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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Perseverance of the saints | Bible general Archive 4 | cas coetzer | 231600 | ||
Good morning(I live in South Africa) Beja, What is the perseverance of the saints? Can one loose his/her salvation? Thanks for your answer. cas coetzer |
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2 | Perseverance of the saints | Bible general Archive 4 | Beja | 231619 | ||
Dear Cas, Forgive the delay in my response. My nephew has gone into the ministry and I had the privledge of taking him to an expository preaching workshop in Texas the beginning of this week so I have been away from the computer. And thanks to Doc for giving him assurance of my reply when I was delayed. Since Doc has given you an excellent answer in terms of being precise and sound, I will rather aim for a very simple grasp of the concept. I will contrast it to how most people teach "once saved always saved" in my area. Now, it is important to understand that both views believe that a truely saved individual will never loose their salvation. However, here is were the views differ as tought in my area. "Once saved always saved" believes that we will not loose our salvation -based upon- the foundation that no matter what we might do we are alright. We might live the most terrible lives of sin, or might very well denounce Christ Himself yet we are alright because "once saved always saved." "Perseverance of the Saints" believes that we are secure, but NOT because we may do whatever we please and still be alright. After all, scripture repeatedly states that falling away from the faith is fatal. But, our security is -based on- the fact that God will through His ommipotent power will never fail to keep us in the faith and keep us growing in holiness. This is not to suggest that we wont sin, and even have brief periods of backsliding. But ultimately the saints will, by God's power in them, persevere. Now, the difference is very vividly portrayed when in how they respond to a professing Christian falling into radically gross sin, or renouncing the faith. Once saved always saved will affirm that they are fine. Perseverance of the saints will see it as a warning that they may have never belonged to Christ to begin with. Why? Because God never lets truely saved individuals ultimately/finally fall away or be completely overcome by sin. How are we to know if they are false professors or if they are truely saved individuals who have just temporarily been entangled in sin? The answer is repentance. When we see them whole heartedly repent, we breathe easy and thank God. Until they repent, we can never be assured they belong to Christ. Why? Because by God's work in us, true Christians will always eventually repent. Now lets go back to suicide. The problem with suicide is that it is a final and unreversable, unrepentable departure from the path of righteousness. There is nothing really that special about the sin itself, the especially troubling nature of suicide is ONLY that the "so-called believer" has ultimately and finally finished their race in a departure from the will of God. And that is not the picture we have in scripture of how truely saved finish their race. That is why its so troubling. I hope this helps clarify. I really pictured my post being more concise when I began! : ) In Christ, Beja |
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