Hi all,
This thread is for general discussion on what the bible says about losing salvation. Does the bible really teach this? Why are there so many warnings from both the old and New Testament scriptures not to depart the faith and fall away from believing and following God's Word and return back to a life of sin?
Why are we admonished...
2 CORINTHIANS 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates?
Which in my view is good advice considering that there will be many on that day that thought and believed that they were following God and were not following God...
MATTHEW 7:22-23 [22], Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? [23],
And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work sin.
and again a little earlier...
MATTHEW 7:13-20
[13], Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and
many there be which go in thereat:
[14], Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and
few there be that find it.
[15], Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
[16], You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
[17], Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit.
[18], A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
[19], Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[20], Why by their fruits you shall know them.
The issue here and in the OP is to examine ourselves as it is ONLY all those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW God's WORD that are in a saved state with God. According to God's WORD all those who CONTINUE in KNOWN UNREPENTANT SIN will not enter into the KINGDOM of HEAVEN *
HEBREWS 10:26-27 because they reject the gift of God's dear son *
ROMANS 6:23. OBEDIENCE to God's LAW is not how we are saved it is the FRUIT of God's work in us as we BELIEVE and FOLLOW his WORD through love. If our faith has no fruit it is dead *
JAMES 2:18-20; 26 and our tree will be cast down and thrown into the fire *
MATTHEW 3:10; 7:19-20; 13:49-50.
It is not God's will that we sin but if we do we have an advocate with the father *
1 JOHN 2:1-4
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MATTHEW 24:13 [12], And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. [13], But
he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.
MARK 13:13 [13], And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake:
but he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved.
HEBREWS 3:13-14 [13], But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [14],
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end
HEBREWS 3:6 [6], But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we,
if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
COLOSSIANS 1:12-14; 23
[12], Giving thanks to the Father, which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
[13], Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
[14], In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.....
[23],
If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister
REVELATION 2:26 [26],
And he that overcomes, and keeps my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations
2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-3 [1], Now we beseech you, brothers, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together to him, [2],
That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. [3],
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition
1 PETER 4:18 [18], And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
HEBREWS 10:26-27 [26], For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, [27], But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
HEBREWS 6:4-8 [4], For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, [5], And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, [6],
If they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. [7], For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft on it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God:
[8], But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is near to cursing; whose end is to be burned.
MATTHEW 13:18-23 [18], Hear you therefore the parable of the sower.
[19], When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. [20],
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; [21],
Yet has he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution rises because of the word, by and by he is offended. [22], He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.[23], But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundred times, some sixty, some thirty.
REVELATION 2:26 And he that overcomes
, and keeps my works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
REVELATION 3:5
He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
REVELATION 3:12 Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write on him my new name.
REVELATION 3:21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
REVELATION 21:7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
These are only a few scriptures. The same warnings are all through both the old and new testament scriptures.
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Questions for discussion;
1. Can we lose our salvation? (linked to answer)
2. What does it mean only those that are faithful to the end will be saved?
3. Saved from what?
4. Is anyone in a saved state before God while living in a life of known unrepentant sin?
5. Why are there so many warnings from God's Word not to depart the faith if we cannot lose salvation?
God bless.
I have never remarried because I was saved when the divorce happened and I knew it was wrong. However, we have a couple of young couples in church that have approached me with this question. One believes true repentance is turning from the marriage even though there are children involved. The other believes to acknowledge their sin and sin no more, hence not another divorce. A hard topic for sure, but your response was pretty right on. 
