
Our salvation is a gift and God will not change his mind and take back a promise else he becomes a liar and we know that God cannot lie. Even if we become unfaithful, even if we sin too much, even if we do not do a thing for God, even if we come to a state of unbelief, even if we do not believe what the scriptures say.
God simply will not change his mind regarding the the gift of salvation that he gave us.
To fall away from God's grace is to remove oneself from Him that called you in the Grace of Christ thus terminating all interaction with Him.
John said...
I write these things......so that you may know that you have eternal life.
1. We must confess our sins. 1 John 1:9 states, If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.
2. We must obey God's commands. Whoever says, I know him, but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 John 2:4.
3. We must not be obsessed with material possessions. 1 John 2:15, Do not love the world or the things of the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
4. We must love one another. 1 John 3:14 states, Whoever does not love remains in death.
In addition, we must love through our actions. Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth.
1 John 3:18.
It's His promise to us, that He will never leave or forsake us, and so all we have to do is believe it. It's His Word, so just believe it, and when you do, it'll change our life.
For Jesus has never lost one of His sheep and we are not going to be the first one ever lost. We have His Salvation, and we can't lose it.
Once Saved, Always Saved.
The saved people feel no great need to examine the Scriptures because they think they already have all they need for salvation.
Indeed, the hypocrisy and unchristian acts of many who claim to be saved have brought the whole subject of salvation into disrepute.
When a child of God is unrepentant He will send chastisement. He will send various means of punishment to correct His child.
However, if the child does not receive the forbearance, the patience, goodness of God which leadeth him to repentance, then God will finally forsake the child and the sonship will be lost because the child was not worthy Him.
ONCE SAVED - ALWAYS SAVED?
By Dave Hunt
The question of the eternal security of the believer is often raised. This subject has been the cause of much controversy in the church for centuries and still creates conflict and distress for many Christians.
It is too much to expect to dispel this problem completely for everyone in a brief tract, but perhaps we can at least help in that direction.
Those who believe in falling away accuse those who believe in eternal security of promoting cheap grace. The latter in itself is an unbiblical expression.
To call it "cheap" is really a denial of grace, since it implies that too small a price has been paid. Grace, however, must be absolutely free and without any price at all on man's part; while on God's part the price He paid was infinite.
Thus for man to think that his works can play any part in either earning or keeping his salvation is what cheapens grace, devaluing this infinite gift to the level of human effort.
To speak of "falling from grace" involves the same error. Since our works had nothing to do with meriting grace in the first place, there is nothing we could do that would cause us to no longer merit it and thus "fall" from it.
Works determine reward or punishment-not one's salvation, which comes by God's grace. The crux of the problem is a confusion about grace and works.
First of all, we must be absolutely clear that these two can never mix. Paul declares, ...if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (Rom 11:6)
Salvation cannot be partly by works and partly by grace.
Secondly, we must be absolutely certain that works have nothing to do with salvation. Period.
The Bible clearly states, "For by grace are ye saved... not of works" (Eph 2:8-10).
True to such Scriptures, evangelicals firmly declare that we cannot earn or merit salvation in any way. Eternal life must be received as a free gift of God's grace, or we cannot have it.
Thirdly, salvation cannot be purchased even in part by us, because it requires payment of the penalty for sin, a payment we can't make.
If one receives a speeding ticket, it won't help to say to the judge, "I've driven many times within the 55 mph limit.
Surely my many good deeds will make up for the one bad deed." Nor will it do to say, "If you let me off this time, I promise never to break the law again."
The judge would reply, "To never break the law again is only to do what the law demands. You get no extra credit for that. The penalty for breaking the law is a separate matter and must be paid."
Thus Paul writes,"...by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight..." (Rom 3:20)
Fourthly, if salvation from the penalty of breaking God's laws cannot be earned by good deeds, then it cannot be lost by bad deeds.
Our works play no part in either earning or keeping salvation. If it could, then those who reach heaven could boast that while Christ saved them they, by their good lives, kept their salvation.
Thus God would be robbed of having all the glory in eternity.
Fifthly, salvation can be given to us as a free gift only if the penalty has been fully paid. We have violated infinite Justice, requiring an infinite penalty.
We are finite beings and could not pay it: we would be separated from God for eternity. God is infinite and could pay an infinite penalty, but it wouldn't be just because He is not a member of our race.
Therefore God, in love and grace, through the virgin birth, became a man so that He could pay the debt of sin for the entire human race!
In the Greek, Christ's cry from the cross, "It is finished!" is an accounting term, meaning that the debt had been paid in full.
Justice had been satisfied by full payment of its penalty, and thus God could "be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus"
Rom 3:26
On that basis, God offers pardon and eternal life as a free gift. He cannot force it upon anyone or it would not be a gift.
Nor would it be just to pardon a person who rejects the righteous basis for pardon and offers a hopelessly inadequate payment instead-or offers his works even as "partial payment."
Salvation is the full pardon by grace from the penalty of all sin, past, present or future; eternal life is the bonus thrown in.
Denying this cardinal truth, all cultists, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, for example, reject salvation by grace and insist that it must be earned by one's good works.
They accuse evangelicals of teaching that all we need to do is to say we believe in Christ and then we can live as we please, in the grossest of sins, yet be sure of heaven.
Evangelicals don't teach that at all, yet a similar complaint is made by those who believe in "falling away." They say that "once saved, always saved" encourages one to live in sin because if we know we cannot be lost then we have no incentive for living a holy life.
On the contrary, love for the One who saved us is the greatest and only acceptable motive for living a holy life; and surely the greater the salvation one has received, the more love and gratitude there will be.
So to know one is secure for eternity gives a higher motive for living a good life than the fear of losing one's salvation if one sins!
While those who believe in "falling from grace" are clear that good works cannot earn salvation, they teach that salvation is kept by good works.
Thus one gets saved by grace, but thereafter salvation can be lost by works. To teach that good works keep salvation is almost the same error as to say that good works earn salvation.
It denies grace to say that once I have been saved by grace I must thereafter keep myself saved by works.
Such teaching, says Hebrews 6:4-9, rather than glorifying Christ, holds him up to shame and ridicule before the world once again for two reasons: if we could lose our salvation, then
(1) Christ would have to be crucified again to save us again;
(2) He would be ridiculed for dying to purchase a salvation but not making adequate provision to preserve it-for giving a priceless gift to those who would inevitably lose it.
If Christ's dying in our place for our sins and rising again was not sufficient to keep us saved, then He has foolishly wasted His time.
If we could not live a good enough life to earn salvation, it is certain we can- not live a good enough life to keep it!
To make the salvation he procured ultimately dependent upon our works would be the utmost folly.
"Falling away" doctrine makes us worse off after we are saved than before. At least before conversion we can get saved.
But after we are saved and have lost our salvation (if we could), we can't get saved again, but are lost forever.
Hebrews 6:4 declares, "If [not when] they shall fall away... it is impossible
(v.4)...to renew them again unto repentance." That "falling away" is hypothetical is clear
(v.9): "But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak" So "falling away" does not "accompany salvation."
The writer is showing us that if we could lose our salvation, we could never get it back without Christ dying again upon the cross.
This is folly! He would have to die an infinite number of times (i.e., every time every person who was once saved sinned and was lost and wanted to be "saved again").
Thus, those who reject "once saved, always saved," can only replace it with, "once lost, always lost!"
John assures us, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know [present knowledge] that ye have [present possession] eternal life..."
1 Jn 5:13.
To call it eternal life, if the person who had it could lose it and suffer eternal death, would be a mockery. On the contrary, eternal life is linked with the promise that one cannot perish-a clear assurance of "eternal security" or "once saved, always saved."
John 3:16 promises those who believe in Jesus Christ that they "should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 5:24 again says, "hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation...." One could not ask for clearer or greater assurance than the words of Jesus: "I give unto them [my sheep] eternal life; and they shall never perish"
Jn 10:28.
If, having received eternal life, we could lose it and perish, it would make Christ a liar.
If sin causes the loss of salvation, what kind or amount of sin does it take? There is no verse in the Bible that tells us.
We are told that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness-so apparently any sin can be forgiven.
Even those who teach falling away rarely if ever say they got "saved again." Rather, they confessed their sin and were forgiven.
Hebrews 12:3-11 tells us that every Christian sins, and that instead of causing a loss of salvation, sin brings God's chastening upon us as His children.
If when we sinned we ceased to be God's children, He would have no one to chastise-yet he "scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
Indeed, chastening is a sign that we are God's children not that we have lost our salvation: "if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."
Some teach that one must be baptized to be saved; others that one must "speak in tongues." Both are forms of salvation by works.
Some people lack assurance of salvation because they haven't "spoken in tongues," others are confident they are saved because they think they have.
Both are like those who say, "Lord, Lord, have we not...in thy name done many wonderful works?"
Mt 7:21-23
They are relying on their works to prove they are saved, instead of upon God's grace. Nor does Jesus say, "You were once saved but lost your salvation" He says, "I never knew you."
Here is an important distinction. Those who believe in "falling away" would say of a professing Christian who has denied the faith and is living in unrepentant sin, that he has "fallen from grace" and has "lost his salvation."
In contrast, those who believe in "eternal security," while no more tolerant of such conduct, would say of the same person that probably Christ "never knew him"-he was never a Christian.
We must give the comfort and assurance of Scripture to those who are saved; but at the same time we must not give false and un-Biblical comfort to those who merely say they are saved but deny with their lives what they profess with their lips.
Are we not then saved by our works? Indeed not!
In I Corinthians 3:12-15 every Christian's works are tried by fire at the "judgment seat of Christ" before which "we must all appear" (2 Cor 5:10).
Good works bring rewards; a lack of them does not cause loss of salvation. The person who hasn't even one good work (all of his works are burned up) is still "saved; yet so as by fire" (1 Cor 3:15).
We would not think such a person was saved at all. Yet one who may seem outwardly not to be a Christian, who has no good works as evidence (if he has truly received the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior), is "saved as by fire" and shall never perish in spite of his lack of works.
Do we then, on the basis of" once saved, always saved," encourage Christians to "sin that grace may abound?"
With Paul we say, "God forbid!" We offer no comfort or assurance to those living in sin. We don't say, you're okay because you once made a "decision for Christ."
Instead, we warn: "If you are not willing right now to live fully for Christ as Lord of your life, how can you say that you were really sincere when you supposedly committed yourself to Him at some time in the past?"
And to all we declare with Paul, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves"
(2 Cor 13:5).
Our confidence for eternity rests in His unchanging love and grace and the sufficiency of God’u’s provision in Christ-not in our worth or performance.
Only when this is clear do we have real peace with God. Only then can we truly love Him and live for Him out of gratitude for the eternal life He has given to us as a free gift of His grace- a gift He will not take back and which He makes certain can never be lost!"
Dave Hunt.
The position taken herein is not based upon either Calvinism or Arminianism, both of which Dave Hunt opposes.
For further discussion see his book, whatever Happened to Heaven?
Once Saved, Always Saved.
The Problem:
Since Christ died once for all, and since Christ's blood is effective, many Protestant denominations believe that saying the sinner's prayer and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour assures salvation.
Martin Luther himself taught that one might commit adultery 100 times and still be saved, for God will forgive those who accept His Son, and put Him on as a cloak of righteousness.
The argument "By their fruits, ye shall know them" is sometimes made, implying that a true disciple of Christ would never commit adultery.
That could be true, but how does one KNOW whether or not she/he will commit heinous sin sometime in the future? If I don't know that, I can't know I am saved now, for I may give the lie to my belief in salvation by committing that sin next week which I abhor today.
The Church affirms that every person can and must maintain the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.
However, she also recognizes the inherent free will and freedom to act present as a gift from God in every person, and asserts that any person might freely choose to reject God's saving grace through thought or action, thereby stripping from themselves the ability to enter into the Beatific Vision.
Thus, we cannot presume to know our own salvation anymore than we can know the salvation of any other person; rather, we must work out our salvation with our face turned always towards the hope who is Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:13
I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life
Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you _have_ been saved...Salvation is, in a sense, a completed action in the life of all who have been baptized. ( see Matt 16:16, Romans 6:3, Galatians 3:27)
However...
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Matthew 10:22...but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
Justification is spoken of in the past, present and future tenses.
1 Corinthians 4:4
I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord.
1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God.
Paul acknowledges that he himself cannot make a judgment on whether or not he will be saved.
Romans 11:22
See, then, the kindness and severity of God: severity toward those who fell, but God's kindness to you, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off.
Romans 11:23
And they also, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
Repentance is always possible, but is not guaranteed.
Colossians 1:21-23
And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds
22: he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him,
23: provided that you persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, am a minister.
Hebrews 6:4-6
For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the holy Spirit and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt.
Hebrews 10:26-29
If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins
27: but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries.
28: Anyone who rejects the law of Moses is put to death without pity on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29: Do you not think that a much worse punishment is due the one who has contempt for the Son of God, considers unclean the covenant blood by which he was consecrated, and insults the spirit of grace?
2 Peter 2:20-21
For if they, having escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of (our) Lord and savior Jesus Christ, again become entangled and overcome by them, their last condition is worse than their first.
21; For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment handed down to them.
1 Corinthians 15:2
Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
2: Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
Salvation can be lost. You will only be saved if you hold fast and do not let go.
Matthew 5:19-30
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
20: I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
21: "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
22: But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, `Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, `You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
23: Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,
24: leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
25: Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.
26: Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.
27: "You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery.
28: But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29: If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
30: And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
Galatians 5:19-21
19: Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness,
20: idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,
21: occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Ephesians 5:5-7
5: Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6: Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.
7: So do not be associated with them.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
9: Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor practicing homosexuals
10: nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11: That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (cf. baptism).
Notice that Paul does not except those who have already "accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour". Anyone who does the things he lists will not inherit the kingdom. Period.
Sirach 5:1-9
1: Rely not on your wealth; say not: "I have the power."
2: Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart.
3: Say not: "Who can prevail against me?" for the LORD will exact the punishment.
4: Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?" for the LORD bides his time.
5: Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin.
6: Say not: "Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive."
7: For mercy and anger alike are with him; upon the wicked alights his wrath.
8: Delay not your conversion to the LORD, put it not off from day to day;
9: For suddenly his wrath flames forth; at the time of vengeance, you will be destroyed.
Perserverance is emphasized and re-emphasized as very important - but how could perserverance be important if praying the sinner's prayer is enough to assure ourselves of salvation?
1 Timothy 4:16
Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
2 Timothy 2:11-13
This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with him we shall also live with him;
12: if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us.
13: If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.
Matthew 10:22
You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved
John 15:6
Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.
Revelations 2:10-11
Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days.
Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11: "Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The victor shall not be harmed by the second death."
Revelation 3:5
The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels.
Revelation shows that Christ will not erase some names, but implies that He will erase others.
Matthew 10:33
But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.
Luke 12:9
But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.
Mark 13:13
You will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
Matthew 24:13
But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
ONCE SAVED--ALWAYS SAVED
HEBREWS 6:1-20
18;
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19;
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
INTRODUCTION:
Five catagories of people in this world:
1.
Those who are unsaved and know they are unsaved.
2.
Those who are unsaved, but think they are saved.
3.
Those who are saved but are uncertain about whether they are saved.
4.
Those who believe they were saved in the past, but for some reason believe now they might not be saved now.
-Some believe they can lose their salvation, because of sinning.
-How much sin do you have to commit?
-How frequently would you have to sin to lose your salvation?
-What kinds of sin would you have to commit in order to lose your salvation?
5.
Those who are certain that they have been saved and know they are saved forever.
-Some people believe that once saved--always saved is only a Baptist Doctrine.
-It is a Biblical Doctrine that most Baptists believe.
-Some people believe you are saved when the following things happen:
1.
Dropping bad behavior and adopting good ones, in order to get right with God.
2.
Joining a Local Church after being baptized.
3.
Deciding to call yourself a Christian
4.
Going to the Altar and saying you are sorry for your sins.
5.
Changing from your bad habits.
6.
Start praying and reading the Bible daily. (All of these are works)
-Salvation comes by faith and faith in Jesus Christ alone, through His Word, the Bible.
-Salvation is the result of believing and receiving and not a product of doing things.
-Being saved and eternally knowing it, depends upon your faith in the Word of God, on what God has said about being saved.
-God says that it is impossible to lose your salvation, if you have truly been saved, according to verses, 4-6.
-God said here in this chapter, in verses 1-3, that we need to just believe God in this matter, get it settled and move on in our Christian life.
-In other words, there is much to be accomplished in our Christian life, than fighting the battle over and over again about whether you are saved or not, according to verses 9 & 10.
-After you and I have been scripturally saved, we are to realize that we have sunk the anchor of salvation in Jesus Christ, and it can never be pulled loose, according to verses 18 & 19.
-I want to give you seven basic reasons in believing once you have been saved, that you are always saved!
I. ONCE YOU ARE SAVED, YOU WILL STAY SAVED BECAUSE OF THE OMNIPOTENCE AND OMNIPRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD.
James 4:7-8
7.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
A.
God cannot be avoided, escaped, or removed by any act or will of man.
1.
We can however, resist the devil so that he will flee from us.
B.
God does not and cannot lie.
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
C.
God cannot be defeated by the devil or any human being or by anything else.
1Cor.15:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
D.
God cannot change from what He has always been.
Heb. 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
II.
ONCE YOU ARE SAVED YOU WILL STAY SAVED BECAUSE OF THE ON GOING INTERCESSION OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE BELIEVER.
HEB.7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
A.
Once we are saved by accepting Jesus as our Saviour, He is continually seated on the right hand of God, interceding,mediating, and advocating for us, because we are His Children.
John 10:28,29.
III.
ONCE YOU ARE SAVED YOU WILL STAY SAVED BECAUSE OF THE UNENDING LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST FOR YOU.
ROM. 8:38,39
38.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39.
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
A.
Three questions I want to ask you here:
1.
Who can accuse us and make it stick? No one!
2.
Who can condemn us and make us guilty? NO One!
3.
Who can separate us from Christ? No, not ONE!
IV.
ONCE YOU ARE SAVED YOU WILL STAY SAVED BECAUSE OF GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE FOR US.
ROM. 8:29,30
29.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
A.
God's purpose for you that are saved, is a total confirmation to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.
1.
He could not do that if you could be lost again and again.
B.
Second, God's confirmation process has four progressive and irreversible stages:
1.
Predestined
2.
Called
3.
Justified
4.
Glorified.
a.
Three of these happened at the moment of salvation and one has yet to happen, when the rapture of the Church takes place.
V.
ONCE YOU ARE SAVED YOU ARE SAVED FOREVER, BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN IRREVERSIBLE NEW NATURE.
HEB. 6:4-6
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.
A.
No one, can undo your scriptural salvation, not God, someone else, or even yourself!
1.
2 Cor. 5:17, says that when you get saved, old things are passed away.
a.
All things are new.
2.
Rom. 8:14,15, says that we have been eternally adopted into God's family.
VI.
ONCE YOU ARE SAVED, YOU ARE SAVED FOREVER, BECAUSE OF THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US.
Eph 1:13-14
13.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
A.
The seal of the Holy Spirit links us forever to our specific owner, Lord Jesus Christ!
1.
The seal represents who purchased us, Lord Jesus Christ!
2.
The seal represents that we are authentic children of the Lord Jesus Christ.
3.
The seal represents that the Holy Spirit authenticates our salvation experience.
4.
The seal represents that we are joint-heirs with Christ!
VII.
ONCE YOU ARE SAVED, YOU ARE SAVED FOREVER, BECAUSE OF THE ABSOLUTE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD.
2 THESS. 3:3
3
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
A.
The unchanging, steadfast, absolute nature of God, makes God always faithful and trustworthy.
1.
When God said that when we receive Christ, we get everlasting life, we can absolutely count on it 100%.
2. When God extended the promise of everlasting life to all who will receive it, then the promise if absolutely true!
3.
What God says, God Does!
1 Cor. 1:4,5--8,9
1 Cor 1:4-5
4.
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5.
That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
1 Cor 1:8-9
8.
Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9.
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
CONCLUSION:
-I know from experience that until you settle once and for all the question of whether or not you are eternally saved, joy and true peace in your soul will not be there.
-Fear and worry will always be there.
-If you have been truly saved, then everlasting life and joy in Heaven is awaiting you!
-Your act of salvation only takes a moment to happen, but it seals you as a believer forever!
-We can know we are saved forever:
1.
OMNIPOTENCE AND OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD
2.
ON-GOING INTERCESSION OF JESUS CHRIST FOR US
3.
UNENDING LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST FOR US
4.
GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE FOR US (CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST)
5.
OUR IRREVERSIBLE NEW NATURE
6.
SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US
7.
FAITHFULNESS OF GOD
Carl Chitwood. Pastor
Westside Baptist Temple
Texas
Copyright © 2003 - 2005 K2Lministry.com All Rights reserved