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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: Actually, over 90 percent of my prior note was an analysis of 2 Peter 2:20-22, and how, according to Peter, it is possible for a person to (using his words) become entangled in the pollutions of the world, even after they had once escaped it through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour (please read the whole note carefully, if necessary). Should that shatter our trust in God for our eternal security? No, no! For me, it gives me all the more reason to want to abide in Christ, as Jesus had said we must. It is sometimes hard to accept certain bible teachings, because the alternatives seem wrong (at least to us). The verses I shared previously on this topic shatter the once-saved-always-saved belief. What should we do with these verses? Should we say: Um, those were taken out of context? Or Um, the alternative means we can lose our salvation as easily as a car key? Should we ignore that portion of scripture because the alternative we can think of is a roller-coaster-type salvation? I think not. Should we reinterpret them according to our understanding, or do we allow the Bible to shed light on itself? Let me say that I do not claim to be right, infallible... I do ask, though, that each person who reads this note take his/her bible and study, comparing scripture with scripture, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little, there a little. Then, afterwards, after all the verses on a given topic have been studied, and the whole picture is painted, then, but not before, a conclusion can be made. I believe that it is possible for a person who had been saved to depart from the way of righteousness. By means of illustration: I believe salvation is like a train running on two tracks. Faith in Jesus is one track, and good works is the other. If either track is broken, the train goes nowhere. This does not mean we cannot be secure in our salvation. God has made many promises that we can be overcomers in Him. Allow me to share a few of those promises: 2 Peter 1:4,5: According as his divine power given unto us ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN UNTO LIFE AND GODLINESS, though the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Romans 8:32: He that spared not his own Som, but delivered Hin up for us all, how shall he not with him also FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS? 1 Corinthians 1:30: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and SANCTIFICATION, and REDEMPTION. Hebrews 7:25: Wherefore he is ABLE to SAVE them TO THE UTTERMOST that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 2 Corinthians 2:14: Now thanks be unto our God, which ALWAYS causeth us to TRIUMPH in Christ... Ephesians 3:19 tells us that we might be FILLED WITH ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD. Amazing! We can be secure. Without eliminating or changing any of the verses that are quoted here and in previous notes, my conclusion is this: Jesus has provided a means for us to escape the pollutions of the world - to be saved. He is able to save us to the uttermost - and he will, if we let him. As a matter of fact, He is willing and able to fill us with all the fullness of God, to bring us to the point where we are crucified with Christ, and it is no longer we who live, but Christ in us. We must be vigilant, though, because our adversary the devil seeks to devour us. We must abide in Jesus, and we will never again be entangled in, and overcome by, sin. If we become carefree or complacent, we will fall into sin (sometimes without even noticing it). If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, and if we confess, Jesus will forgive and cleanse us. Choosing to confess and be cleansed is voluntary. If one righteous person commits presumptuous sins - wilfully sins - ignoring the convictions of the Holy Spirit, and turns away from the way of righteousness, he will die. The devil would have us believe otherwise: he will not surely die (as he managed to convince Eve). But the Bible says plainly, that the righteous person who turns from his righteousness WILL die. Let us claim the promises of Jesus, by which we become partakers of his divine nature. |