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

[Iruntherace4Him]

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV) says that,"9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor theives nor greedy nor drunkards nor slanders nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God." Will Christians living a sinful lifestyle (be it sexual immorality, idolatry, greedy etc.) be left behind on the day of the rapture to face the tribulation?

God is the only one who knows the heart of man. Our job is to restore a brother or sister if they have fallen back into sin. Those who have rejected Christ will be left behind.

[sweet rose]

I have always believed in the once saved always saved, nowhere in the Bible does it say that one con loose their salvation. But, when it comes to the rewards, they will not get them. I always compare it to the story of the prodigal son. The father looked down the road for the son to return - every day- when he did come the father put the robe on him and the ring on his finger, and killed the fatted calf. When the brother came home he could not understand why the father would do that. Yet the father said to the faithful son, "All that I have is yours. But your brother who was lost is found."
Christ's words were "All that the Father gives Me will come to me will come to Me, and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out."
For a lot of your questions may I recommend a site ' Grace thru faith'. It is by Jack Kelly and you can e mail your questions to him or check the archives your questions have probably been asked and answered already.

[jadeeyes]

All who have placed their faith in Jesus and His shed blood to save them from their sins are saved and will go with us in the rapture. Once a person does that, his identity is no longer that of a liar, thief, aduterer, murderer...sinner. His identity is that of a saint. He has become a coheir with Christ and a member of the Body of Christ. He is part of the Bride of Christ. If I were to tell a bunch of lies today and the rapture occurred tonight, I would still be identified, not as a liar, but as a part of the Bride and would be raptured. Once you become a member of the Body, God no longer looks upon you and sees sin. He looks upon you and sees the Blood of Christ and that you are clothed in the righteuosness of Christ. God has promised us that He will remember our sin no more.

[ReadytoGoNow]

I only wish I knew the answer to that question? I took myself out of my de-facto relationship a few years back as I thought not being married was not being true to living a truly Christian life and he did not want to remarry. I have been sad and lonely - and I still wonder if this was the right thing to do. He did believe in God - he just didn't see that marriage was necessary as long as we were fully committed to each other. I still miss him and still cry about it. I live alone now with my 20 year old daughter who will only be a home for 1 more year. I only wish I knew if what I did makes me a "better" Christian. Mishk.

I do understand what you are saying. I also have seen that Christians who live with each other outside of marriage or have an affair or take drugs or get drunk are real stumbling blocks to the unsaved. Think about how many times you have heard them talk about it! So and so calls themselves a Christian but they _____ . Being saved is not a free license to do whatever. We are being watched and need to be examples.
That said, We Are covered with the blood of Jesus. And thank God for that.

[Thomas3599]

This is a very very serious question, one I have been looking deeply into for more than 5 years. Titus 1:16 says people will confess with their mouth, but by their action they deny Christ.

Luke 12:45-46 says they will be placed with the unbelievers. These are believers.

Rev 21:8 list the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake of fire

Jesus said to take up your cross daily and follow Him. Some think its take up your cross once and follow Him. Daily, Daily, Daily.

In Rev 21:8 its singles out the unbelievers. The rest are believers. People need to wake up and look up its getting close.

I have so many loved ones that came to church and were baptized and now never darken the door and they think their going to heaven. Wake up. I mean this in love I'm very concerned.

God bless.

[Anddra]

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV) says that,"9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor theives nor greedy nor drunkards nor slanders nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God." Will Christians living a sinful lifestyle (be it sexual immorality, idolatry, greedy etc.) be left behind on the day of the rapture to face the tribulation?

To answer your question - "Will Believers living in a sinful lifestyle be left behind?"

If they are true believers then they will not be left behind. If they are Christian in name only, then they will be left behind.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2:19-21 (KJV)

There will be some who are saved but have not been available to do much. This will affect their rewards but not their salvation.

[Jesuschangesall]

try as you like,try hard,and you will still sin.....our old nature is there with us to the grave....either you are totally forgiven for the past present and future sins or you aren't.
If one is born again is eternally saved....of course grace will create in you a desire not to sin,and The Holy Sprit and prayer and the Word will help you not to sin,but we still sin,and even if we don't commit gross heavy sins we still sin...I am a born again believer 40 years now,I am spirit filled,tongues and gifts and all,but I still sin,I do not enjoy sin,the Holy Sprit convicts me and His blood washes me and i strive NOT to sin,but I still sin,example,waht about when I lose patience in traffic or when I have moments of spiritual pride or when I have sexual desires that I know they are wrong but I still sin in thought if not in facts and actions...either I am saved by HIS GRACE or there is NO WAY I can make it to heaven or the rapture...I hope I explain myself here,by no means i want promote the thought that: Oh well,we are saved by grace so lets go on sinning etc..." no way,but how many times I wish I wasn' here anymore on this wretched sin ridden and cursed planet but I' rather be with JESUS that I LOVE so much....but we are in a spiritual warfare,against the flesh the world and the devil and I THANK GOD for JESUS,I don't see other way out but HIM that said IT IS FINISHED and shed HIS BLOOD for me!
I believe we have to be grateful to the Father The Son and The Holy Ghost and when we will be with Him we will worship HIM for ETERNITY because of HIS GLORIOUS GRACE and LOVE!Shalom!

[Christina]

You left off the rest of that verse. And it is a very important one. The rest of Corinthians says this:


If you have been born again you will go in the rapture. Assuming you don't physically die first.



Exactly, you have to use the whole verse or else you take the verse out of context. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (you need to reference verse 11 as well for the verse to be read in it's context) ~ "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.". What is being said is that the unrighteous, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, shall not inherit the kingdom of God, such as we were before we were born again....the key words being "before we were born again". Once we are in Christ, we are no longer in the category that will not inherit the Kingdom of God, it is BECAUSE of our salvation in Christ that we are covered by HIS bloodshed and forgiven of all our sins, including the list above which we were before we became saved. This verse is saying that those who are as the list states, who are not born again...these are the ones that will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Ironic how this verse also implies that one who is in Christ is a new creature, meaning the list of sins above are not manifest in our lives (do not rule and run our lives). As a new creature in Christ, we should be turning away from our sins, if we are living in our sins or "frolicking in them (for lack of a better word) then we need to search within and figure out why there is no conviction of our sins.

[tfcrew]

If you have been born again you will go in the rapture. Assuming you don't physically die first.


The dead in Christ will rise first
1 Thessalonians 4:16

[SavedSam]

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV) says that,"9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor theives nor greedy nor drunkards nor slanders nor swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God." Will Christians living a sinful lifestyle (be it sexual immorality, idolatry, greedy etc.) be left behind on the day of the rapture to face the tribulation?

:waveendtime777

If we have been truly born-again we belong to Jesus, John 10:28. We are sealed Eph1:13. Before we are born-again, we are under conviction of sin. When the Lord reveals that we are doomed to hell because of our sin, He draws us to Himself, offering redemption. When we accept His Gift, we become His at that point. We will desire to read His Word to get to know Him and His Eternal plan for us. We will find those verses that reveal sin in our lives. We will want to get rid of all of it, Romans 12:1-2, to put on the new man 2Cor5:17
Having said that, we will not be left behind to suffer the wrath of God. We will lose rewards in heaven though, which should cause us to put aside those sins which beset us Heb12:1.

Obviously more than you asked for, but hope it helps!

Sam