Can somebody decide to follow Christ but then afterward become entangled in sin or become spiritually indifferent and walk away from God? Do we or do we not have free will?
Of course we have free will, but that is where the question of Christian works comes in. What, if any, are my obligations to continue being a Christian? If I am saved by His grace alone, then my efforts can’t be accounted for. Baseball players and college students need to continue as they started; by their own efforts. Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith.
The question comes to this; there are people who make a decision to accept Christ, yet their lives remain unchanged, and they seem to have no transformation of any kind. Are they saved?
“For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.” Jesus went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (see John 6:65-66)
Jesus always knew, which followers didn’t believe, ever. They were tares sown among the wheat. The tares were never wheat. “The Father enabled them” Was Peter “unsaved” when he denied knowing Jesus? Was he unsaved when he went back to fishing? Jesus prayed specifically for Peter, so that he wouldn’t be lost.
It seems that once we are saved God can go to extreme measures to keep us walking with Him. However we can choose to walk away from God. As stupid as it may be to do so, we have that ability.
John 10:28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
But where does we get this from; no one doesn’t mean no one except…..
What are some of the implications of ‘once saved, always saved’?
1) Since we are ‘saved’, we can do what we want. It doesn’t matter what kind of sin we commit. We are still going to go to heaven.
In my limited understanding this is true. Isolated from the rest of this truth it seems absurd that a Holy God would allow this type of behavior. The amazing thing is if you are born of the Spirit of God you will live in misery when you are living in sin. I have lived this.
2) We do not need to worry about helping our brothers and sisters remain faithful. Hey, if they are saved, they will remain saved. We do not need to be our ‘brother’s keeper’.
Doesn’t God stir your heart over people you have no natural affection for? Don’t you ever find yourself caring for people, you yourself would prefer to ignore. It is the grace of God that enables me to love and care for others. I am naturally selfish and would choose an incredibly small circle to love.
3) We can ignore all the Scriptures warning us to persevere to the very end. We don’t need to persevere because if we are saved, we will remain saved.
I believe that it has to do with pleasing my Father; out of a grateful heart for all He is done for me; for love (which is His perfect love planted in me-still no merit of mine). To love is fulfilling all the law.
4) We have a real false sense of security.
The amazing thing about this security is that we can allow God full access, unafraid of the consequences. We can forget about ourselves….true humility. The truth has set me free from constant self introspection, (Did I really do this for love or self promotion?) and my focus is on the right One. The more I am focused on Him the more my new nature comes to life. The more I focus on my sin, the more powerful my sin nature becomes.
5) We never really know in fact if we are saved or not because if we do ‘fall away’, we were never saved in the first place.
And how do we know if we are really saved right now; how can we have peace of mind? How can we rely on God when we (or at least it’s true of my heart) may grow cold, and go through a season of not actively walking in faith?
Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God
He is the author and finisher of my faith. I will be rewarded for believing Him; actively living my faith; standing when I have no strength to do anything else. But my place as a son of God has been secured for me by the precious blood of Jesus, and nothing else can be added to it, and nothing has the authority to weaken its power.
Of course we have free will, but that is where the question of Christian works comes in. What, if any, are my obligations to continue being a Christian? If I am saved by His grace alone, then my efforts can’t be accounted for. Baseball players and college students need to continue as they started; by their own efforts. Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith.
The question comes to this; there are people who make a decision to accept Christ, yet their lives remain unchanged, and they seem to have no transformation of any kind. Are they saved?
“For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.” Jesus went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (see John 6:65-66)
Jesus always knew, which followers didn’t believe, ever. They were tares sown among the wheat. The tares were never wheat. “The Father enabled them” Was Peter “unsaved” when he denied knowing Jesus? Was he unsaved when he went back to fishing? Jesus prayed specifically for Peter, so that he wouldn’t be lost.
It seems that once we are saved God can go to extreme measures to keep us walking with Him. However we can choose to walk away from God. As stupid as it may be to do so, we have that ability.
John 10:28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
But where does we get this from; no one doesn’t mean no one except…..
What are some of the implications of ‘once saved, always saved’?
1) Since we are ‘saved’, we can do what we want. It doesn’t matter what kind of sin we commit. We are still going to go to heaven.
In my limited understanding this is true. Isolated from the rest of this truth it seems absurd that a Holy God would allow this type of behavior. The amazing thing is if you are born of the Spirit of God you will live in misery when you are living in sin. I have lived this.
2) We do not need to worry about helping our brothers and sisters remain faithful. Hey, if they are saved, they will remain saved. We do not need to be our ‘brother’s keeper’.
Doesn’t God stir your heart over people you have no natural affection for? Don’t you ever find yourself caring for people, you yourself would prefer to ignore. It is the grace of God that enables me to love and care for others. I am naturally selfish and would choose an incredibly small circle to love.
3) We can ignore all the Scriptures warning us to persevere to the very end. We don’t need to persevere because if we are saved, we will remain saved.
I believe that it has to do with pleasing my Father; out of a grateful heart for all He is done for me; for love (which is His perfect love planted in me-still no merit of mine). To love is fulfilling all the law.
4) We have a real false sense of security.
The amazing thing about this security is that we can allow God full access, unafraid of the consequences. We can forget about ourselves….true humility. The truth has set me free from constant self introspection, (Did I really do this for love or self promotion?) and my focus is on the right One. The more I am focused on Him the more my new nature comes to life. The more I focus on my sin, the more powerful my sin nature becomes.
5) We never really know in fact if we are saved or not because if we do ‘fall away’, we were never saved in the first place.
And how do we know if we are really saved right now; how can we have peace of mind? How can we rely on God when we (or at least it’s true of my heart) may grow cold, and go through a season of not actively walking in faith?
Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God
He is the author and finisher of my faith. I will be rewarded for believing Him; actively living my faith; standing when I have no strength to do anything else. But my place as a son of God has been secured for me by the precious blood of Jesus, and nothing else can be added to it, and nothing has the authority to weaken its power.
AMEN!!
ReplyDeleteThe paragraph that touched me the most was...
"The amazing thing about this security is that we can allow God full access, unafraid of the consequences. We can forget about ourselves….true humility. The truth has set me free from constant self introspection, (Did I really do this for love or self promotion?) and my focus is on the right One. The more I am focused on Him the more my new nature comes to life. The more I focus on my sin, the more powerful my sin nature becomes."
This touched me the most because I remember being there. I remember a short time in my life where I enabled myself to allow Christ total control. And I'll tell you, it was beautiful.
I felt so free, so fulfilled. I was able to let go of even my silly fears that seemed so big to me. I even took and left the country for two weeks, with my pastor and a few friends from the congregation, on a mission trip to a country where I didn't speak the language. I wound up staying with a family of the congregation in that country who, by the way, I've never met in my life; and the only member in the house that understood any English only understood about as much as I did Spanish. (Not much at all) Yet somehow I felt at home, like I was where I was supposed to be. And most of all I was not afraid. For the paranoid person that I am, for me not to be fearful when I'm in another country, in a house I'm unfamiliar with, with people whom I can barely communicate with, and not know where to go if anything happened.... is a HUGE deal!! But I guess that's one of the best things about letting God take the wheel, It's knowing that where I am and what I'm doing is not only right, but safe and with purpose... with purpose.
And while a couple of wrong decision sent me down a more stereotypical path, I still feel His presence. And though I stand criticized for my steps of faith against this "brick wall" I keep running into... well, my point that I'm still standing; and that there is no question where my ground comes from. I can't wait to feel that way again, and I can only pray that I raise my children in such a way that they too will be able to experience Christ in that way.
This is a beautiful piece, thank you Mr. Cote for sharing. :-)
Anisa D.