One of the biggest weapons the church leadership used against members was to threaten them with the thought of losing their salvation because they disagreed with something the church said. Church members were cosntanly worrying about whether they were "going to make it." Modern day Pharisees bang away on computer keyboards in their kitchens laying down the law and threatening anyone who does not follow THEIR demands, clamining they are at risk of losing their salvation and the ability to become "God."
No! If he could, then he only had "PROBATION" and not "SALVATION"
The very meaning of "SALVATION" is being saved from the penalty of my sins (which is death in hell) and instead, possessing eternal life.
If I'm Saved From Hell,
Then I Will Never Be In Hell!
If I have Eternal Life,
Then I Will never Suffer The
Second Death - The Lake Of Fire!
The assurance of our salvation is not left up to reasoning, thank the Lord. God has promised us salvation upon faith in His Son and He keeps His promise all of the way. The guarantee is given in Ephesians 1:13,14 where it is not only written down for us but we have already been given a security deposit -
"IN WHOM (CHRIST) YE ALSO TRUSTED, AFTER THAT YE HEARD THE WORD OF TRUTH, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION; IN WHOM ALSO AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, WE WERE SEALED WITH HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, WHICH IS THE EARNEST (DOWN PAYMENT) OF OUR INHERITANCE UNTIL THE REDEMPTION OF THE PURCHASED POSSESSION UNTO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY."
This security deposit lasts until Jesus Christ comes and takes possession of (us) His purchase. By the Holy Spirit, therefore, we are: (Ephesians 4:30)
"...SEALED UNTO THE DAY OF REDEMPTION."
After teaching the doctrine of our salvation in the first eight chapters of the Book of Romans, Paul asks four questions and gives four answers which guarantee that our salvation cannot be lost.
1) Romans 8:31 "IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?"
Paul argues that God has not held anything back from us. He has already given the dearest thing to Him--His Son--for our salvation. Therefore, if he has already given His Son for us, He is not going to lose us now!
2) Romans 8:33 "WHO SHALL LAY ANYTHING TO THE CHARGE OF GOD'S ELECT?"
Here Paul argues that if it is God who has declared the believer righteous, then no one can say otherwise!
3) Romans 8:34 - "WHO IS HE THAT CONDEMNETH?"
Now Paul argues that if Jesus Christ died to save us, and He is risen, making intercession for us, then no one is capable of lodging a complaint against us.
4) Romans 8:35 - "WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST?"
Finally Paul argues that nothing can separate us from Christ's love. Remember, death is separation from God. The very meaning of not being separated from Christ's love implies not being separated from Him!
The reason given for the impossibility of being separated from Jesus Christ is because we are...
"MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US"
In Roman 8:38 Paul says he has a settled conviction about Eternal Security. No person, (not an angel nor yourself) will get between Jesus Christ and His love for you. Not even time ("THINGS PRESENT, NOR THINGS TO COME") will change anything. That's security!
* * * * *
Concerning verses that seem to teach a person can lose his salvation, let me say this. there are verses in Matthew, Mark, and Luke that indicate a person must "ENDURE TO THE END" to receive life. The book of Hebrews also warns against "FALLING AWAY." Here again, "RIGHTLY DIVIDING " the Scriptures is a must.
The "enduring to the end" is a reference to the future tribulation that will come upon the earth as a means of judgement upon Israel for rejecting her Messiah. It is also a means whereby God will weed out and destroy the unbelievers from the earth to purify Israel and to set up the promised Kingdom on earth. We who live in this present age of grace will not even be on earth during this time because God has promised that we will "OBTAIN SALVATION" before this time begins - see I Thessalonians 5:9 and II Thessalonians 2:13, 14. So again, God has completely provided for our security.
Concerning the warning of "falling away" in the book of Hebrews, first know that the Book of Hebrews is written to the Hebrews – Israel. Secondly, the Book of Hebrews follows the Books of Romans through Philemon which are the revelation of the interruption in God's dealings with Israel. When the age of grace is over God will continue where He left off dealing with the nation of Israel. Therefore the Book of Hebrews is a warning to the Nation of Israel not to "fall away" from following Jesus Christ during the tribulation.
According to II Corinthians 6:2, today is not a day of God's wrath (the tribulation); but instead:
"...NOW (TODAY) IS THE DAY OF SALVATION."
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WHAT IF A PERSON SINS AGAIN AFTER BEING SAVED ?
There really is no question about it, you will sin again after being saved. I was saved at about age 23. Therefore, the majority of sins I've committed have been since I've been saved. I am now 65.
The very basic understanding of the gospel answers this question. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for my sins. Jesus Christ paid for all of my sins - past, present, and future. He left no sin unpaid. This is the very meaning of "REDEMPTION" - I'm free from hell because Jesus Christ paid the price for my salvation. "PROPITIATION" tells me that I am accepted in to the family of God because God the Father was satisfied with the payment Jesus Christ made for me on the cross. Therefore I can enjoy total and complete forgiveness from the moment I trusted in Jesus Christ as Saviour. This is what the term "REMISSION" has taught us.
The Scriptures teach me that if (or when) I sin, I ought to recognize it to be contrary to what God would have me to do. Thank Him for the forgiveness in Christ. Correct the wrong, and go on living for the Lord.
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From a Radio Bible Class booklet entitled, "Safe and Secure, the Permanence of Salvation."
"What did Paul mean when he referred to falling from grace? (GAL 5:4) This is threatening but it doesn't refer to a loss of salvation already received. There are at least two possibilities. It could refer to the Judaizers, who believed that salvation came ultimately through keeping the law. If such persons turned away from Christ, whom they had never really learned to depend on, they would be turning away from their only hope of salvation."
"Another possibility takes into account what Paul described in Galatians 3. There the apostle talked about Jewish Christians who accepted Christ in order to be saved, but made the mistake of thinking they could go on to maturity by keeping the law. Paul made it clear that they needed to trust the same Spirit of Christ for perfection and maturity as they did for salvation. If they didn't, they would fall from the principle of grace. They would not lose their salvation, but they would lose the undeserved power and enablement of God, which first leads to salvation, then to true Christian experience."
(Comment: I am convinced of the truth of eternal security--salvation is a gift from God, not something we can earn or lose based on our works.)
Observation: The second paragraph quoted seems to describe me. I received/ recognized/ accepted Jesus as my savior but then sought to "go on to maturity by keeping the law." The result was losing the "power and enablement of God" and missing out on "true Christian experience." Thank God my salvation was secure, despite my wrong beliefs! Praise God that I'm beginning to truly experience the Christian life!
Question: Do you think the second paragraph describes the general state of "old" WCG? "nominal" Christians in/out of WCG yet today?
Here are some more scriptures about Eternal Security.
1Jo 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God which He has testified about His Son.
10 ¶ He who believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself. He who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he does not believe the record that God gave of His Son.
11 And this is the record, that God has given to us everlasting life, and this life is in His Son.
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I have written these things to you who believe on the name of the Son of God, **that you may know that you have everlasting life**, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. (MKJV)
Joh 3:15 so that whosoever *believes* in Him *should not perish*, but have everlasting life.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:36 He who *believes* on the Son *has everlasting life*, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him. (MKJV)
Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life. (MKJV)
Joh 6:47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes on Me *HAS everlasting life* .
Has now! Present tense.
Joh 6:54 Whoever partakes of My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (MKJV)
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (MKJV)
28 And I give to them eternal life, and *they shall never ever perish*, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand.
29 My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and *no one* is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.
The no one can also include ourselves.
Joh 17:2 even as You have given Him authority over all flesh so that He should give eternal life to all
You have given Him. (MKJV)
And remember.
Php 2:13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of [His] good pleasure. (MKJV)
Php 1:6 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, (MKJV)
And this is an assurance by God that He will not take our names out of the Book of Life.
Re 3:5 The one who overcomes, that one will be clothed in white clothing. And *I will not* blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (MKJV)
