also, please state what group of Christianity you belong to.
2007-12-30 04:02:11 · 17 answers · asked by Ťango 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Assembly of God (Pentecostal)
Our Official web site is : http://ag.org/top/
Our Position on this matter is :http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_4178_security.cfm
Can a Believer "Lose" His Salvation?
Or Stated More Accurately, Can He Forfeit It?
"Has God indeed said...Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away."? (Luke 8:13)
the scripture clearly teaches BOTH the sovereignty of God AND the free will of men. To deny this is irrational, and must be caused by something other than reason based on scriptural precepts.
The scriptural position is that a person who is saved can forfeit that salvation. The bible teaches those at highest risk of forfeiting their salvation are those who are newly saved, and those who continue on in known disobedience, after being born again.
The elect are those whom God chose, whom God foresaw would both trust in His Son AND who would endure or persevere in the faith given them until the end of their physical life, or the return of Jesus.
Those whose hearts are seeking the Lord with all that is in them, should have no concern about "losing" their salvation. Nor should they have any concern about forfeiting their salvation.
Salvation cannot be lost, but it can be forfeited - this is the nature of covenants in the bible. The bible no where guarantee's someone that salvation once received cannot be turned away from or forfeited by the individual that possesses it.
Receiving salvation involves man's will, and not works. Forfeiting salvation involves man's will, and not works. In the same way the Lord did not force His salvation on anyone, He neither forces anyone to remain in the covenant.
2008-01-01 01:33:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Certainly as a case of using free will, we can lose hope of salvation. The idea of once saved always saved is ridiculous. Only humans would dream this up for the sake of laziness.
Are you better Christians than Paul or Timothy? If you claim you are already saved you must be claiming that. They said in Philippians 3:12-14 they had not yet gotten salvation, but looked to running the race to the end of earthly life to get the prize. Hebrews 12:1 also likens it to running a race. After all, prizes are not given out at the beginning or middle of a race, only at the end.
2007-12-30 13:21:32 · answer #2 · answered by grnlow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a Catholic Christian, and I don't really believe in "once saved always saved" because I think it is possible to go to a really rousing service or prayer meeting etc. (any Christian denomination) and get caught up emotionally and accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, not really understanding that after doing so, there should be a resultant change of heart and of lifestyle especially if you are living some sort of obviously sinful life for which you have no sorrow or repentance nor intention to change.
Accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior and then blithely going through life thinking you have it made while not having a corresponding change of heart is presuming on God's mercy, which is a sin.
I think that most people who accept the Lord are truly sincere, so I think that those who don't do it seriously are in the minority and even for those, if they wake up and seriously commit themselves to the Lord, then they are saved. It's not like if you "lose your salvation" you can't ever get it back.
Jesus loves to forgive us when we're sorry for having strayed. He died so we might have eternal life. He will never take it away from us. We are the ones who chose whether or not to accept the gift and to use the gift. (Kind of like getting a really nice espresso machine for your birthday - you can chose whether or not to put it on the counter and use it every day, or to put it up on a shelf and never touch it again, or even to throw it away. The choice is up to you.)
2007-12-30 12:30:55 · answer #3 · answered by GemmaRose 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Once you ask Jesus into your heart as your personal Savior, then you are saved......that means salvation....God doesn't take your salvation away if you mess up and sin...That's why Jesus went to the cross so that we could freely go to God and ask forgiveness....Jesus paid that price on the cross...so we must utilize that avenue to renew ourselves....I know I certainly have in my 43 years of being a Christian. I have made many mistakes...but knew if I asked God to forgive me, that he would do so.....and we must take it upon faith in our hearts that he does just that.....The Bible speaks of the throwing that in the sea of "forgetfullness"....so if God does that...why should we continue to hold our own sins against ourselves....we confess...and leave it behind us and sin no more.....But...when we do...we continually go and ask God to forgive us...and help us get back on the right track of things. So.....YES, Once Saved ALWAYS SAVED......Hope this helps...
2007-12-30 12:15:24 · answer #4 · answered by Rebecca 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing that makes any sense to me is a God that is smart enough to have a plan for the salvation of each and every one of us that is going to work 100 percent of the time.
Any other idea is a simple lack of faith.
Love and blessings Don
2007-12-30 12:06:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Neither make any sense, since man may have a change of mind and a change of heart time and time again..But I've never known anyone to come to know Jesus Christ then turn away from Him not wanting to follow His way...After one has come to know Him ,He's so beautiful how could anyone not want to be like Him ...
2007-12-30 12:11:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Losing one,s salvation,,because we are not once saved alway,s saved,,we can leave God anytime we want to
he does not make us go to Heaven,,it,s those who hold
on to the end,,I,m undenominatinal.
2007-12-30 12:10:38 · answer #7 · answered by elaine 30705 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
once saved always saved is a lie...
if it were so...than most of the N.T chastising sinners
would be wrong...Paul on many occasions came in
and had to set some people straight or they would
have "lost" thier way....in one case Paul mentions
if he has to come visit them over thier sins he would
"not spare"....meaning he would have kicked them out...
in another instance it talks about those whom having had
faith and were in christ...falling alseep and having their
ear's wax gross and such stuff...meaning falling away
losing thier first love....etc..etc..
2007-12-30 12:11:26 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
ALL of mankind will eventually be reconciled to God....we will ALL be judged and we will ALL be put through the fire. Christians included.
I'm not of any denomination. I read and understand my bible.
2007-12-30 12:07:09 · answer #9 · answered by Solovely 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
rebel check salvation at the door for it can not be lost going into the badlands. don't leave w/o a cell #
2007-12-30 12:06:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋