how is a true christian guarenteed salvation?

[arbadong]

I don't know the bible, so maybe i don't understand some stuff.

But, both a non-christian and a christian are human beings with free will, right?

So they both have the possibility to choose to act and think whatever is possible to act or think.

So if its true that "once your saved, your saved", doesnt this contradict with free will? Assuming this means that once you're saved you're saved for eternity.

It just doesnt make sense to me.If i knew i was saved, if i absolutely knew i was saved, what point is there to "hold on until the end"?

**

I assume that one of the arguments will be that if you start to give in to unrepentant sins, then you was just not a christian to begin with.

But i set the premise that a person is a TRUE christian.

A TRUE christian has free will, and can sin if he wants to.

**

A possible solution tha i thought of was that maybe it's God that gurantees it, God guarantees it in the sense that he will step in like a father to a true christian that falters.

But still, musnt a guarantee by God mean that it's logically impossible for what he guarantees to not happen?

And if we have a free will, which is also given by God, isnt there a possibility that a person could reject God regardless if God intervenes?

**

I can't wrap my head around it.And how can a genuine believer falter anyway.

If you falter, doesn't it mean you are closing in on giving up? But if you are closing in on giving up, there must be a reason for this, so haven't you already given up at the moment you start faltering?

Isnt the difference between a true believer and someone who doesen't truely beilieve, that the true believers faith is absolutely genuine?

How can a true believers faith even begin to get weak? Isn't the faith lost at the moment it starts getting weak?

 

[tootall68]

I believe once saved always saved. When I met the lord I was drinking, smoking, fussing, you name it. As soon as I dropped to my knees and asked for forgiveness I've never had the want for all that bad stuff since. Back slidding is a very big subject in the bible. If you read the bible you will notice every great man slipped at some point. In my opinion the biggest reason for back slidding is pride. People become prideful and fall out of fellowship with God, then that starts a domino effect. I, thank the lord haven't slipped yet and the reason why is cause I'm always seeking God. I keep my noise in a bible and stay in church. You asked a lot of questions but I hope this at least gets you started on finding the answers you looking for.

 

[heron]

I wrote this earlier and forgot to hit "submit."

how is a true christian guarenteed salvation?
I don't know the bible, so maybe i don't understand some stuff.

But, both a non-christian and a christian are human beings with free will, right?
So they both have the possibility to choose to act and think whatever is possible to act or think.
- With a little probability mixed in.

So if its true that "once your saved, your saved", doesnt this contradict with free will? Assuming this means that once you're saved you're saved for eternity.
- I agree. Not every Christian believes in that. How I see it, God knows our hearts through the whole span of our lives, and if we happen to be at a low point, He knows why. I would guess God would see our core intent in a more timeless, less linear way than we do. But we make choices, yes, and some people choose to withdraw from God.

"
1Ti 1:15 -It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all."
It just doesnt make sense to me.If i knew i was saved, if i absolutely knew i was saved, what point is there to "hold on until the end"?

**

I assume that one of the arguments will be that if you start to give in to unrepentant sins, then you was just not a christian to begin with.

- The Bible is clear to say that we are still sinners even after God has arranged for us to not carry the burden of judgment for what we have done. Back to your free will topic, we will always have choices, so we will never be completely perfect in our decisions.

But i set the premise that a person is a TRUE christian.

A TRUE christian has free will, and can sin if he wants to.

Agreed. It is not beneficial, but it will happen.

**

A possible solution tha i thought of was that maybe it's God that gurantees it, God guarantees it in the sense that he will step in like a father to a true christian that falters.

- Like a father -- a very fitting comparison. There are Old Testament rebukes that were directed against "believers" who were clearly not living out their faith any more. The rebuke was followed with an offer to be restored to good relationship and better living situations. Most of the Scriptural rebukes were toward people who claimed to follow God, not to unbelievers.

But still, musnt a guarantee by God mean that it's logically impossible for what he guarantees to not happen?

Haha. Our sin separates us from God and people. Picture a kid who set fire to his family home -- that would separate him relationally with his family. They might need to make a decision to turn him in to authorities, or else to cover the offense and try to work with him (her) on it. The offender is still part of the family, but has chosen to distance himself from them.

If their ultimate decision is to run away and cut off communications, then they have chosen not to accept the family's possible forgiveness. If they return with apologies, the family might try to work things out.

And if we have a free will, which is also given by God, isnt there a possibility that a person could reject God regardless if God intervenes?

That is why it is a choice. We ask God to intervene, or refuse His intervention. Salvation is an offer, like a person posting bail for us.

Many of the words used in scriptures that relate to redemption, were legal terms. While we were guilty, Christ stepped in and carried the judgment and the sentence for us. We are declared free, with a clean slate.


**

I can't wrap my head around it.And how can a genuine believer falter anyway.

Oh, we do it all the time.

If you falter, doesn't it mean you are closing in on giving up? But if you are closing in on giving up, there must be a reason for this, so haven't you already given up at the moment you start faltering?

Compare two situations:

• A believer goes into severe depression, and their mind has lost hope and motivation.
• A believer gets so riled up over something a pastor said to them, that they fume and can't let go of it.

Which one seems to have a better chance at guaranteeing their salvation?
Isnt the difference between a true believer and someone who doesen't truely beilieve, that the true believers faith is absolutely genuine?
Yes.
How can a true believers faith even begin to get weak? Isn't the faith lost at the moment it starts getting weak?

Do you remember the story of Jesus calming the storm? His disciples panicked, and Jesus said "oh you of little faith." There were a few stories like this in the New Testament, where Jesus tried to keep their faith from lagging. And they were with Jesus every day!

I suspect that some people are telling you things that aren't completely based on scriptures. Not every believer has all the answers, even preachers.

 

[seashale76]

Your reasoning isn't faulty, OP. Orthodox Christians don't go around claiming to 'be saved' as in 'our race is finished.'

YouTube - Are you saved? - an Orthodox Christian answer.

 

[heymikey80]

Is it possible to quit being a human being?

The question really comes down to whether God made you; and then whether God re-made you.

 

[Goodbook]

I believe once saved always saved as well.
I think the idea of free will is a bit of a misnomer. It's an upside down view of the world.
When a person is saved and becomes a Christian, they will find that they willingly give up their so-called 'free will' which is really bondage to Satan and flesh -to do 'God's will' of the spirit - and this makes the new Christian really free in the way Jesus described it 'the truth shall set you free'. This is freedom FROM our sin. Think of sin as an addiction. That's why in the bible Jesus says to pray for deliverance from evil, and talks about setting captives free.

 

[Phaedron777]

"ALL shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life."

Pray for the rapture, or protection, but be ready to die for the faith. Do not worship Matreya or the aliens when they land. Also don't listen to Elia, the false prophet. He has been revealed, imho, the great tribulation began 2008. Very soon here in 2011 the aliens will land. Christians are dying in at least 17 countries.

 

[fm107]

I don't know the bible, so maybe i don't understand some stuff.

But, both a non-christian and a christian are human beings with free will, right?

So they both have the possibility to choose to act and think whatever is possible to act or think.

So if its true that "once your saved, your saved", doesnt this contradict with free will? Assuming this means that once you're saved you're saved for eternity.

It just doesnt make sense to me.If i knew i was saved, if i absolutely knew i was saved, what point is there to "hold on until the end"?

**

I assume that one of the arguments will be that if you start to give in to unrepentant sins, then you was just not a christian to begin with.

But i set the premise that a person is a TRUE christian.

A TRUE christian has free will, and can sin if he wants to.

**

A possible solution tha i thought of was that maybe it's God that gurantees it, God guarantees it in the sense that he will step in like a father to a true christian that falters.

But still, musnt a guarantee by God mean that it's logically impossible for what he guarantees to not happen?

And if we have a free will, which is also given by God, isnt there a possibility that a person could reject God regardless if God intervenes?

**

I can't wrap my head around it.And how can a genuine believer falter anyway.

If you falter, doesn't it mean you are closing in on giving up? But if you are closing in on giving up, there must be a reason for this, so haven't you already given up at the moment you start faltering?

Isnt the difference between a true believer and someone who doesen't truely beilieve, that the true believers faith is absolutely genuine?

How can a true believers faith even begin to get weak? Isn't the faith lost at the moment it starts getting weak?

Ok, let's look at the 2 verses previous:

Hebrews 3:12-13
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

I liken these people to these people who never were saved at all:

Matthew 13:7
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

You see these plants (people) are the same as these people:

Mark 4:19
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

......................................................

These saved people however:

Hebrews 3:14
We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Are these people:

Matthew 13:8
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

......................................................

That's my initial thoughts on this. Remember, once saved, your always saved!

If I get time, I may have a deeper look into this for you, but for now I feel the answer provided is right.

 

[Peripatetic]

Whether our actions have an effect on our salvation is a matter of great debate among scholars, but it is not something we will ever know for sure. Similarly, "Once saved, always saved" can be interesting to consider, but it is nothing more than a different way of looking at the word "always".

The Bible tells us that the names of all the saved are already written in Heaven. So when you consider God's "non-linear" perspective of time, each saved person is already saved and can't lose it - even those than haven't been born yet.

Yet we tend speculate about the current state of salvation - whether a person has it "now" or not. But many Christians have a complex life of spiritual ups and downs. A typical example might look like this:

1. Person grows up in a Christian home and is a Christian as a child.
2. Person goes to college and falls away from faith and lives a worldly life.
3. Person has a conversion experience and is on fire for God for 10 years.
4. Person burns out, becomes cynical, divorces his/her spouse, and becomes worldly again.
5. At age 80, person finds his/her way back and dies in closeness with God.

Was the person saved as a child and just went through ups and downs?
Was the conversion experience the "real" saving moment?
Or was the person was saved at age 80?

The answer: none of the above. The person was saved when he/she was conceived in the mind of God. Whether the person had free will to accept or reject that grace (and God already knew those choices because he is omniscient) or whether God's grace cannot be resisted is a matter that cannot be known while we are still on Earth. Believers of both points of view will tell you otherwise (and "prove it" with scripture), but the real truth probably involves a perspective and understanding of God and non-linear time that our human minds can't comprehend.

 

[LWB]

Here is my understanding, and why I don't spend a second wondering if I'm saved or not.

I find the idea that salvation is a ticket to Heaven to be ridiculous. Heaven and Hell are concepts that should be far from the focus of a believer's motivation.

Remember the story of Pinocchio? We are like puppets animated by a force we don't understand. But we have the opportunity to become a real child. Going from a puppet to a real child is my understanding of salvation.

Some people aren't interested in becoming real. They prefer the darkness. But we who hear the voice of our Lord, we desire to become real. We don't have the power to become real on our own, but that is okay because God has provided the way. Yet God cannot force this on someone against their will, so believers need to strive towards this goal, while God makes it possible.

I wish I could communicate plainly what it means for a believer to be caught up into the body of Christ. It is much more than simply avoiding a punishment. It is like Pinocchio becoming a real little boy, able to enjoy the love of his maker.

So as long as one has the will to keep striving, it doesn't matter that mistakes and sins continue. We are unable to avoid sin for the time being, so if the desires of the flesh keep haunting us, it is of no importance. All that matters is that the person keeps striving and holding on to what they've been given.

When God created man, he wanted more than robots. We are free to accept God and love him, or reject him. Maybe that is all the free will we have. Salvation is desiring to love God. Loss of salvation is choosing to no longer love God.

Even if there are times when we choose selfishness over service to God, that means nothing. The flesh can be weak while the spirit is willing. If the spirit is unwilling though, a person will be selfish and simply not care. If a former believer ever finds himself like this, he might be worried if he still had a capacity to feel worry.

So really the bottom line is that if anyone is concerned about the status of their salvation, they're probably fine. They should do their best to repent of whatever weakness they suffer and hold on to what they've got.

 

[Phaedron777]

You are saved if you have a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ (Yashua), and the Holy Spirit is within you.

GOD is not of this world. This is why we don't perceive him with senses, and why self denial and fasting help us connect with him. Those cut off from God need to prove he exists and won't make the necessary step of faith required to believe in him. This is also why fasting, self denial, and getting away from worldly things can help you connect with God. Worldy things get in the way of connecting with God.

The saviour made it possible for your sins to be forgiven, past present future, by sealing you with the holy ghost. People criticize the so called license to sin, but fail to understand the holy ghost.

The Holy Spirit is virtue. When you are lead by the spirit and listen to him, you don't sin, or if you do you hate that you have sinned and quickly repent of it. Since the holy spirit is your guarantee of salvation, it is wise not to grieve him or quench him. If you have the holy spirit you will desire righteousness, you will feel the born again experience, without him you might only be following Jesus on an intellectual level.

While there are scriptures that say don't grieve the spirit, don't quench the spirit, they do not guarantee one going is hell. Being saved means God works with us on a personal relationship. Thus he knows our hearts and motives. If you have broken the law, you are guilty and punished, it is that simple. The spirit of Christ is the mercy principle, by which you're reasoning, understanding, and excuses will be taken into account, and you may be forgiven if you're heart is in the right place.

Falling from grace is subtle and easy. Galatians 1-6 goes into this in depth, but again Paul does not pronounce them hopeless. When you do a lot of good deeds it's easy to think you are saved because of them, or when you keep the law, but if you break even one bit of the law then you have broken the entire law. Another easy way to fall from grace is to believe in another gospel.

So to maintain salvation you must always remember that it is entirely through unmerited grace, by faith in Yashua the savior, who is God in the flesh, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. He paid the price for all sins so that you might be perfected in love, made holy and clean, and sealed with the holy Spirit. If you think you are saved by any other means then you have fallen from grace and need to repent.

Now that you believe you are under a curse if you sin. Normally people can live happy lives when they sin, but the heavenly father will punish his sons. If they endure chastisement and scourging they are sons. If they are outside wherein all are partakers then they are not sons. It is a blessed thing that God punishes you in this life for the sin, instead of cutting you off and punishing you for eternity. It's also God's way of telling you something is wrong.

You still have a relationship with God, but it will have gone sour. However, if enough time passes you might completely forget about God, at which point you find you no longer have that relationship. This is a very dangerous place to be. It may require intercession and a long process of deep repentance to fix, and theres no guarantee it can be fixed.

When you continue to sin you stop listening to the holy spirit. Eventually he becomes grieved, or even quenched. This is why we must check ourselves to see if we are in the faith. When the spirit is quenched through years of unrepentant sin you run a very grave risk and may require intercession from others.

You are expected to cultivate the fruit of the spirit, this is what is meant by the good soil where the fruit can grow. This is very serious, as trees without fruit will be cursed and eventually burned in the lake of fire. If any man have not the spirit of Christ then he is none of his. It's very important to realize the goal of Christianity is to become like Christ.

The experience of the spirit filled life is one of joy, freedom, prayer, deep appreciation for having been saved. Such will often desire to get up and sing and dance in praise. Worldly things become less interesting, there is little or no desire to sin. If you've reached this level then the word of God has taken root deep within your heart and produced the various fruits of the spirit. True Christians will often recognize the spirit of Christ within each other.

There are also various spiritual gifts associated with the Holy Spirit. At the highest level, when one is in service for God, healing and miracles may even manifest.

Now, the born again level may be considered going on to perfection. You are filled with the spirit, you sing, dance, praise, and love. You have read a good deal of scripture and understand it. At this point you fulfilled the five conditions spoken of in Hebrews 6:1-6 and if you fall away after this point you cannot be renewed onto repentance.

Acts 11:18 speaks of giving the gift of repentance also onto the gentiles. This is key. Repentance itself is a gift. This is why some people will not believe no matter what you say to them, and why those who truly turn away from Jesus cannot and will not repent. No one can come to the Father except that he is called and drawn to him.

Understand what the level of the personal relationship entails. We are to glorify God in everything we do. We live onto God, we die onto God, when we eat we eat onto God. The key is to remember him and be thankful in everything we do.

 

[Goodbook]

OP.
Sorry it's me again, I just wanted to answer the second part of your question, as I posted before about the free will part but didn't have time to address the second bit. BTW there are some good answers here about salvation and what it means but you asked specifically why we are meant to hold on?














Why are we told to hold fast to our faith? True Christians are saved, absolutely! We are told to hold fast and endure because as you know we live in a fallen world and Satan with his many lies and deceptions is always trying to lead people astray. So we contend for the faith, affirm the truth, and put on 'the armour of God'. Jesus is our shepherd, he will lay down his life for us, if we stray, he will go looking for us. BUT he gave us a warning, to beware of false prophets, who are wolves in sheeps clothing. They try to decieve us by pretending to be christians when they aren't so we are duped into following them. But we hear only Jesus voice. He warns in the last days they can deceive even the elect, if it were possible. So we are to be on guard always and affirm the truth.

When you read about Paul in the New Testament he held fast to the faith, he endured persecutions, beatings, sufferings, shipwrecks, slander etc. But NOTHING could make him turn from Jesus. So its not that a true christian can ever fall away..he writes this to exhort us to endure because of all the attacks we may get by simply being christian, Satan is always trying to get us to fall again..but we know it's not really possible..still, we are to be aware he is roaming around like a lion wanting to devour us. Because if he can get a christian on his side..he can use that persons christian 'credentials' to deceive many. It is terrible.And sadly, we see, that's what's happening in the world and has been happening ever since Jesus work on the cross.

 

[papaJP]

I don't know the bible, so maybe i don't understand some stuff.

But, both a non-christian and a christian are human beings with free will, right?

So they both have the possibility to choose to act and think whatever is possible to act or think.

So if its true that "once your saved, your saved", doesnt this contradict with free will? Assuming this means that once you're saved you're saved for eternity.

It just doesnt make sense to me.If i knew i was saved, if i absolutely knew i was saved, what point is there to "hold on until the end"?

**

I assume that one of the arguments will be that if you start to give in to unrepentant sins, then you was just not a christian to begin with.

But i set the premise that a person is a TRUE christian.

A TRUE christian has free will, and can sin if he wants to.

**

A possible solution tha i thought of was that maybe it's God that gurantees it, God guarantees it in the sense that he will step in like a father to a true christian that falters.

But still, musnt a guarantee by God mean that it's logically impossible for what he guarantees to not happen?

And if we have a free will, which is also given by God, isnt there a possibility that a person could reject God regardless if God intervenes?

**

I can't wrap my head around it.And how can a genuine believer falter anyway.

If you falter, doesn't it mean you are closing in on giving up? But if you are closing in on giving up, there must be a reason for this, so haven't you already given up at the moment you start faltering?

Isnt the difference between a true believer and someone who doesen't truely beilieve, that the true believers faith is absolutely genuine?

How can a true believers faith even begin to get weak? Isn't the faith lost at the moment it starts getting weak?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

First their is no such thing as once saved always saved as taught by many. However, if you are saved and continue to seek God and His walk that He has for you it can become very unlikely. Yes you have a free will. As Adam had a free will and used it to fall and cause all his decendents to fall.

As you grow spiritually and convince God that in your heart you want to be His child then He will give you the Holy Spirit to help you continue to grow closer to be like Jesus. When you grow strong enough spiritually you will have a face to face with God and you will give Him your will and walk in His will. Then you are as safe as you can ever be in not being able to walk away from God. It is not totally possible to say once saved always saved and never able to turn and walk away.

 

[Phaedron777]

If a man does not endure in the faith there is the danger he could die in his backslidden state. If this happens he might not be saved.

What you BELIEVE is important does affect reality. Jesus and the Apostles even had the faith to move mountains if they needed to. Jesus taught them to walk on water and remove all doubt from their minds.

So when you BELIEVE you are saved through works, or anything other then the pure grace of Jesus dying for your sins, it is NOT a saving belief.

I think there is probably some importance with dying and having this faith, or belief.

 

[Goodbook]

Actually..Jesus does teach those who are saved are always saved.
in John chapter 10 he says his sheep know his voice (those that are saved) and nobody can snatch him out of his hand.

But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

When you know Jesus you will follow him as you know you are saved by HIM alone. Some christians believe they are saved by another teacher who masquerades as Jesus or of their own will and then when confronted with the real Jesus, they get confused and walk away and keep following the imposters. And Jesus isn't able to save them from walking away because they didn't come by him in the first place and entered not by the door but by climbing in. Jesus enters by the door.

I'm sorry if I'm not explaining it very well. But Jesus also teaches those that hear the word in the parable of the sower - those that truly understand it(believe) are saved, because they are rooted and bear good fruit. The other seeds either don't grow or get choked by weeds or wither and die, they will not be saved (would you harvest anything from plants that didn't bear any fruit? Those that are saved are the 'firstfruits' mentioned in the bible) ....it isn't possible for God for you to bear good fruit and then decide to turn from God - he's the one that makes YOU GROW ..nor is it possible for you to truly follow Jesus and then decide you want to follow someone else, because he's the one that LEADS YOU! Jesus would be a really bad shepherd and ineffectual leader if he let you walk away because he is leading you to GOOD things and away from BAD. That would be like me as a parent neglecting my duty! That would be like me disowning my child and abandoning him.

So my answer to this is a true christian and a true believer has faith (that God has given to him/her..it is a gift) and that faith is not wavering or doubting. Anything else is not of God and therefore not saved. And saved also means being born again- you are made NEW so you cannot go back to your old ways even if you tried.
Why would a born again Christian reject God? I do not think it is possible, because of the new life this person is given, it would be illogical to then reject this gift AFTER accepting it! You can reject the offer, and it won't be given to you and you can pretend you have a new life (that's what many of these chrisitan religions would have you believe) But what is given by God is spiritual and cannot really be rejected.

Lets face it, on your deathbed..how could you reject Jesus if you had genuine faith? That is why those that die in Christ have such peace when they die because they are promised eternal life..it becomes a beautiful thing. You posit that a true Christian can sin if he wants to. Big 'IF'. A true christian doesn't want to sin, because he knows God hates sin, and also knowing God hates sin, the christian hates sin also.

 

[TheGuide]

"I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."
Psalms 119:11

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Also, study to show yourself approved. A good Bible teaching church is what every new Christian needs. You have accepted the gift of salvation, now it is time to learn so that God can speak to you through his word.

First, memorize the Lord your God's commandments. There are actually Twelve Commandments; Jesus gave us two new ones when he walked the earth, and they come before all the others. They are (some paraphraised) as follows:

1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength.

2. You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.

3. You shall have no other gods before him.

4. You shall not make yourself an image of anything in heaven or anything on earth to worship.

5. You shall not take the Lord your God's name in vain.

6. Remember the Sabbath.

7. Honor your father and mother.

8. You shall not kill (NOTE: There is always killing in wars commissioned/ commanded by leaders so, in these instances, there appears to be an exception).

9. You shall not commit adultery.

10. You shall not steal

11. You shall not bare false witness against your neighbor.

12. You shall not covet.

Now when "free will" leads you outside of what is God's will, or you do something you know is wrong, ask God for forgiveness through Jesus and you are forgiven. Do it again and asks again while working to build up strength within to overcome the transgression.

How to pray:

Always begin your prayer with words of worship. To know how this is done, read some of the shorter Psalms passages that teaches us how to open in worship to God before we start asking for stuff. Also, always pray out loud when you're to yourself. Your prayers and petitions are between you and God not you and a pastor or priest or anyone else.

When you asks for forgiveness, receive that forgiveness and move on. If and when you sin again asks again and move on. The whole time, you are educating youself about Jesus by reading and re-reading the gospels. I suggest that you start with John, then go to Matthews and go from there. Also, join a good Bible study group, and don't be concerned about changing churches and study groups if they aren't feeding you what you need. You spiritual commitment is to God and no one else.

Last thing. If you have trouble understanding the Bible it may be because you are reading it from an intellectual academic standpoint, which is how we are (rightly) taught to learn. However, Jesus tells us in John 4:24 that God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Intellectual academia is for our "physical mind" but God's word is for our "spiritual mind," and understanding. When you read and receive God's word know that this food feeds your real man (your spirit) unlimited power through Jesus. Your comprehension should increase ten-fold.

 

[Phaedron777]

You know, I think you're right about the once saved thing. There were a few times I was close to being deceived or walking out of line, and God snapped me right back into shape.

Even if a lost sheep goes astray, Jesus has promised he would catch up with him and lead him back, as demonstrated by the woman who found her lost penny.

 

[IveBeenThinking]

I keep my noise in a bible and stay in church. You asked a lot of questions but I hope this at least gets you started on finding the answers you looking for.

What happens if you can't read and your church is full of hypocrites who judge everything you do?


Seeking God doesn't have to mean you're in church 4 days a week and reading the bible 2 hrs a day.

 

[olsheuma]

God chose his people even before the foundation of the world.

 

[Crosssword]

If you come to the light, are full of Love, and seek Christ then you were called and drawn. Whether this means you were foreknown at the foundation is debatable. I think the chosen part has do with making your calling and election sure. The Faithful part means maintaining your salvation.

I think once saved, always saved, makes too many assumptions about things we don't really understand. Let's keep it simple and work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Each Christian has their own personal relationship with God. We do well to judge ourselves, salvation is like getting a free new car, it comes with responsibilities. It can break down and be repaired, and if drive it wrong you can get into an accident and shipwreck your faith.

We are not worthy of him if anything else is more important to us, even family. When I was younger family was more important to me in some ways, but now nothing is. All my time is for him now, and if I can't be moved to actually serve him, well too bad, I'm still going to lose my life and I'll find it by praising, reading, and hanging around on forums, if nothing else. I'm done accepting solitude and assuming rejection.