INTRODUCTION
Well Mon peuple it is that that time of the month again another posting from the Blog the I am God. I tell you people when you get saved you have no clue what you have signed up for. Here it is I am thinking that If I am saved I live right follow the Word of God and it is par for the road. Simply put I remain a nice happy clappy and I am insulated from the wicked world. I would leave the deeper things to those who can manage. Hold that thought we will pick up in Reflections.
Well I am still here in lawless and wutliss Canada. Seems people from another Municipality called Levis have taken a shine to me and is propagating a lot of foolishness. I remember the city of Trois rivières gave me endless problems. Then I picked up the papers and read the headlines the Mayor had to leave office. I did not even bother to read the story. This levis city I have just passed through twice. Their police threw me out in the cold. I am certain they do not want me to call their name before the Lord. No big government contract can help them.
Before we go through my Canadian challenges let us share the Jeff Bezos story to illustrate a Biblical Principle. For those of you who do not know some cowards went after the gentleman ending up with them trying to blackmail him. I am assuming all of you read world news because I do so I can know how to frame my prayer points. Please! fly away Christians remember that the Earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof. Satan did not create anything. The heavens of the heavens are the Lord’s and the Earth he has given to man. I keep telling you all to clip your wings. Here is the link to the story Bezos Explosive Blogpost. Instead of backing down Mr. Bezos took it to the cowards. He got a team together to investigate how they got the pictures etc now everybody is running for cover. Now to Raphleta Taylor who has no money and knows nobody they continue to take pictures in Canada and violate all her human rights in the hypocritical countries called Canada and the USA. Moral of the story Proverbs 10 verse 15 the rich man’s wealth is his fortress and the destruction of the poor is their poverty. I want Mr. Bezos to sack it to all of them. I really do not think his wife should have divorced him. I would not, hopefully it is only one strange woman I would go after her for all I am worth. I would go after that Delilah with the word of God she would have to come and apologize to me and when she sees me coming on the street she would automatically remove herself out of my way. The amount of criminality that I am encountering in the USA and Canada is mind boggling. The two warring tribes in Jamaica will not leave me alone either.There is another story I would like to share with you also, I tell you people there is so much going on on the surface and under the surface. This one is out of the recently conducted World Economic Forum that just took place in Davos, Switzerland. I mean stories like this says do not give up there is still some level of decency in the world today. The World Economic Forum is where all these world leaders, billionaires and so called brilliant people gather to predict the future of the world. I do not think Prime Minister May could have made it this year Brexit had her under manners. Lord help my Holy Ghost!! Brexit and the Britons talk about flip, flop and floundering. There was this Time Economic panel which had this gentleman called Mr. Rutger Bregman and the Executive Director Winnie Byanyima from Oxfam (this organization I show cased in my Blog post of August 2016 on The Laws Of Prosperity). Anyway to cut a long story short Mr. Rutger Bregman, Dutch Historian and Author said he could not believe what was taking place at the Conference it was like going to a Conference of Firefighters but no one was was speaking about water. He was referring to the fact that no one at the World Economic Forum wanted to upset the billionaires in the audience and speak about taxes. The panel concluded that if the rich people were to pay their fair share of taxes instead of talking about foolish philanthropy schemes there would be much more money for the infrastructures that they are using themselves but refuse to pay for etc. I am including a shortened version of the panel discussion, if you are further interested you can look at the full length version on YouTube. Rutger Bregman at Davos on Tax Avoidance. That is why like Dr Cindy Trimm I pray, ‘Father give me enough money so that I can underwrite my government’s budget by paying my taxes’. We do not avoid things in the Kingdom as Jesus showed we pay for ourself and everyone else.
I was editing my earlier Blog Posts only to discover that I have a ghost Editor someone had gone through and deleted all my Introductions which mentioned the churches that i attended in Brampton, All People’s Church and Faith Gospel Tabernacle. Do you also remember that fantastic story where I went down there to Toronto and had to sit in the bus for around twenty Minutes while the train took its time to chug along?? The Church involved there was Miracle Arena. I cannot forget when I attended the church with my friend for the first time when the Pastor came in every one went on their knees and I followed suit. When we came out my friend said Rphleta you mad meh nah bow to nuh man and you weh yuh a duh with her small island accent. I had to defend myself, ‘Well I was not bowing it is a sign of respect to the man of God. She is quite right it is going to be very difficult for anyone to get me in that position again. Those which were not deleted were modified. This is in addition to my Cindy Trimm prayer that was deleted off my GDrive. I keep telling people that i am sheep. When persons are hyping up they are not even a blip on my radar because as the saying goes the pen is mightier than the sword. A little aside her i was just observing my Blog statistics and i noticed a particular Blog Post that the statistics just kept steadily ticking up. I was curious about what was so interesting in this post so i went and had a look. My conclusion is that all humans are the same love a good authentic story.
Let us go on to explore the topic at hand.
REFLECTIONS
Here I was listening to Pastor E.A. Adeboye and I heard him commenting about some Ministers teaching about the fact that once you are saved you cannot lose your salvation and he was warning his congregants to be careful of such a doctrine. Then, while I was in Atlanta, Georgia I decided to visit World Changers International Creflo Dollar. You know, one could not pass through Atlanta without visiting the great man himself Pastor Creflo Dollar. On my way there my one week bus pass for over US$24 was stolen. I had sheer hell while I was in the State of Georgia sheer hell. This is where Megabus stole my money. At the Library I was booking my reservation online and was not paying close attention in the process my reservation was changed and I processed the incorrect information. I had to pay some money to get the change done and I did not have a credit card. After going through the whole library I got a little gay fellow to assist me for a few extra dollars. The library refused to accept his credit card. I left the library and went to the street corner offices of Megabus. They said they could not assist me with the change. They could not effect the change. There went my money again.
I left my umbrella on the bus when I realized, i waited until the bus had made the trip and returned. When I entered the bus my umbrella was gone.
After the church service when I was ready to return I realized that my bus pass had been stolen I sought a little help from the church. I was lead through a song and dance. I realized that they knew before me that my bus pass was stolen. Had one idiot telling me that I tend to shoot myself in the foot. After he told me one of his blatant lies and I was returning to ask him, why? All I saw was his back retreating through the fence. That was a little part of my visit to Atlanta. Now in terms of the church service, welcome to show time. You know we black people are very good at that. Let us get to the sermon, Pastor Creflo preached on this Once Saved, Always saved business. I did not dismiss it outright. I decided that as soon as I got back to civilization I would look at the topic in depth.
I tell you people I wished that I lived the days of the Apostles all these many Bibles and their many translations and all these high things ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’, Eternal Security, and Preservation of the Saints. Looks to me like someone wants to mashup the Roman Catholic’s business charging for praying people out of purgatory.
Well mon peuple, the approach I am going to take in examining this doctrine is to look at what Jesus says on the subject. He is the only perfect sacrifice. As Dr. Myles Munroe says He is the absolute authority on all matters everybody else is commentary. The two arguments we are looking at are:
- Once you are saved you cannot be lost. As Pastor Charles Stanley puts it the Believer loses rewards not salvation.
- You can be saved and then Lost if you do not endure to the end. You cannot be saved and then continue in sin.
CRITICAL DEFINITIONS
Salvation- (noun) preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin or loss.
Theological Definition - preservation deliverance from sin and it consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ.
Calvinism noun The Protestant Theological system of John Calvin and his successors who develop Luther’s argument of justification by faith alone and emphasizes the grace of God and and the doctrine of justification.
Grace (noun) - simple elegance or refinement of moving
Courteous - goodwill
Verb - Do honour or credit (someone or something) by one’s presence
Eternal Security - is the belief that from the moment anyone becomes a Christian, they will be saved from hell. Eternal security is also known as "preservation of the saints" and should not be confused with the Calvinist doctrine of perseverance of the saints.
"Perseverance of the saints" (also known as "perseverance of God with the saints" and "preservation of the believing") (the word "saints" is used to refer to all who are set apart by God, and not of those who are exceptionally holy, canonized, or in heaven) asserts that since God is sovereign and his will cannot be frustrated by humans or anything else, those whom God has called into communion with himself will continue in faith until the end. Those who apparently fall away either never had true faith to begin with (1 John 2:19), or, if they are saved but not presently walking in the Spirit, they will be divinely chastened (Hebrews 12:5–11) and will repent (1 John 3:6–9).
DOCTRINE OF ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED
It would seem that quite a few churches especially evangelicals believe this doctrine. However, the scriptures that are used to defend this argument are very few and none by Jesus. In fact, these words are not found in the Bible but what people will counter with is that neither in the word Trinity. Touché, this is really not even debatable when you have Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three in one one in three. The thing is explicit there implicitly. Let us examine the scriptures in proof of this doctrine. Every document you read and every debate you listen to the scriptures are the same.
Once saved always saved find their foundation in Scripture primarily through some combination of one or more of the following four errors
- The incomplete quoting of smaller passages (taken out of context)
- The appropriation of conditional statements as if they were unconditional promises
- Failing to make a distinction between having one’s salvation stolen - someone or something else (not possible); and an act of the will whereby a person deliberately relinquishes their salvation (absolutely possible)
- Misunderstanding what it is the Holy Spirit guarantees
Let us examine the scenarios above:
Some of the most popular texts used to support ‘Once saved, always saved are nothing more than incomplete quotes, completely removed from the original context in which they were written. One of the things causing problem also is the various translations of the Bible. The manner in which these verses are written. In the King James everything is a sentence not so the other more authentic translation like New International Version. However, once placed in context it is clear that they do not support the doctrine of ‘Once Saved, Always Saved.’ We have two illustrations below:
a) Incomplete Quote #1 - ‘he who began a good work in you will carry it on to
completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ - Philippians 1 verse 6.
This phrase is popular with advocates of One Saved, Always Saved but it’s not a complete sentence depending on the translation. One also has to be mindful of context, post text and pretext i.e what is taking place now what came before and what will take place after. Thus the whole sentence is as follows:
Philippians 1:4-6 King James Version (KJV)
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
- The word translated ‘confident’ comes from the Greek peopithos which has the meaning ‘very optimistic but not ‘absolutely certain’ Paul uses the exact same word later in the chapter when talking of his upcoming trial and its outcome (vs. 25); he considers his acquittal highly probable but is prepared for the unlikely possibility of execution. His confidence is remarkably similar to the confidence of the author of the Hebrews, when speaking to his readers, ‘ we are confident of better things in your case’ Hebrews 6 verse 9.
b) Incomplete Quote #2’.If we are faithless, he will remain faithful II Timothy 2 verse 13.
Similar thing scripture taken out of context. Taken by itself, this line could be taken to mean that no matter what we do, God will not break off the relationship with us. However, when the whole passage is quoted it is the exact opposite. Here is the full quote:
2 Timothy 2:11-13 King James Version (KJV)
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
2 Timothy 2:11-13 New International Version (NIV)
11 Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
12 if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
13 if we are faithless,
he remains faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
In this you can clearly see that it also says if we disown Him He will disown us. So in fact it is not true to say there is nothing we can do to lose our salvation. This scripture clearly says if we disown him he will disown us.
2. Problem 2 - Turning Conditional Statements into Unconditional Promises -
Another mistake often made by proponents of ‘Once Saved, Always Saved is to take conditional statements - these are statements which are predicated on a condition being met before they can be fulfilled. They then apply those statements as if they were unconditional promises made to all Christians, everywhere, at all times regardless of behaviour choices. We cite below two examples:
24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Some Christians quote the first part of verse 24 as if it is an unconditional promise that God will not allow any Christians to stumble and fall away from him. But this passage isn’t a universal promise for all Christians because it does not say that God will keep every Christian from stumbling it only says that he is able to. A few verses before readers are told to keep themselves in the love of God. There are two sides to keeping God is able to keep us if we are within His reach.
-21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
This verse is sometimes taken as a promise that God will make every believer stand firm in Christ with or without any collaboration on the believer’s part. However, three short verse later, Paul makes it evident that such an interpretation is wrong when he says, Because it is by faith that you stand firm. There are two sides to the business of standing firm. God is able to make us stand firm only if we are living by faith.
3. Problem 3 - Failure to distinguish between ‘losing’ and ‘giving up’ salvation -
There are several scriptures in the Bible which promises that nothing can snatch you out of God’s hand. The problem with the Once Saved, Always Saved doctrine is that they have included the individual themselves forgetting about man’s most powerful asset that of free will. God will not continue holding you in His hand if you show that you want to jump out by persistent and deliberate sinning. Below are two most famous passages cited by proponents of ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’ which promise that nothing can snatch a person out of God’s hand:
John 10:27-29 King James Version (KJV)
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
- The phrase ‘snatch them out of my hand’ is hardly an action that can be applied to one’s self. The statement does not cover those who jump or fall out of that hand by their own volition. Were this verse to be taken as an absolute statement of eternal security, Jesus’ threat found five chapters later in St John 15 verses 1-6 that those who fail to abide in Him as the TRUE VINE will be cut off and burned.
- The only way in which both St. John 10 verses 27-29 and St. John 15 verses 1 -6 are true is if Jesus’ promise in St. John 10 applies only to outside forces and not to an individual’s free will. Jesus will not allow anyone else to steal your salvation from you, but He will allow you to give it up.
Romans 8:31-39 King James Version (KJV)
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- As far as I am concerned this is a no brainer automatically everytime I read this scripture I insert at the end except you Raphleta. In this passage, Paul makes quite a list of things which cannot separate us from Christ’s love (vs 38-39); there is however, one startling omission from the list - you and I!! In like manner as St. John 10 verses 27-29, Romans 8 only promises that Jesus will not allow any outside forces or people to steal your salvation. As such, it cannot be used to build a doctrine of ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’ because it does not anywhere address the issue of Christians willfully giving up their salvation.
- In fact, the moment this passage is taken as an unconditional statement of eternal security it immediately comes into conflict with other clear statements to the contrary found (for example Romans 11 verse 22). The only way Romans 8 can be properly reconciled with these other statements, including Romans 11, is if the promise of Romans 8 only applies to outside forces and not to a person’s free will. As noted earlier, Jesus will not allow anyone else to steal your salvation from you, but He will allow you to give it up.
4. Misunderstanding what it is the Holy Spirit ‘guarantees’
Ephesians 1:13-14 King James Version (KJV)
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
- This is one of the primary texts upon which the advocates of ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’ build their doctrine. They interpret the passage to mean that the moment a person receives an absolute guarantee of eternal life, which is good until the end of their life- regardless of all subsequent choices and behaviour. In other words, the advocates of Once Saved, Always Saved’ do not believe that a person who has ever received the Holy Spirit can lose eternal life.
- However, this cannot be what the passage means because Hebrews 6 verses 4-6 clearly says that some who have shared in the Holy Spirit’ will ‘fall away’ and be ‘burned’. No interpretation of Ephesians 1 verses 13-14 which negates Hebrews 6 verses 4-6 (and other like passages) can be allowed; both must be true, because both are God’s word.
- What does the Holy Spirit Guarantees?
- The Holy Spirit guarantees our marriage for the upcoming ‘Wedding Supper of the Lamb,’ which is to take place when Jesus returns to marry His bride at His second coming (St. Matthew 22 verses 1 -14, St Luke 12 verses 35-40, Revelation 19 verses 7-9). As long as I walk in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, my engagement to Jesus guaranteed and my spot in the wedding supper is assured. But should I willfully depart from the Holy Spirit through conscious choice and deliberate sin if during the engagement period of my relationship I remove the ring from my finger, after that the only guarantee left to me is the fearful expectation of judgement and raging fire that will consume the enemies of God Hebrews 10 verse 27.
- This is exactly what the rest of scripture testifies to, the consistent teaching of scripture is that only those who overcome to the end of their lives will be saved and allowed to participate in the wedding supper with Jesus.
b) More proof from Jesus that people can lose their salvation
(Parable of the Ten Virgins)
A sobering wedding parable told by Jesus which illustrates this truth exactly is the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins St Matthew 25 verses 1- 13.
Matthew 25:1-13 King James Version (KJV)
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
- The first thing to notice about this parable is that ALL ten virgins were waiting for the bridegroom’s return. This is important, because it means that the parable is speaking only to believers. Certainly no non-believers are waiting for Jesus’ return! This fact is confirmed in verse 11 when the five foolish virgins call Jesus ‘Lord, Lord.’
- It is apparent that all ten virgins are Believers and they were all waiting Jesus’ return. However, only five of them got to go in with Jesus to the marriage feast verse 10. Why? Five of them the foolish virgins, weren’t ready when the bridegroom returned: specifically, they had no oil in their lamps. Later, when the foolish virgins call out to Jesus He shuts them out and tell them He doesn’t know them (which is a prelude to them being sent to hell, St. Matthew 7 verse 23.
- What is this oil? In scripture, oil is often used to represent the Holy Spirit (as evidenced by the use of the word ‘anointed’ - a term that is normally used only in conjunction with oil - in scripture it is also often used in conjunction with the work of the Holy spirit St. Luke 4 verse 18, Acts 10 verse 38, II Corinthians 1 verse 21 and I John 2 verse 20.
- Thus, the foolish Virgins were Believers who stopped fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by the fact that they were not full of oil when the bridegroom returned.
- Jesus summarizes the Parable in verse 13 by saying, ‘Watch therefore.’In the context of the parable, it is a sober warning- Those who do not continue watching will not be ready when He returns, and may be shut out of the wedding supper.
SALVATION IS BASED ON PERSEVERANCE (HOW YOU FINISH YOUR LIFE - NOT ON A PRAYER THAT YOU ONCE PRAYED IN THE PAST
The mistake that many Christians often make is in thinking of salvation as a one-time transaction which took place when they ‘asked Jesus into their heart.’ This type of thinking causes Christians to think of salvation as something they possess in the present - it’s done, it’ finished - rather than something Jesus is going to do for them in the future, based on how they finish their life. Wem acknowledge that receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and saviour is an important first step but that is just what it is a first step. It is followed by genuine repentance and a life of loving Jesus Romans 10 verses 9-10 and James 2 verses 18-24.
Scripture continually teaches that our salvation is an ongoing process, and that only those who endure to the end of their lives will receive the prize of eternal life:
1. I Corinthians 1 verse 18
‘For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.’
In this particular scripture it says ‘saved’ however in newer translations such as New International Version and English Standard Version it says being saved. Hence, one of the reason for some of the confusion. Paul did not say to those who are saved but to those who are being saved. Why? Because he did not consider his salvation to be an accomplished fact. It was an ongoing process, to be fulfilled at the end of his life. The next two examples show Paul’s consistency in this way of thinking.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 King James Version (KJV)
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Corinthians 2:14-16 King James Version (KJV)
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
2. Philippians 1:27-28 King James Version (KJV)
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
Philippians 1:27-28 New International Version (NIV)
Life Worthy of the Gospel
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,[a] striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.
Note here that Paul says at the end of verse 28 that it is of Salvation- their salvation is not in the past, it refers to something that will happen to them in the future. Why? Because we are being saved from hell and judgement, two things which won’t happen until the future, Salvation is not something any Believer possesses, in its fullness, during this lifetime ; it is an ongoing process in our lives, at the end of which- IF we persevere - we will be saved from hell and judgement.
3. You need Perseverance or Patience
Hebrews 10:36 King James Version (KJV)
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Why do we need to persevere or patience? The King James Version says patience I particularly like that word. We need patience because if we are not patient we will miss the Kingdom of God.
4. The Words of the Apostle Peter in His epistle - I Peter 1 verses 3 - 5, 8-9
1 Peter 1:3-5 New International Version (NIV)
Praise to God for a Living Hope
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,
5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:8-9 New International Version (NIV)
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
In this passage Peter twice clearly states that a person’s salvation is both a future event and an ongoing process -, not a past, finished event based on a prayer a person one time prayed. First, in verse 4, he tells the Believers that they are ‘BEING GUARDED (present continuous), through faith’ for a salvation that will be revealed ‘in the last time’. In other words, people aren’t saved right now - we will be saved, in the future, if we continue in faith. Then in verse 9 he tells the Believers that they are obtaining (present-ongoing-continuous) the salvation of your souls. Again, he does not say that the Believers have already obtained (past tense) their salvation - it is an ongoing process.
That there is an ‘IF’ in our ongoing process of being saved is without question:
1. Colossians 1:21-23 King James Version (KJV)
21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
2. 1 Timothy 2:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
3. 1 Timothy 4:16 King James Version (KJV)
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
4. Philippians 2:12-13 King James Version (KJV)
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
THE CRUX OF THE WHOLE MATTER AL PUNTO FINAL, LE POINT, FULL STOP - THE WORDS OF JESUS
As we have previously stated all that has gone before is more or less commentary the ultimate authority on the matter is the one perfect sacrifice, the one who left His throne and high and took on the form of flesh and is the only perfect example, the Lord Jesus Christ. Three times in the Gospel and eight times in Revelation it is repeated that only those who endures (or overcome) to the end of their lives will be saved. It is not how you start but how you finish that will determine where you spend eternity.
Matthew 10:21-22 King James Version (KJV)
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
In this passage Jesus is indicating the grave challenges we are going to have as Christians he is actually pointing out that your very family will betray you. It does not get any closer than that. The Bible says a man’s enemies are those of his household St. Matthew 10 verse 36. He also stated clearly that you will not be loved. So if you are lovey, lovey with everyone you might just want to check out your spiritual temperature. You are compromising. This passage more than any other because Jesus was instructing His Disciples before sending them out into the world.
Matthew 24:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Putting the scripture in context Jesus and His disciples in another one and one moment. This chapter is worthy of a re read regularly as part of your devotion. Jesus in the last days the heart of many shall wax cold etc etc.
Mark 13:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Just reiterating the two previous scriptures.
Now let us look at the examples in Revelation briefly for those scriptures in Revelation 2 and 3 Christ was speaking to the seven churches:
1. Revelation 2 verse 7
Revelation 2:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
The promise of eating from the tree of life is a clear reference to eternal life, which is the central point most people think of when when they think of being saved. According to the Bible, only those who overcome - not necessarily all of those who prayed a prayer and got saved at some point in their life - receive eternal life.
Revelation 2:11 King James Version (KJV)
11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
The second death refers to hell (Revelation 20 verse 14). Only those believers who overcome - not necessarily those who once started out on the Christian journey - will escape hell.
Revelation 2:26-29 King James Version (KJV)
26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
28 And I will give him the morning star.
29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
This passage makes it very clear that it does not matter whether or not you started out on the Christian path at some point in your life . It is only those who do God’s will ‘to the end’ who will be rewarded.
Revelation 2:17 King James Version (KJV)
17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Revelation 3:5 King James Version (KJV)
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 3:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Revelation 3:21 King James Version (KJV)
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Revelation 21:7 King James Version (KJV)
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
CONCLUSION
Once saved always saved, utter tripe of course everybody has the potential to be saved Jesus died for us all. The one perfect sacrifice took care of the blood of bulls and goats there is no more to come after that. In addition God will be violating one of His fundamental principles that of free will. It would mean that after becoming saved you did not have a choice to turn your back on salvation. Seems someone wants to mash up the Roman Catholic number one business that of praying people out of purgatory.
However, the overwhelming proof from the scripture is that Believers can lose their Salvation and frankly speaking if Jesus did not say i do not believe it. All throughout the Gospels and Revelation He spoke to enduring to the end and abiding in the Vine. There is no free meal in this kingdom.
I have a lot more information for this Blog I will be updating going forward but for now this is all you can take.
This is me Raphleta, Lillene’s baby girl coming to you from Ste. Foy, in Québec.
À bientôt
This is a very important topic we have to ensure that these basic questions are settled.
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