Is Salvation Forever?

[schnauzer]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

I know of cases of Christians who have borne fruit for years and then completely distanced themselves from God, living a life driven by the world (money, lust, etc.).

Do these people still maintain their salvation? Or were they never saved?
Remember I clarified that these are people who have borne very good fruit and have experienced profound changes after knowing Christ.
What will happen to them?
Thank you.

I apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum and for any inconsistencies that may exist in the message, since it was translated from Spanish using Google Translate.

 

[ozso]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

I know of cases of Christians who have borne fruit for years and then completely distanced themselves from God, living a life driven by the world (money, lust, etc.).

Do these people still maintain their salvation? Or were they never saved?
Remember I clarified that these are people who have borne very good fruit and have experienced profound changes after knowing Christ.
What will happen to them?
Thank you.

You're going to get different answers to that based on doctrine that's backed up by scripture.

I apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum and for any inconsistencies that may exist in the message, since it was translated from Spanish using Google Translate.

You're good.

 

[schnauzer]

You're going to get different answers to that based on doctrine that's backed up by scripture.

You're good.

What is the doctrine supported by Scripture?

If there are several positions of thought, does it mean that it is not known for sure where a soul will live for the rest of its eternity?

 

[ozso]

What is the doctrine supported by Scripture?

All of them. You can lose your salvation. If you walk away you were never saved. Once you're saved you're always saved no matter what.

If there are several positions of thought, does it mean that it is not known for sure where a soul will live for the rest of its eternity?

Many are, or at lest sound like they are, 100% certain that the version they believe in is the only correct version. Personally knowing the main versions pretty well, don't know for sure. I can't say with complete certainly which one is spot on.

 

[HTacianas]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

I know of cases of Christians who have borne fruit for years and then completely distanced themselves from God, living a life driven by the world (money, lust, etc.).

Do these people still maintain their salvation? Or were they never saved?
Remember I clarified that these are people who have borne very good fruit and have experienced profound changes after knowing Christ.
What will happen to them?
Thank you.

I apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum and for any inconsistencies that may exist in the message, since it was translated from Spanish using Google Translate.

The new testament is filled with warnings against falling away into condemnation through sin or apostasy. That has been the teaching of Christianity since the beginning. It is best summed up here;

Rom 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

The biggest word in the bible is "if".

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

I know of cases of Christians who have borne fruit for years and then completely distanced themselves from God, living a life driven by the world (money, lust, etc.).

Do these people still maintain their salvation? Or were they never saved?
Remember I clarified that these are people who have borne very good fruit and have experienced profound changes after knowing Christ.
What will happen to them?
Thank you.

I apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum and for any inconsistencies that may exist in the message, since it was translated from Spanish using Google Translate.

Salvation cannot be lost, because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.

If you are truly a Christian, that means Christ has paid for your sins in full. You have been judged in Christ, and you have passed from judgement to life. God cannot judge His people in any way because His people have already been judged in Jesus. When Christ drank the cup of God’s wrath he drank it to the dregs. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and that means on the final day and every day until then. God is never judging you for your sin if you are in Christ.

When Jesus was on the cross, He said 'it is finished' in Greek 'tetelestei'. Tetelestei was a stamp 2000 years ago that was stamped when a debt was paid in full. That's what essentially happened on the cross, Christ paid in full for all His elect, who are now children of God.

 

[schnauzer]

Salvation cannot be lost, because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.

If you are truly a Christian, that means Christ has paid for your sins in full. You have been judged in Christ, and you have passed from judgement to life. God cannot judge His people in any way because His people have already been judged in Jesus. When Christ drank the cup of God’s wrath he drank it to the dregs. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and that means on the final day and every day until then. God is never judging you for your sin if you are in Christ.

When Jesus was on the cross, He said 'it is finished' in Greek 'tetelestei'. Tetelestei was a stamp 2000 years ago that was stamped when a debt was paid in full. That's what essentially happened on the cross, Christ paid in full for all His elect, who are now children of God.

How do I know if I am truly a Christian?

 

[d taylor]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

I know of cases of Christians who have borne fruit for years and then completely distanced themselves from God, living a life driven by the world (money, lust, etc.).

Do these people still maintain their salvation? Or were they never saved?
Remember I clarified that these are people who have borne very good fruit and have experienced profound changes after knowing Christ.
What will happen to them?
Thank you.

I apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum and for any inconsistencies that may exist in the message, since it was translated from Spanish using Google Translate.

-
​

Well for one thing it is not receiving Christ into a person heart that gives a person God's free gift of Eternal Life.

It is believing in Jesus, believing that Jesus is who He says He is The Son of God/The Messiah, the resurrection and the life.

Jesus says the person who believes in Him will never die. The believer in Jesus at the very momnet of belief in Jesus, crosses over from death to life, never to cross back over to death.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

I know of cases of Christians who have borne fruit for years and then completely distanced themselves from God, living a life driven by the world (money, lust, etc.).

Do these people still maintain their salvation? Or were they never saved?
Remember I clarified that these are people who have borne very good fruit and have experienced profound changes after knowing Christ.
What will happen to them?
Thank you.

I apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum and for any inconsistencies that may exist in the message, since it was translated from Spanish using Google Translate.

Sounds like these individuals have committed apostasy.
Scripture tells us it can happen:

Hebrews 3:12:
Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

There is still a chance to repent and come back to their first Love, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. But then there is also a chance of a complete rejection and the consequence. Scripture tells us:

1 John 1:6:
If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Blessings

 

[ozso]

The new testament is filled with warnings against falling away into condemnation through sin or apostasy. That has been the teaching of Christianity since the beginning. It is best summed up here;

Rom 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.

The biggest word in the bible is "if".

The fact that once saved always saved is a much newer doctrine comparatively speaking, that certainly weighs against it.

Personally regarding myself I'm partial to the Eastern Orthodox view as I heard it from Kallistos Ware; I trust by the grace of God that I am being saved.

 

[ozso]

How do I know if I am truly a Christian?

What does being a Christian mean to you? Or put another way why are you a Christian? Sorry to answer a question with questions, but it's easier to answer that question knowing where someone is at.

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

How do I know if I am truly a Christian?

The only evidence of Salvation is the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can produce the good fruit in you. You can look up what those fruits are.

The mark of the true believer is not sinless perfection, but new repugnance for sin, a greater sensitivity to sin, a more vehement zeal to fight against sin, a humble contrition because of sin, and a willingness to confess sin.

The evidence of salvation is not sinless perfection, but a new relationship with God’s commandments, a real inclination toward them, a genuine desire to do them, a growing practical application of them, and real contrition when our neglect of them becomes obvious (I John 2:3-5).

If you are saved, then light of God is in you, and it will shine all around you. Are you living a brand new life, resembling Christ or are you living the same sinful life as before? Are people around you noticing this light? For example my family sees the change for good. My colleagues tell me I am genuinely good, not like others and are willing to listen to gospel (not that I boast, this is the work of Christ in me)

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

The fact that once saved always saved is a much newer doctrine comparatively speaking, that certainly weighs against it.

Once saved always saved was decided on the cross, where Christ has perfectly satisfied God's wrath for God's elect. He paid for their sins in full.

God cannot judge his people in any way because his people have already been judged in Jesus. When Christ drank the cup of God’s wrath he drank it to the dregs. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and that means on the final day and every day until then. God is never judging you for your sin if you are in Christ.

Everyone who teaches that salvation can be lost fails to explain based on what can a born again Christian suffer God's wrath in hell when Christ satisfied God's wrath on the cross for him.

So God has judged me in Christ, but then God is going to judge me for the things Christ already been judged for?

All of you who teach salvation can be lost are saying Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was not enough, but you are trying to add your own deeds. You are rejecting grace of God. Not by deeds but by grace we are saved.

You do not even know whether you will go to heaven or not. What if you have not done enough. Like what Islam teaches, do more good and it will increase the chance allah takes you to heaven, but you are not sure. It is the same. But the Scripture teaches of assurance of our salvation.

 

[ozso]

Once saved always saved was decided on the cross, where Christ has perfectly satisfied God's wrath for God's elect. He paid for their sins in full.

God cannot judge his people in any way because his people have already been judged in Jesus. When Christ drank the cup of God’s wrath he drank it to the dregs. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and that means on the final day and every day until then. God is never judging you for your sin if you are in Christ.

Everyone who teaches that salvation can be lost fails to explain based on what can a born again Christian suffer God's wrath in hell when Christ satisfied God's wrath on the cross for him.

So God has judged me in Christ, but then God is going to judge me for the things Christ already been judged for?

All of you who teach salvation can be lost are saying Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was not enough, but you are trying to add your own deeds. You are rejecting grace of God. Not by deeds but by grace we are saved.

You do not even know whether you will go to heaven or not. What if you have not done enough. Like what Islam teaches, do more good and it will increase the chance allah takes you to heaven, but you are not sure. It is the same. But the Scripture teaches of assurance of our salvation.

What if someone later on chooses to hate God and wants to be separated from him for eternity?

 

[Ivan Hlavanda]

What if someone later on chooses to hate God and wants to be separated from him for eternity?

I don't think anyone who is born again of the Holy Spirit would ever do that. God knows.

 

[Paul4JC]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

I know of cases of Christians who have borne fruit for years and then completely distanced themselves from God, living a life driven by the world (money, lust, etc.).

Do these people still maintain their salvation? Or were they never saved?
Remember I clarified that these are people who have borne very good fruit and have experienced profound changes after knowing Christ.
What will happen to them?
Thank you.

I apologize if I posted this message in the wrong forum and for any inconsistencies that may exist in the message, since it was translated from Spanish using Google Translate.

Mat 13:18-23

 

[bling]

Heb. 12: 14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.

Gal. 6: 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Heb. 3: 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

Heb. 4:1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

 

[Clare73]

What if someone later on chooses to hate God and wants to be separated from him for eternity?

He was never saved, for the saved are kept by the power of God (1 Pe 1:4-5).

 

[ozso]

I don't think anyone who is born again of the Holy Spirit would ever do that. God knows.

He was never saved, for the saved are kept by the power of God (1 Pe 1:4-5).

This is why we have Job's story. No matter what his love, faith and commitment towards God couldn't be broken. You often hear of someone losing their faith in God due to tragedy. But I don't get that. Tragedy would cause me to cling to God more, not less.

 

[fhansen]

Hello everyone. I wanted to know if when a person receives Christ in their heart and experiences transformative changes in their life, that person is eternally saved, even if they distance themselves from God at some point.

Faith is nearness to God and nearness to God is salvation. If faith doesn’t result in nearness to/love for God it’s worthless. The transformation, into His image, into the image of He who is love, is our own love, itself, for God and neighbor. Receiving “Christ into your heart” is to receive God; there’s no way to separate the two.

“Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Pet 1:21

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you,the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3

Either way, a person can turn to God, producing good fruit for a while, and also turn back away from Him, now generally marked and confirmed by a life of no fruit or bad fruit.