Subject: Are you onced saved always saved? |
Bible Note: My first response: Junmeskie you say, "Salvation is not a "one time" event, but an ongoing process until "the end" (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13)." Which would then make the cross worthless and Jesus' death a fruitless effort. He did not yell out from the cross, "It is almost over!" Christ said, "It is finished"(article) What is "It is finished"? (article) Literally translated the word tetelestai means, "It is finished." It is the perfect passive tense of the Greek vert, telos, which means the "end." The word occurs in John 19:28 and John 19:30 and these are the only two places in the New Testament where it occurs. In 19:28 it is translated, "After this, when Jesus knew that all things were now completed, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, 'I thirst.'" Two verse later, he utters the word himself: "Then when he received the sour wine, Jesus said, 'It is finished', and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." The word tetelestai was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testiment times to show indicating that a bill had been paid in full. So the word, tetelestai, as Jesus used the term meant, "the debt for sin has been fully paid!" This is exactly what the Lord cried out as He hung on the cross. The implications of this truth are truly profound. Paul says in...Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Sin incurs a huge debt – the debt of guilt, shame, judgment, but most of all, wrath. The wrath of God remains upon every sinner because that is what he has earned through his evil, un-repentant life. And the penalty is eternal because the sinner has offended an eternal being. So the payment of that sin must also be eternal. This clearly points out that only God can forgive sins. It was at the highest cost in the universe—God-Man, Jesus Christ. We saw that only God can forgive sins, but it is also true that only men can die. So, the Lord Jesus Christ, the infinite God-man, paid the price in full, so everyone who comes to Him by faith does not have to incur the judgment of God nor face God’s wrath. This is the ultimate sense of what it means to be saved. Salvation has to do ultimately with being rescued from the righteous wrath of God. So, Christ did for God to satisfy His righteous demand for judgment against sin. His precious sacrifice is credited to all those who believe in Him. They are justified before a Holy God, so that none of their "debts" appear on their "eternal credit statement." "IT" is the rightful penalty for our sins. The moment Christ said, "It is finished" we were reconciled to have a relationship with God. It signifies the completion of what Jesus Christ came to do on earth for us and for God. Remember, the Gospel is "the power of God unto salvation of everyone who believes!" (Roman 1:16) I am glad that I am saved eternally, no process needed here, I have a zero balance due. -khuck |