There are many of my friends who wrestle with the idea of eternal security. The question is: if you are saved, are you always saved? The Bible is clear that you can never be snatched from Gods hand, but that you can also walk away from salvation. These two truths have many people confused. John 10:27-29 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. Luke 8:13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. II Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, To fall you have to be somewhere. Some believers fall away, that means quit being saved. Jesus said that happens when trial comes, because they have no root in His kingdom and get offended when it isnt easy. They have not built their house on a sure foundation...the rock. This implies there is some building to do! We know Ephesians says this: Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, But James also says this: James 2:14-18 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James says that my works, what I do to agree with the kingdom, are a thermometer of the heat of my faith. They dont change the temperature...they measure the temperature. BUT the temperature of my faith REALLY matters...especially for the generation Jesus is returning to. We live in the most INTENSE generation of all time...MANY WILL FALL AWAY! At the time of Revelation, endurance on the part of believers (Jesus was speaking privately to His disciples) will be essential to hang on to salvation. I have come to think of eternal security like this: salvation is a rescue line...a life rope. When someone send a life rope from a boat into the ocean, you are supposed to use the rope to get back into the boat. If God is sending down the rope, you are supposed to use it to get closer and closer to where he is. You arent supposed to try and water ski! Feet still in the world but hanging onto salvation! This is deadly...it is a great way to fall away! This is what James said: if you arent reaching for more of God with this faith rope, you are dead...your faith is literally not alive and taking you into the boat. The rope will never break...your salvation is unbreakable...BUT you CAN let go! Otherwise, love would not exist. You CANNOT have love absent of free will...absent of a choice to say no to love. God REFUSES TO VIOLATE LOVE. That means He will never violate free will. That means you can let go of the rope, if you want, just like Adam and Eve could say no to perfect life in the garden of Eden with God. This is the big problem of our time. For centuries mankind has been grabbing rescue ropes in relatively calm seas. But there is a STORM COMING! Jesus, speaking privately to His disciples, warned that many would be offended by what Jesus allows, and quit...betray the other disciples...like Judas. Jesus said endurance was the key to lasting. Matthew 24:9-13 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Just like you grab onto the rope with your words, you CLIMB THE ROPE WITH YOUR WORDS. Climbing the rope and getting your whole being (body, soul, and spirit) back in the boat is developing a wholehearted, all-in, one thing i desire lifestyle: Psalms 27:4-5 One thing I have desired of the Lord , That will I seek: 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 inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. A Time of trouble is coming. The one David spoke of. Many have no idea 20 foot swells are coming...they think God is going to magically climb their ropes for them and make them bright white and holy...this WILL NOT HAPPEN...God doesnt force anyone to grab the rope, climb the rope with their words...their desire...or to be like His son. BUT, all of these are necessary to make it through the great tribulation. You climb the rope (go deeper into the kingdom and out of the world) by living the Sermon on the Mount: 1. Take a personal inventory of what Jesus lived like and how I live. (Blessed are the spiritually poor) 2. Mourn (cry out to fill) the gap between my walk and Jesus perfect walk 3. Receive the difference incrementally with meekness and continue to reach for more 4. Fuel all this with secret fasting, prayer, generous giving, and choices to resist offense and to bless my enemies If I will do this now, while there is time, I will be ready...securely in the boat, to weather the coming storm. No one can do this for you. No one can share this kind of oil! Matthew 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 10:36:32 +0000
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