I realize the sensetivity of this topic, but I have been wrestling with it for some time. The question is can you loose your salvation or once you have it, are you eternally secure? We all have our VBS standard doctrinal views that are more supported by feelings than actual scripture because even the most honest biblical scholar at a seminary or Theological institute will say "Both...". Can I be honest with you and say that that is just not good enough. Surely there must be an answer, because I cant simply loose my salvation like I loose my wallet and if I am "eternally secure", why do I try to live in Holiness? This has been my frustration. The good news is that God answers. In several conversations I've been having with The Word lately (and believe me sometimes they were heated) It kept leading me back to Matthew 10:22, Where it says "He that endures to the end shall be saved." Many times in debates you hear the arguments based off of one or two verses and that is their salvation leaving out the other 100 other verses. (There are approxamatly 108 verses that use the word "saved" depending on your translation. FYI) My problem has been, why arent they all true? Well if Matthew 10:22 is true the fact is we are never saved because we wont be until we reach the end. That end will be determined on whether or not we endured. You may say that is a work based faith, but I have not mentioned deeds, and no I'm not going to use the verse from James. My response to the elite in Theology is that I am still not one hundred percent certain, but ask me what I find in the text now is that neither is true. That salvation is never attained here but only after we are gone. That it cant be aquired in the earthly realm (more of why to come....oooh) only sought after with hope and confidence of the Promise of God. I'm gonna let Paul close this one out:
Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death; if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I could not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
(Phi 3:8-14)
2 comments:
There is an old chinese story, that goes like:
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Once an old man was trying to reach a city, but he wasn't sure about the way.
So he asked a young boy standing by the road side "how long will it take me to reach the city from here?"
The boy answered "If you'll keep going this way, then I don't think you can reach in this life, but if you'll turn around and walk then it will not be more than 3 hours"
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Your message (and most other's) reminds me this story. The question is genuine, the walking is genuine, the search is genuine, but the direction is otherwise.
The question is inner and the search is outward (in scripture, cuntoms etc).
The thirst is individual, the search is in mob.
!Alas!
Wish you best to find your answer.
A well-wisher
Who is ever secure enough to honestly think that whatever they do is ok, because they know they are going to heaven? It seems to me that when people can rationalize the things they do, they try to write the rules. I am continually amazed at our freedom to choose. It's up to us! Just because it's up to us does not in any way mean we can write the rules. Essentially, the way I see this is that we don't have a choice to specifically go to heaven, that's not for us. When we choose to be submissive and obedient to God's rule, we (by faith) leave that choice to God. ...if He will invite us over to His house or not. I am afraid to miss out on this invitation.
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