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NASB | Jeremiah 32:40 "I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Jeremiah 32:40 "I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will do them good and not turn away from them; and I will put in their heart a fear and reverential awe of Me, so that they will not turn away from Me. [Jer 31:31-34] |
Bible Question: once saved always saved? |
Bible Answer: Hi, Mess! (I truly wish you change your tag, or at least employ a signature--even if it is a pseudonym from your early childhood!) This is truly a hot issue one which I have given up on (at least on this forum)... I think that I understand where you are coming from so I will share this one experience I had some years back with some who believe in the "always saved" doctrine: I was invited to attend a service (I had made it clear to the person who invited me that I had no wish to find a different place to worship; but as a Christian, I would accept the invitation out of love and respect for their congregation.)... there was a lot of energy and Amens going about almost from the very first minute and until the end... people were joyous and very friendly, the preacher was strong, deliberate and charismatic... a small group stayed behind after the service and we got into this precise exchange ("always save?") Of course my position is that God's Gift is Eternal--He is not a man to go back on His Word! Yet, we are made in His image and likeness and though He Himself calls us holy this does not mean that we are God! Jesus termed it in a different way: He said that He and the Father are One and He wants us to be one with each other so that we can be one with Him, and thus one with the Father! Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world... does this mean that all who sin are free of sin and thus eligible to enter into the Kingdom of God? Definitely not? Jesus made it clear that not all will be saved because not all believe in Him (John 1:10-13)... when He stated that those who ate His flesh would be granted eternal life (John 6:50-66) many of His followers left because He insisted on this "strange teaching," yet Jesus did not call them back and attempted to pacify them by changing His expression! Clearly, we are granted the autonomy to choose God's Gift of Eternal Life or to reject it! So I've found that the Gift that comes from God is forged in perpetuity; yet, it is our choice, even after we have began the journey home--the Heavenly trek--to reject God's Gift! ...the discussion we had after the service lasted well past midnight... one of the fellows was so confused that he stated that those who are saved are above the law so therefore anything he/she does will not keep him/her from eternal life--including dying in a sinful state. When I referred them to Revelation 21:7-8... they apparently believe that this applies only to the unbelievers! Hence, praising the Lord for a moment allows people to partake of all the world has to offer... but clearly this is not so! James teaches us that to be a friend to the world means to be an enemy of God! He admonishes exactly such behavior from those claiming to be in Christ yet holding on to worldly ways! (James 4:4-17) I offer to you two Scriptures that speak on our abilities to fail God: 1 Corinthians 10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. Christ promised that, in Him, we are granted Eternal Life; this promise does not grant us immunity to defile ourselves and God while simply relying on some special voucher that allows people to do as they please! It is not in vain that Jesus says that not all who call Him Lord will be saved but those who do the Will of His Father! (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46) God Bless! Angel |