Bible Question:
Is salvation something that must be earned each day or is it something you attain and keep? For instance..if you sin (which we do each day) and die before asking for forgiveness, will you to to heaven or hell? |
Bible Answer: Dear BF Kratz, Thank you for your question concerning your salvation. A Bible answer is of utmost importance since our eternal souls are at stake. 1) "Is salvation something that must be earned each day?" - The answer is: NO! a. Eternal salvation cannot be "earned" by man - not by works of the Jewish law of Moses, or by any works of man's invention or device (Eph. 2:9; 2 Tim. 1:9) because sin has separated him from God (Isaiah 59:1-2). However, because of God's eternal love for man, salvation is extended to man by God's grace (unmerited favor) (Eph. 2:8; John 3:16-17; Rom. 5:6-10). Without God's grace, man would be eternally lost! This is God's part in man's salvation process. b. Man's part in his salvation process is accepting God's grace "through faith" (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 10:17). God puts no difference between Jew and Gentile, saving both by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:12; Gal. 3:26-28). Faith is the medium through which all accept His salvation. On the part of God salvation is by grace; on the part of man it is his acceptance of God's grace through an obedient faith (Rom. 6:17; 10:17; 2 Tim. 1:13). God gives man the capacity to believe (Rom. 10:17), reveals to him the things to believe, and ample testimony to produce the faith required (John 20:30-31; Mark 16:15-16; Rom. 1:16; Gal. 3:26-29). 2) "If you sin (which we do each day) and die before asking for forgiveness, will you go to heaven or hell?" The answer is: Any sin that is unrepented of will cause a child of God to be lost eternally. In the New Testament, any sin that is unrepented of is referred to as "a sin unto death" (1 John 1:16). This "death" is referring to spiritual "death" or eternal separation from God (Isaiah 59:2). Anyone whose heart is hardened to the point of not ever wanting to repent of his sins, the Bible says, "it is impossible" (Heb. 6:4) "to renew them again unto repentance" (Heb. 6:6). We must, therefore, be willing to "continually confess" our sins before God. In 1 John 1:9, the verb "confess" is translated from a "present active" subjunctive and literally translated means "If we keep on confessing our sins" indicative of a continuous process. Notice in 1 John 1:7 the little word "if". Our salvation is "conditioned" on our "walking in the light" and "confessing our sins" (vs. 9). The word "light" is a figurative word used in the Bible representing God's Word (Psa. 119:105; Prov. 6:23). In other words, we must always be willing to "continue" walking in the "light" of God's Word or being obedient to God's Word. If we are unwilling to confess our sins, God will be unwilling to forgive us our sins and we will be eternally lost (Isaiah 59:1-2; Prov. 28:13; Rom. 6:23; 1 John 1:9). The New Testament teaches that a child of God can fall from grace (Gal. 5:4), or fail, i.e., fall back from, the Lord’s favor (Heb. 12:15 - ASV). It is possible to deny the Master who bought (purchased) you (1 Cor. 6:20; Acts 20:28; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:12; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 5:9); and so be destroyed (2 Pet. 2:1). It is also possible to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and deny Christ (Jude 4). Thus, we must keep ourselves in God’s love (Jude 21), and give diligence to make our calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10). We accomplish this by obeying and making application of God's Word in our lives (John 15:9-10; Rom. 6:17; Gal. 5:6; 2 Tim. 1:13; James 1:21-25; 1 John 2:3-6; 3:18-21) lest our reception of divine grace be in vain (2 Cor. 6:1). May the Lord continue to bless you in the study of His Word. Mike |