can you fall away and come back?

[SkyWriting]

Ok, if that's the case, then how do I know I'm saved now?

How does one get their prayers answered and know they are saved?
Quick answer: God heard and answered, already.
- 1 John 5:14-15
- Mark 11:24
- Isaiah 65:24

Long answer:
One has to "make a request" and continue making the request
over and over. Eventually you realize that your request focused
on what you want. Is what you want really the best?

Then you have to understand that The Father already knew about the
request before you started. At some point you need to
stop pushing your own agenda and fully release the results
over to God and KNOW that your request has already been
fully answered. You should pray as Jesus instructed us to.

Following this outline:
Our Father in Heaven, I respect your reputation as our Source, the Creator.
I seek your comming relationship, and I wish your will for me
right here, now, even before we meet in the next life.
Thank you for what you have done to support me already
and forgive my imperfectness, and I will forgive others
just the same. Lead my path toward your will and away
from my own. Your kingdom is my desire.

At the instant that you fully release your ego from the results
The Father will instantly grant your request, and in my experience
will flood your mind with relief. Usually, you get the relief
and "knowing" just before the prayer is answered.

So the next passage explains why this happens:

John 3:21 But whoever practices the truth
comes into the Light, so that it may be
clearly seen that what he has done has
been accomplished in God.

I've only reached the point of fully removing my ego from the
prayer a few times, but the results where quite dramatic as if
God has reached in and changed the world around me, it seemed.
The landscape and the weather changed in one instant, one time.


On continued analysis, what I discovered was that God had changed
my prayer to match was about to occur and made sure the
timing was correct, just to let me know He was there.

In one case, I needed dramatic help.
In another, a second person needed dramatic help.
In another, the request was stupid, but still granted.
The commonality between all events was the total
release of the request from my ego that called for
me having control over the outcome.

This method needed to allow the Spirit in is:
to suppress your desire to control the outcome

and even your insistence on controlling the request.

The Father already heard your past and future prayers

before He formed the World.

He then set up the entire world to answer each one of
your prayers and conversations with Him.

Again:

He then set up the entire world to answer each one of
your prayers and conversations with Him.

Now all one has to do is trust His judgment to either
get their prayer changed, or their prayer answered
as He wills it. But on the occasion of true surrender,
He steps in AS IF with a magic wand and grants your
prayers.

On one occasion, God answered my prayers weeks
before I prayed for somebody else's benefit.
He then handed me the prayer in those minutes
before answering it just so I would know He was with there
and was the "God With Us".


Now...skeptics have informed me that of my thousands of prayers, I only recall the 3 answered ones. But here is the reality...I only remember the times that I totally committed the outcome to God and KNEW that my prayers were answered, well before they were answered. God mentally informed me that He had taken care of my problem. Then He took the next few minutes to show me what He had already done hours or weeks before.

And this explains that:
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Getting prayer answered is as simple as looking forward.

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer,
believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Matthew 6:7-8
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father
knows what you need before you ask him.

 

[mukk_in]

I was reading Hebrews and I had to stop, it was upsetting me so much. I'm sure you're all familiar with the verse:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
(Hebrews 6:4-6, NKJV)

The most straightforward explanation seems to be that if you are a Christian, and you fall away, you can't come back. But I was a Christian from age 10 or so (don't remember exact date) until I was 18. Then I left the faith. It wasn't out of weakness or deception. It was flat out rebellion and maliciousness. And I was gone, with a brief exception of a few months, for a long time. I just recently came back and rededicated my life to Christ.

Or did I? I'm trying to tell myself if I can believe and repent that the above condemnation doesn't apply to me, but I can't help but worry I'm running the race in vain and I'm not truly saved. I'm interested to hear people's opinions on those who leave and come back.

Yes, unless you've turned your back on God (Mark 3:28-30, Hebrew 6:4). Yours seems to be the problem of the prodigal son, not rejecting the Holy Spirit. Take it easy.

 

[Tharseo]

I left because I was angry that I was still suffering despite prayer and it made me question my faith. I had also recently been disappointed in some members of my church I was close to. And I went to college. I thought I was well-educated in the faith but I wasn't prepared to stand up to the secular humanism and the New Age teachings I got there. I left and went, first to Wicca, then to Catholicism (for me, because of the way I believed and practiced Catholicism, I would say I wasn't saved during my time as a Catholic).

What do I believe now? I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I believe He sits at the right hand of God the Father. I believe I am saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone for the glory of God alone. And I believe I have repented of my false beliefs and errors and efforts to earn my salvation and beliefs that I am a good enough person to be saved, as well as my outright mocking, hatred and scorning of Christ (as a Wiccan). And I believe that having repented, His blood washes away my sins. I'm sorry if I don't have the wording right or forgot to mention something crucial.

Well, I know a person like you left, but turn back to God after over 50 years. So i think it is not impossible for someone to be back in faith.

IMO, the passage does not apply to you. It applies to those who "have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come". From what you described, I don't think you are one of them. You might know the theory of them when you were young, but I guess you never tasted them in reality.

So well, are you saved now? I don't know. Profession of faith is not enough. You have to live by them. Let Christ be your lord in your daily life. Be led by the Spirit of Him and you will know whether you are saved or not.

Romans 8:14,16: "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ... The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,"

 

[Kenny'sID]

Yes, unless you've turned your back on God (Mark 3:28-30, Hebrew 6:4). Yours seems to be the problem of the prodigal son, not rejecting the Holy Spirit. Take it easy.

You beat me too it.

To me one major point of the parable of the prodigal son was he was not only accepted back, but very happily, so that flies right in the face of what the scripture in question seems to indicate.

And I admit it does seem to give the first impression of a very scary reality for quite a few of us...but

 

[Spiritlight]

It is all over for me then, I was hoping to come back closer but I might as well not bother trying. That kinda solves that..

 

[Loyce KG]

I was reading Hebrews and I had to stop, it was upsetting me so much. I'm sure you're all familiar with the verse:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
(Hebrews 6:4-6, NKJV)

The most straightforward explanation seems to be that if you are a Christian, and you fall away, you can't come back. But I was a Christian from age 10 or so (don't remember exact date) until I was 18. Then I left the faith. It wasn't out of weakness or deception. It was flat out rebellion and maliciousness. And I was gone, with a brief exception of a few months, for a long time. I just recently came back and rededicated my life to Christ.

Or did I? I'm trying to tell myself if I can believe and repent that the above condemnation doesn't apply to me, but I can't help but worry I'm running the race in vain and I'm not truly saved. I'm interested to hear people's opinions on those who leave and come back.

Probably your faith was mere head-knowledge of God and now you have got true saving faith that led you to repentance. I grew up in a christian home and walked pretty much like you; got baptized at 13yrs after confessing salvation (didn't even know what it meant), going to church, attending bible study and fellowship with other Christians but there was no real change in me. I out-rightly loved & lived in sin and then walked away from Christianity because there was no desire to stay. Two years ago after i'd gone through a couple of traumatizing events (and running away from God's calls), i asked God to forgive me and committed my heart and life to follow Him.In my tiny house, i said a prayer and was never the same again. It was almost instant that i began to despise sin and started reading the bible etc.

People learn to swim from the shallow end, for me my salvation was like learning to swim from the deep end. I dived in deep-though it cost me a couple of friends and siblings but am a disciple of Christ. I expect to carry more crosses than trophies in this life.

The fact that you are repentant is a green light. Find assurance in the Lord and don't condemn yourself.Those who fall away are hardened at heart and can't truly repent. Esau was one of a kind; though he uttered with his lips, his heart was not repentant.

 

[Mark Quayle]

I was reading Hebrews and I had to stop, it was upsetting me so much. I'm sure you're all familiar with the verse:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
(Hebrews 6:4-6, NKJV)

The most straightforward explanation seems to be that if you are a Christian, and you fall away, you can't come back. But I was a Christian from age 10 or so (don't remember exact date) until I was 18. Then I left the faith. It wasn't out of weakness or deception. It was flat out rebellion and maliciousness. And I was gone, with a brief exception of a few months, for a long time. I just recently came back and rededicated my life to Christ.

Or did I? I'm trying to tell myself if I can believe and repent that the above condemnation doesn't apply to me, but I can't help but worry I'm running the race in vain and I'm not truly saved. I'm interested to hear people's opinions on those who leave and come back.

You might want to read several commentaries on that passage. There are many way of looking at it, one of which begins with: "The following scenario is impossible"

As for your misgivings concerning your own salvation, and not to say it doesn't matter, but, The Judge of all the World will do what is right. Whether you ARE saved or not is up to him, not you. Delight in the fact that He is in control and not you.

 

[Toro]

It is all over for me then, I was hoping to come back closer but I might as well not bother trying. That kinda solves that..

Why do you feel it's all over for you?

Do you not wish to be with God?

None of us, not a single one of us is any closer to "earning" our salvation today than we were yesterday or even 50 days ago.

That includes before and after a "backsliding"

Look at what Peter did.... he thought certainly he had blown it big time and he returned to fishing. He denied Christ before men 3 times..... Jesus didnt condemn him for it.

Jesus asked him three times "Do you love me?" He didnt say "Nope, you blew it" He simply commanded him to do as He taught Peter to do.

We all make mistakes, but IF you still want to be with the Father... pick yourself up from the pigpen and begin your way back to your Fathers house.

As many have said, you CAN go too far... HOWEVER IF that desire to know, love and be with God is in you, your heart is not hardened to Him. We weren't spotless when we were first accepted.... if we still have that desire to be with, know and become closer to the Father.... there is a reason why the blood of Christ is stronger than our worst mistakes.

It's not a license to sin, but it allows for forgiveness of those sins and mistakes we slip into along the way, before and after salvation.

 

[Kenny'sID]

It is all over for me then, I was hoping to come back closer but I might as well not bother trying. That kinda solves that..

Read the rest of the thread, and don't worry about it, he's not going to let you off the hook that easily.

 

[Johnny4ChristJesus]

I was reading Hebrews and I had to stop, it was upsetting me so much. I'm sure you're all familiar with the verse:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
(Hebrews 6:4-6, NKJV)

The most straightforward explanation seems to be that if you are a Christian, and you fall away, you can't come back. But I was a Christian from age 10 or so (don't remember exact date) until I was 18. Then I left the faith. It wasn't out of weakness or deception. It was flat out rebellion and maliciousness. And I was gone, with a brief exception of a few months, for a long time. I just recently came back and rededicated my life to Christ.

Or did I? I'm trying to tell myself if I can believe and repent that the above condemnation doesn't apply to me, but I can't help but worry I'm running the race in vain and I'm not truly saved. I'm interested to hear people's opinions on those who leave and come back.

First on your idea of "running the race in vain": My goodness. I can't understand this thinking! Peter was confused in John 6. Jesus just pretty much did the opposite of the visible church today and chased people away with a series of things that offended them! Then, Jesus turns to His chosen and says: "Do you want to leave, too?" Peter doesn't resound with an "Absolutely not, LORD! We got your back!" No, Peter meekly says: "Lord, where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life." So, I would understand how someone could run with the world and realize that ultimate waste of time that running with the world is; but, how could trying to run with God be a vain effort--if you genuinely want to run with Him? Your heart's response before Him should be: "God from what I read, I may have blown my opportunity with You. But, You desire mercy over sacrifice. You desire for man to repent and come to the knowledge of You. I desire with all my heart to repent of all my wrong doing. I understand that from my point of view, You have a right to discard me with the trash. I understand that from my point of view, You don't owe me a thing. But, I ask that you would wash me in the Blood of Your Lamb, so from this day forth, I can be used to bring Your Good News to others, so that through me others might truly live. Let me bring fruit with me when my race is done, so that you may glorified in all the earth and in heaven as souls turn to you. Then, my race won't be in vain. I will have brought you abundant fruit that remains. I will trust you to determine what is right with regards to me. Have mercy on me, a sinner, that I, too, might live and come to know You and Jesus Christ as fully as I am known. In Jesus' Name. Amen."

If you have decided God is your only option, how could that be a vain race? What other race isn't necessarily vain? At least you are pursuing the living God-the only genuine race. So, consider the alternative. Let's assume that you believe you are running the race in vain, because you are already eliminated. What are you going to do--go back to living as rebelliously as you can knowing everything you produce and your soul will be destroyed? Are you going to try to destroy others--take others with you--and thereby serve the devil? If so, well you have your heart's answer right there. But, if your heart says the opposite, maybe you just need to do what you can do and trust God to do what only He can do, in His time.

There are a lot of people that claim they were Christians. But, there are two very different standards of what a Christian is. There are some who claim they are, based on attendance and participation in the visible church. There are others who taste what is described above. I would have told you that I was a Christian based on the first definition while I was clearly more in love with the world than God, simply because I went to a Christian church when convenient and didn't believe that anyone could have anything more than I did. Some people just grow up in "Christian circles" and learn "visible Christianity" without truly experiencing God. They are content with what they think they have and have no real hunger or belief there is more.

It would be a slap in the face to God (who tells us He is a jealous God), if someone were to truly experience God and decide they prefer the things of this world more. Hebrews 6 is a very real warning, not an impossible hypothetical like some would claim.

That being said, with you, there are two possibilities--that it was never really real (from God's perspective, not yours) or what you had was real (from God's perspective, not yours). God knows. The fact that you are hungering for Him now makes me think that you fall into the first possibility. I would encourage you to continue to seek Him diligently and without end. If it ends up that you truly are dedicated to God without having your own personal timetable on how long you are willing to try to see if He will prove to you that He still loves you, I believe you will be classified as an overcomer (Rev 2 & 3). However, if this is just another burst of self and you are going to eventually give up, then it will be even harder, if not impossible to try to come back again.

 

[Dave L]

I was reading Hebrews and I had to stop, it was upsetting me so much. I'm sure you're all familiar with the verse:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
(Hebrews 6:4-6, NKJV)

The most straightforward explanation seems to be that if you are a Christian, and you fall away, you can't come back. But I was a Christian from age 10 or so (don't remember exact date) until I was 18. Then I left the faith. It wasn't out of weakness or deception. It was flat out rebellion and maliciousness. And I was gone, with a brief exception of a few months, for a long time. I just recently came back and rededicated my life to Christ.

Or did I? I'm trying to tell myself if I can believe and repent that the above condemnation doesn't apply to me, but I can't help but worry I'm running the race in vain and I'm not truly saved. I'm interested to hear people's opinions on those who leave and come back.

It's possible you fell away from a false Christ. I think many do this and don't realize they never had a true reckoning of Christ in the first place.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Funny, I was reminded by this thread of something not really related, and that I needed to do some research on wilful sin for other purposes. I typed it in google and the first result was:

Hebrews 10:26-31 (KJV)

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.

I'm seeing that as a more in depth or different way of explaining the scripture in the OP, something that I had already decided will take our salvation from us, and the research I was doing was to prove that with scripture. It was funny how the first thing I ran across tied right back in to this, so I'm now more convinced than ever where the "sin" line is drawn, as well as that scripture in the OP doesn't mean what we may think..

The good news, no one is done for with no way out...simply don't sin willfully, something most of you are already are aware of and don't do. If you do, then stop. I've run my mouth enough on what that is in the past but for those who aren't aware, wilful sin is sin we do as a norm. For example, going to get drunk this weekend and get laid, things many of the heathen live for. Always ready to sin, or to live a life style of sin. "Sin as a general rule" covers it pretty well. Huge difference between that and being weak in time of temptation.

Non wilful sin is sin of temptation, and like most of you, who don't don't commit wilful sin, you can be tempted along the way and sin, when it's not something you planned to do. That's not as serious a problem as wilful sin, not even close. Just ask forgiveness and move on. To me, this makes what sometimes seems an impossible task when it comers to sin, a lot more reasonable/doable. IOW, the understanding takes a lot of the pressure off.

Sin of temptation is something God is very forgiving of. While wilful sin, I would guess, once it reaches a certain level of being ongoing for the Christian that started out living right, will have a serious problem if they continue in the wilful sin, for whatever reason, one being because someone told them they don't have to worry about it.. So, for them, they need to wake up to the truth, get forgiveness for their selfish views of the bible as well as their living in sin, and get down to acting right. For you that want to toss the "self righteous" bomb in my direction, I get it, I know it makes you mad wen someone tells you you can't have it your way, but don't even bother, this stuff is simply biblical, nothing more, nothing less.

There are those (I just mentioned them a few times) that love to confuse the issue with comments like "We all sin" and that's their reasoning for being allowed to sin all we like and we are still saved. So, yes, we all sin, but not all sin willfully.

 

[morse86]

John 6:47:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life

John 6:40:
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:27:
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

John 5:24:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 4:14:
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 3:36:
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 3:16:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 4:45:
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Acts 16:30-31:
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 4:2-4:
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.


Romans 10:13-17:
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

[morse86]

To summarize, God demands a payment for sin (and we all are sinners). If you use your works (to god, this is equivalent of filthy rags) as the payment.....it is not enough....you still own him a massive DEBT (one you cannot ever pay).

If you use Jesus Christ as the payment (Jesus's righteousness is imputed on to you, your spirit is reborn), the debt is paid. In front of God, Jesus Christ is your covering and not filthy rags. All you need to use Jesus as the payment is to BELIEVE and it's instant (not a long drawn out process) and it's EVERLASTING.

 

[WannaWitness]

Here is a beautiful song from a long time ago that gives reassurance that when we come back to God, He has open arms to accept us back. Hope that whoever listens is blessed.

 

[Danthemailman]

I find it interesting that the term "fall away" was used by Jesus of His 11 disciples around the time of His arrest. The disciples deserted Jesus as was predicted and Peter obviously denied Jesus three times. They were said to "fall away."

Matthew 26:31 - Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK SHALL BE SCATTERED.' 32 "But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." 33 But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." (NASB) Yet they did come back and obviously, this was not a loss of salvation.

For a righteous man may fall seven times AND rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity. (Proverbs 24:16)

 

[Kenny'sID]

To summarize, God demands a payment for sin (and we all are sinners). If you use your works (to god, this is equivalent of filthy rags) as the payment.....it is not enough....you still own him a massive DEBT (one you cannot ever pay).

I've never seen anyone here that does that, or even claimed they did, so I wonder why people keep bring it up? Of course we can't work our way into heaven, that's splattered all over the bible, and i would challenge you to show me someone who claimed we could.

However we can work our way out of Heaven, by not being obedient to God, and integral part of this "Believing" some of you keep mentioning but fail to even consider what all it may entail. For instance, if you believe in God, you believe what he says/what he tells us we must do, and if we believe that and what he said would happen if we didn't do it, then we do it/are obedient.

Honestly, I don't see how anyone can say they believe in God when they don't believe all of what he says, both the hard part and the easy part.

 

[morse86]

I've never seen anyone here that does that, or even claimed they did, so I wonder why people keep bring it up? Of course we can't work our way into heaven, that's splattered all over the bible, and i would challenge you to show me someone who claimed we could.

However we can work our way out of Heaven, by not being obedient to God, and integral part of this "Believing" some of you keep mentioning but fail to even consider what all it may entail. For instance, if you believe in God, you believe what he says/what he tells us we must do, and if we believe that and what he said would happen if we didn't do it, then we do it/are obedient.

Honestly, I don't see how anyone can say they believe in God when they don't believe all of what he says, both the hard part and the easy part.

What part of everlasting do you not understand?

What part of being sealed in Christ do you understand? NO man can pluck them from Jesus hand.

What part of a gift do you not understand?


When you believe, your spirit is reborn (the spirit cannot sin)....you still have the old fleshly body which will sin until Jesus returns and gives a new INCORRUPTIBLE body.


Why does God say to go soul winning and pull people from fire? Most of these people will never show up to church or be obedient.....but they believed and were saved right then and there. They are sealed in Jesus and NO MAN can pluck them.

 

[Kenny'sID]

What part of everlasting do you not understand?

What part of being sealed in Christ do you understand? NO man can pluck them from Jesus hand.

What part of a gift do you not understand?


When you believe, your spirit is reborn (the spirit cannot sin)....you still have the old fleshly body which will sin until Jesus returns and gives a new INCORRUPTIBLE body.


Why does God say to go soul winning and pull people from fire? Most of these people will never show up to church or be obedient.....but they believed and were saved right then and there. They are sealed in Jesus and NO MAN can pluck them.

Doesn't seem like you were paying attention at all.

What do you think the OP means?

What do you think this means?

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.

EDIT, and what do you think this means:

1 Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

 

[JCFantasy23]

I believe you're fine. Many people "backslide" and return. God is forgiving and wants us to return. One of my favorite parables is with the shepherd leaving the other sheep to retrieve the one who wandered off. You are important to God - then and now. He will not leave a door shut forever and you cut off from him because you were wishy-washy as a youth just entering college. Salvation and the love of our God isn't that easy to lose!