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| ...forming the assumption that... nothing can make you Lose your salvation |
Once saved always saved or Once saved forever saved, also known as Eternal security, you probably
must have heard the statement before, or argue against or for it at some point.
Perhaps you are just pondering on its meaning for the first time. How does it
affect Christians? Some preachers, teachers and Christians preach, teach and
say, respectively, that once you are a believer (Christian) you cannot
backslide no matter what. This inevitably means that once you are saved nothing
you do or don't do can take you away from faith or affect your eternity in
Christ. Once saved then means you are forever
saved.
As we progress from one phase of
the Last Days to another, the warnings of the Spirit through the ink of Paul
the apostle has never been so poignant in history than now.
BUT THE [Holy] Spirit distinctly and expressly
declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving
attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach. 1 Timothy 4:1 Amplified
The battle of the last days is a
war between Christians and seducing spirits, between sound doctrines and the
doctrines of demons. Yes, in the last days demons will teach from the pulpit by
inspiring teachers and preachers. Discernment is a necessity for believers to
identify the spirits that seduces (lures). We can only discern by careful study,
and accurate interpretation of scriptures; this is the weapon of the Spirit to wield
today.
"The battle of
the last days
is a war between
Christians and seducing
spirits"
The once saved forever saved belief
is not without scriptures that people readily quote, most of it from the
Pauline's epistles, but many hinge the belief on these words: Eternal Salvation and Eternal Redemption. Both interestingly occur
twice in one epistle, HEBREWS. Eternal Salvation once in Hebrews 5:8 and Eternal Redemption once in Hebrews 9:12. The word “Eternal” meaning Forever and “Salvation” meaning Save. Put together you get Forever Saved. Since redemption means to
be totally bought out, Eternal Redemption means Forever Purchased. Forming the assumption that once saved nothing
you do or don’t can make you “Lose your
salvation”, you are always Saved.
A major cause of today’s Christians
problems is that they devote more time listening to messages and reading books
of ministers more than the time they personally invest in prayer and Bible
study. I am of the personal belief that we cannot be in error (not for long) if
we study scriptures like the Bereans.
Right or wrong, what is said from the pulpit must be reviewed upon our personal
study tables.
Truth must be consistent with the
teachings of all books of scriptures. We cannot take one epistle and churn out
doctrine from it. To study and understand the scriptures is to find harmony
across verses of scriptures that seem somewhat contradictory on the surface. What
did Peter, Jude and Paul preach on this important subject? We shall begin our
genesis from the book of Hebrews. Why do we have in the scripture Eternal
Salvation and Eternal Redemption as found in Hebrews?
The purpose for Paul's letter to
the Hebrews is to unveil the Sonship, Priesthood and Sacrifice of our Lord,
Jesus Christ, as transcendent to Mosaic traditions. In the context of how
eternal redemption and salvation was used (in Hebrews) it wasn't to justify our
walk (either right or wrong) with God but the perfect sacrifice of Christ (that
brought perfect redemption and salvation) as opposed the daily sacrifice of the
Levitical Order. Christ's sacrifice offered once has the ability to keep saving
us from sin instead of the daily sacrifice of bulls and goats which never
ceased to be offered continually because of daily atonement of sin.
"In the
context of how
eternal redemption
and salvation was used...
it wasn't to justify
our walk..."
But Christ being come an high priest of good things
to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is
to say, not of this building; Neither BY THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES, but by
HIS OWN BLOOD he entered in ONCE into the holy place, having obtained ETERNAL
REDEMPTION for us . For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an
heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How
much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the
living God. Hebrews 9:11-14 KJV
This was said in the context of abolishment
of daily sacrifices for sin under the New Covenant, because by one sacrifice (of
Christ) we can access the forgiveness of God without having to slaughter
animals; hence the word “Eternal redemption”.
The price of the Sacrifice of
Christ remains potent to continually
(eternally) buy (Redeem) us and save (Salvation) from sin. This is more glaring
if we are abreast with this principle:
Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey,
whether that be to sin, which leads to
death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right
standing with God). Romans 6:16 Amplified
Therefore by the priesthood of Jesus
we have daily redemption and salvation forever as the need arises in our
individual lives.
By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better
testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to
continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an
unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST
that COME unto God BY HIM (through His eternally unchanged priestly ministry),
seeing He EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR THEM. For such an high priest
became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens; WHO NEEDETH NOT DAILY, AS THOSE (earthly) HIGH
PRIESTS, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the
people's: FOR THIS HE DID ONCE, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh
men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was
since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. Hebrews 7:22-28 Kjv
"We have
access to
the forgiveness
of God
only when
we confess
sin"
What the Holy Ghost is saying
through Paul is the ability of the sacrifice and priestly ministry of Christ to
continually save us at any time or any day when we have issues with sin. Thank
God Jesus is forever alive to make intercession (stand in gap) for us. This
Jesus' priestly ministry (of intercession) is on-going and we have access to
it when we come to God by Jesus Christ. John explicitly writes that we have
access to the forgiveness of God only when we confess sin (1 John 1:9). Jesus our High Priest ensures our forgiveness. Thank
God for this great blessing (Acts 3:26).
Therefore the Holy Ghost declares:
Inasmuch
then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of
faith in Him]. For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and
sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and
liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every
respect as we are, yet without sinning. LET US THEN FEARLESSLY AND CONFIDENTLY
AND BOLDLY DRAW NEAR TO THE THRONE OF GRACE (the throne of God's unmerited
favor to us sinners), THAT WE MAY
RECEIVE MERCY [for our failures] and FIND GRACE TO HELP IN GOOD TIME FOR EVERY
NEED [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. Hebrews
4:14-16 Amplified
As many believers who continue in
the faith of Jesus and are willing to keep coming to God through Jesus by
admitting and confessing their error (when in need); by which we approach the
throne of grace, yes we would continue to find grace for sin and help in
weaknesses. We have the word of God for it.
Some however has tilted far-right by concluding that the saints
don't need to confess their sin(s) when they err, because Christ had died once
and for all for their sins already. By that they are ignorant yet deliberately
violating the word of God in 1 John
1:8-10 as clearly stated:
If we say
we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners (by act)], we delude and lead ourselves astray,
and the Truth [which the Gospel presents] is not in us [does not dwell in our
hearts]. IF WE [FREELY] ADMIT THAT WE HAVE SINNED AND CONFESS OUR SINS, He is
faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously]
cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His
will in purpose, thought, and action]. If
we say (claim) we have not sinned (when we have), we contradict His Word
and make Him out to be false and a liar, and His Word is not in us [the divine message of the Gospel is not in our
hearts]. 1 John
1:8-10 Amplified
I met a believer who told me a
pastor said that the above scripture is not about confession of sin but of the
name of Jesus. He showed me his note where he wrote what the pastor said. I
asked him to read the verse again, he did, I asked what was being addressed in
the verse, He replied, the confession of sin. I ask do you believe the pastor
or what is written? He went silent.
We access the eternal redemption
resident in Christ every time we admit and confess our sins and Jesus does not
have to go to the cross and die again for that sin to be blotted out. The bible
clearly states that confession of sin precedes forgiveness of sin.
1 John 1:19 begins with the clause "IF" we confess our sin... He (God) is just to forgive. What if we
don't? The reverse of that scripture is implied. Note here that I am not
insinuating a random kind of prayer where every minute you ask for forgiveness
without even the assurance of doing something wrong. When you know you have sinned,
you confess that singular sin and you are forgiven for it. Let's stick to just
what the word of God says.
Next we shall see the
teachings of the apostles, if a believer once saved cannot backslide and probably
become an atheist, Buddhist or whatever. So I will lay out the scriptures before
you. You decide who you'll pitch your tent beside, men or the Word.
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