Once Saved, Always Saved

This is something I thought I figured out years ago.  I was settled in my heart with what I believed.  We’ve been discussing this in our Sunday School class and I find myself rethinking my position.  (And I was in agreement with our church’s position.)

Let me clarify the question before I get started on the post.  The question is once a person is a Christian (has accepted Christ) can he lose his salvation?

Salvation is Believing in Jesus - “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)

Not Saved by Works - “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8-9)

Salvation is a Free Gift from God – There’s nothing we can do to earn our salvation and nothing we can do to keep it.  - “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23)

If you could lose your salvation then he didn’t give you eternal life – that in itself describes something that never ends.

Salvation happens at a point in time – not a process. “For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

When you accept Christ, you become a child of God.   (1 John 3:2 and Romans 8:15)

Nothing can separate us from our Father.  Nothing can “undo” your spiritual birth.  It is the difference between relationship and fellowship.  You can turn your back on your parents and never talk to them again but they will still be your parents.  You will be out of “fellowship” with them but the relationship is still intact. The same is true with your heavenly Father. 

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38-39)

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.” (John 10:29)

Jesus will never leave us - “"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrew 13:5)  How could Jesus make this claim if there was a possibility that you could lose your salvation?

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20

When the Bible talks about eternal life, it talks about it in the present tense  - something we already have.  If we could lose it, how could we already have it?  If we had to do anything to keep it, how could we already have it?

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life" (John 3:36)

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

That all sounds really convincing but what about the person who turns his back on Christ after believing.  He will lose rewards in heaven but he will be saved.  (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

Even if we choose not to believe, we are already a child of God.  “if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13)

If salvation is a free gift from God and I know that God will never take it back, can I give it back?  What if I turn my back on God?  I was reading Hebrews 6:4-6 and started to struggle with these Scriptures but I think I have come to a conclusion that makes sense to me.

“It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

This is actually throwing out a hypothetical situation.  It says if they fall away.  It doesn’t say when they fall away.  It says if we could lose our salvation then Jesus would have to die all over again for us to get it back.  That’s not only impossible but also ridiculous.  He dies once for all.

Can you lose your salvation from sin in your life?  If so, what kind of sin and how much sin?  There’s 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 – this implies that all sin can be forgiven as there were no conditions placed on this promise.  Hebrews chapter 12 tells us that all Christians sin.  It states that instead of a loss of salvation, sin brings God’s chastening.  He disciplines us as a father would his children. 

If a Christian is once saved, always saved, should he care about how he leads his life?  Does it matter how he lives?  Paul addressed this issue in Romans chapter 6.  We would never say, so ahead and sin because after all you accepted Christ and are saved.  If you are not willing to live for Christ, how can you say that you were sincere when you asked Him to save you? 

In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul tells us to “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.”  Were you sincere, did you really commit your life to Christ.  If you did, it will be evidenced by a changed life.

Our security rests in God’s unchanging love and grace and the sufficiency of Christ’s death on the cross to pay for our sins. 

Let me close with Romans 5:8-10

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

Paul uses past tense verbs – have been justified and have been reconciled.  You can’t undo it – it’s a done deal.

I think I have just re-convinced myself of my original position.

I welcome your thoughts.

Words

I read today that the average person speaks 10,000 words a day.  If we are talking that much, our words probably have a purpose or an effect. What effect do your words have on others?

According to Bible, words have power. 

“The tongue has the power of life and death,” Proverbs 18:21

The words we speak are extremely important.  Jesus said,” But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37)

This makes me think long and hard about some of the things I say.  Have you ever said anything and wished you could have the words back?  Once something is said, you can never take it back. You can apologize for things but you can never undo it. 

James gives us some insight into how we should react to each other.  “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”  (James 1:19)

We are to be eager to listen.  Better listeners, understand better.  They work better with others.  They are better spouse and better colleagues.  Try using your ears twice as much as you use your tongue. 

Our words can be destructive or constructive.  They can bless and build up or they can hurt and destroy.  It is our choice to use our words to encourage others.

So how are you going to use your 10,000 words today?

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Psalm 27

“The LORD is my light and my salvation;
          whom shall I fear?
     the LORD is the strength of my life;
          of whom shall I be afraid?”  Psalm 27:1

One thing I noticed in the above Scripture is that it doesn’t say that the Lord gives light.  It also doesn’t say that the Lord provides strength.  It says the Lord is light and the Lord is strength.

When you accept Christ, the Holy Spirit lives inside you.  From inside you, the Lord is light and strength.  He takes care of you from the inside out.

Not even Goliath scared David because David knew that the battle was already won.

Just in case you think your life is harder than David’s was, read the next couple of verses.

“When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”  Psalm 27:2-3

Saul’s entire army was out to get him.  One man versus one army – that doesn’t seem like very good odds.

The Lord was David’s strength.  He was confident in what God could and would do through him.  It seems like in this situation there would be a lot of things I would ask the Lord for.  David’s focus was on one thing only – his relationship with the Lord.  Look at the next verse.

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4

David is not showing fear.  He is confident in what the Lord was going to do.  He knew the Lord would protect him. 

No matter how tough we have it, I think David probably had it worse.  So no matter what you are going through, look to the Lord.  Seek a relationship with Him.  Be confident that the Lord loves you and that He is light and strength inside you.

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Waiting

This is a continuation from yesterday’s post.

Psalm 62:1-2; 5-8

“¹My soul waits in silence for God only;
         From Him is my salvation.
²He only is my rock and my salvation,
         My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

⁵My soul, wait in silence for God only,
         For my hope is from Him.
⁶He only is my rock and my salvation,
         My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.
⁷On God my salvation and my glory rest;
         The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.
⁸Trust in Him at all times, O people;
            Pour out your heart before Him;
         God is a refuge for us.”

Wait and persevere.

Waiting involves trusting.  Waiting includes praying.  Waiting implies resting.  We simply need to trust and wait in Him. 

 

“While I Am Waiting” by John Waller

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Perseverance

I don’t seem to be persevering very well and so this may be a topic I shouldn’t write about.  Then again, because I don’t think I am doing it well, perhaps something I write will help me.  This blog is suppose to be about what I am learning and thinking.

A long time ago I read a book titled “Three Steps Forward Two Steps Back.”  I was thinking today that my life feels more like Two Steps Forward Three Steps Back.  I don’t feel like I am making any progress in some areas of my life – especially where my foot is concerned.  I’ve had problems with this foot for over a year and a half now.  I just want to be able to walk without pain.  Enough whining, let me continue on with my blog for today.

Psalm 62:1-2

“My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”

David is talking to himself.  He is telling himself to stop and wait for God.  Wait for God to direct my steps.  He is my rock.  Wait on Him to provide for my needs. Have you ever talked to yourself like this?  I talk to myself lots of times. 

Verse 1 also talked about waiting in silence.  Sometimes I just need to shut up and listen.  Stop speaking.  Close my eyes.  Meditate on who God is.  Meditate on what His Word is saying to me.  Listen deeply.  Listen to my heart.  Hebrews 8:10 says that God will inscribe His law….His will ….upon my  heart and mind.

Have confidence.  Verse 2 of Psalm 62 says that God is my rock and my stronghold.  It is because of the confidence I have in God that allows me to wait quietly for Him.

Finally know that Romans 5:3 says that perseverance produces character.  Perhaps that is what God had in mind for me all along ….

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Are You Content?

 
I have had a particularly frustrating week.  I was anxious to return to the foot doctor on Tuesday.  I was hoping to get the cast off my foot.  I thought I was really lucky because the doctor did remove the cast.  She put me in a removable walking cast and told me to wean myself off my crutches over the next week.

My foot is stiff.  The ankle is sore.  The heel still hurts some.  I could deal with all of this, but somehow because of the funny way I was walking, I hurt my back.  This was not what I needed this week.  It is so sore that I can barely move.

So I sat here tonight to read my Bible and I was feeling fairly frustrated and what did I turn to ….

Philippians Ch 4.  Isn’t it bad enough that it is telling me to rejoice in everything but it is also telling me to be content in all circumstances.  This was what I needed to hear, but not what I wanted to hear. 

God’s Word seems to continually meet me where I am and minister to my needs.  I am not feeling content.  The chapter goes on to say that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  It also says that He will meet all my needs.  It really comes down to whether I trust Christ or not.

It’s all about choices.  Choosing to rejoice.  Choosing to pray about everything.  Choosing to be content.  Choosing to trust.

What will you choose?

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Forgiveness

I’m reading the book “Amish Grace”.  It’s about the Amish peoples’ response to the shooting of ten schoolgirls at the the Nickel Mines School on Pennsylvania in 2006.

The book tells about how the Amish people almost immediately forgave the shooter.  They supported his family.  They sent food to his family.  They attended his funeral.  They donated money to his widow.   Granting forgiveness was a natural action for them.  It was not an option, just a normal part of living for the Amish.

A father of one of the girls who had been killed stated “ Our forgiveness is not in our words, it’s in our actions; it’s not what we said, but what we did.  That was our forgiveness.”  Forgiveness is an integral part of the Amish culture.

One Amish man quoted a sign seen on a church and said we try to “preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.”

Do our lives reflect this kind of forgiveness?  Am I guilty of holding a grudge?  Is there someone I need to forgive?