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NASB | 2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Timothy 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil assault, and He will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. |
Subject: once saved always saved? |
Bible Note: Dear Hiskid84 (Karen) ... and obviously (your user profile reveals) a chip off the old Doc :-), whose fine, orthodox postings many of us on the Forum have come to admire. And yours, though lacking in quantity, suffer no lack of quality: it's fine to have both of you on the Forum. From my own user profile one can read that I'm a Baptist and subscribe to the statements of faith that are outlined in "The Baptist Faith and Message," so what I'm about to say should come as neither a shock nor a surprise. While I view the term "Once saved, always saved" with jaundiced eyes and never use it to describe what I hold to be the biblical position in regard to the eternality of life in Christ Jesus, preferring to use instead either "The eternal security of the believer" or, better, "The perseverance of the saints." ...... "Once saved, always saved" suggests to my mind easy-believe-ism or, to use Dietrich Bonhoeffer's term, "cheap grace." And unfortunately the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer (perseverance of the saints) is misunderstood by a number of sincere and well-meaning Christians (and non-believers too), who take it to mean no less than having a license to continue to live a life of sin and get away with it. This is not what Scripture teaches, of course, and neither does the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, because it is fully in line with biblical teaching. In view of the fact that this subject has been treated of at considerable length and with some depth on the Forum, I won't extend this post in an effort to plow the same furrow that has been worked many times before. I would like to point out and emphasize by way of using all caps two words, one in each of the two terms, "Eternal security of the believer" and "Perseverance of the saints." The word in the former term is BELIEVER and in the second it is SAINTS. My point is this: Both "believer" and "saint" denote regenerated followers of Christ, those who have indeed been reborn instantaneously through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit by which the divine nature and divine life are given (John 3:3-8; Titus 3:5); and this new birth, this regeneration, is accomplished solely by the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word of God (John 5:24). It is to these, the redeemed, Christ' sheep, the elect of God, that the promise is made that they are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever (John 5:24; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; Rom. 5:9,10; 8:1, 31-39; 1 Cor. 1:4-9; Eph. 4:30; Heb. 7:25; 13:5; 1 Pet. 1:4,5; Jude 24). ..... The Bible teaches that salvation is wholly of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, on the basis of His redemption. It is on the merit of His shed blood and not on human merit or works (Eph. 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18,19; John 1:12; Eph. 1:4-7). As it is impossible for human merit or works to save sinful human beings, so it is impossible for works to keep them saved. Salvation is wholly of God, not of ourselves. We don't "find" it and we don't "lose" it. Eternal life is eternal, a gift of God (Eph. 2:8). Salvation is not of works (Eph. 2:9) ..... BUT by no means are the redeemed in Christ abrogated from their clear responsibility as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) to perform good works as sojourners on earth (Ephesians 2:10). ..... The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints does not exclude but rather places enormous emphasis upon sanctification, not only the initial sanctification that accompanies justification, but in progressive sanctification as well. This is a work of the Holy Spirit by which the believer is brought closer to the likeness of Christ through obedience to the Word of God. The believer, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is enabled to live a life of increasing holiness in conformity to the will of God (Romans 6:1-22; John 17:17-19; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Cor. 3:18). ...... Those who may feel that "Once saved, always saved," as some people are fond of calling it, spells a license to continue a life of sin -- and be rewarded for it by a free ride to heaven (God forbid! See Rom 6:1, KJV -- simply don't understand the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer (perseverance of the saints). Thanks for your indulgence, Karen, and with you and Doc I'm convinced I'm preaching to the choir, but what I have said is submitted with the hope that other users of the Forum may find it of some interest and, it is also hoped, of some didactic value as well. --Hank |