Forever saved?

[fields316_2000]

My question is this - once you are saved, really saved and name written in the book of life does that mean you are forever in contract with god? I was a sinner big time two years ago..drugs women etc..but my life seemed to be drawn more toward the church..and certain things would call me back..and now after having god's wrath im where im supposed to be. but i notice that happens to christians that fall away - god gets his sheep back one way or another..so in a sense do you think that once you get saved he has us on a leash? like we are to serve but if we fall away he gives us free will; but he will be pulling us back after we go to far or its time to repent?

 

[Angeldove97]

LOL I would hope that He didn't have us on a leash. No I believe it is by our own free will that we become Saved in Jesus' name. But at the same time, God is not going to lose any of His flock, so in a more caring manner, He does what He has to to get our attention to continue to follow Him.

Nothing can SEPARATE us from our Father!
Just as nothing can "negate" your physical birth, nothing can "negate" your spiritual birth.

My children will always be my children. We may have troubled times. Our fellowship may be broken, but our relationship can never be broken. They will always be my children. Nothing or nobody can change that! And once you are born again spiritually - God becomes your Father - nothing or nobody can change that! Your fellowship may be broken, but your relationship can never be broken!

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38

"My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." John 10:29
Jesus will NEVER leave us!

Jesus promised He will never leave us.
Jesus could not say this if there was even a chance of losing our salvation.

". . .for he hath said, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5

". . . and, lo, I am with you ALWAY, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Matthew 28:20

We are PERFECTED FOR EVER!
We are "perfected for ever" by Jesus Christ. How could the Lord say such a bold statement if we had to earn or keep our salvation?

"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ ONCE FOR ALL. . . For by one offering he hath PERFECTED FOR EVER them that are sanctified." Hebrews 10:10,14


We are PRESERVED in Christ Jesus!

"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and PRESERVED IN JESUS CHRIST, and called:" Jude 1

"And THE LORD. . . WILL PRESERVE ME unto his heavenly kingdom:. . ." 2 Timothy 4:18


We are KEPT by the POWER of God!
"Who are KEPT BY THE POWER OF GOD through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Peter 1:5

"Now unto him that is able TO KEEP YOU from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy," Jude 24


We are saved to the UTTERMOST!

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the UTTERMOST that come unto God by him,. . ." Hebrews 7:25


We are SEALED until the day of redemption!

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby YE ARE SEALED unto the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30

". . .after that ye believed, YE WERE SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise," Ephesians 1:13


What about the BACKSLIDER?

What about the "backslider" or somebody that forsakes the Lord? The Bible says he will suffer loss (rewards, etc.) - but he himself shall be saved!

"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire." 1 Corinthians 3:11-15


We become the BODY OF CHRIST!
"For we are MEMBERS OF HIS BODY, of his flesh, and of his bones." Ephesians 5:30

"Now ye are the BODY OF CHRIST, and members in particular." 1 Corinthians 12:18


What if we later - BELIEVE NOT?

Our salvation is so secure - even if we BELIEVE NOT after we're saved, because we become part of Him (the body of Christ), ". . .yet he abideth faithful: HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF."

"If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF." 2 Timothy 2:13


But what if I sin an awful sin?

1 Corinthians 5 reports of an awful sin in the church. And even though Paul commands ". . . To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh" - Paul still speaks of that person being saved - ". . .that the spirit MAY BE SAVED. . ."

"It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. . .To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit MAY BE SAVED in the day of the Lord Jesus." 1 Corinthians 5:1,5


To lose your salvation - makes God a LIAR!

With all the PROMISES from God to KEEP you, to SAVE you, to PRESERVE you - to even suggest you could lose your salvation - is to call God a LIAR!
". . .he that BELIEVETH NOT GOD hath made him a LIAR; . . ." 1 John 5:10


I hope these verses help you and continue to study the Bible so that you may draw nearer to Christ. GOD BLESS!!! Love, Tanya

 

[MorphRC]

No One is Saved permently. That is Fundamentalist heresy. If you sin, does not your relationship with God decay? When you confess does not that relationship grow? How can you be saved once, then go and sin. To this logic if I was saved once, I could go kill my parents, friends, enemies and still go to heaven. Does that make sense? No. So no one is saved once and for all. You are ever-being saved through the grace of God with your own will to find and strenghen yourself in Him.

 

[Angeldove97]

But we are not Saved through works, dear brother. We are Saved through Jesus' death on the cross and Him rising to life again. Yes I believe even those who are Saved can still sin, but they will not have a falling out with Christ. The Bible also states that your name can not be erased in the Book of Life...the Book which states the names of the Children of God. I believe that we still have to repent of our sins and even then God knows our true hearts, but I do not believe that anyone will fall out of God's flock. It is also stated in the Bible that God won't let any of His flock be lost. He'll do what is neccessary to get them back.

I know that there are those who say they are Saved and any person can tell that they're not. God knows who is truly Saved...you are Saved through prayer and the Holy Spirit knows who is true because those who are true Christians have the Holy Spirit in them. If you study the Parable of the Sower, there are a few type of peole who hear the Word of God and it shows how they care touched in heart. Study Matthew 13 and you can see the Parables that Jesus taught to the people.

I believe there are people who are "saved" and then true Christians who are Saved and that those who are truthfully Saved, God can see their hearts, their names will be written in the Book of Life, and there is nothing that can seperate us *no sin possible, not even Satan's temptation* from God's love and Jesus' Salvation.

Amen.

 

[theseed]

Or is what you believe heresy?

 

[theseed]

My question is this - once you are saved, really saved and name written in the book of life does that mean you are forever in contract with god? I was a sinner big time two years ago..drugs women etc..but my life seemed to be drawn more toward the church..and certain things would call me back..and now after having god's wrath im where im supposed to be. but i notice that happens to christians that fall away - god gets his sheep back one way or another..so in a sense do you think that once you get saved he has us on a leash? like we are to serve but if we fall away he gives us free will; but he will be pulling us back after we go to far or its time to repent?

There are 2 sides to this that have argued for hundreds of years if not longer, you will have to decide this one for yourself.

 

[Angeldove97]

I don't believe what I'm saying is heresy because I have found the verses in the Bible to back it up. I'm a very open-minded person and I know I shouldn't believe in something just because somebody else told me. I find the verses that help support it, so if the verse is in the Bible and the Bible is God's Word, how can it be heresy?

 

[drdeancrosby]

A very popular teaching these last days, is that Christianity is so easy.You just mumble a prayer of 25 words or less and then you're saved.Forever.You can do whatever you want to do.Become an abortionist and literally suck babies brains out and then throw their bodies in a trash can.Become a soldier and kill and maim to "spread democracy."Wait a minute,wait a minute.The bible is full of warnings that it's extremely hard to obtain salvation.Especially if you live in a "developed (spoiled rotten )country"How hard?Glad you asked.Jesus said it's as hard for a rich man to get into heaven as it is for a camel to go through a needle.Man that hurts! guess I'm going to have to stop watching those prosperty religious shows on television.(the most popular one however did help me by making me lose almost my entire life savings)And then there's the biblical teaching,HE WHO LOVES THE WORLD IS AN ENEMY OF GOD.Oh no!Does that mean I have to stop going to filthy and perverted movies before I find someone to engage in fornication with?And then there are the human examples of Judas,one of Jesus' most trusted disciples and Satan,formerly one of God's most poweful angels.If you like politics,you may want to think about Adolph Hitler who claimed he was fighting for freedom.(that sure sounds familiar doesn't it)He remained in good standing in his church until his death.But here's one of the best examples of a pervert who ain't never coming back - the atheist in Canada who makes a living going around bashing Christianity as a simple-minded fairy tale.He was personally selected by Billy Graham to be his replacement before he went into satanland.Or if you want to get more scholarly,don't trust anything a human tells you,look it up in the bible.Hebrews 6:4-7 explains it well.Salvation is a very precious gift but you can lose it in the filth of this world if you're not careful.Very careful in today's world!
STAY CLOSE TO JESUS man.

 

[Rafael]

My question is this - once you are saved, really saved and name written in the book of life does that mean you are forever in contract with god? I was a sinner big time two years ago..drugs women etc..but my life seemed to be drawn more toward the church..and certain things would call me back..and now after having god's wrath im where im supposed to be. but i notice that happens to christians that fall away - god gets his sheep back one way or another..so in a sense do you think that once you get saved he has us on a leash? like we are to serve but if we fall away he gives us free will; but he will be pulling us back after we go to far or its time to repent?

By your post, it seems that you have a practical sense of what the truth is about God and the effect we have on our lives with sin. The Bible does tell us that He chastises all those that truly belong to Him, so there is some comfort in the rod, just as the psalm 23 mentions - "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me".
God never loses any that are in His hand and belong to Him, but this knowledge is only known by Him - not by man, and although we debate things we have no power over, we still have to live and find out if our lives have been sanctified by the blood of the lamb. That is why we are encouraged to live Holy busy lives, serving others, and walking humbliy with God through this life. I do see that there is a easy believeism alive in the so-called visible church today, but the truth is - it just isn't easy denying ourselves, picking up our crosses and following after Jesus. The effort is full of reward for eternity, though. Keep your confession, true testimony by life lived, and the blood of the lamb, and God will always be faithful.
Blessings to you as you sojourn.

 

[theseed]

Matthew 7:16
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

 

[Ken]

fields, I will throw in my hat with angel's post.... since a person can do nothing to merit salvation, due to its being totally a matter of God's goodness, grace and mercy that anyone is ever saved in the first place, you cannot lose your salvation.... this is because God has changed your standing before Him such that you are absolved of all your sins, past, present and future, He has taken out your heart of stone, and given you are heart of flesh, look at the following, notice God's activity:

(Eph 2:4-16 NNAS) But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, {5} even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), {6} and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, {7} so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. {8} For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; {9} not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. {10} For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. {11} Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands-- {12} remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. {13} But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. {14} For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, {15} by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, {16} and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity."

..... but, this does not mean that Easy Believeism is true, that just because you mumble a prayer, walk down an aisle, you are automatically saved and then can go and live like the devil, sinning with impudence... no, such a person reveals that they were never saved in the first place... if a person is saved, they will bear fruit, to varying degrees, showing the change that has been wrought in their nature, indeed, they cannot but help to show the change, so while sinning was natural for them in the past, now pleasing God (albeit imperfectly) is "natural" for them now, (2 Cor 5:17 NNAS) Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

Above, drdean said

How hard?Glad you asked.Jesus said it's as hard for a rich man to get into heaven as it is for a camel to go through a needle.Man that hurts! guess I'm going to have to stop watching those prosperty religious shows on television.(the most popular one however did help me by making me lose almost my entire life savings)

However, when we look at the context, we see a verey important aspect of salvation:
(Mat 19:24-26 NNAS) "Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." {25} When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" {26} And looking at them Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

So yes, by all means, stay close to Jesus. Also, remember that this ability also comes from God, and you are are never "on your own". If you were, you would never make it.....

(Phil 2:12-13 NNAS) So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; {13} for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

 

[Angeldove97]

I hope I did make myself clear that I do believe that those who are truthfully giving their hearts to Christ will be Saved forever. Only God can tell if a person is giving their heart to Christ and if this children has truly been washed in Christ's blood, then God will do anything He has to, to make sure none of His flock is lost. Those who continue to sin and not change their ways, yes they may have prayed, but they are not truly Saved. If you're truthfully Saved, you'll change your ways because the Holy Spirit has entered your heart. As for what I've been saying, I've never been told I was saying heresy and because I have found verses in the Bible to back what I'm saying up, I don't believe I am. I didn't want this discussion to turn into a fight of pointing fingers of doctrine and beliefs...this is what my heart tells me is true and if others wish to believe other things, that's fine also, as long as they search the Bible and can back up what they're saying. I hope we haven't completely confused this whole discussion. lol God bless. Love, Tanya

 

[fields316_2000]

heres the way i kinda see things at this point - ill make it as simple as possible..

god knows all things

it says in jereimiah that 'he knew you before you were formed in the womb'..

it says that jesus died on the cross for all mankinds sins

so if in my mind god knew me before i was in the womb he KNEW all the things i was going to do before i did them..
so with that being said - when jesus died for my sins did he die for all the sins he knew i was going to do before i did them? and as long as i received my lord and saviors forgivness he not only covered me at that moment but things i have yet to do - because he knows all things! and with that im not saying its within the rules to get saved then go and murder a bunch of people. if you are truely saved you will die away from your old self and become eternally equiped with a concience...the grand ability to know right and wrong. .and if you dont god will send those in your path to talk with you. ive seen alot and thought at one time that i did so much wrong that god wouldnt have protected me ..even in sin god held me from danger..

but i also know that jesus says in revelations that if you are luke warm he will vomit you from his stomach. you are either supposed to be hot or cold toward him . if you arent with him guess where you are..?

 

[tinkerbell]

Hey, If you want some more information about this, feel free to e-mail me - I can walk you through it and answer any specific questions you have. (Using only the Bible) God bless!! Laura Perry

 

[Grammalamma]

No One is Saved permently. That is Fundamentalist heresy. If you sin, does not your relationship with God decay? When you confess does not that relationship grow? How can you be saved once, then go and sin. To this logic if I was saved once, I could go kill my parents, friends, enemies and still go to heaven. Does that make sense? No. So no one is saved once and for all. You are ever-being saved through the grace of God with your own will to find and strenghen yourself in Him.

You don't have any scripture to back up what you are saying. I disagree with you strongly.

 

[enoch son]

Proverb, 3-11-12 "My son,do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent rebuke, because the Lord disicplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in". Then read the reward for growth in His ways in vers. 13-18 it is overpowering!

 

[elkano788]

^^ good verse, but lately I've been having evil, rebellious thoughts. i hate them, but I can't stop them, and it makes me think that I am not really for the Lord, but I was never really saved in the first place judging by my evil thoughts and sometimes lack of zeal for Christ. lately my faith has completely lost its fire... how can I still go back?

 

[chilehed]

See then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off" (Rom. 11:22; see also Heb. 10:26–29, 2 Pet. 2:20–21).

By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10)

"If any one says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen" (1 John 4:20)

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3).

"I entrust this charge to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophetic words once spoken about you. Through them may you fight a good fight by having faith and a good conscience. Some, by rejecting conscience, have made a shipwreck of their faith, among them Hymenaeus 11 and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme." (1 Timothy, 18-20)

Sorry guys, the Bible clearly says that actions are required for our salvation, and that we CAN lose our salvation.

Take a look at the first quote in my signature...

But, praise God! He is merciful beyond measure. Turn back to Him and He will restore your soul.

 

[ydouxist]

^^ good verse, but lately I've been having evil, rebellious thoughts. i hate them, but I can't stop them, and it makes me think that I am not really for the Lord, but I was never really saved in the first place judging by my evil thoughts and sometimes lack of zeal for Christ. lately my faith has completely lost its fire... how can I still go back?

I've been there.

Just read the Word and pray.
Before you know it you'll notice a difference.

 

[Filia Mariae]

You don't have any scripture to back up what you are saying. I disagree with you strongly.

Wrong. Scripture does not support Once Saved Always Saved, aka the devil's favorite of all false doctrines.

As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13).
http://www.catholic.com/library/Assurance_of_Salvation.asp