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

[goodboy]

http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.4943223/k.492B/In_Touch_Ministries__Video_Archives.htm

Click on and watch Dr. Charles Stanley's message on "Walking Away From God". :thumb:thumb:thumb

[CID03]

how many sins they had committed 2000 years ago when Jesus died on the cross. My guess is that they had committed none yet.

[The Watcher]

http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.4943223/k.492B/In_Touch_Ministries__Video_Archives.htm

Click on and watch Dr. Charles Stanley's message on "Walking Away From God". :thumb:thumb:thumb

I haven't seen that particular message, but I have read his excellent book on eternal security.
As it pertains to the OP, you might want to read Salvation: God's Marvelous Work Of Grace by Lewis Sperry Chafer.:yeah

[vemee]

How exactly does one go about losing their salvation? By sinning? Well then Heaven is going to be a terribly lonely place, isn't it? I guess even the apostle Paul won't be there:

One does not lose their salvation by sinning but by unbelief and going to apostasy. I base this on Hebrews 3:12-13 where the writer warns the readers to beware lest sin hardens their heart. I have always looked at this section of scripture to represent the Christian saved out of Egypt (the world of sin) on a journey to salvation which is represented as the promised land. Now I realize that some interpret the promise land as a peaceful Spirit filled life. Jude 5 also reinforces this. Colossians 1:21-23 says we are reconciled to God if we stay in the faith. The focus of this issue should be on whether a person who is saved can walk into apostasy. I would say no based on the scripture (and I can't find the reference) that says those who have gone out from us were never with us but I believe the warnings about falling into apostasy were put into scripture for a reason and because of that I have to say that it is possible for a believer to harden their hearts against God to such an extent that they no longer believe God (perhaps this is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit). Romans 8:38-39 talks about nothing being able to separate us from the love of God but Jude 21 exhorts us to stay in the love of God which seems to indicate that we have the free will to leave God's love and blessings. I know God isn't the one who will stop loving us or move his love so that we are no longer in it. The question can be boiled down further to how much does God allow our free will to be exercised once we are saved and sealed. God has sealed us and will save us but is that conditional on staying in the faith? Notice I said faith and not law. When I say staying in the faith I mean the belief that God has justified us through the sacrifice of Jesus and given us the righteousness of Jesus as a gift.

[Christina]

Alot of Pentacostals believe ,not that you can lose your salvation by any amount of sin or certain sins but that you can walk away from or choose to "forfeit" your salvation of your own accord. (The free will to walk away from salvation)

[CID03]

Alot of Pentacostals believe ,not that you can lose your salvation by any amount of sin or certain sins but that you can walk away from or choose to "forfeit" your salvation of your own accord. (The free will to walk away from salvation)

I don't believe that anyone who has truly come to know Jesus Christ would choose to forfeit such a precious gift. Christians do get led off into sin but if they truly belong to the Lord he will guide them back. However, Jesus says that if you deny him before men he will deny you before his father.

Anyone who "walks away" was never in the brotherhood to start with.

[Steve53]

Brothers and Sisters we all know this thread is very long but the same questions and answers are being repeated throughout the thread. Please read through before posting - you will likely see your POV expressed.

For the record - Those who are TRULY saved will always be so. No if's and's or buts.


http://www.rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=9
Article VIII. THE EXTENT OF SALVATION

When an unregenerate person exercises that faith in Jesus Christ which is illustrated and described as such in the New Testament, he passes immediately out of spiritual death into spiritual life, and from the old creation into the new; being justified from all things, accepted before the Father according as Jesus Christ His Son is accepted, loved as Jesus Christ is loved, having his place and portion as linked to Him and one with Him forever. Though the saved one may have occasion to grow in the realization of his blessings and to know a fuller measure of divine power through the yielding of his life more fully to God, he is, as soon as he is saved, in possession of every spiritual blessing and absolutely complete in Jesus Christ, and is therefore in no way required by God to seek a so-called “second blessing,” or a “second work of grace” (John 5:24 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=John+5%3A24); 17:23; Acts 13:39 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Acts+13%3A39); Rom. 5:1 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Rom.+5%3A1); 1 Cor. 3:21 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=1+Cor.+3%3A21)–23; Eph. 1:3 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Eph.+1%3A3); Col. 2:10 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Col.+2%3A10); 1 John 4:17 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=1+John+4%3A17); 5:11–12).


Article IX. SANCTIFICATION OF THE BELIEVER

Sanctification, which is a setting-apart unto God, is threefold: It is already complete for every saved person because his position toward God is the same as Jesus Christ’s position. Since the believer is in Jesus Christ, he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Jesus Christ is set apart unto God. He retains his sin nature, which cannot be eradicated in this life. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Jesus Christ is perfect, his present state is no more perfect than his experience in daily life. There is, therefore, a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is to “grow in grace,” and to “be changed” by the unhindered power of the Spirit. The adopted child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Jesus Christ when he shall see his Lord and shall be “like Him” (John 17:17 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=John+17%3A17); 2 Cor. 3:18 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=2+Cor.+3%3A18); 7:1; Eph. 4:24 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Eph.+4%3A24); 5:25–27; 1 Thess. 5:23 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=1+Thess.+5%3A23); Heb. 10:10, 14 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Heb.+10%3A10); 12:10).


Article X. ETERNAL SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER

Because of the eternal purpose of God toward the objects of His love, because of His freedom to exercise grace toward the meritless on the ground of the propitiatory blood of Jesus Christ, because of the very nature of the divine gift of eternal life, because of the present and unending intercession and advocacy of Jesus Christ in heaven, because of the immutability of the unchangeable covenants of God, because of the regenerating, abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who are saved, we and all true believers everywhere, once saved shall be kept saved forever. God is a holy and righteous Father and that, since He cannot overlook the sin of His children, He will, when they persistently sin, chasten them and correct them in infinite love; but having undertaken to save them and keep them forever, apart from all human merit, He, who cannot fail, will in the end present every one of them faultless before the presence of His glory and conformed to the image of His Son (John 5:24 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=John+5%3A24); 10:28; 13:1; 14:16–17; 17:11; Rom. 8:29 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Rom.+8%3A29); 1 Cor. 6:19 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=1+Cor.+6%3A19); Heb. 7:25 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Heb.+7%3A25); 1 John 2:1 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=1+John+2%3A1)–2; 5:13; Jude 24 (http://biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=KJV&passage=Jude+24)).

[Christina]

I don't believe that anyone who has truly come to know Jesus Christ would choose to forfeit such a precious gift. Christians do get led off into sin but if they truly belong to the Lord he will guide them back. However, Jesus says that if you deny him before men he will deny you before his father.

Anyone who "walks away" was never in the brotherhood to start with.

I am in total agreement CID03, I am an "eternal security" gal and believe that one cannot lose their salvation nor can one walk away from it, I am simply stating what alot of Pentacostals believe.

[24thchance]

84.83% of the believers are totally correct.To say God will even accept his salvation back is a slap on the face of Allmight God,and after all He did for me?.NO I dare not even entertain that thought!!!!!!!!!

[CakeDecorator]

This is a very long thread... Can someone point me where and if Todd put in the links to his board standing on this issue?

Oh never mind. I see that Steve put the links here. Thanks!

And i ugess it comes down to If you were a true Christian. It is hard once you have "tasted" the grace and experience the glory of God to depart from Him. I think this is were the big issue is.