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NASB | Luke 23:43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Luke 23:43 Jesus said to him, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." [2 Cor 12:4; Rev 2:7] |
Subject: Do you believe once save, always saved. |
Bible Note: I would like to suggest that you take a closer look at 2 Peter 2:20: "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are entangled again therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." I suggest we ask our selves some questions and allow the Bible to answer: 1. WHAT are the descriptions of those Peter is referring to? The answer is in verse 20: i. They have [at some time] ESCAPED THE POLLUTIONS OF THE WORLD. ii. At some point, they had a knowledge of The Lord and Saviour. This knowledge enabled them to ESCAPE the corruptions of the world. Interestingly, Peter used the same expression to describe our salvation experience in the very same epistle, 2 Peter 1:3-4, to describe our salvation experience. The word "knowledge" as Peter uses it, does not mean a mere mental assent to God's existence. Rather, it entails having a saving relationship with God. iii. After they had escaped the corruptions of the world THROUGH Jesus, they are AGAIN... Don't miss that word "AGAIN." Here is a sequence: Saved because they have escaped the corruptions of the world; now, AGAIN... Again what? AGAIN ENTANGLED therein. Once they had escaped the corruption that is in the world (just like every person who accepts Jesus) through Jesus. Now, they are AGAIN ENTANGLED in the corruption or sin of the world. Notice that word ENTANGLED. It doesn't imply making mistakes as a Christian. It implies wilfull disobedience - a choice to love the world, and to be of the world. James 4:4 says: "...whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." iv. They are OVERCOME by the corruption of the world, or simply, sin. They are overcome because let sin reign in the mortal bodies - what Romans 6:12 warns against. That world "LET" shows that being overcomers of sin, or overcomed by sin depends on our choice. It is God's desire to make us overcomers (Romans 8:32; Revelation 2:7,17,25, etc.). He can and will, IF we let Him. VERSES 21, 22 v. They had KNOWN THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. vi. AFTER they had known the way of righteousness - God's way - they TURNED FROM THE HOLY COMMANDMENT DELIVERED UNTO THEM. The message was delivered to them at some point, and they knew (not a mere mental assent to) the way of God, but turned from God's way of righteousness. THEY TURNED FROM RIGHTEOUSNESS. This indicates free will. vii. They following are true of them: a. They RETURNED to their own vomit. You can't return to somewhere you've never been, or to something you've never done. They were once lost - eating their vomit . They were rescued through Jesus. They returned (by choice) to their own vomit - their old life of sin, became entangled, and overcome by sin. b. They are like a sow that has been washed and returns to her wallowing in the mire. Once washed clean from sin; now, they've returned to their old life of sin. Futhermore, Ezekiel 18:24 makes it clear that it is possible for a righteous person to depart from the way of righteousness, and that such a person will die in his sins and be lost. Does that mean that our salvation is like a roller coaster ride: saved today, lost tomorrow, saved, lost,...? No! Does that mean that a saved person who makes a mistake becomes lost? No! Jesus' provision makes it possible every human to overcome sin. What happens when a sincere Christian slips? "These things I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). The alternative to the once-saved-always-saved doctrine is NOT a roller-coaster-type-salvation doctrine. Finally, "Be sober, be VIGILANT, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet 5:8). That's an admonition for those who are saved. So long as we abide in Jesus, we are safe; but if the Christian takes his eyes off Jesus, he makes himself vulnerable to the devil. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all persevarance and supplication for all saints." Your brother in Christ, |