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

[endtime777]

I have been thinking about this just recently...if a christian continues living in a sinful lifestyle, he/she is far from God. The Holy Spirit has left him/her and he/she will be left behind when the rapture occurs. In fact, they shouldn't be called a Christian, even though he/she had prayed a prayer of salvation. Christianity is not about praying the prayer of salvation (although it is important), it is about having a relationship with Jesus, the savior, and obeying his commandments. Salvation is not a license to sin. One of the best examples of this is the book of Jude, where the author warns believers of abusing the gift of God's grace.

So what am I saying, if any believer does not have the Holy Spirit he will be left behind. The reason why because a time will come when the Holy Spirit, through the church, will be removed. The members of the Church, with the Holy Spirit, will be removed.

[Anddra]

I have been thinking about this just recently...if a christian continues living in a sinful lifestyle, he/she is far from God. The Holy Spirit has left him/her and he/she will be left behind when the rapture occurs. In fact, they shouldn't be called a Christian, even though he/she had prayed a prayer of salvation. Christianity is not about praying the prayer of salvation (although it is important), it is about having a relationship with Jesus, the savior, and obeying his commandments. Salvation is not a license to sin. One of the best examples of this is the book of Jude, where the author warns believers of abusing the gift of God's grace.

When someone is saved, then they are sealed with the Holy Spirit. So, all those who are sealed with the Holy Spirit will be raptured. Once sealed, they will be kept secure by Jesus.


So what am I saying, if any believer does not have the Holy Spirit he will be left behind. The reason why because a time will come when the Holy Spirit, through the church, will be removed. The members of the Church, with the Holy Spirit, will be removed.

:nod

[Butterflies]

Butterflies, I don't think ReadytoGoNow is saying that all Christians who stumble are doing so thinking that salvation is a license to sin, he is just saying that he knows of Christians like this. In this case I would go back to the parable of the sower. The one who rejoices at hearing the word yet when times get hard they revert back to the "old creature", these people were never saved to begin with. My opinion is that if someone can claim to be a born again believer yet live as the world then they aren't truly saved (as the parable of the sower suggests). Am I judging someone's heart? Not at all, I'm judging their words based on their actions. If a Christian is in sin and is being convicted of it by the Holy Spirit (as you are) then that is the way it is supposed to be. Being a born again believer isn't about being perfect and sinning no more, it's about being convicted and hating sin when we DO sin so that we go to the Lord and repent. :hug

Well I really never put a complete judgment on what he said or I would be judging his heart. I just stated what I know, and that there is no one sin more than another. :hug

[carolina_guy]

endtime777,

you may find a study on the Parable of the Sower and the Parable of the Wheat and Tares to be beneficial to your understanding. Once you are truly saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, you are forever saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.

[Butterflies]

I agree with most its just.....who are we to judge the heart?

[HeartReadyFleshWeak]

Sweet Rose (above) gave some good advice. I have enjoyed reading Jack Kelley's articles. The link to his website is below. On the right hand column under categories, you will find "Eternal Security."
http://gracethrufaith.com/

[Steve53]

This topic is essentially the same as Once Saved, Always Saved or OSAS.

There is another exhaustive (and closed) thread on this topic here - http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=1159

OST - Will merge both threads and leave on the forum for reading only as all sides of the discussion have been explored in depth.

[goodboy]

This is from the questions and answers section of "In Touch Ministries".
Some may not, but I completely agree! :thumb

http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nlnet/content.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4945087&content_id={542771EF-60BF-4301-A90F-037799B96308}&notoc=1

Q & A
Salvation
Q: Can I lose my salvation?

No. Dr. Stanley believes that once someone is saved by faith in Christ’s death on the cross, that person has eternal life. His or her salvation is secure.

What if someone stops believing in God or verbally denies Christ? If we’re saved by faith, can we lose our salvation if we lose our faith?
We’re saved because at a moment in time we expressed faith in our Lord. Faith is the agent by which God was able to apply His grace to the life of the individual. But our standing with God is not maintained by our faith. So even if we were to lose our faith or deny Him, God won’t take back His gift of salvation.

What if someone “falls from grace” or returns to a lifestyle of sin?
Since all our sins—past, present, and future—were forgiven at the cross, no sin we commit after salvation will cost us our official standing as children of God. In context, the term “falling from grace” means adopting a form of Christianity that would demand more in the way of good works (Gal. 5:4). It has nothing to do with a lifestyle of sin. We’re saved by grace (Eph. 2:8-9). Since salvation is given as a free gift, nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:37-39). But disobedience does have a price. It will cause us to lose our fellowship with God. We’ll also reap the natural consequences of wicked behavior, experience divine discipline, miss out on blessings God planned for us, and not earn the heavenly rewards we would have received if we had been faithful.

[CID03]

Nope, no way, no how. :thumb

[acceptedintheBeloved]

Agreed! :thumb Good post, Goodboy! :)