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NASB | John 15:6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 15:6 "If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. |
Bible Question:
Once saved always saved? In Matthew 25:14-30, was the lazy slave a subject of the kingdom? If so, how would he have lost his salvation due to laziness since he already was a recipient of the daily protection and caring of his master? Did he not believe that his master was serious about the orders he had given him? Does effort matter to salvation? In John 15:6, are the branches which were thrown away and burned originally part of the vine? John 15:1 tells us that the vine is Christ. If those branches were part of the vine, how is someone part of Christ without being a Christian? Were these "false branches"? Is salvation like a freeze-dried fruitcake, lasting indefinitely without spoilage or must those who seek for eternal life with God constantly discipline themselves to ensure they are faithful until death? If they must discipline themselves, how do they do that by belief? Is there an expectation that they will be disciplined miraculously or must conscious decisions be made to control their own behavior? AO |
Bible Answer: Greetings AO! It looks like this has already been answered very well by Joe, but I wanted to add a thought for you to think about. Asaph, the chief musician of King David never once doubted his salvation even though he knew that, like all men, he had made poor decisions and didn't deserve it. The big secret, I suppose, is that not only do none of us deserve it, there is NOTHING we could do to deserve it. We are powerless to meet God's standard in the Law. In fact, the Law is only meant to point us to Christ, who is our salvation. Which, incidently, takes us back to Asaph. He wrote in Psalm 73:26: Psa 73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. Think of what is being said here. 1. Our (believers) flesh and hearts inevitably fail. 2. In our weakness and failure, God IS STILL our strength. FOREVER. Are you weak in your heart and your flesh, thus relying WHOLLY on God as your strength? Or are you strong and resilient, trusting in your own efforts and ability? Other Psalms to consider: Psa 38:22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. Psa 27:1 Jehovah is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? or again in Isaiah: Isa 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Jehovah is my strength and song; and he IS BECOME my salvation. I hope this helps you, my friend. In Christ, Jibbs |