Subject: How am I saved? |
Bible Note: Brad, Dalcent wrote, "I would respectfully take issue with your statement that " I don't believe that all our future sins are forgiven; after all Jesus instituted the Lord's Prayer in which we regularly ask forgiveness for our ongoing sins. I do not believe the Bible anywhere teaches that we are forgiven all our sins past, present and future, and it gives many stern warnings against both apostasy and ongoing sin." Dalcent BradK responded, "The main problem with this view is that it negates the all-sufficiency of Christs' atoning sacrifice on the cross! If all only our past sins are forgiven, then redemption is not complete and Christ must therefore go to the cross again- an impossibility according to Romans 6:9! Hebrews 9:12 clearly tells us "He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption." Further in 9:22 says "...and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." BradK I would say Dalccent's view does not negate the all-sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Nor does it imply that He need be crucified again. It is we who must take up our cross daily and follow Christ. Dalcent merely asserts that the application of those merits of Christ's sacrifice, his finished work are not fully applied until one has "finished the race" as Paul put it. The application of those merits will not be complete until the resurrection of the body on the last day.(Rom 8:23) Otherwise, why did Paul fear "stumbling, so as to fall"? We are eternally secure if we have "perserved to the end" and though God may know who will persevere to the end before the end, we do not. So for those who will and do persevere to the end, their future sins will be forgiven. But the future sins of those who do not and will not persevere to the end will not be forgiven. And yes, those who will peservere do so by grace merited by Christ's one sacrifice on the cross. Emmaus |