- Aug 11, 2017
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Only three people answered the OP.
You were not one.
This was my address to the OP
While we are justified (made right with God) by faith, the Bible also teaches that if we live a sinful life in disobedience or fail to abide by not producing fruit our salvation will be lost. The Bible does not teach that once you are justified you cannot lose your salvation. Being justified just means you have a clean slate it doesn’t mean you can live any way you please and that slate remains clean.
If you would like me to elaborate I would add that we are chosen by God to do good works. That’s what Jesus is explaining to His faithful apostles in John 15 and why He tells them to abide in Him and produce fruit otherwise they will be cut off from the vine (Jesus) thrown away to wither then thrown into the fire to be burned.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10
“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
John 15:16
How many times did Jesus refer to trees that wither and die because they did not produce fruit?
“And He began telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, 'Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?' And he answered and said to him, 'Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.'"”
Luke 13:6-9
“The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Matthew 3:10
“Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" And His disciples were listening.
As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. Being reminded, Peter said to Him, "Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered."”
Mark 11:13-14, 20-21
Here’s another example explained in a different way.
“"For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. "Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.' "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.' "For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Matthew 25:14-30
The wicked lazy servant was a servant of God who did not produce fruit or profit. Some will claim the lazy servant of the master was not a true believer but how does this example differ from John 15:1-8? Jesus gave His faithful 11 apostles the same example with the same consequences. This is why no one wants to address John 15 because they can’t explain it in the proper context without contradicting the doctrine of eternal security and salvation by faith without works. It’s not hard to understand that we are saved by the type of faith that produces works. Not by a faith that doesn’t produce works. It’s not the works that save us but the type of faith that saves us. This is what James was talking about in James 2:14-26. Notice verse 14
“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?”
James 2:14
James mentions two types of faith in verses 14-26. There’s a saving faith that produces works and a dead and useless or barren faith that does not produce works which is not a saving faith.
Paul believed he was capable of losing His salvation.
“It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:11-13
Notice Paul includes himself by saying if WE deny Him He will deny US. Now I’m sure some will say if we are faithless He remains faithful means that we will still be saved if we lose our faith but nowhere does the Bible say that. If we are faithless Jesus is faithful to do what He said He would do to those without faith and to those who deny Him.
“"Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33
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