Can we lose our Salvation?

[Sarah78]

I have been wondering this for awhile, is it possible for those who were once saved to be denied eternity with God if they have strayed? At what point can we fairly make an assumption that someone is no longer saved? I have heard that once saved always saved, and also that we can lose our salvation, so I am confused.

[Onyeka Obi]

Also one would be said as not being saved the moment one starts to take God unseriously. His mind gets corrupted by sin gradually. Though he/she is born again.

[Onyeka Obi]

Also one would be said as not being saved the moment one starts to take God unseriously. His mind gets corrupted by sin gradually. Though he/she is born again.

[maggie hancox]

I certainly appreciate another persons perspective on this, and have been giving alot of thought to this subject due to my own struggle with sin.
I have read all of the scriptures that you referred and you would think that that aught teach me once again of our Fathers true mercy, but again I struggle and struggle and struggle along.
It was truely helpful to be reminded of Peter's denial and Jesus true loving action in drawing him into his arms.
And you are right, so many many things in the bible are examples of Gods unfailing love, unfailing patience and mercy towards us.
Even so much as the story of the forgotten son, drawn back in the arms of his father, treated like royalty and adorned with celebration and love.
Our own children sin against us time and time again, and we even know in our hearts they do it without ignorance at times, willingly and deliberately at times.
And we forgive them again and again.
How much more perfect is the love of our Father!
May God bless you and use every word you speak in his honour, for the power of those words, the very words that were written for our instruction and use to assist us to have a relationship with our Father still stand today to break the chains.

Amen

[Sarah78]

Hello All,

I started this Post months ago, I suppose I was somewhat ignorant in thinking there was a concrete answer. I have read many of the responses, but not all. I have come to the conclusion that there is not one person here at AAG or in the entire world that could answer this question beyond a doubt, I have read answers that totally support the OSAS believers and answers that support that we can in fact lose our salvation. I think in the end of it all it is a matter of personal opinion. I personally struggle with this question(obviously) and hope that we cannot lose our salvation. I hope for this, not because I want to willfully sin, but because sometimes my flesh is entirely too weak, to not give into temptation. Do my past or present sins hurt me? You bet! I always regret them and always feel shame or remorse...but because at times I struggle with issues that I now realize are beyond my control, (but not God amen!) I am learning that in the times that I backslid and faltered by leaving church and God behind and turning to alcohol instead, it was something much deeper that provoked me into these situations and some of them out of my control (depression etc) Now I know what is wrong with me and though I feel that at the moment I am in a actual battle for my faith, I still believe the Lord will not give up hope for me, at least I pray this.

I truly hope that once the Father has us, he will not let us go, but what I hope for more so, is that soon enough, it will be me hanging on to him and not letting go..ever...regardless if I'm OSAS...

That is the relationship I long to have again and forever, to feel his love, to know that I am loved and to reciprocate that love daily,and to not have any more fear regarding the solidity of my salvation...
God Bless,

Sarah

[maggie hancox]

I certainly understand your feelings as I struggle just the same!, only mine is not drink.

Essentially these feelings are but one thing!
Reservations as to the depth and bredth of Gods forgiveness, mercy and understanding of human nature and the part that sin plays in our lives because of Adam's decision.
May I please say that they are the same thing!!!!!

I realized that Adams decision to NOT have faith in Gods true and loving nature in all it's magnatude WAS the original sin, that is what Adam and Eve did essentially.
Rejecting God for WHO he was and taking action to confirm by consuming the reserved fruit,they believed in the slander that Satan put before them of God denying them something, believing that God was performing an 'unloving act' against them! So the original sin in fact was LACK of faith in Gods true and loving nature.
The more we purpetuate this belief of 'lack, and deprivation', the more we buy into this very same original sin.
Because in the end of all the different kinds of sin that there are it all comes down to that one orignial sin, masked and manipulated. Our reaction to such a belief in Satans slander causes us to react.
How do we react? greed, manipulation, murder, lies, ........our new understandings of sin have been segregated into its various forms,but in the end the core lie within us created it all and still does!!

when we feel deprived, or a lack we feel need to take control, to hold on to what we think is important, and to steal, fight and manipulate our way into getting what we feel we do not have and need.

We forget of Gods true nature, that he has a plan far greater then our own, we forget to give what ever our needs and desires are to God.We forget Gods true and LOVING nature.

The seed of sin is within us, the sin is to NOT have faith in Gods true love. Our every poorly made decision stems from this and this alone, our lack of faith.

So yes we are fighting for our faith, not our salvation!!!
Salvation was a GIFT to us, in absoloutely NO WAY can we earn it.
Would God take back his gift to us??
Jesus is STILL risen again,history is what history is.
God remains forever faithful, dispite our actions, he can not deny himself!!
Jesus STILL DIED FOR OUR SINS!

We fight minute by minute to have faith, to damn the lie that Satan inflicted the world with of slander against Gods true loving nature.

If you have children, you will find times when you know they are being deliberately missbehaved, sometimes deliberately nasty and you know you have taught them better...but you still love them!!

How much greater is our God whom gave his most precious gift, he had nothing greater to give!
To PROOVE to us the depth of his love.

It is not about this scripture or that, who has the perfect answer, because the answer is inside of you written on your heart and it feels like LOVE, because it IS love.

Even Paul struggled with sin, yet he was chosen worthy to learn from and be written in the bible time and time again.

Romans 7:18 I know I (am) rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I cant make myself do right. I want to, but I can't.
19-When I want to do good, I dont. and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway!!!!!!.
20-But if I am doing what I dont want to do, I am not really the one doing it, the sin within me is doing it.
21 it seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong
22 I love Gods law with all my heart.
23 but there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. this law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is STILL within me.
24 Oh, what a misserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin?
25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is, In my mind I really want to obey Gods law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

8- So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus, for the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you through Christ jesus from the p;ower of sin that leads to death....

This is Pauls struggle with sin! and he is leading and teaching us!!!!!!!

We have not been informed what this sin is that Paul is struggling with, but it doesn't matter! it shows that what Jesus did for us goes beyond WHAT EVER IT IS!!!!
Because the struggle is not with our EXPRESSION of sin, but with the very CORE of it, FAITH IN GODS TRUE AND LOVING NATURE!!

Anything else is a smoke screen, ultimately another way for Satan to slander the perfection of Gods true love.

Because of my own struggle with this very issue, I now truely believe that the struggle is really as simple as this.


*capitals are used for emphasis, not 'yelling' :)*

I pray that God will overwhelm you with his love, that you would experience the pure simplicity and perfection of his true and loving nature. Amen

[Terry Scerine]

Bravo, Maggie! I love it! Right on! Have you read "Salvation: The Free Gift" yet that I posted? If not, please do and let me know what you think about it, okay?

[Chas Jones]

Hi Sarah, God makes it very clear that He is the author and finisher of our faith, and that He chose us before the foundation of the world was laid. He also promises that all who come to Him cannot be taken from Him, EVER or by anyone or anything. When Christ died for my sin upon the cross, He paid the price not just for my past sin, but for all my sins including those I have not yet committed. This does not give Christians freedom to sin, but rather, our new nature gained when the Holy Spirit indwells us, gives us the liberty and ability to sin not. Even then, we are being perfected, but we will achieve perfection until the new Heaven and new Earth arrive and we discard these corruptible bodies for new incorruptible ones.

May God bless you on this journey, keep in touch,

Chas

[Terry Scerine]

Hello Sarah78!

I love your question because there are biblical scholars and evangelists on both sides of this coin, but we know that there can only be one Truth about it. So either one side or the other is wrong or they're both wrong, right? I understand your confusion!

But please be assured that there is one, simple, True, concrete answer! And God is about to give it to you.

I had wondered about it for a long time and finally asked God to show me the answer, and one day God gave me the key to it when a man said, "God loves everyone, but only those who love Him (Jesus) are saved.

Please read my blog article, "Salvation: The Free Gift" and I'm confident it will clear up your confusion once and for all. Please let me know if you read it and what you think of it.

Also, I have researched the subject extensively and pulled all the scriptures on the subject, and if you read each one carefully the full picture will come into view. I'd be happy to email them to you if you wish.

Love, in Christ,
Terry

[Jared Wells]

Exodus 32: 33 "And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book." Revelations 20: 15 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

[Terry Scerine]

Jared, you seem to be implying that you believe in conditional salvation. My blog "Confusion: Conditional Salvation vs. Eternal Security" lists, at the end, all the scriptures I've found in the New Testament regarding salvation. If you read each of them carefully, you will not find any evidence for a conditional salvation. On the contrary, you will find that without having full confidence in your salvation, you are not likely saved at all.

[Jared Wells]

Terry, I listed two scriptures of The Word. I believe in Christ and that one day I will be judged by the only One who can weigh the heart of a man.

[LT]

Jared,

In Exodus we see God speaking to the chosen nation of Israel and deals with the special covenant that God made with them. The church and Israel are not the same and many of the promises to them do not apply to us, though there can be principles found in those promises that we can learn from and apply to our lives. Their relationship was filled with many conditional promises. The promise of salvation in the New Testatment to the believer in Jesus is based on the work of Christ and His grace. We are saved by grace and that salvation is maintained by grace, not works, for sin is a work too.

This debate, with people on both sides of the fences will never go away this side of heaven. Each will believe as they will. I rest in Christ alone for my salvation, not Christ and me.

Lord Bless,
LT