Once Saved, always Saved?

[motherprayer]

James says, "Faith without works is dead."
Now, many misinterpret this to say you HAVE to work to keep your salvation, but what it is saying is that once you are saved, and you grow in your relationship with Jesus, works are sort of a "by-product" of your relationship.
I.E. How could I POSSIBLY not share Jesus' awesome grace and love, knowing how wonderful it is?

But to explain the "gift" of salvation that God offers, I have a parable. Let's look at this verse:
Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

A "free gift." Wait, free?! Yes, free.

On to the parable:
A man has a daughter, and it is her birthday. He knows she has had a hard year, and wants to give her something really special. So he buys her a bracelet she has been wanting for a long time. She loves it, cherishes it, wears it all the time - for a time. But eventually she doesn't enjoy it as much. She puts it aside, and it sits, on the shelf.
Her dad notices, and it makes him sad. But does he take BACK the gift? No, because He is a good dad and hopes that one day she might wear it again.

Our lives will be so much more fulfilling if we "wear our bracelets" always, but sometimes things in this world, or in our own hearts, make us want to "take them off" and "sit them on the shelf." It breaks God's heart when this happens, but because He knows it can happen, He leaves "them" with us, in the hope that one day we will "display them" prominently.

 

[RomanRite]

First of all the Catholic Church never taught to work your way to heaven, only by the Grace of God we are saved, do you even know what the Church means by works? Works are actions through faith such as keeping the commandments, helping the sick, spreading the gospel etc are what works are.

 

[AfanofJesus]

First of all the Catholic Church never taught to work your way to heaven, only by the Grace of God we are saved, do you even know what the Church means by works? Works are actions through faith such as keeping the commandments, helping the sick, spreading the gospel etc are what works are.

So what would you say, once saved always saved?

(For reference to what I think, see my post on the bottom of page 2, or earlier)

 

[RomanRite]

So what would you say, once saved always saved?

(For reference to what I think, see my post on the bottom of page 2, or earlier)

No,you are saved only by Gods grace, you won't know till death of your saved

 

[AfanofJesus]

No,you are saved only by Gods grace, you won't know till death of your saved

That seems as the healthiest way to look upon this, agreed! Although, "saved" to me still has somekind of connection to "receiving Holy Spirit", "longing for God", "strong faith", and that I guess we could have before. Although, I don't know if that's a guarantee for coming to heaven. I think the better is to do our best and have our aim on God/Jesus and let go of questions that are up to God

 

[loveisavirtue14]

Once saved, always saved! Once justified, not always justfied!
Col. 1:22-23-"But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant."

 

[loveisavirtue14]

To clarify, everyone has been saved, but not everyone justified. Salvation comes from Jesus's death on the cross which was for all (1 John 2:2), justification comes from faith in Him (Romans 5: 1).

 

[The Fire Rises]

To clarify, everyone has been saved, but not everyone justified. Salvation comes from Jesus's death on the cross which was for all (1 John 2:2), justification comes from faith in Him (Romans 5: 1).

At first this confused me, but now I think I agree with you.

Jesus died on the cross for us, offerring ALL of us a free gift of new life, a gift that would cleanse us of sin. So this gift is AVAILABLE to everyone, but you can only accept it through faith - justification.

Justificiation is not earned through works or deeds. All that is required is genuine belief that Jesus is your Savior and asking Him into your heart and life.

After this has occurred, sanctification begins.

A way to visualize it is this:

Justification is like a dot, an instantaneous event. Sanctification is like a line, a long process in which we learn how to be more like Jesus. If we were TRULY justified, then sanctification WILL begin.

This isnt to say it will be EASY or straight-forward all the time. In fact, it may be incredibly hard for some people at times. But our Father will walk with us. We must have patience, perseverance and prayer: the three P's.