Once a Sheep Always a Sheep, or Salvation Deficit Disorder?

[Cookie]

Once one is saved.. the Holy Spirit changes the unregenerate heart and replaces it with one that desires righteousness. The Holy Spirit, a gift from GOD is also God's SEAL upon the believer.. again.. NON removable by any power of man.[/QUOTE]

Amen Sing4Him!

It took me a LONG time to KNOW I was saved.

Coming from an RCC background than studying with JW's for years, I was one confused soul!!

If there is a limbo "pun intended" I was in one in this life searching for His Truth.

Once I became His child BIG changes happened "this is what I believe the Lord means by being born again" The old me was gone and with that the guilt that heavily burdened me.

And this is how I knew I was saved, it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit these changes could have taken place and thus I started growing in His Truth.

I still battle with temptations but before I would have acted without thought and I've forever thankful for the new me. Looking more forward to the finished product:yeah

[Mopsie]

Amen Sing4Him!

It took me a LONG time to KNOW I was saved.

Coming from an RCC background than studying with JW's for years, I was one confused soul!!

If there is a limbo "pun intended" I was in one in this life searching for His Truth.

Once I became His child BIG changes happened "this is what I believe the Lord means by being born again" The old me was gone and with that the guilt that heavily burdened me.

And this is how I knew I was saved, it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit these changes could have taken place and thus I started growing in His Truth.

I still battle with temptations but before I would have acted without thought and I've forever thankful for the new me. Looking more forward to the finished product:yeah

Wow! Awesome! Praise God for the faithfulness He has shown in your life! That is just so cool!

:yay

[Cookie]

Wow! Awesome! Praise God for the faithfulness He has shown in your life! That is just so cool!

:yay

Thank you Mopsie :hug

I am SO thankful for ALL He has shown me! Always giving thanks!

Wishing you many Blessings.

[Mopsie]

Thank you Mopsie :hug

I am SO thankful for ALL He has shown me! Always giving thanks!

Wishing you many Blessings.

:D

And may the Lord richly bless you! :hug

[RefinedbyFire]

The "Once Saved Always Saved" is always going to make a great Biblical discussion and debate. But, the bottom line is: Only God is the judge of somebody's salvation. I believe in the 100% security of Christ, by looking at the Scripture. Yet, I can understand the debate, too.

Looking at the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Scripture, it appears to me that a person can genuienly receive Jesus (as many children do when they are very young) and be made "alive" in Him as a youngster. Yet, if offensive, sinful choices are made in older years, the person can become "dead" in trespasses and sins. (I wonder if those types of sins are the "sin leading to death" I John 1:16). The Prodigal Son had to have been "dead" in sin, because he was made "alive again." Since the Father is not willing that not one of Christ's true sheep will be lost, He redeems them -- even admist the consequences of their sin. Again, we see the Prodigal Son was made "alive again", a son who was once "dead" in trespasses and sin, once walking to the course of the world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who works in the sons of disobedience (read Ephesians 2). Therefore, you can see the security for the "prodigal" was there all along in Christ. Through it all, that person was not lost.

Just something to think about: Can a person who is ultimately saved (in His Sovereign plan, in His secure promises) go through a "dead" season, and still be granted repentance, before falling into final apostasy? To me, I see Scripture supporting it. What do you think?

[RefinedbyFire]

^Thank you! I agree with you 100%. The Bible says what it means. He is such a loving and merciful God. Today, I was thinking about Jesus (as always), and I was thinking about how great and deep His love and forgiveness is. It is so, so great, to the point where you feel like your soul is going to burst -- or something.

I always enjoy your posts. Man, you seem to post those Biblical verses and info lightning fast!

[Anddra]

Thanks, Sing. I have felt the power of those verses many times.

[ShannonWallace]

Matthew 25:31-46

When the Son of Man comes in His glory (His majesty and splendor), and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them [the people] from one another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;

And He will cause the sheep to stand at His right hand, but the goats at His left.

Then the King will say to those at His right hand, Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God and appointed to eternal salvation], inherit (receive as your own) the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you brought Me together with yourselves and welcomed and entertained and lodged Me,

I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me with help and ministering care, I was in prison and you came to see Me.

Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?

And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or naked and clothed You?

And when did we see You sick or in prison and came to visit You?

And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it for Me.

Then He will say to those at His left hand, Begone from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!

For I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink,

I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me and entertain Me, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me with help and ministering care.

Then they also [in their turn] will answer, Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?

And He will reply to them, Solemnly I declare to you, in so far as you failed to do it for the least [in the estimation of men] of these, you failed to do it for Me.

Then they will go away into eternal punishment, but those who are just and upright and in right standing with God into eternal life.


Matthew 7:14-24

But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves.

You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.

A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration].

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.

Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven.

Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name?

And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].

So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock.

[Blood Bought]

Matthew 25:31-46 .. This is referring to the Tribulation period, the end when He returns. The church we believe of course, is already gone.

Matthew 7:14-24 .. Beware of false prophets - He's talking about true doctrine/false doctrine. For example, anyone giving a gospel other than Christ and Him crucified is false. His own should definitely be sensitive to true and false through the Holy Spirit. If it were pertaining to works, well, phonies can fool us and real believers can make us wonder.

I never knew you; depart from Me - If someone was once saved, it stands to reason he would not say I never knew you.

Either we are saved by faith alone, or faith plus works. All these examples would be works necessary to keep our salvation, which we have absolutely no power in doing, but He does.

In love.

[saint-in-training]

Referring back to this site, I read this today because I have a friend who I myself recently had a discussion with regarding this, and her answer was, "I guess we'll both find out when we get there." I don't know if that's a correct statement...read this.

http://www.raptureready.com/rr-second-coming.html